Every few months, we spotlight five helpful resources for you as you seek to walk closely with the Lord and make disciples. Many of these resources are created by N.C. Baptist staff to help meet the ministry needs of leaders across the state.

Check out this month’s roundup, which includes timely resources for different emphases this month. May provides unique opportunities to focus on different needs through National Foster Care Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

In addition to the resources featured here, many more can be found at ncbaptist.org/resources. You can also follow @ncbaptist on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we regularly share other helpful resources.

‘6 resources to guide your church in starting a foster care ministry’
Wednesday, May 4 is National Foster Care Day. There are many ways to raise awareness in your church about the needs of foster care ministry. From praying specifically for different groups of people involved in foster care, to becoming licensed as a foster family, churches will not run out of ways to support and care for children. Here are six resources to help your church take practical steps toward starting a foster care ministry.

Podcast: An overview of basic pastoral counseling for anxiety-depression
What are common effects of anxiety and depression? Brad Hambrick, pastor of counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, describes anxiety and depression as the “common cold” of an emotional experience for many people. There are many questions about how to provide the most effective pastoral care for church members who experience various levels of life disruption from these difficult emotions. Hambrick offers an overview of basic pastoral care for anxiety and depression and provides resources that church members can use to create a community of care for one another.

Student Summer Ministries
As families and students make summer plans, take this opportunity to encourage students to serve Christ during their summer break! Student Summer Ministries offer college students and high school seniors opportunities to serve both locally and abroad through North Carolina-based ministries.

Video: Associational Mission Strategists
From the mountains to the coast, N.C. Baptist associational mission strategists serve and walk alongside churches in ministry within various communities across the state. Learn more about how AMSs help you reach others with the gospel, and how associations help churches serve on mission together.

Article: ‘Why God sent me halfway around the world to pray’
Pastor Robert Hefner shares his experiences from a recent trip to Eastern Europe. “God continues to teach me that the invitation to us to join him in His work also means that we can in part be the very answers to our prayers. … As you pray, perhaps God would nudge you to be a part of His answer to those very prayers,” he writes. There continue to be several ways to directly support and pray for Ukrainians.

by NC Baptist Communications