COURSE DESCRIPTION
Over 11hrs. of Web-based Video Training
- Mission and Vision: The Goals and Purpose of Lifeline and the Training Process
- A Biblical Model for Christian Care: Living and Serving in a Broken World
- A Look at Motives and Personal Needs: Potential Pitfalls for the Caregiver
- Character Matters: Qualities of the Christ-centered Helper
- Called to Care: The Power of Encouragement
Session 2: Biblical Hope and Practical Help—The Keys for Living Model
- The Power of Relationship: Perspective, Influence and Connection
- Bringing God’s Truth: Biblical Hope and Practical Help in Care and Counseling
- Identification and Description: Understanding Definitions and Characteristics
- Origins and Resolution: Understanding Causes and Steps to Solution
- The Power of Identity: Knowing Who We Are in Christ
Session 3: Effective Listening and People Helping Skills—Part 1
- Worldviews: Serving in an Upside Down Kingdom through the Holy Spirit
- How Men and Women Communicate: Generalized Factors and Tendencies
- Listening as an Art and a Skill: Verbal vs. Nonverbal Communication
- Basic Techniques: Clarifying, Restating, Reflecting and Summarizing
- Witnessing vs. Being a Witness: A Letter of Christ
Session 4: Effective Listening and People Helping Skills—Part 2
- Basic Attending Skills: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
- Discernment and Wisdom: Moving Beyond Knowledge and Expertise
- Barriers to Effective Communication: The Things that Interfere with Good Listening
- A Look at Perception: What Happens When We Put God in a Box
- Two-Way Communication: The Role of Trust and Safety
Session 5: The Search for Significance
- Addressing Root Causes: Self-worth and the Fear of Exposure
- The Four False Beliefs: Walking in the Darkness
- The Result of the Fall: Guilt, Shame, Punishment and Hopelessness
- God’s Solutions: Justification, Reconciliation, Propitiation and Regeneration
- The Power of Affirmation: You Matter to God
Session 6: Your Parents and You
- Stages of Development: Bonding and Separateness
- Our Family of Origin: Parenting Styles and Generational Patterns
- Family Dynamics: Dysfunctional Rules and Roles
- Resetting the Same Scenes: Ego Defense Mechanisms
- Rewriting the Old Script: Healthy Attachments with God and Others
Session 7: Basic Helping and Crisis Intervention Skills
- The Whole Person Concept: Needs-based Care and the Ministry of Presence
- Proportional Helping: Balancing Love and Grace with Truth and Action
- The Nature of Crises: Universal Principles and Coping Mechanisms
- The ABCs of Crisis Intervention: Becoming First Responders for the Church
- The Caregiver’s Role in the Helping Process: An Acts 3 Encounter
Session 8: Strongholds and Spiritual Warfare
- The Nature of Addiction: Categories and Stages
- The Addictive Cycle: The Downward Spiral of Destructive Habits and Dependency
- Signs, Symptoms, and Strongholds: A Look at Spiritual Bondage
- Spiritual Warfare: Our Enemy, Our Strategy and Our Weapons
- Bulletproof Faith: Putting on the Whole Armor of God
Session 9: The Process of Change and Healing
- The Road to Recovery: Four Basic Building Blocks
- Restoration and Transformation: Becoming Vessels of Honor and Running the Race
- Forgiveness and Letting Go: Seventy Times Seven on a Path to Freedom
- Understanding God as a Father: Our Adoption in Christ
- An Eternal Inheritance: Love Letters from God
Session 10: Ethics, Liability, and the Law—Servant Leadership
- The Three Cs: Competency, Consent and Confidentiality
- Managing Risks and Liability: Knowing How and When to Refer
- Servants First: The Highest Calling of a Sacred Trust
- Ambassadors of Reconciliation: Transacting the King’s Business
- The Power of a Seed: Viewing Ourselves and Others with the Eyes of Christ
Bonus Presentation: When Helping You is Hurting Me—Compassion Fatigue and Making a Commitment to Balanced Self-care
- Stress vs. Burnout: Putting the Mask on Yourself First
- Managing Expectations: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Indicators
- Setting Appropriate Boundaries: Lessons from the Rich Young Ruler
- The Neurobiology of Stress: Fight, Flight or Freeze
- Creating a Personal Stress Prevention Plan: 15 Keys to a More Balanced Life
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is Lifeline to Hope?
