HopeKeepers support groups are support groups/Bible studies designed to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of the person who lives with chronic illness or pain, through a Christian environment.

Through the support group/Bible study setting you will have the opportunity to grow spiritually, while surrounded by others who share similar circumstances, unrevealed answers, and even joys, while living with a chronic illness or physical pain.

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Join our HopeKeepers Leaders Group in our Sunroom to hear more about HopeKeepers and ask questions of current leaders. This is the place to find out what's working, what's not and lots more.

If you have, you likely found some parts of it helpful and encouraging. But perhaps you also found some of it depressing, of little benefit, even too much to ear. Although they may be helpful at first, they can have the tendency to become a place where people get together and vent their frustrations and then everyone goes home. One woman says, "I began to feel like I should have just stayed home and taken a nap!" 

Although secular support groups have benefits, they are rarely a place where you can talk freely about your faith and your spiritual walk. 

For the Christian, support groups can be frustrating because they rarely encourage a person to share their spiritual struggles, growth or questions. Oftentimes everyone's hope is placed on the next drug approved or a new alternative treatment. HopeKeepers groups are different!

We offer a wide range of resources, many of which you will find by just going to the navigation menu up top and working your way through our links. You will find lots of information and encouragement to share with others in your group once you get started.

On a practical level, we have specific resources we have designed ourselves or have found in the publishing world that we believe can make a HopeKeepers leader feel (pretty much) confident. One of these is our HopeKeepers Start Up Kit.

We also have lots of articles on our web site that can be printed out and shared with others; some are personal on issues such as marriage or parenting; others are a great resource to pass on to your church leadership. See a listing of articles here.

The HopeKeepers Start Up Kit! Although it's not required for your group, it will make the process much simpler, give a leader tons of resources and support. It offers the church a complete ministry package to assist in creating awareness about chronic illness (oftentimes invisible illnesses), pastoral resources, small groups resources, and much more. Many of resources can also be used as parish nurse core curriculum and chaplains training materials when educating the church about the chronically ill and their needs that may not always be understood.

> Read more about this
HopeKeepers Start Up Kit

We also have many pages of resources for HopeKeeper leaders to learn more about leading a small group, exchange ideas and information, ways to publicize the group, get support, archives of hk Bulletins for leaders and more. You may also be interested in an article by our founder, Lisa Copen, Do You Hear the Call?

A number of parish nurses in United States use our materials. If you are one of them we'd love to hear your suggestions.

So where do you start? We know it can all sound overwhelming so we've tried to break it down step by step. Remember, if this is God's will, He'll let you know... don't let the doubts of your illness and weaknesses hold you back.

Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries shares, "I've discovered that despite my lack of energy from my illness, and even my chronic pain, when I have a passion or calling for something, God helps me get it done--not always the way I'd planned, but His way."

> Read the steps towards
starting your group

What are the requirements? How much does it cost (really?) and who is eligible to participate?

We know you have questions! We've got answers... See our FAQ page. And if you don't see an answer, be sure to check out the HopeKeepers message board in the Sunroom and ask someone there or email us (or you can even call! 888-751-7378)