Help Us Publish "How to CARE" Trauma & Arts Book!

About the book: Churches and believers know we should be responding to increasing crisis events in our communities and the world, but often we don’t know exactly how.

The HOW TO CARE book and CARE Arts Ministry will offer a how ; an innovative yet clear pathway for churches, artists, and Christian believers to respond creatively and appropriately to continuing Crisis, Disaster and Trauma challenges. It is a healing form of creative arts ministry, based on proven Art Therapy principles and practices, and done with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Hi, I'm Scott. I write about how God designed the arts and faith to work together, with books like Creative Church Handbook (InterVarsity Press), a comprehensive guide to the role of the arts in the church, and Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity (Destiny Image). I also founded the non-profit New Renaissance Arts Movement.

In 2018 I sensed my next assignment was a book about how the arts can bring hope and healing in response to crisis, disaster, and trauma events. Particularly, the arts as an ally in ministry with the church in these difficult times. It was a niche idea, but God's call seemed clear.

We all know what happened in the following years: the world turned upside down as crisis and trauma took center stage. The church was as surprised by and unprepared for these events as everyone else. Now congregations, denominations, and relief organizations are looking for effective ways to respond to the tidal wave of trauma and mental health issues.

I believe its clear that God's prepared the message of How to CARE: Crisis, Disaster, and Trauma Ministry with the Arts for such a time as this. My collaborator, Art Therapist Jen Alward and I are in the final stages of finishing this book and preparing to launch the related CARE Arts Ministry . And after much prayer, we're publishing independently instead of working with my normal publishers. This will enable the book to be released sooner, partnerships with relief orgs to be more beneficial and smoother, and enable us to seed more books easily to churches, artists, and ministries.

But there are upfront costs in this approach. Editing, design, marketing, and more need to be covered. And honestly, the time and resource requirements of the project these 5 years (alongside my other work) have been straining, along with unexpected medical bills the last few years. (BTW, some people think authors are wealthy. Nope, that's very rare.)

You want to know where your donations will go.

70% of your donations will go to these book expenses. 30% will go to my family bills, helping enable me to focus on this final stretch of work. (Updated 4/22/24) (Man, I hate fundraising! Maybe that I'm doing it will tell you something about how urgent and important I believe this is!)

We plan to get this book and new ministry across the finish line in the first quarter of 2024, but an infusion of support is needed to do it.

This has been an arduous project, punctuated by joyous gifts, like the acronym God gave us to describe this new mode of arts ministry: CARE= Compassionate Artistic Response and Engagement. There continues to be more intense spiritual warfare around this than I've ever experience. The journey of researching and writing the book has been quite a ride, from learning in-depth about lament, intercession, trauma, trauma-informed care, to discovering the foundational role of trauma and post-traumatic growth in our Christian faith. From stumbling upon insights that brought me to tears of joy, to personally experiencing and learning from extended, crushing trauma.

I can not wait to share with you and the world these discoveries that have forever altered my life and ministry. I believe that the things God has given us in How to CARE can have a profound impact on how congregations, artists, ministries, and many Christian believers, see and CARE for those affected by crisis, disaster, and trauma. How we serve the "least of these," remember the "widows and orphans in their distress", how we take communion, and the beautiful, natural, practical ways the arts and creativity can facilitate healing and hope.

There is so much here, and I could go on and on. But if you can in any way be a part of launching this exciting new book and ministry, please consider a donation. Donations are tax deductible through our non-profit New Renaissance Arts Movement, if you'd like a tax receipt. And anyone who gives $50 or over will get one of the first copies of the book sent to you when it is released.

If you're not able to donate, would you consider supporting the project in prayer? To join the prayer team or for any addition information, reach me at provided email.

Blessings and peace to you, and thank you for your time and interest!

BTW, you can learn more about plans for CARE Arts Ministry at the website