FAQs for Pastors and Church Leaders

 

What is Restoring Your Heart?

RYH is a process for emotional healing. RYH’s safe, small group experiences help people become aware of how hurts from their past may be still affecting them; learn how to grieve and understand their emotions; begin the process of forgiveness; address the shame they may be carrying; and help them identify and healthily address their needs that have gone unmet. As people heal and become more whole, their relationships do too – the relationships they have with themselves, with God, and with others.

 

How does the RYH process work?

RYH’s process for emotional healing happens through a series of safe, gender-specific small group experiences that are led by a trained facilitator.  Each participant obtains and uses a workbook to help them through a guided process of self-discovery. Weekly discussions and sharing among the group participants lead to powerful breakthroughs, greater self-awareness, and ultimately, healing.

  

How will people in my church benefit from an RYH group?

Everyone in your church will benefit from participating in an RYH group. Studies show that 80% of people in the church have unprocessed pain that is significantly affecting their view of God, their view of others, and their view of self, and is hindering them from growing spiritually. 

In general, people don’t know how to deal with emotional pain or grieve responsibly, and many people have not experienced safe people “in church”. RYH groups effectively teach people how to be safe for each other, how to withhold judgment, and how to love each other well, as the church should!  RYH gives people emotional tools, common language, and a process become emotionally healthy, whole, and free. 

 

What kind of responses can I expect from individuals going through groups?

Most people going through a group will respond with surprise at the ease of sharing in the group, the level of intimacy that develops, the degree of safety provided by the group and the new insights they obtain about themselves.  It is not uncommon for the bonds developed during the group to continue long after the group’s completion, providing a sense of ongoing community, safety, and friendship for those involved. 

 

Is RYH biblical?

Yes, RYH is scripture-based and uses biblical truths to help people understand that they are created in the image of God, created with emotions, and that emotions play an important role. Participants are provided scriptural examples of how emotions can be experienced and expressed in a way that honors God and benefits relationships.

RYH was created as an integral part of one’s discipleship process, modeled after the restorative ministry of Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 61:1-4 & Luke 4:18 are cornerstone verses to support the ministry of Restoring Your Heart.

 

How is an RYH group different from a bible study?

RYH groups are gender specific (men meet with men and women meet with women), led by trained facilitators, limited to 4-8 participants, and meet for a specific amount of time. 

While RYH workbooks utilize Scripture as part of each lesson, RYH groups are not a typical direct bible study experience, but rather a journey of self-discovery in order to release past wounds and hurts and allow the Lord to bring the participants to a place of forgiveness and freedom. As people heal from past experiences, their capacity to grow spiritually can increase dramatically. It is not uncommon for a participant that has completed an RYH group to begin experiencing a growth spurt in their relationship with the Lord and with others.

RYH has also been used evangelistically among those who are not yet walking with the Lord or who do not have a well-developed relationship with the Lord.  There have been several instances where someone has desired to join a more formal discipleship group or church community as a result of the healing and scriptural truth they encountered in their RYH group.

 

How does the RYH Training process work?

The first step in the training process is for all potential group leaders to participate in a Processing Pain group AND an Understanding Emotions group. Then the person can visit restoringyourheart.com/training to register for training groups or add their information to a training waitlist. 

Training costs $125 and the RYH Training Manual costs $45.

There are several training options available to work with a person’s schedule or preferred method of learning. 

• In person training
• 10-week live virtual training (similar to a normal RYH groups format, trainees complete the reading on their own, then come together for a weekly virtual group training session, typically lasting from 1.5 hours to 2 hours.)
• Self-paced online training (for those who cannot make regular group trainings work, a new self-paced training option combining reading, video modules, and assessments are available. Participants are required to attend 1-2 live weekend training intensives to experience specialized group dynamic scenario training.

Learn more about RYH facilitator training at restoringyourheart.com/training.

 

What is the process for launching an RYH Ministry in my church? 

With the coordination of the RYH Ministry Team and the church leadership:

1. Identify a group of men and women who feel called to help people heal from emotional and relational hurts.
2. A trained RYH facilitator will take them through a Processing Pain group and then an Understanding Emotions group (all groups are gender-specific; males with males, females with females).
3. Future leaders choose an appropriate training path to become trained RYH group leaders.
4. After completion of training, trainees complete an training exit interview with RYH Trainer. 
5. Trained leaders co-facilitate a group (ideal if they can co-facilitate with a seasoned facilitator). 
6. After co-facilitating a group, facilitators may be ready to begin leading groups without a co-facilitator, but are welcome to co-facilitate if this is more beneficial or comfortable.  
7. Identify someone at the church who can coordinate the church’s RYH groups and schedule leaders to lead. 

RYH has a Guidebook that explains all the nuts and bolts of having an RYH ministry in your church or organization.

*Discounts and scholarships are available on a limited as-needed basis.