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Starting a Care Ministry
If your church already cares well but wants to grow in skill and impact,
The Church Cares strategy helps you build a full ministry to support those facing personal, family, or mental health challenges. Ready to take the next step?
Cast the Vision with your Leaders
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Share the “why”: Mental health is a growing crisis, and the church is uniquely positioned to respond with Christ-centered care.
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​Use simple visuals like “The Triangle Model” (Pastors/Pros, Trained Helpers, LayListeners) to show how everyone can play a role.
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Reference the book When Hurting People Come to Church to understand the model.
Launch with the 6 Week Care, Prayer, Share Course
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This is your entry ramp for church-wide engagement.
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Use the free video-based curriculum to train a broad group of interested volunteers. Roleplay, discuss, and identify those who show wisdom, empathy, and spiritual maturity.
Identify & Epuip your Care Team
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​Select a smaller team for deeper care ministry.
- ​​Assign roles like Care Coordinator, Lay Listeners, and Trained Group Leaders
- Offer additional training with the resources on our site.
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Consider adding online help. 7cups has a specific section for The Church Cares. Your church helpers could engage the people on this app to provide care for them.
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Create a clear referral and support path
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Use “referrals with,” not “referrals out”—keeping people connected to the church even as they engage with professionals.
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You will create a resource guide and set up a workflow specific to your church.
- Empower the Care Coordinator to triage needs, connect people to the right layer of support, and track follow-up.
Integrate Care into the Life of the Church
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Plug more people into existing ministries like small groups, grief support, recovery groups, or Bible studies.
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Celebrate stories of healing and growth.
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Encourage regular prayer and pastoral support alongside the Care network.
This isn’t just about mental health—it’s about discipleship, hospitality, and evangelism in a hurting world.
The Church Cares gives you a roadmap that’s spiritual, practical, and sustainable.
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