Christian Care Ministry/ Medi-Share completed its 6th Annual Day of Sharing, assisting local nonprofits

Published on October 10, 2023

MELBOURNE, Fl. — On October 7— Christian Care Ministry, with headquarters in Melbourne, which administers the nationally recognized Medi-Share health care sharing program, gave back to its local community through its Day of Sharing event.  

Christian Care Ministry’s employees in Melbourne and Colorado were able to help local nonprofits with yard clean up, painting, loading cargo, writing letters of encouragement, office organization, and even setting up for Fall festivals. One example is Walk on Water Ministries, which holds a Fall Festival to serve as a fundraiser for the Tyler Chance Scholarship Fund for Autism, providing equine-assisted therapy to those with autism who cannot financially afford it.  

“CCM has been the most incredible help to Walk on Water Ministries.  Many special needs children and adults attend our equine-assisted therapy program with their parents.  Some come with heavy loads of financial burdens, health issues, or trauma.  Almost all have commented that when they walk onto the ranch, they feel a sense of peace and of course, we know that’s God.  CCM has helped to make our physical environment beautiful for all who come, but more so, they have imparted the spirit of the living God onto our ranch, leaving a peace that surpasses all understanding.  The friendships made, the prayers prayed, and the stories shared have been the most beneficial to us. Through organizing, weeding, building, and cleaning, CCM has significantly contributed to making our special families feel welcomed onto God’s ranch.  – Patricia Bryan, Executive Director Walk on Water Ministries 

For this year’s Day of Sharing,  200 volunteers served the following nonprofits:  

• Genesis House  
• Christ is the Answer Rescue Mission 
• Love INC.   
• Wings of Grace 
• RFM Christian Academy 
• Walk on Water Ministries 
• Liberty Bell Museum 
• Bridges for Peace  
• The Children’s Hunger Project 
• Dove Bible Club 
• House of Hope 
• Nana’s House 
• The Village of New Life Mission  
• South Brevard Sharing Center  
• Florida Avenue Church of Christ 
• Promise in Brevard 
• The Lamb Shoppe supporting The Haven for Children 
• Brevard Humane Society 
• COSILoveU

Before the families headed out to serve, the ministry held a kickoff event at their Melbourne home office, where employees and guests heard a proclamation for the 6th Day of Sharing from Mayor Paul Alfrey. Senator Debbie Mayfield’s office, FL Senate District 12, also provided a proclamation.  

“As a ministry, we view opportunities of service as a way to match needs with resources, much like the early church modeled in Acts 6. I love to see the tangible application of this principle not just when our employees and their families serve at Day of Sharing, but when they use their volunteer PTO hours to serve local organizations throughout the year. It is a testament to the quality of employees at CCM.”- Brandon Harvath, President and CEO, Christian Care Ministry. 

Employees serve the local community year-round as part of the ministry’s formalized volunteer program. They receive up to three days off each year for volunteer service, and many use this time to serve local churches, ministries, and other community organizations. Last year alone, employees donated more than 4,000 hours in their local communities. 

Christian Care Ministry is celebrating its 30th year of sharing and is grateful to be a thriving part of Brevard County. The ministry employs nearly 400 Brevard County residents.  

About Christian Care Ministry/Medi-Share 

 

Christian Care Ministry (CCM), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Melbourne, FL, operates the Medi-Share program, a Christian health care sharing organization that provides an affordable alternative to health insurance for faith-based consumers. Now in its 30th year of sharing, Medi-Share, serves nearly 400,000 members across America and has earned accreditation from the Independent Healthcare Sharing Accreditation Board. For more information about Christian Care Ministry, visit: https://mychristiancare.org/press.   

 

 

Christian Care Ministry Announces Partnership with AACC for Nation’s First Faith-Based Mental Health Network

Published on September 20, 2023

NASHVILLE, Sept, 2023 — Christian Care Ministry (CCM), the operator of Medi-Share, the nation’s leading healthcare sharing community, has partnered with the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) to create the world’s first faith-based mental health and wellness network. 

Taking the stage at the 2023 AACC Know Hope World Conference last week in Nashville, CCM President and Chief Executive Officer Brandon Harvath delivered a heartfelt and biblically based appeal to more than 7,000 leaders in the mental health field. He was joined by AACC President Dr. Tim Clinton to announce a new initiative to strengthen and equip the Church in addressing the ongoing mental health crisis. 

Featured in image: Brandon Harvath, President/CEO, Christian Care Ministry (left) and Dr. Tim Clinton, President of AACC (right) 

“Together, we want to empower a network of counselors, coaches and helpers who are clinically distinguished and distinctly Christ-centered to reclaim the biblical mandate to care and provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by connecting needs to resources,” said Harvath.  

As the mental health crisis has escalated in recent years, mental health professionals are sounding the alarm. Recent studies have shown that young people, especially teens, along with pastors and healthcare workers, are experiencing increased levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. 

“As two organizations deeply rooted in faith and compassion, our partnership with CCM signifies a pivotal moment in mental health care,” stated Ben Allison, CEO of AACC. “We are merging our strengths to address the pressing needs of our community and ensuring that care and guidance are provided with a Christ-centered approach. In this united effort, we reaffirm our commitment to bring light, hope, and healing to those facing mental health challenges.” 

Many people find safety and comfort in their local church, often seeking out a faith leader before they engage with a mental health professional. If sufficiently equipped, the Church can play an essential role in addressing the crisis by providing people with a safe and supportive community, education and mental health resources to restore their hope. Yet, pastors everywhere are collapsing under the weight of the needs of their congregations, dropping out of ministry at an alarming rate, and suffering from the burdens of depression, divorce and discouragement. 

“When pastors are suffering, you know that the church is suffering,” said Harvath. “Pastors need help, their families need help and the church needs help. The enemy would love nothing more than to muzzle the Church when in fact we must rise up and be heard, to be the salt, truth and light that all mankind desperately needs.  

“It’s time for us to join together and create the nation’s first faith-based mental health network, with one voice, worthy of being called Christian. It is CCM’s privilege and honor to come alongside AACC to address the mental health crisis in a practical, biblical manner, just as the members of the first church did in the book of Acts.” 

The initiative will officially launch in the Spring of 2024. To sign up and receive more information, visit https://www.medishare.com/cfn/aacc.  

About Christian Care Ministry 

Christian Care Ministry (CCM), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) association of churches, based in Melbourne, FL, operates the Medi-Share program, a Christian healthcare sharing organization that provides an affordable alternative to health insurance for faith-based consumers. Now in its 30th year of sharing, Medi-Share serves nearly 400,000 members across America and has earned accreditation from the Independent Healthcare Sharing Accreditation Board. To date, more than $7 billion dollars in medical bills have been shared and discounted. 

About the American Association of Christian Counselors 

The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is the largest and most diverse Christian Counseling association in the world. The AACC’s mission is to equip the entire community of care, including licensed professionals, pastors, and lay caregivers, with biblical truth and psychosocial insights so they can minister to hurting persons and help them move to personal wholeness, interpersonal competence, and mental stability. The AACC accomplishes this mission through its widely attended events, its educational programs, and materials available via Light University and the AACC’s publications. 
 

Media Contact: 

Brooke McGriff
A. Larry Ross Communications 

972-267-1111 

Brooke@alarryross.com