Leading Through Change: How One Church Expanded Its Grief Outreach

When JD Wallace started leading GriefShare in 2014, he never imagined he’d become the foundation for a growing, multi-campus grief support ministry. What began as a single group led by one facilitator has since blossomed into a church-wide outreach—with multiple leaders, locations, and weekly meetings.

From solo leadership to a thriving network of groups

For years, JD was the only GriefShare facilitator at his large Houston-area church. “I would close down my job, go up to the church, set up the room, and lead the group on Monday evenings,” he recalls. Even as he carried the load alone, he never lost sight of the value. “I was still getting good feedback from the groups that I was being effective, and I felt so strongly that our church needed this ministry.” But JD also knew he couldn’t do it alone forever.

Churches often lack the structure to grow grief ministries

Many churches recognize the need for grief support but struggle to scale it. Without a clear plan for training leaders or structuring multiple groups, growth stalls. JD’s church could have easily stayed stuck with just one facilitator. But instead, they built something bigger.

The turning point? JD’s openness to multiplication. “One of our facilitators now runs his own group, but he co-facilitated with me for one full session for training. He had been a participant first and expressed interest in leading. It was beneficial having him shadow me.”

That decision to invite others created a ripple effect. They identified, trained, and empowered new leaders.

Learn how to scale—train new leaders, use multiple campuses

Today, JD’s church has built an intentional framework that supports ongoing expansion:

• Train from within: “We’ve been able to identify new facilitators who went through GriefShare as participants,” JD says. “That’s probably how it happens at most churches—people benefit from the program and then feel called to help others.”
• Multiply locations: GriefShare groups now meet across four campuses, including one satellite site that offers Spanish-language services.
• Adapt to needs: JD helped launch and lead online groups during the pandemic—allowing the church to reach people outside their immediate area. “I had a police officer from Dallas and a woman from Louisiana join our online group. It extended our reach beyond Houston.”

Our GriefShare adapted the meeting times to meet practical needs. “We had elderly members who didn’t want to drive after dark, so one of our pastors began offering a daytime session.”

“Our church now has four campuses and multiple weekly groups.”

JD eventually stepped back from facilitating after leading 22 groups over a decade. But the legacy of his service—and his willingness to empower others—has left a lasting impact. “We now have multiple facilitators, multiple campuses, and several weekly GriefShare groups,” he says. “It’s great to see how it’s grown.”

Listen to JD share his story:

JD’s story proves that with intentional training, supportive leadership, and the right tools, any church can expand its grief ministry in meaningful ways.

Grow your church’s reach

Is your church ready to transition from a single group to multiple groups? Do you have faithful facilitators but no plan for growth?

You don’t have to stay stuck. Discover how to expand GriefShare at your church in the LeaderZone (login required).