Services: CIFT Ministry Training
Empowering Christian leaders.
We offer specialized support for churches and ministry leaders to respond to the mental health needs of their your local church communities community. We are partners in providing the tools, resources, and training that will enable you to carry people through their most difficult seasons.
Upcoming Events
Pastors Forum: Finding Soul Rest in Pastoral Life
The work is holy. The weight is real.
We invite you to pause and receive the soul-deep rest Jesus offers. Come find space to slow down, reflect, and remember that your soul matters — and was never meant to be neglected.
Pastors Forum: Emotionally Intelligent Relationships
As pastors and ministry leaders, we know that conflict is unavoidable — whether with church members, staff, or family. What if, instead of simply draining your energy and morale, conflict became a productive opportunity to deepen trust, clarify expectations, and ultimately strengthen relationships through honest conversation and faithful care?
Pastor's Forum: Attending to your Soul During the Long and Winding Road of Ministry
Ministry can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be isolating. At the recent CIFT Pastors Forum, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer shared a candid reflection on the challenges pastors face during leadership transitions and the hidden mental health struggles within congregations.
Young Adult Mental Health Summit 2025
The Young Adult Mental Health Summit held in February 2025 offered a wealth of wisdom for ministry leaders. This is an expanded summary of the insights shared by our guest speakers, reflecting on how we can better walk alongside the next generation with grace and understanding.
Pastors Forum: The Church’s Mission in this Cultural Moment
Dr. Stetzer described the current season as a moment of cultural convulsion, one marked by overlapping pressures that are reshaping both society and the church. Rather than responding with fear, he invited pastors to understand the landscape clearly so they can lead wisely within it.
Pastors’ Forums
Our Pastors’ Forums are designed to support pastors and ministry leaders as they seek to thrive both personally and professionally. These free gatherings provide a space for encouragement, connection, and meaningful learning alongside peers who understand the unique demands of ministry.
Each forum features trusted and well-known speakers who address issues of the heart and offer practical guidance for:
Sustainable ministry
Personal and spiritual health
Leading faithfully in today’s complex cultural climate
Forum attendance is free, and each participant receives a complimentary book selected to encourage and equip them.
Ministry Trainings
Ministry Trainings are designed for churches, leadership teams, and organizations seeking deeper engagement and practical skill-building. These trainings provide space to slow down, learn together, and develop tools that can be applied directly within your ministry context.
Because of their depth and duration, these trainings involve a longer time commitment and include a modest attendance fee.
Our extended trainings include:
Hands-on tools for ministry leaders and staff
Insight into navigating complex pastoral and mental health concerns
Strategies for caring well for your church community
Training Opportunities
Healthy people grow best within healthy churches, schools, and communities. We are passionate about supporting leaders who desire to foster environments where individuals and teams can flourish.
Our experienced and diverse staff offers customized trainings on topics such as:
Self-care and burnout prevention
Teamwork and leadership development
Crisis intervention
Mental and emotional health
Creating a healthy workplace or ministry culture
Introducing
FRONTLINES In-Person Training
Why This Training Matters
FRONTLINES is an in-person training designed to equip ministry leaders, lay leaders, and Christian educators with practical tools and confidence to respond well to mental health concerns.
Participants learn how to assess, respond to, and appropriately triage common mental health issues among adults, adolescents, and young adults.
Christian leaders are often the first point of contact for individuals who are struggling, frequently before professional help is sought. In the midst of the current mental health crisis, leaders need clarity, compassion, and practical guidance to know how to respond well.
Scientific research shows that:
50 percent of chronic mental illness begins before age 14
75 percent begins by age 24
This places pastors, youth pastors, educators, and lay leaders in a unique position to intervene early and potentially reduce long-term suffering.
What can one expect from FRONTLINES?
Participants will be equipped to:
Feel more confident and less anxious when engaging those who are struggling • Normalize and reduce stigma around mental illness within Christian communities • Gain language, knowledge, and resources for compassionate care • Apply a distinctly Christian perspective to mental health concerns • Encourage appropriate and collaborative responses within their communities
Adult Manual
Adolescent & Young Adult Manual
CIFT has developed accompanying manuals for both adult training and adolescent and young adult training.
These manuals are available for purchase on Amazon in print and Kindle formats.
If you are interested in bringing FRONTLINES training to your church or campus, please complete the form below. A member of our team will reach out to answer questions and discuss pricing, timing, and what is included in the training.