Go on, Be Free.
Emotional and relational healing is a crucial part of the discipleship process and was modeled by Jesus as He taught His disciples.
Alongside the Holy Spirit, RYH group experiences and workbooks help people through a healing process whereby they will have healthier relationships, including their relationship with God.
Restoring Your Heart was developed because people were getting “stuck” in their spiritual growth.
Jesus modeled restoration. He modeled healthy relationships and often implored His disciples to love one another sincerely, explaining that this would be how people would know they were His disciples.
Today, however, it is not hard to find someone who associates the Church with hurt more than with healing. Church leaders want to help, but are often overwhelmed or ill-equipped to help build emotionally mature disciples who can also perpetuate healing, restoration, and reconciliation. In fact, 2 out of 3 U.S. church pastors admit that their church could be better equipped to assist those who are hurting or having thoughts of taking their own life. (Lifeway Research, Suicide and the Church, 2017). And 80 percent of people in the Church are hindered in their spiritual growth either significantly or severely due to unaddressed emotional issues. (see How Emotional Problems Develop)
80% of Christians are hindered in their spiritual growth either significantly or severely due to unaddressed emotional issues.
In response to this, Worldwide Discipleship Association (WDA) developed a ministry known as Restoring Your Heart (RYH) which focuses on providing emotional and relational restoration and healing to an individual, as a crucial part of the discipleship process. This ministry is delivered through the church and other organizations via trained lay leaders who facilitate safe, gender-specific small groups to their congregation and surrounding community.
RYH was developed by Jack Larson, an Atlanta-based pastor, and a team of theologians, mental health professionals, and lay leaders who collaborated to produce workbooks and group experiences geared toward helping individuals process past pain, understand emotions, and conquer shame. Jack authored the book “How Emotional Problems Develop” to present the reality of the need for emotional healing in the Church and surrounding communities.
Over the past 12 years, the Restoring Your Heart ministry has transformed thousands of lives, made the Church a place of healing again, and offered marriages and families an emotional toolkit that has led to greater freedom in Christ.
Go on, Be Free.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1 NIV
changing Metro Atlanta
Over 3,000 people have participated in RYH groups and utilized RYH workbooks.
An Answer to Addiction
RYH has become part of the mandatory curriculum at A Better Way Ministries, helping men find the root of their addictions so they can experience freedom and restored relationships.
The Rippling effect of healing
It is not uncommon for people in RYH groups to experience such profound breakthrough, that they choose to pursue training so they can facilitate RYH groups for others.
International IMPACT
RYH’s ministry of healing has translated across countries, cultures, and languages, including in Indonesia, Zambia, Kenya, India, and the Philippines, to name a few.
Meet the Team
Did you know that all of our staff and missionaries raise their own support? If you are interested in financially supporting one or more of our RYH Team members, click on the ‘ i ‘ icon underneath their profile.
KELLY RENIE
RYH Program Manager
Kelly is a nonstop doer who loves chai, gardening, and hands-on creativity. Married to Mike for 36 years, she’s passionate about missions, mentoring, and helping others find freedom through RYH.
Tony Rutledge
RYH Operations Manager
Tony is a Naturopathic Doctor, Firefighter, and great Husband and Father. He says that RYH changed his marriage and life, and he wants other people to experience that transformation too.
Jack Larson
RYH Creator & Content Manager
Jack was the creator of the Restoring Your Heart ministry. He is a lay counselor, pastor, and discipler. As he discipled people, he began to realize that emotional baggage and past unresolved hurts were getting in the way of peoples’ ability to grow spiritually, and to thrive. Voila, RYH was born.
Dr. Gale Jones
Lead RYH Trainer
Gale is a chemical engineer by trade, but her heart belongs to RYH. She is an experienced trainer and human resources manager with skills in organizational design, and an ordained minister and educator at a seminary. This combined background makes her the perfect person to train and mobilize new RYH facilitators. Go Gale!
Linda Dukes
LEAD RYH Coordinator
Anyone who meets Linda soon realizes how passionate she is about this ministry, and helping people find emotional freedom. She’s a connecting machine!
