The Care Ministry Podcast

Laura Howe
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The Care Ministry Podcast

Building a culture of care in your church can feel as complex as the people you serve. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Laura Howe offers listeners practical resources and actionable strategies to support leader’s well-being, strengthen volunteer teams and equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to care for your community. With over 15 years of experience as a community mental health clinician, Laura, founder of Hope Made Strong specializes in Community Development Strategies. You will be encouraged as you listen to expert guests get real with how they overcame challenges and developed best-practice methods of reaching and caring for your church and community. If you want to develop a culture of care in your church and support your community without burning out your leaders? This is the podcast for you.

  1. 161: Why is a care ministry strategy important?

    14 DE NOV.

    161: Why is a care ministry strategy important?

    In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, host Laura Howe and guest Rebecca Bailey dive into the importance of strategic planning in care ministry. They discuss the evolving role of care in the church, emphasizing how intentional planning can help churches better support both congregants and the broader community without overwhelming resources. The conversation covers topics like balancing in-reach and outreach, developing volunteer capacity, and creating sustainable support structures. Rebecca also shares insights from leading a care ministry cohort, underscoring the need for clear priorities and collaboration to meet the real needs of people in crisis.   Quotes "Care is more than casseroles. It's about showing up consistently and meaningfully for people, sometimes even just sitting with them." "We often forget that care ministry is not just about Sunday; it's about becoming a community hub of support and connection throughout the week." "People come to churches hoping for more than a service—they seek a family, someone to walk with them in their struggles." "A strategic care ministry knows its strengths and limitations, recognizing that no church can be a one-stop shop for every need." "If we’re truly committed to caring, we need to plan for it. Otherwise, we’ll end up putting out fires rather than offering meaningful support."   Resources Hope Made Strong Community Care Ministry Cohort Communities of Practice Guidebook   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    39min
  2. 160: Care Ministry Cohort: Stories from Alumni

    7 DE NOV.

    160: Care Ministry Cohort: Stories from Alumni

    Whether it’s a new team, a church transition, or some other circumstance, care teams are often left to piece together how to create a sustainable and helpful system for creating cultures of care. Today, Janelle and Katie share their experience entering into the Care Ministry Cohort, where the community, helpful resources, and coaching made all the difference. You can apply for the 2025 Care Ministry Cohort, beginning in January, and begin a guided journey toward cultivating a culture of care at your church!    Quotes The cohort came at the perfect time. It is ok to be patient and wait. We’re not trying to start from the ground up. But we’re trying to renovate. The cohort did a great job of starting at the basics.  We don’t want cookie-cutter care ministries. We want care ministries that look and feel like your congregation.   Resources CareMinistryCohort.com   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    46min
  3. 159: Behind the Scenes of Hosting a Local Church Mental Health Summit

    24 DE OUT.

    159: Behind the Scenes of Hosting a Local Church Mental Health Summit

    In this episode, Pastor Trent Kirkland, from Zion Church in Clarion, Pennsylvania, shares his experience hosting the first local Church Mental Health Summit in North America. Pastor Trent discusses his personal journey with mental health, how his daughter's eating disorder and his experience as a mobile crisis worker shaped his understanding of the mental health crisis, and the steps his church took to address it in their community. He highlights the importance of building collaborative relationships between the faith community and human services, and how hosting the summit fostered these connections. The conversation also covers how local churches can become safe spaces for mental health support through awareness, training, and partnerships.   Quotes "I was a pastor for a number of years who didn’t think about mental health issues because it wasn’t staring me in the face." "As a parent, an eating disorder gets your attention." "One of the things that made the event a success was the balance between local and national speakers, adding so much credibility to the whole event." "The ultimate solution for human flourishing is Jesus, but we also need to address mental health practically." "I wanted human service agencies to know that the faith community values what they do."   Resources https://www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com/host https://www.zionlife.com/   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    41min
  4. 158: How To Get The Most Out Of The Church Mental Health Summit

    10 DE OUT.

    158: How To Get The Most Out Of The Church Mental Health Summit

    In this episode, Laura and Rebecca discuss how to maximize the benefits of the upcoming Church Mental Health Summit, offering practical tips for attendees, including registering early to avoid last-minute technical issues and organizing watch parties for community engagement.  They also highlight the advantages of the all-access and ultimate passes, which provide ongoing value through access to summit content for volunteer and staff development. Rebecca shares ideas for involving church communities and sponsors in making the most of the summit, while Laura emphasizes the importance of intentional participation to fully absorb the content. Quotes “I love our summit. You get the packet that you can download, and you can go through and highlight all the things you want and get super excited about." - Rebecca Bailey “If you have the capacity to get the all-access pass, please know it’s our heart’s desire that you use that over and over in your church—for volunteer training, staff discussions, and watch parties.” - Laura Howe “We don’t want people to feel left hanging. This could be a great opportunity to kick off a think tank in your community or start a cohort for ongoing discussions.” - Rebecca Bailey “Set your intention, be present, schedule your time, and engage with the online community to fully participate.” - Laura Howe Resources Church Mental Health Summit All-access Pass Ultimate Pass Care Ministry Cohorts   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    29min
  5. 157: Becoming A Sanctuary For Mental Health with Daniel Whitehead

