Refuge Cares
Biblical Help. Practical Wisdom. Tangible Mercy.
Refuge Cares is the care ministry of Refuge Church. We exist to help people walk through hardship with biblical truth, practical wisdom, and tangible mercy in the name of Christ.
Life is not always simple. We face grief, sin, conflict, financial pressure, family struggles, loneliness, confusion, and crisis. But we do not walk through those things alone. Christ cares for His people, and He often does that through the loving care of His church.
Whether you are a member, a regular attender, or someone in our community looking for help, Refuge Cares is designed to help you take the next faithful step.
What We Offer
Refuge Cares currently focuses on three areas of care: biblical counseling, financial counseling, and benevolence.
Biblical Counseling.
Biblical counseling is care shaped by the truth, authority, and hope of God’s Word. We believe Scripture is sufficient to teach, correct, train, comfort, and guide God’s people. Biblical counseling is not about pretending life is easy or offering quick answers to deep problems. It is about bringing real struggles into the light of God’s Word and walking together toward Christ. Biblical counseling may include help with marriage, parenting, grief, anxiety, fear, anger, conflict, sin struggles, spiritual discouragement, or other burdens of life.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
Financial Counseling.
Financial counseling helps individuals and families think biblically and practically about money. Money is not merely a math issue. It is a discipleship issue. Scripture teaches us that everything belongs to the Lord, and we are called to steward what He has entrusted to us with wisdom, contentment, generosity, and faithfulness. Financial counseling may include help with budgeting, debt, spending decisions, financial crisis planning, stewardship, generosity, and bringing order to personal or family finances.
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” - Psalm 24:1
Benevolence.
Benevolence is the church’s organized effort to show tangible mercy to those in genuine need. We want to help wisely, compassionately, and in a way that points people to Christ. Benevolence assistance may include short-term help with basic needs such as food, housing, utilities, transportation, or other urgent hardships. Submitting a request does not guarantee financial assistance. When assistance is provided, it is normally paid directly to the provider or vendor. Our goal is not only to help with an immediate need, but to care for people in a way that points them toward hope, wisdom, and lasting stability.
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” - 1 John 3:18
Two Pathways of Care
Refuge Cares serves both the Refuge Church family and individuals in our community. Because Scripture gives the church a special responsibility to care for the household of faith, members and regular attenders may receive more ongoing care, counseling, accountability, and benevolence support. Community care requests are handled with compassion and wisdom, normally through short-term assistance, prayer, practical guidance, and connection to appropriate resources.
Family Care Pathway
For members and regular attenders of Refuge Church. This pathway is deeper, more relational, and more ongoing. It may include biblical counseling, financial counseling, benevolence support, pastoral care, prayer, discipleship, and follow-up. If you are part of the Refuge Church family, we want to walk with you through hardship. You are not a project. You are part of the body.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2
Mercy Door Pathway
For neighbors and community members seeking help. This pathway is compassionate, clear, and bounded. It may include a care conversation, prayer, short-term assistance, basic financial guidance, referrals to community resources, and an invitation to connect with the life and hope found in Christ.
We want to love our neighbors wisely and honestly. Our deepest care happens in relationship, and we would be glad to help you take a next step.
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” - Galatians 6:10
How the Process Works
Submit a Care Request. Start by filling out the care request form. This helps us understand your situation and the kind of care you are seeking.
Initial Care Conversation. Someone from our care team will follow up with you. This conversation helps us listen, pray, ask wise questions, and understand what kind of next step may be most helpful.
Identify the Right Pathway. Depending on the need, we may recommend biblical counseling, financial counseling, benevolence consideration, pastoral care, community resources, or a combination of these.
Walk Together Toward the Next Faithful Step. Our goal is not simply to solve a problem quickly. Our desire is to help people walk in wisdom, hope, repentance, faith, and dependence on Christ.
Confidentiality and Care
We take confidentiality seriously. Care conversations are handled with discretion, humility, and respect.
However, confidentiality is not absolute. If there is a concern involving abuse, harm to self or others, a legal reporting obligation, or a serious safety concern, appropriate leaders and authorities may need to be involved.
Refuge Cares offers biblical counsel, pastoral care, financial coaching, and benevolence support. We do not provide licensed medical, legal, tax, investment, or mental health services. When a situation requires specialized care, we may encourage or require outside professional help.
Request Care
If you are walking through hardship, need counsel, or are seeking practical help, we invite you to reach out. You do not need to have everything figured out before you ask. The first step is simply letting us know what is going on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can request care?
Members, regular attenders, and community members may request care through Refuge Cares. The kind of care provided may differ depending on your relationship to Refuge Church, the nature of the need, and the resources available.
Is biblical counseling only for major problems?
No. Biblical counseling is for real life. Sometimes people seek counseling during a crisis. Other times, they simply need help thinking biblically about marriage, parenting, fear, conflict, suffering, temptation, or spiritual discouragement.
Does submitting a benevolence request guarantee financial help?
No. Submitting a request allows our care team to better understand your situation and consider how we may be able to help. Assistance is not guaranteed and is normally paid directly to a provider or vendor when approved.
Do I have to attend Refuge Church to receive help?
Not necessarily. Refuge Cares includes a Mercy Door pathway for community requests. However, our deepest and most ongoing care is normally provided in relationship with the church family.
What kind of financial help do you offer?
Financial counseling may include budgeting, debt planning, spending review, stewardship conversations, and crisis financial planning. We do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice.
What happens after I submit a request?
A member of our care team will review the request and follow up with you. Depending on the situation, the next step may be a conversation, a counseling intake, a financial coaching meeting, a benevolence review, referral to outside resources, prayer, or pastoral care.