2026 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
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 and is… Read more
Heather Holdsworth is a Bible teacher, author and artist. Her focus is on the Spiritual Formation of people of all ages. As a teacher she developed a keen interest in how people grow. Following a 2-year diploma in Practical Theology, she completed an MA in Spiritual Formation & Discipleship… Read more
Dave Patty has been involved in training youth leaders and leading national and international youth movements in Europe for over 30 years. He serves as the president of Josiah Venture. He is also a founding member of Concentric, which mobilizes and equips youth ministry trainers in over 60… 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 30 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, 17 May
The high points of life and ministry can often be overshadowed and forgotten by times of deep discouragement. During these times, it’s important to put our life and ministry into proper spiritual perspective and identify any and all valleys of discouragement we may find ourselves in. This session will give us practical, biblical insight to refresh and encourage our souls.
God uses many words to describe himself, but one is stunningly personal – Father. This is thrilling… and problematic. You don’t have another Jesus, or another Holy Spirit, but you do have another father, and your experience of him shapes the way you see God. Because of this, unknowingly, you may be 'Father-deficient', missing key resources God the Father is offering. In this session, we discuss how God restores us by transforming our broken understandings of identity, love, pleasure, and place and making His home with us.
Monday, 18 May
What do you do when life and leadership take an emotional, physical, and spiritual toll? Burnout, discouragement, and exhaustion are real dangers, but there are ways to protect and preserve your calling. This session will give you real-life survival tools that will encourage you and lengthen the life of your ministry.
‘Who am I, Lord?' is not only the psalmist’s cry but also the soul’s deepest question. Psalm 8 sings of dust and glory, humility and majesty - the paradox we hold that can transform our living. This session gives us tools to find dignity in the presence of our King and to help others do the same.
Tuesday, 19 May
Jesus said the most important thing we can do with our lives is to love God foremost of all. If we are told to love God first and foremost, then it stands to reason that God’s love for us and our love for Him is the most transformative experience in life. How is life transformed by the love of God? Nobody would ever be able to fully answer that question, but this seminar seeks to understand some of the deep ways God’s love benefits us.
In this seminar, we’ll explore Jesus' three-fold invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 (‘Come to me, Take my yoke upon you, Learn of me’) and how stepping into Jesus' invitation leads us to places of soul-rest.
Wednesday, 20 May
Jesus’ model of servant leadership frees leaders from performance-driven striving that often leads to exhaustion. Examining biblical foundations, this session will help participants reflect on cultural barriers and identify practices that nurture humility, joy, and sustainable leadership.
In this final Network session, we will continue to interact with some of the speakers from the Network in a time of Q&A as we process what we have learned throughout the week and consider how to apply the lessons learned to our individual contexts. We will also spend a dedicated time in prayer facilitated by Scott Poling.