Frequently asked questions
Q: Who will come to our GriefShare group?
A: GriefShare will minister to people within your church and throughout your community who are grieving the death of a loved one or friend. It’s likely that many of the people who will come to your GriefShare group will come from outside your church, and they may not have an active spiritual life or be followers of Christ. GriefShare represents a tremendous outreach and evangelism tool for your church!
Q: Is GriefShare appropriate for other types of losses?
A: GriefShare is specifically designed for people who have experienced the loss of a loved one or friend through death. Other losses, such as the loss of a job, the death of a pet, divorce, and similar major life events, while significant, are not the focus of GriefShare.
Q: We already have a bereavement ministry. Why do we need GriefShare?
A: Most churches do a wonderful job of caring for grieving people from their congregation in the immediate days surrounding a death and funeral. GriefShare is designed to extend ministry into the long months that follow, when people around the griever have returned to their normal, busy lives.
Q: Do we need licensed counselors or therapists to lead the group?
A: No. GriefShare is designed to be a lay-led ministry. Because the instruction and teaching is presented on DVD videos featuring Christian experts on grief topics, your GriefShare group can be led by a team of mature lay volunteers. Most often GriefShare groups are led by people who’ve experienced a significant loss, have healed, and have a passion to help others find God’s healing, in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 1:3–4.
Q: How do I identify leaders for our GriefShare program?
A: The Leader’s Guide included with your GriefShare kit includes an entire chapter on identifying and recruiting leaders. Typically, you will find the most committed leaders are those who have experienced God’s healing after losing a loved one. They are passionate about helping others recover from grief!
Q: How do we train people to lead GriefShare?
A: Extensive training is included with the GriefShare curriculum kit. We provide a Leader Training DVD and a complete Leader’s Guide. In addition, your lay leaders will have access to our online LeaderZone, which is filled with additional leadership resources and free telephone coaching from our team of GriefShare ministry coaches.
Q: Is GriefShare aligned with a particular denomination?
A: GriefShare is nondenominational and serves more than 17,000 churches worldwide. GriefShare is built on a biblical, Christ-centered foundation. See our statement of faith.
Q: How do you select the experts that appear on the GriefShare videos?
A: We identify pastors, counselors, authors, and speakers who have expertise in grief topics and embrace a biblical, Christ-centered approach to grieving. See a list of our experts. These experts see their participation in GriefShare as a ministry and receive a very modest honorarium for participating in the program.
Q: Can I see samples of the GriefShare materials before we purchase the kit?
A: Yes. See a workbook sample here. See a representative excerpt from one of the GriefShare video sessions here. The best strategy for previewing GriefShare is to purchase the entire kit. It comes with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so you can return it for a risk-free refund if you determine the materials don’t meet the needs of your church.
Q: How will people find out about our GriefShare group?
A: Your GriefShare kit includes a Leader’s Guide that features an entire section filled with promotional strategies. We offer preprinted posters and brochures, free promotional videos, downloadable print and web ads, and many more resources. One of the most powerful tools your church can use is the free “Find a Group” search engine located on the GriefShare website.
Q: Can we charge people to attend a GriefShare group?
A: Yes. Most churches charge a $15–20 registration fee to attend the 13-week GriefShare cycle. This offsets the cost of the GriefShare workbook you provide each group member, and it can contribute toward incidental costs, such as snacks and coffee. Many churches maintain a small scholarship fund to subsidize the registration fee for those who cannot afford to participate otherwise.
Q: Is there really no cost to talk with a GriefShare ministry coach?
A: No charge at all. As a nonprofit ministry, we maintain a team of staff ministry coaches. They are seasoned GriefShare group leaders, with many years of experience leading groups. Pastors and lay leaders can talk with these ministry coaches free-of-charge whenever a question about starting or operating a GriefShare group arises.
To talk to a GriefShare coach, feel free to call us at 800-395-5755 Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm ET. Or schedule an appointment.
Q: Are the GriefShare videos closed-captioned for the hearing impaired?
A: Yes. You can select optional English subtitles for display while playing each of the 13 GriefShare session videos.
Q: Is GriefShare available in other languages?
A: GriefShare is currently available in a Korean version.
Q: If I don’t like GriefShare, may I return it?
A: Certainly! Once you receive your kit, you have 30 days to return it. Read our no-risk, 30-day guarantee.
Q: When does the 30-day guarantee go into effect?
A: Your 30-day guarantee goes into effect the day your kit arrives. Read our no-risk, 30-day guarantee.