Sparrow & Heart Soul Care seeks to provide spiritual care for people in crisis. Our name comes from the Scriptural promises of God’s care for His children. In Matthew 6:26-27 Jesus urges us to trust our Heavenly Father because if He cares for birds then He will also care for us (See also Matthew 10:29). But God’s sovereign care doesn’t mean that we will escape all sorrow and hardship. Even in moments of suffering, however, God’s grace is present (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). The Catholic novelist Flannery O’Connor spoke of her father’s death as God’s grace, but such grace was not a lovely thing. For her, in that instance, grace was like a bullet through the heart. At Sparrow & Heart we believe in God’s care for us, even in the midst of suffering and hardship.

Our model of care is shaped by four key principles. Our soul care is:

(1) Gospel-Centered —> We believe we are all both sufferers and sinners at the same time. One or the other theme, however, may be more dominant at any given moment. Jesus Christ – His perfect life, death for our sins, and resurrection for our salvation – is key to helping us face both our sin and our sorrow. He is our hope for both healing and transformation.

(2) Scripturally Grounded —> We believe that God’s Word provides us answers for all of life’s problems. Help is not simplistic, and care is not provided through simple proof texts. Rather through robust theological and psychological frameworks found in the pages of Scripture we can find hope and help. God’s Word sets key principles for understanding people, problems, potential causes, and potential solutions. God’s Word is the authority on all matters of faith and life and all theories, philosophies, and psychologies are evaluated by God’s Word.

(3) Clinically Informed —> We believe that God has created us as whole being people, and that our body, mind, spirit, and circumstances all influence one another. While we are not clinical psychologists or counselors, we believe in being informed by modern research, science, and best therapeutic practices. Where appropriate we refer clients to other professionals, but even in our faith-based care we want to do our best to understand the nature of various issues.

(4) Person Specific —> We believe in caring for people, not just treating problems. While many people may experience similar struggles or be diagnosed with similar issues, we know each person is an individual with their own expressions and experiences of those troubles. It is our belief that every person who comes to us for help deserves to be heard and understood as an individual. We avoid formulaic responses and seek to develop strategies for care that take into consideration the individual personalities and circumstances of each person in crisis. 

In light of these key principles, we believe that soul care includes the importance of prayer, dependence upon God’s Spirit, and a focus on Scriptural teaching.