Equip yourself to walk with people through their darkest moments

The Grief to Growth^® Facilitator Training gives ministry leaders and volunteers a proven, faith-based framework for leading grief support groups — and develops listening and leadership skills that will strengthen every area of your ministry.

4 video sessions
~2.5 hours total
Go at your own pace

START YOUR TRAINING →

THE PROBLEM

The meals stop.

The cards slow down. And then what?

When someone in your church experiences a significant loss, the body of Christ responds beautifully — at first. Meals are delivered. Cards are sent. People surround the grieving person with love.

But about two to three weeks later, the support fades. And the person who's grieving? They're just beginning to truly face their loss. The shock is wearing off. The reality is setting in.

The church has moved on, but they can't. They don't know where to turn.

"We move beyond the casseroles — as important as they are — to long-term, structured support."

Grief to Growth^® fills this gap. Not with a one-time seminar, but with an 8-week, community-driven curriculum that gives people a structured path from pain toward renewed purpose — and gives your church a reputation as a place where it's safe to not be okay.

OUR STORY

This didn't come from a textbook. It came from the valley.

Matt and Kari Perkins both experienced the devastating loss of their first spouses. Both walked through seasons of profound grief with young children who were also hurting. They didn't have a program like this. They didn't have a framework. They figured it out the hard way — through counseling, through community, through faith.

Their story took an unexpected turn when they found each other. Today, they're raising a blended family of seven children and leading a ministry that has helped thousands of people move from devastation toward hope.

Everything in this training — the Grief to Growth Pathway, the facilitation techniques, the self-care practices — was forged in real experience and refined through years of leading groups in churches and organizations nationwide, including partnerships with First Responder Chaplaincies and police departments.

God specializes in writing redemption stories. This training equips you to help others discover that their story isn't over.

who is this for?

Built for the people who show up when it's hard

Church Leaders & Pastors

You want to offer more than crisis response. You want a long-term grief ministry that changes the culture of care at your church.

Care Pastors & Counseling Ministry

You're already walking with hurting people. This training sharpens your listening skills and gives you a structured framework that serves your entire team.

Small Group Leaders & Volunteers

You have a heart for people, but not a counseling degree. You need a proven process and the confidence that you're equipped to help.

Chaplains & First Responders

You serve communities that encounter loss regularly. This gives you tools for ongoing support that goes far beyond the initial crisis.

This isn't just grief ministry training. The active listening skills, boundary-setting practices, and group facilitation techniques you'll learn here will make you a more effective leader in every ministry context — from small groups to hospital visits to everyday conversations.

The Training

Four sessions. Everything you need.

Each session builds on the last, taking you from understanding the vision to launching your first group with confidence.

#1

Foundations of Facilitation

Understand the vision and mission of Grief to Growth — why it exists and the gap it fills. Get crystal-clear on your role as a facilitator (what you are and what you're not). Walk through the six-phase Grief to Growth Pathway that guides the entire 8-week program.

#2

Facilitation Skills & Group Dynamics

Learn the OARS Method for active listening — a tool that transforms every conversation. Discover how to manage the quiet participant, the over-sharer, the advice-giver, and the skeptic with compassion. Understand the 90-minute session structure and the week-by-week curriculum arc.

#3

Active Listening & Practical Skills

Go deeper with hands-on practice. Work through real scenarios — someone who won't stop talking, someone who's completely silent, someone who shares something dark, someone angry at God. Get word-for-word responses you can use in every situation.

#4

Self-Care & Launching Your Group

Recognize and prevent compassion fatigue before it burns you out. Build a sustainable self-care practice across emotional, physical, professional, and spiritual dimensions. Then create your personalized launch plan and get commissioned to go change lives.

What's Included

Everything you need to lead with confidence

4 Video Training Sessions

Approximately 2.5 hours of instruction with Matt Perkins. Watch at your own pace, revisit anytime.

Session-by-Session Guides

Detailed lesson plans for all 8 weeks so you know exactly what to prepare and how to lead each session.

Facilitator Handbook

Your complete reference guide with session plans, scripts, discussion questions, and troubleshooting tips.

Facilitator Hub Access

Join the online community of trained facilitators. Get support, share experiences, and attend meetups.

Assessment Quizzes

Quizzes for each session to reinforce your learning and confirm readiness.

Certificate of Completion

Receive your Grief to Growth Certified Facilitator credential upon completing all four sessions.

More Than Grief Ministry

Skills that strengthen every area of your leadership

The techniques in this training aren't limited to grief groups. Care pastors, small group leaders, hospital visitors, and anyone who walks with people through hard seasons will immediately apply what they learn here.

ACTIVE LISTENING
MANAGE GROUP DYNAMICS
Creating Psychological Safety
Setting Healthy Boundaries
Preventing Burnout
Compassionate Responses
Reflective Communication
Crisis Recognition & Referral

clear expectations

What you don't need — and what you do

You Don't Need

A counseling degree or license
A psychology background
All the answers to people's pain
A perfectly resolved grief journey
Prior group facilitation experience

You Do Need

A caring heart for hurting people
Willingness to listen and learn
Commitment to complete the training
Self-awareness about your own grief journey
Readiness to show up — even when it's hard

the ripple effect

You're not just leading a group.
You're changing a culture.

8

weeks that create
lasting transformation

6

phases guiding people
from loss to purpose

1000s

of lives changed
through this curriculum

Churches that launch Grief to Growth groups become known as places where people can bring their real struggles. Where long-term support exists, not just crisis intervention. People who wouldn't normally attend church start coming because they need help — and many stay because they encounter the love of Jesus through your group.

Begin Your Training

The people in your community are already grieving. Give them somewhere to go.

You provide the structure. The group provides the healing. God does the rest. And it starts with your decision to get equipped.