Lado a Lado Member Care Ministry

Lado a Lado helps Christian workers and their families increase personal resilience and ministry effectiveness by providing resources and a space to rest, reconnect with God, and receive care in community.

Over the last three decades, studies on ministry attrition have concluded that the number of Christian workers leaving their ministries has been higher than the number of new missionaries being sent out. It is alarming to see ever-increasing incidences of burnout, moral failure, divorce, team conflicts, mental distress, and even suicide among them.

Lado a Lado (meaning “side by side” in Portuguese) is an interdenominational, interorganizational member care ministry located in Portugal. This ministry cares for Christian workers serving throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. We utilize a community model that invites Christian workers to rest, connect with God, and grow in personal resilience and ministry effectiveness.

Our primary goals are to increase and normalize self-care and prevention, increase availability and utilization of member care resources among workers and organizations, and decrease ministry attrition. We do this by providing hospitality within a peaceful and caring environment, as well as direct care such as debriefing, counseling, coaching, training, wellness services, and recreation.