Lifeline to Hope is a 10-week core lay caregiver training program to equip you as a competent biblical caregiver. Lifeline to Hope is a unique “first of its kind” resource to train people to effectively provide support, encouragement, spiritual care and referral services on a short-term basis — connecting a life in need with a life in Christ!
2. Who should enroll in Lifeline to Hope?
Lifeline to Hope is ideal for individuals who feel called by God and actively serve in the care, support, discipleship and mentoring of others in their churches, organizations and communities. Church staff and volunteers, small group leaders, parachurch ministry partners, as well as those who currently serve through recovery ministries such as Celebrate Recovery, GriefShare, DivorceCare and Stephen Ministry are examples. Many Christian mental health professionals, though clinically trained, may also be looking for additional insights in how to integrate God’s Word into their counseling practice.
3. How is the Lifeline to Hope training program different from already established supportive ministries such as Celebrate Recovery, GriefShare, DivorceCare and Stephen Ministry?
Ministries such as those listed above focus specifically on recovery issues. They provide excellent tools for people who are in the midst of, or coming out of, a particular season of pain. Lifeline to Hope is not a recovery ministry per se; however, it is meant to equip the Body of Christ to be a “lifeline” for those in need of recovery or in understanding the application of God’s Word in the midst of their circumstances. Lifeline to Hope offers a broader concept of emotional and spiritual care for everyday life. It shares concepts related to the call to counsel in Scripture and basic people helping skills and techniques. The training will help equip and empower participants to become better listeners and be more confident as they care for, lead and give guidance to those around them. Lifeline to Hope would greatly benefit those who are already leading recovery groups, as it provides biblical and relational training that will enhance their effectiveness in ministry.
4. What kind of certification does Lifeline to Hope provide?
Those who complete the training will receive a Certificate of Completion recognizing them as a trained Lifeline to Hope Caregiver. This is not a professional certification, accreditation or licensure, and does not currently provide credit hours toward higher education. It is recognition that the individual has successfully completed the 10-week course and is better prepared to help care for others in his or her places of ministry. Some churches and organizations may decide to more formally structure those who receive certification into a ministry group. As people are better equipped to help guide hurting individuals, couples, and families, they become like “first responders” ready to offer help and hope. Pastors and ministry leaders can be confident they can entrust those under their care to receive competent and biblical counsel from Lifeline to Hope Caregivers.
5. How are the additional Lifeline library of videos related to Lifeline to Hope?
Lifeline to Hope is the core caregiver training and provides the foundations for being an effective and confident lay counselor. The Lifeline library of videos (sold separately and launching in May 2020) offers access to tools that trained Lifeline to Hope Caregivers may use for continuing education and for deeper study in specific topics and areas. These videos are based on biblical hope and practical help found in the Keys For Living Library from Hope for the Heart. For example, topics such as Marriage would give additional insight for Lifeline to Hope caregivers to better serve couples. Or, trained caregivers may choose to walk through a series of these videos on topics such as Parenting, Bullying, Dysfunctional Family and Conflict Resolution. Topics such as Fear, Anger, Forgiveness and Grief would equip the Lifeline to Hope caregiver to accept referrals from pastors and ministry leaders to work effectively with individuals who are seeking help, support or someone to talk with regarding hurts in their own lives. These video resources are also excellent for small group study, personal growth and for those who want to learn more about what God’s Word teaches on various topics.
6. Do I have to take the Lifeline to Hope Caregiver training before using the Lifeline library of continuing education videos?
The additional topical videos (launching in May 2020) are a resource to further equip those who become Lifeline to Hope Caregivers; however, they are not solely designed for that purpose. The core course helps participants become confident people helpers, and the Lifeline library of videos addresses specific life issues. These videos are designed to be used in conjunction with the accompanying Keys for Living books of the same topic. Together, they will provide a rich study and a helpful resource for anyone seeking to learn more about particular issues pertaining to their own personal situations or because of their desire to assist and support others. The videos are available individually and offered in no particular order of preference or priority, so that each person may choose which topics to study.
7. What is the format of these resources?
The Lifeline to Hope video-based training course, as well as the topical Lifeline library of videos, are in digital format that can be accessed through your Lifeline to Hope account. Your account will be created when you purchase these resources from the Hope for the Heart online store. You will be able to access all videos, download and print manuals and forms, as well as download the digital version of any Keys For Living books. The Keys For Living books are also available in print format to be shipped to your door.