    3 DE OUT.

    157: Becoming A Sanctuary For Mental Health with Daniel Whitehead

    In this episode of the Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe sits down with Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, for an insightful conversation. Daniel shares his journey from leading a church in England to facing emotional burnout, which led him to pursue studies in theology and mental health. Together, they talk about the pressures of leadership, the power of vulnerability, and how meaningful friendships can make a difference in mental health. Don’t miss Daniel at our upcoming Church Mental Health Summit, and tune in for a special course his organization offers! It’s all in today’s episode!   Quotes "Mental health is something we all have, and there are seasons of flourishing and languishing for all people. We're just going to help churches begin conversations." – Daniel Whitehead "God isn't scared of us bringing our stories into His story. That's actually what we're meant to do." – Daniel Whitehead "The church should be famous as the safest place for someone to recover, wherever Christ is Lord." – Daniel Whitehead "The pain of isolation is more than the pain of the diagnosis itself. If only there was a community in every town that just knew how to love people really well." – Daniel Whitehead "You can turn up on a Sunday, you can preach, you can do the things, but actually be really languishing and struggling internally." – Daniel Whitehead "It's hard to admit that you're fallible... but it's the only way to stay healthy." – Laura Howe   Resources Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries Key Ministry Church Mental Health Summit   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    36min
  6. 156: Building A Culture Of Care With Grace Family Church

    26 DE SET.

    156: Building A Culture Of Care With Grace Family Church

    In this episode, Laura Howe speaks with Pastor Chris and Samantha from Grace Family Church in Tampa, Florida. They discuss the unique dynamics of their multi-campus church, the challenges of growing a culture of care, and their plans to utilize the Church Mental Health Summit as a tool for staff training. Pastor Chris shares his 13 years of experience in care ministry and how Grace Family Church has expanded from one to eight campuses. The conversation dives into the importance of resourcing their care teams and the exciting potential of integrating mental health training for their staff. Samantha, a care ministry coordinator, highlights the significance of building a culture of care that resonates with their diverse congregation. Together, they reflect on the church’s mission to grow disciples and equip leaders, emphasizing that care is a central part of their strategy. Quotes “Care is one of those foxholes... when the real difficult stuff shows up, people can’t wait to find the care pastor.” “Care is not just one size fits all... we really want to create strong and healthy disciples to carry out the mission of care.” “The local church becoming a safe space for people to feel like they belong is the hope of our community.” “We're not building roads anymore; we're building signs to help people find the care they need.” Resources Grace Family Church Care page Grace Family Church (CPR) Church Mental Health Summit Guide Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    43min
  7. 155: Benefits of a community of practice

    12 DE SET.

    155: Benefits of a community of practice

    In a new segment of this podcast with guest, Rebecca Bailey, we’re exploring the benefits of creating a Community of Practice within your church. Listen in for tips on how shared experiences, knowledge, and support lead to stronger, more effective care ministries. Laura and Rebecca also share about the best way to put the new Hope Made Strong Online Community into practice–during the Church Mental Health Summit! Plus, learn about the new Coaching with Care segment and how you can get involved!   Quotes People are craving community. When we’re in harmony, we’re actually noticing what’s happening in our body–that’s in the body of Christ too.   Resources Hope Made Strong Online Community Care Ministry Cohort Community of Practice Guidebook   Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    38min
  8. 154: Addressing Suicide in communities and congregations with Melinda Moore, Ph. D

    5 DE SET.

    154: Addressing Suicide in communities and congregations with Melinda Moore, Ph. D

    Melinda Moore shares her personal journey from aspiring to be a medical doctor to finding her passion in suicidology and suicide prevention. Her experience with loss and her work in clinical psychology have driven her to integrate lived experience with clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of empathy and personal insight in mental health support. Melinda highlights the role faith communities can play in suicide prevention by providing spiritual and peer support, advocating for open conversations about mental health, and addressing stigma. She also discusses her upcoming conference, "Addressing Mental Health and Suicide in Communities and Congregations," which aims to educate clergy and faith leaders on these issues, with the goal of bridging the gap between clinical knowledge and faith-based support.   Quotes As I grew stronger, I was then able to make choices that were based upon not just my own personal preferences, but also what I thought God had in mind for me.  This experience of loss…got me curious about why we weren’t talking about suicide. Churches are full of people who have gone through suffering and have wisdom to share. Suicidal people are ambivalent. It’s not that they want to die. It’s that they don’t want to live in the pain that they’re in.   Resources Conference: Addressing Mental Health and Suicide in Communities and Congregations: A Faith-based Approach melinda.moore@eku.edu EKU Psychology Clinic After the Suicide Funeral, by Melinda Moore 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline     Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

    39min
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Building a culture of care in your church can feel as complex as the people you serve. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Laura Howe offers listeners practical resources and actionable strategies to support leader’s well-being, strengthen volunteer teams and equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to care for your community. With over 15 years of experience as a community mental health clinician, Laura, founder of Hope Made Strong specializes in Community Development Strategies. You will be encouraged as you listen to expert guests get real with how they overcame challenges and developed best-practice methods of reaching and caring for your church and community. If you want to develop a culture of care in your church and support your community without burning out your leaders? This is the podcast for you.

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