About

Church Initiative is a nondenominational, nonprofit ministry serving over 30,000 churches worldwide. From its headquarters in Wake Forest, North Carolina, the ministry creates and publishes video-based curriculums to help churches minister to people experiencing life crises.

Churches offer our programs in thirteen-week cycles that can continue throughout the year, creating an ongoing, lay-led ministry and care environment.

The Church Initiative Story

Circa 1993 video editing suite
First shipment of DivorceCare, 1994

Church Initiative was born out of Steve and Cheryl Grissom’s journey of pain and loss. Although they found support in the local church, they realized that an untapped opportunity existed—equipping local churches to offer practical support groups to minister to people facing major life disruptions.

Armed with a new mission, Steve and Cheryl left their careers in broadcasting and pharmacy to pursue full-time ministry—what would eventually become Church Initiative. What began as a two-person nonprofit, today has over 30 team members and an international impact.

From the beginning, Church Initiative has combined a unique set of talents: Steve’s journalism and business background and his deep passion for ministry. The result—a video-based series built around small group discussion, personal reflection, and a lay-led support structure.

In addition to the release of DivorceCare in 1994, Church Initiative has published three more major curriculums: GriefShare in 1998, DivorceCare for Kids in 2004, and Single & Parenting in 2011. The ministry has also released periodic updates to the curriculums, including recent versions for DivorceCare in 2012 and GriefShare in 2014.

Over the years, Church Initiative has remained committed to its central goal of equipping churches for frontline ministry to people experiencing life crises. Because many Church Initiative team members have a past that includes pain and loss, they wake up each day eager to come to work and see what the Lord will do next. Church Initiative’s staff seek to equip churches to comfort others with the comfort they have received (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).

Timeline

1994

The DivorceCare curriculum is released, and pioneering DivorceCare groups meet for the first time.

1996

Release of Before You Divorce curriculum, built on reconciliation concepts from DivorceCare.

1998

GriefShare is released.

2000

Facing Forever is released, a curriculum designed to encourage people to see how eternity impacts their lives today.

2002

Release of Chance to Change, gambling addiction recovery curriculum.

2003

Church Initiative purchases and renovates former Wake Forest hospital for ministry headquarters.

2004

DivorceCare for Kids and second edition of DivorceCare released.

2006

Second edition of GriefShare released.

2008

Release of DivorceCare and GriefShare Surviving the Holidays programs.

2011

Single & Parenting curriculum released.

2012

Third edition of DivorceCare released.

2014

Third edition of GriefShare released.

2015

Second edition of DivorceCare and GriefShare Surviving the Holidays released.

2019

GriefShare Loss of Spouse program released.

2020

Fourth edition of DivorceCare released.

2020

Third edition of DivorceCare Surviving the Holidays released.

Team

Our staff

Alongside our leadership team, the Church Initiative staff plays a vital role in helping churches provide comfort and care to hurting people in our communities.

Staff teams include Ministry Coaching and Support, Publishing, IT, Operations, and Accounting/Payroll/Personnel. Within each team you’ll find pastors, lay leaders, Bible teachers, worship team leaders, counselors, published authors, and GriefShare/DivorceCare leaders—all with a heart to serve.

Together, the Church Initiative leadership and staff ensure that churches and ministry leaders have the tools they need to offer help and hope to people in life crises, such as grief (due to a loved one’s death) or divorce.

Statement of faith

1. We believe the Bible, in its original autographs, to be the inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God. (Psalm 12:6; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21)

2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one in nature, attributes, and glory. (Isaiah 45:5; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 13:14; Galatians 4:4–6; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude 20–21)

3. We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless humanity, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Matthew 1:18–25, 4:23–25; Luke 5:12–15, 24:1–8; John 1:1–4, 14; 8:54–58; Acts 1:3–9; Romans 8:1–2; 1 Corinthians 15:3–20; 2 Corinthians 5:20–21; Colossians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14–17)

4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, faith and trust in Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. (John 3:3–8; Romans 8:5–9; Titus 3:3–7)

5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (John 16:7–15; Galatians 5:13–25; 1 Peter 1:1–2)

6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal damnation. (Matthew 25:31–46; 1 Corinthians 15:35–44; Revelation 20:11–15)

7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 17:20–23; 1 Corinthians 12:12–26; Ephesians 2:1–22, 4:3–6)

8. We believe that human sexuality is a gift from God and that: each person is wonderfully and immutably created as male or female; that marriage is a sacred covenant between one biological male and one biological female; and that sexual relations are to be exclusively expressed within biblical marriage. (Genesis 1:26–28, 2:18–24; Proverbs 5:1–23; Matthew 19:3–6; Romans 1:18–27)

Adapted from the Statement of Faith of the National Association of Evangelicals


Statement on Church Discretion

As a church equipping ministry, our goal is to empower churches to provide a comforting, respectful, and welcoming environment where all who seek support can find God’s love and comfort through our resources and materials. While we do require that churches facilitate our programs according to Program Design, we also respect the local church’s autonomy and sole discretion in establishing group-participation and attendance guidelines that align with their specific ministry objectives, congregational needs, and doctrinal convictions.

Our Approach To Healing

At Church Initiative, we equip Christian churches and select parachurch ministries to share God’s love and comfort to all who have experienced painful, life altering events, regardless of individual beliefs or backgrounds. To accomplish this mission in a way that we believe provides the most complete approach to healing, we have designed our content to be consistent with the truths outlined in Scripture and expressed in our Statement of Faith. While our resources are universally beneficial, it is important to recognize that the insights and perspectives we share are the product of a biblical worldview.

Parachurch Ministries

While Church Initiative exists first and foremost as a church equipping ministry, we recognize the valuable role of some parachurch organizations in providing complimentary support to their communities. In select circumstances, and at our sole discretion, we are open to extending the availability of our resources to parachurch organizations. However, it is imperative for these organizations to have a church sponsor. This church sponsorship is not merely a formality; it ensures that there is pastoral oversight for the facilitation and integrity of the programs offered by the parachurch ministry. This collaboration between church and parachurch organizations is crucial for creating a consistent, nurturing, and faith-centered environment for all participants seeking comfort and healing in their grief journey.