Product Description

When someone in your church has surgery, how do people respond? Flowers are ordered; Cards are sent; A prayer chain is started; Hospital visits are made; Meals are delivered. Soon life returns to normal... But what happens to the person who never gets well?

Nearly 1 in 2 people in the US have a chronic illness and over 26 million live in chronic pain. Who is reaching these people with the hope that they can find in Jesus Christ? Your church likely reaches out to people who are home-bound. You probably send meals to those who need them.

But it takes more than just casseroles to have an effective chronic illness/pain ministry. With over 4235 chronic illnesses being diagnosed each day, we can't afford to ignore the invisible suffering happening in our church any longer.

This book will equip your church with the skills to know...

= How to reach out to people who live with chronic illness or pain in ways that will show them God's love; what is a person in pain searching for?

= How to know what to say and not to say to someone hurting.

= What you should pray for: healing or God's will?

= How to get chronically ill people actively involved in your congregation and encourage them to reach out to others who are hurting.

= How to you start a HopeKeepers chronic illness support group/bible study in your church.

Ask about our HopeKeepers Start-up Kit, a complete kit for an effective chronic illness/pain outreach and ministry.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1141022 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-01
• Released on: 2002-01-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 68 pages

Review
"An excellent resource that no church should be without! I learned a lot and loved the style of the whole manual. Finally, I have a starting point for a chronic illness ministry." --D. Bradley, TX

...beautifully filled with wonderful tools to help build a church, small group or personal ministry to the chronically ill. -- Connie Kennemer, Moms in Touch International, lives with MS

An excellent resource that no church should be without! Finally, I have a starting point for a chronic illness ministry. -- D. Bradley, Houston, TX

I am in the process of starting a group at my church. I found reading the book, "So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness/Pain Ministry" to be most helpful. Then, I marked the pages for our Minister of Counseling to read. Meanwhile, I wrote an intro on Hopekeepers, Rest Ministries and why we need such a ministry for our Pastor and Assoc. Pastor. --Leslie Wilson

I would like to thank you for all of the help! With all of the resources you have provided, I was able to successfully pitch the group to my church. I met with the Outreach Minister last night and he loved the idea! He reviewed the "So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness Pain Ministry: 10 Essentials to Make it Work." I showed him the two Bible study guides, and he was impressed. I received an email from him today. After reading the Statement of Faith, he ordered the kit! We are meeting again Sunday to decide on the details. I am so excited! ---Tasha Dailey

...beautifully filled with wonderful tools to help build a church, small group or personal ministry to the chronically ill. -- Connie Kennemer, Moms in Touch International, lives with MS

"Pain is often underestimated, but Copen genuinely understands pain and how to address it; with education, hope and comfort." ---Tim Hansel, author of You Gotta Keep Dancin'

An excellent resource that no church should be without! Finally, I have a starting point for a chronic illness ministry. -- D. Bradley, Houston, TX

I would like to thank you for all of the help! With all of the resources you have provided, I was able to successfully pitch the group to my church. I met with the Outreach Minister last night and he loved the idea! He reviewed the "So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness Pain Ministry: 10 Essentials to Make it Work." I showed him the two Bible study guides, and he was impressed. I received an email from him today. After reading the Statement of Faith, he ordered the kit! We are meeting again Sunday to decide on the details. I am so excited! --Tasha Dailey

Pain is often underestimated, but Copen genuinely understands pain and how to address it; with education, hope and comfort. -- Tim Hansel, author of You Gotta Keep Dancin'

About the Author
Lisa Copen is the founder and director of Rest Ministries, Inc., for people who live with chronic illness or pain. After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1993, she set out to find God's purpose for her illness and how she could use it to make a difference in the lives of people who were hurting. Lisa is the author/editor of HopeKeepers Magazine and other materials for people who live with chronic conditions, including When Chronic Illness Enters Your Life Bible study.

She is the founder of National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week held annually in September with a virtual conference.

Customer Reviews

Very Good Read - Lots of Useful Information
I've just finished reading the book and it is fantastic. Lisa writes well and gives many first hand examples and dialogue from people who suffer from chronic illness and/or pain.

I'm already a full-time church worker but know that God has called me to start a ministry to those in chronic pain to best utilize my experiences with severe, undiagnosed nerve & muscle pain. Lisa's book will definitely get me off to a good start! Thanks again for your book.

Essential for small group ministry
This book is an essential read for those planning to lead a chronic illness ministry. It helps you examine your motives and is full of suggestions for all phases of developing and implementing your ministry.