Grief touches everyone at some point. We all lose friends, relatives, and acquaintances at some point in our lives.

Most churches want to help, but many do not know how.

Hope Beyond Our Grief, A Ministry of Grief Care Fellowship, Inc. exists to equip churches, organizations, and individuals with faith-based grief resources. To help you foster hope and healing in the midst of loss.

Nonprofit Organization Information

Hope Beyond Our Grief, a Ministry of Grief Care Fellowship, Inc.
Address: 13202 Word of Life Drive, Hudson, FL 34669
Telephone: 407-487-HOPE (4673)
Email: info@hopebeyondourgrief.org
EIN: 45-3863587

Hope Beyond Our Grief is a ministry owned and operated by Grief Care Fellowship, Inc., a Florida nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity.

The Beginning of Hope Beyond Our Grief

In 2011, God began laying the foundation for what would become Hope Beyond Our Grief. That year, a widower and a widow who had recently remarried, Doug and Joan Bagg, became convinced that the local church could do much more to minister to those grieving the death of a loved one. They believed God was calling them to establish a ministry that would provide compassionate support for grieving families while equipping churches to develop effective, biblical grief-care ministries.

Taking Shape:

Joined by ten board members, they stepped forward in faith and incorporated the nonprofit ministry called Grief Care Fellowship. The vision was clear, but many questions remained. Who would write the training materials? How would they be published and distributed? How could churches be reached? Could God also provide opportunities to produce video resources that would extend the ministry’s impact?

As these questions were brought before the Lord in prayer, a board member suggested contacting a mutual friend and speaker who was already serving in grief ministry, Pastor Francis Welch. With his expertise, curriculum was initially envisioned, and the fledgling ministry began.

Growing the Ministry:

A few years later, God brought another gifted speaker, Nancy Self, whose testimony of grief healing added a unique dimension to the ministry. Having experienced the deaths of two husbands, she offered wisdom born not from study alone, but from personal sorrow. Her journey provided invaluable insight into what truly helps—and what unintentionally hurts—those who are grieving.

From these humble beginnings came resources such as Journey in Grief Care, Hope Beyond Today, and Why, What If, If Only, and other materials that have equipped churches across many communities.

New Name Introduced:

In 2023, to reach new audiences, the ministry rebranded its image and assumed a new name: Hope Beyond Our Grief. Additional resources were added that included care of families who had lost loved ones by suicide.

Today, fifteen years since its beginning, under the leadership of Dr. David Baker, Hope Beyond Our Grief continues to expand its scope and outreach. By God’s grace, the ministry remains committed to bringing the hope, comfort, and healing of Christ to grieving individuals and equipping churches to faithfully care for the brokenhearted.

Very professional and motivating! Joan’s testimony was fantastic…so clear and compelling. We do heartily endorse your ministry of Grief Care and believe it will grow to become a significant tool for the church’s extended ministry to those who are sorrowing.

Dr. Donald Hubbard, Boca Raton, FL

Who We Help

At Hope Beyond Our Grief, we help:

Churches and Ministry Leaders: Our Journey in Grief Care program is comprehensive and effective for training and preparing volunteers and staff. They will learn the skills and gain confidence to walk alongside grievers and encourage them as they navigate their grief.

Small Group Leaders: By providing several Christ-centered, practical, and easy-to-facilitate support group curricula, we enable caregivers to focus on helping others rather than trying to come up with answers.

Individuals: Whether you are grieving yourself or trying to help a friend, family member, co-worker, etc. We have books, blog posts, and comforting scripture cards to help.

Our resources offer grief care training and support whether the loss was one of these, or someone else:

• Spouse: Providing compassionate guidance for individuals navigating the profound loss of a life partner.
• Child: Offering support for parents coping with the unimaginable grief of losing a child.
• Parent: Providing comfort and resources for individuals grieving the loss of a parent, regardless of age or circumstances.
• Suicide: Reassurance and encouragement for those who have experienced a loved one’s death by suicide.

Our Ministry Team:

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Our Commitment to You:

Hope Beyond Our Grief is committed to helping churches, organizations, and individuals equip and train grief caregivers. Our mission is to provide comfort and healing to grieving people in their time of need.  We do that by supplying:

• Competent and Compassionate Training: Built on experience and practice, we equip grief caregivers with the skills and empathy needed to support people who are navigating the unique challenges of grief.
• Christ-Centered Care: Grounded in the promise of the Christian Gospel, our programs and resource materials provide a solid foundation for hope and healing.
• Community Empowerment: Designed for outreach, our training empowers churches and organizations to offer programs of hope and healing in their local communities.
• Committed Partnership: With years of experience and dedication to this ministry, our collaboration with you will enable you to guide grievers from hurting to healing.
• Considerate Pricing: With the goal of making our resources available to as many as possible, we strive to keep our prices affordable.