Counseling and Support Groups
Church Counseling
Ministry 101: Counseling Programs that Work
Basic guide to elements of a church counseling program.
Simple Tips for Starting a Lay Counseling Ministry
"Help your church become a safe place for hurting people." Article from mostly a legal perspective.
Lay Counseling within the Local Church
Lay counseling accomplishes many things: it involves members in the work of the church, it provides a fulfilling ministry for lay persons, and it takes a load off the pastor. It also solve's people's problems. By Gary R. Collins.
Starting Support Groups within the Local Church
Starting a Widows Ministry
Practical advice for widows & non-widows.
Rest Ministries - Chronic illness and pain support groups
Their groups are called HopeKeepers; there is information about joining and starting them.
How to Start a Christian Domestic Violence Support Group
From Healing Hearts, a ministry for women.
How to Start a Support Group
Written from a woman's ministries perspective, the guidelines are applicable for all support groups.
Single Parent Ministries
About.com's section on single-parent ministries for churches.
GriefShare - Grief recovery support groups
A very popular program for dealing with grief, with resources for the local church.
Compassionate Ministry Centers offering Counseling/Support Groups