Shepherds Cohort: Equipping Elders and Caregivers
The Church is one of the primary places where the people of God experience Him through His Word, His Spirit, and His Body (one another).
Often, many in leadership and shepherding roles within the church and para-church world are given a great responsibility with little to no training in the area of shepherding the hearts of the Church. Much of the training offered is theological and organizational, which are both very important. However, there are other skill sets and perspectives to help effectively care for people in the midst of their grief, loss, addiction, depression, and vocation that help lead to healing, wholeness, and ultimately the courage to live in the abundance Christ offers.
The Kardia Shepherd's Cohort was created in order to provide some structure and framework to come alongside the church and equip its people to theologically and psychologically integrate what people legitimately need in the process of their development, spiritual health, and well-being.
This cohort was created to train helpers and caregivers on how to be better equipped to meet people in the midst of their need.
The Kardia Shepherds Cohort is for Church and para-Church pastors, elders, deacons, lay leaders, ministry leaders, future leaders, and staff. This partnership is designed to assist “shepherds'' in sustaining the vitality of their calling by remaining emotionally healthy while caring for and leading those in their flock.
We invite you or your church to consider partnering with us and participating in the Kardia Shepherds Cohort, either individually or as a group, to engage in this work and give yourself the tools to meet people where they are.
Times
2 Friday nights: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
2 Saturdays: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
(Breakfast and Lunch Provided)
This training will consist of two one-and-a-half-day cohorts led by Kardia staff and therapists. Participants can expect to gain:
Ability to develop and sustain meaningful and transformative relationships with themselves, others, and God.
Specific instruction, experience, and practice in how the Spiritual Root System™ increases the effectiveness in engaging people in therapeutic and relational contexts.
Greater awareness and understanding of how neurological, biological, and relational design shapes our lives, especially in the areas of addiction and interpersonal relationships.
An integrated worldview and therapeutic orientation for addressing the impact of addiction, abandonment/abuse, and toxic shame.
Appreciation of how their unique spiritual, psychological, and physiological design makes us in need of relationships.
Capacity to serve and lead others more effectively through the context of integrity and authenticity.
What Pastors Are Saying:
“As pastors, we are called to counsel people in such a way that their hearts are laid bare before God, and they can experience healing, comfort, encouragement, conviction, etc., in Jesus Christ. Having been involved with Kardia Counseling for almost 3 years now, I can say with full confidence that their unique approach to the spiritual root system has done nothing but enhance my skills to apply Jesus’ healing grace to the hearts and lives of my people.”
“We partnered with Kardia Counseling to introduce our staff to the Voice of the Heart material at our annual All Staff Retreat. Not only did everyone say it was the best retreat we’ve had as a team but the material is making a lasting impact on our entire staff culture. We are now sharing the material with the lay leadership of the church because we believe that discipleship of the heart is critical to the development of our church’s character. Oftentimes when we refer to discipleship, we think it’s about truth transference, but Jesus shows us it’s about character formation and becoming more and more like Jesus in every area of our lives. A gospel-centered life is one where Jesus is at the center of who we are and how we live. What I value about Voice of the Heart is it places a priority on the kind of person I am becoming as a follower of Jesus. Discipleship is more than truth transference; it’s character development. This material challenges every follower of Jesus to wrestle with their limitations and humanity as they are being formed into the image of Christ.”
“Many people live under the shadow of unhealed traumas, destructive habits, or oppressive patterns of thinking. If you are suffering in this darkness, I commend to you the skilled, gentle, and Jesus-centered care of the counselors of Kardia.”
“As a pastor in the Reformed tradition, I am immersed in a culture of suspicion when it comes to mental health care. Self-help and cognitive therapy are viewed as capitulations to the culture and a failure to apply the gospel to life’s problems. I confess I brought many of those suspicions to my experience with Kardia, and yet I have found the opposite to be true. Their Biblical teaching on the way God has designed the human heart to live fully has completely shifted our understanding of what it means to be discipled as spiritual and emotional beings. After a period of intentional investigation, our leadership pursued a partnership with Kardia that has borne more gospel fruit than I have ever seen result from a single endeavor. Over 20 of our leaders, my wife and I included, have completed or are currently going through their Shepherds’ Cohort. We have referred dozens of others to private and group sessions with their therapists. We have hosted Kardia staff to lead groups and seminars on the Spiritual Root System at our church. We have been developing a dynamic culture of sustainable compassion and care that is a direct result of this partnership. Our leaders are far more equipped to be caregivers to our congregation the more they understand the voices of their own hearts. I wholeheartedly recommend partnering with Kardia to grow in your capacity to give care to yourself and your congregation.”