2025 Soul Care for Leaders Network
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European leaders serve in their ministries, organisations, and communities with faithfulness, yet when circumstances become difficult and ministries enter periods of extended stress, many leaders do not receive the personal care and guidance they desperately need. Leaders suffer from isolation, lacking mutual encouragement and fellowship from others who are going through similar difficulties as well as wisdom and direction from trustworthy mentors who have successfully persevered through their own seasons of pain and hopelessness.
The Soul Care for Leaders Network’s vision is to equip Christian leaders to:
- Understand and apply a biblically-based view of life and ministry
- Receive encouragement, prayer, and guidance and mentoring
- Establish a biblical mindset and approach to the work God has called them to
What Network Participants Are Saying
- "The Forum has been a great blessing for me. It is amazing to be able to have conversations with like-minded people who share my same passion about Jesus. I'm also really enjoying my network: Soul Care for Leaders. When I applied I was going through a very difficult time, the hardest in my life, and I thought I didn't have any strength left for my ministry. What I'm hearing at this conference is continuing to confirm that Jesus is taking care of my soul and that I can receive encouragement from my family in Christ."
- Shanizee Scorsone, GBU Staff & Youth Coordinator, Italy - "I have received an important reminder that we, as leaders, must take care of our own souls and well-being and that at the center of that is an active and strong relationship with God. In ministry, it is very easy to get stressed and emotionally immersed in the problems of youth, but being a part of the Soul Care Network was a reminder that I need to take care of my own well-being so I can help others."
- Gabriele Stake, Youth Leader, Lithuania - "I do evangelism ministry in the Czech Republic, which is one of the most atheistic countries in the world. My ministry is sometimes an uphill grind and lonely, so to be part of such an amazing Christian community is really priceless for me."
- Martina Valcharova, Project Leader, Czech Republic
The Soul Care for Leaders Network seeks to bring hope, healing, and renewal to weary Christian leaders through a biblical understanding of God’s grace, prayer, and living out the command to carry one another’s burdens.
Network Leadership
Network Speakers
Andrew Dickson lives by the sea on Northern Ireland’s world-famous Antrim Coast with his wife, Katherine, and their two young children. After spending over 13 years in local church and para-church ministry, Andrew now serves as the Congregational Life Development Officer for the Presbyterian… Read more
Terry English is the Director of Learning and Development for Josiah Venture. Prior to moving to the Czech Republic 23 years ago, he also worked with youth and student outreach ministries in the USA, UK, and Norway. In his free time he conducts a large Gospel choir, and enjoys helping other… Read more
Melinda Hendry leads ministry development for women in ministry with Living Leadership. Previously, she served on the senior ministry team at All Souls Langham Place where she ran the ministry training scheme. Melinda completed an MA in Spiritual Formation at Gordon Conwell Seminary in and is… Read more
Heather Holdsworth (MA(SFD) DipTh BEd(Hons)) is a Bible teacher, lecturer, artist and enjoyer of deep conversations over tea with friends. Her focus is on the subject of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship for people of all ages. After graduating with a degree in education, she taught in… Read more
Scott Poling serves as Senior Pastor of Harvest New Beginnings Church located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. He has served in ministry for 28 years at Harvest, seeing first-hand God’s work in the renewal of a dying church. He’s gained a unique perspective, understanding the pressures and… Read more
Jerry Root is a Professor of Evangelism and Leadership at Wheaton College and serves as the Director of the Evangelism Initiative. Jerry is a graduate of Whittier College and Talbot Graduate School of Theology at Biola University; he received his… Read more
Network Programme
Sunday, 18 May
While the topic of “soul care” seems to be newer in evangelical circles, the Bible can teach us much about staying healthy and faithful as we seek to live our our God-given mission. This interactive session will use Jesus and Paul as an example of how to anchor ourselves in a close, personal connection to the Father while living out Biblical
rhythms of work, rest and living in community.
Being a leader in the church today is hard. So many different aspects of leadership can leave your soul feeling angry and anxious, disappointed and discouraged, envious and exhausted, lonely and lost. How can you help your broken and hurting soul? What can you do to overcome the struggles that might tempt you to give up and instead continue in ministry with joy and faithfulness? This session will explore these questions and dive deeply into the Bible to offer some everyday steps you can take to strengthen your soul, for the benefit of yourself and those you lead.
Monday, 19 May
Christians believe that all proper understanding of authentic relationships must be based on the doctrine of the Trinity. It is an ontological fact that God is love. It is in light of God’s love that an idea of what it means to be an authentic person begins to emerge. We use the word authenticity unthinkingly, almost as if having said the word we have the quality. Only one person who ever walked this earth could truly say he was an authentic person. So the real question for each of us is, “How does an inauthentic person begin to approximate authenticity?” Certainly humility and honesty must be part of the equation. This session is about the cultivation of that form of authenticity that is displayed in humility and honesty and cultivated in the love of God.
As He moved among the broken in His time on our planet, the Creator quoted from an unexpected source. Christ referred to the Psalms more than any part of our sacred text. But when we need help in our living, we rarely knock on a poet’s door; our bookshelves favour method over musing, movement over reflection, yet in the Psalms, we find beauty that brings our souls from weary valleys to hilltop praise. In this talk, we consider a unique engagement with the artistry and genius of Christ’s favoured writings.
Tuesday, 20 May
How are things with your soul? In this interview, we’ll look at why this is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves as Christian leaders. We’ll also discuss some of the rhythms and spiritual practices that keep us soul-healthy and connected to Jesus in the midst of ministry.
All of us, even those in spiritual leadership, know the feeling of disappointing ourselves, others and God. Despite our feelings, failure is not final. God has, does, and still restores. Join us as we experience the grace of God all over again and are renewed in our relationship and service to the Lord.
Wednesday, 21 May
Together we will study one of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture. We will learn how the Lord lovingly shepherds his children, including those who are his under shepherds. Let’s take a humble journey, being reminded of the importance of complete contentment, rest, renewal, and trust in our ever-faithful Lord.
In this last session we will explore:
- How can we continue to grow to maturity?
- What are the next steps to springboard to fruitful lives and ministry?
We plan to end by forming cohort groups to keep one another accountable to the plans we've made and to spur each other on throughout the year and then entrust each other in God’s providence in prayer.