Dr. Cathy Cris
INTL RYH COORDINATOR
Cathy is sharp, compassionate, and a gifted trainer and facilitator. She is located in Kenya and has brought RYH to several African countries. She serves RYH HQ to help coordinate groups and establish new RYH training and ministry sites internationally.
Patty Alba Hughes
RYH EN ESPANOL CREATOR & Coordinator
Patty was so impacted by RYH, she knew she needed to make it accessible to the Spanish-speaking community. She translated the materials and typeset them herself, and now leads groups in the US, Chile, and Costa Rica! Bien hecho, Patty!
David Parfitt
RYH Trainer & Site Developer
You will never meet a person more committed to “seeing” the person in front of them than David. He has led groups at a men’s addiction recovery facility for over 14 years and has helped establish RYH ministries around the world!
Debbie Connors
RYH Trainer & Content Editor
Debbie leads RYH groups at her church and faithfully works to expand the reach and ministry of RYH throughout the Atlanta area. She is a gentle soul!
Margo Theivagt
RYH Trainer & Content Developer
If you ever want a prayer warrior interceding on your behalf, Margo is the person to call! She has counseled, mentored, and trained countless women, and her vibrant smile and spirit leave a lasting impact on everyone!
Lee Tolar
RYH Trainer & Content Developer
Lee will tell it like it is! Lee is constantly seeking ways to serve or help others in any way that she can. She has been training RYH Group Leaders and other staff members from the early days of this ministry.
Nancy Higgins
RYH Trainer & Content Developer
Nancy is like that cool aunt who sneaks you a $100 bill when your parents aren’t looking. Nancy developed our current RYH Group Leader Training program, and helps write content for the RYH workbooks and shape the RYH group experiences. Oh, and she’s a professional counselor.
Joe Hobbs
INTL RYH Trainer & Content Developer
Joe is a gentle giant. He has trained RYH leaders around the globe, including in Indonesia and the Philippines. He is passionate about helping others navigate through their painful pasts and achieve a life of victory and freedom on the other side.
Emanuvel DASS
IntL RYH Trainer
You might have come across this Indian man, because he is everywhere! Passionate about raising up disciple-making pastors through grassroots discipleship training, he has also launched the RYH ministry in several Asian countries, and led virtual groups for African pastors. Emanuvel is able & willing to serve!
Rich Smith
INTL RYH Trainer
Rich has spent the last 15 years living between the Philippines and the United States. Rich is the most passionate person you will meet on just abut any topic that you might be discussing! And he’s most passionate about people coming to know Christ and being emotionally healed in the process.
Bob & Gail Werstlein
IntL RYH TrainerS
Bob & Gail are on fire and always on the go, always smiling, always seeking to minister to & bless. At any given moment, you may see them training Africans in RYH, leading RYH and racial reconciliation groups in their community, or providing care and counseling for WDA’s faithful workers as WDA’s Staff Care Counselors. We want to be like Bob & Gail when we grow up!
Margret Kunda
Intl RYH Trainer
Margret has been dubbed “Mama Restoring Your Heart” by those around her in her native country of Zambia! Margret has helped spearhead an international restorative movement throughout Southern Africa, specifically in Zambia, Botswana, Swaziland, and beyond. This is an anointed woman!
Benson Chembe
INTL RYH TRAINER
Located in Zambia, Benson is WDA Africa Director, overseeing all of WDA’s African discipleship initiatives. He is also a passionate trainer for RYH which is an important part of the discipleship process. He often says that “RYH is spreading like bushfire across Zambia!” Oh, and he is married to Margret Kunda, so together they are an international RYH power couple. Let’s go!!
Ellen Patricia
Intl RYH Trainer
Ellen is a small lady with a mighty impact in her home country of Indonesia! Ellen is a decorated leader and professional counselor. She leads several nonprofits and has trained and oversees multiple RYH initiatives, while continuing to lead RYH groups herself.
Join The Team