The Care Ministry Podcast

What do you do when someone trusts you enough to say, “I’m struggling with addiction”?

For many ministry leaders, that moment can feel overwhelming. You care deeply, but may not know what to say, where to begin, or how much responsibility you should carry.

In this episode, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey talk about how churches can respond to addiction with compassion, curiosity, and healthy boundaries. They explore why addiction is often connected with trauma, grief, and mental health, and why someone’s recovery journey cannot be reduced to one simple solution or program.

Together, they share practical questions ministry leaders can ask, common responses to avoid, and ways churches can connect people with appropriate treatment, peer support, and recovery resources.

This conversation is a reminder that churches do not need to become treatment centres or counselling practices to care well. The church can offer belonging, purpose, hope, prayer, discipleship, and long-term companionship.

You do not need to know every step of someone’s recovery journey. You simply need to listen well, help them find their next faithful step, and continue walking alongside them.

Quotes

“When someone shares their story with you, they’re feeling desperate and they’re wanting some hope. They’re wanting to be heard.” Rebecca Bailey

“You don’t want to jump into solutions and trying to get to the underlying details of things. Instead, you really want to say, ‘Thank you for telling me. I’m glad that you’ve been vulnerable enough to share this with me.’” Rebecca Bailey

“Questions are offered as curiosity so that they feel they can express and share and go deeper.” Laura Howe

“You have to let the person also be a participant in their recovery journey. You can’t do things for other people.” Rebecca Bailey

“It’s not knowing all the answers. It’s just loving the person that God has placed right in front of you.” Laura Howe

Resources

Curious Questions for Care Conversations
A practical list of compassionate questions to help you listen well, understand what support someone already has, and help them identify their next faithful step.

Continuum of Care
Learn more about the different roles of pastors, peer-support leaders, counsellors, social workers, psychologists, medical professionals, and other care providers.

Faith-Based Recovery Resources
Explore trusted recovery programs and resources, including Celebrate Recovery and Life Recovery.

Project Exodus - https://www.projectexodus.net/

Life Recovery - https://newlife.com/groups/

Re:Generation - https://www.watermark.org/ministries/regeneration-recovery

Celebrate Recovery - https://celebraterecovery.com/

Church Mental Health Summit
Access practical, hope-filled training to help your church respond wisely to addiction, trauma, grief, mental health challenges, and other complex care needs.



Connect with Hope Made Strong

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org
Socials: Facebook – Instagram – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

What happens when the people caring for everyone else realize they need care too?

In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe is joined by Dr. Dan Allender, therapist, author, professor, and founder of the Allender Center. Together they explore the connection between story, trauma, healing, and spiritual formation, and why caring for others requires us to tend to our own hearts first.

Dan shares the deeply personal story that shaped his life’s work and discusses how unaddressed pain often continues shaping us in ways we do not recognize. Laura and Dan also unpack why healing is rarely quick or linear, the role of community in restoration, and what ministry leaders need to understand as they support others through grief, trauma, and recovery.

This conversation is especially helpful for pastors, care leaders, and helpers who spend much of their time supporting others but may be realizing there are parts of their own story that still need attention.

Quotes

"The more we grow, the more we know how far we have to grow."
Dan Allender

"My God has known my sin today and a month from now and still delights in me."
Dan Allender

"So many of us who serve others know how to offer good comfort. But then the simple question is: how are you in receiving comfort?"
Dan Allender

"Healing is not something we arrive at. It's a journey of truth-telling, grief, courage, and relationship."
Laura Howe

Resources

Learn more about the Allender Center and their story-based approach to healing and spiritual formation

The Allender Center



Connect with Hope Made Strong

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

What does it look like to build a care team before the crisis happens?

In this coaching episode, Laura talks with Bill Loften, Care Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Maryland, about expanding care beyond pastors and licensed ministry leaders.

Bill is less than a year into his role, but he is already thinking strategically about how to identify, equip, and support people within the congregation who can step into care. Together, Laura and Bill explore peer support, lay care, small group leaders, volunteer training, community partnerships, and how to build care systems that are sustainable and aligned with the strengths of your church.

This conversation is especially helpful for care leaders who want to grow their ministry without carrying every need themselves.

Quotes

“We're developing a fire department to be able to handle the fires when they come.”
Bill Loften

“They might not feel called to ministry, but they feel called to do ministry.”
Bill Loften

“There's these specific people that show up when crisis happens or when a need is happening.”
Bill Loften

Resources

Care Alignment Framework
Identify the intersection between your church’s vision, strengths, and the needs of your community so you can focus your care ministry where it can have the greatest impact.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/care-alignment

Model of Care
Explore the different layers of support available within a church, including self-care, community care, peer support, pastoral care, and professional care.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/model-of-care



Connect with Hope Made Strong

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

In this special summer episode, Laura and Rebecca are taking a short break while continuing to bring listeners new and meaningful content each week. This episode features one of the top sessions from a past Church Mental Health Summit with Dr. Stephen Grcevich, founder and president of Key Ministry.

Dr. Grcevich shares important research on how common mental health conditions can impact church attendance for families. He helps leaders understand why families may struggle to participate in church life, especially when anxiety, ADHD, depression, autism, trauma, sensory needs, social communication differences, stigma, or past church experiences are present.

This conversation invites church leaders to look at their ministry environments with fresh eyes and consider what barriers may be making church harder for families who already feel isolated or overwhelmed.

Dr. Grcevich also introduces a practical framework for developing a mental health inclusion strategy so churches can become more welcoming, thoughtful, and supportive places for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.

Quotes

“When we think about inclusion in our churches, mental health inclusion is by far and away our greatest need.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

“Mental health ministry is clearly family ministry.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

“When one member of the family struggles, it’s likely that everybody else isn’t going to be part of church.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

Resources

Key Ministry

Training Videos on Mental Health Inclusion

Mental Health and the Church by Dr. Stephen Grcevich
HMS Amazon Store 🇨🇦Link
HMS Amazon Store 🇺🇸Link

Church Mental Health Summit

Summit Circle


Connect with Hope Made Strong

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

Blended families are more common than we often realize, but they’re rarely talked about in our churches.

In this episode, Laura sits down with Inés Franklin to explore the realities of blended family life and how care leaders can better support those navigating complex family dynamics.

Together, they discuss hidden challenges, the impact of family systems on identity and faith, and practical ways the church can create space for healing and belonging.

If you’re a pastor, care leader, or walking alongside families in transition, this conversation will help you care with greater awareness, compassion, and intention.

Quotes

“Blended families aren’t broken… they’re a picture of redemption.” - Inés Franklin

“We don’t make space for blended families to share their story, and so often, they stay silent.” - Inés Franklin

“We can’t fully care for someone without understanding the family dynamics shaping their story.” - Inés Franklin

“You have to be honest about the pain so that you can experience healing.” - Inés Franklin

“God doesn’t wait for our stories to become tidy. He meets us right in the middle of the complexity.” - Laura Howe

Resources

Blended & Blessed — Inés Franklin
CAN - https://amzn.to/42xk82p
US - https://amzn.to/42flVc9

Uncharted — Inés Franklin
CAN - https://amzn.to/4wfCi6n
US - https://amzn.to/4tdWcvA

Trochia Ministries
→ Inés’ online discipleship ministry with teaching, courses, and resources

Connect with Hope Made Strong

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube