When Care Gets Lost in the Inbox

This week I had the joy of joining Laura Howe on the Hope Made Strong Care Ministry Podcast to talk about a subject close to my heart: how churches care well for people—not just when there’s a crisis, but through the ordinary, sacred rhythms of life.

In the episode, we explored the hard truth that in many churches, care breaks down not because people don’t want to care—but because there’s no clear system to follow.

Maybe you’ve seen this yourself:

• Someone shares a life update in the lobby—“My mom just entered hospice”—and it’s heard with empathy… but never written down.
• A pastor makes a call and checks in, but no one else knows it happened.
• A volunteer visits someone faithfully, but the story stays locked in their notebook or memory.

That was my experience too.

From Pain Point to Platform

When I began pastoring 25 years ago, we used everything from prayer cards to email to staff meetings to coordinate care. But as our church grew, it became clear: we were dropping the ball on follow-up.

We were caring in silos. And sometimes, people who mattered deeply to us felt unseen—simply because the care they needed wasn’t shared beyond the first conversation.

I wanted a better way. So I built one.

That journey—combining my background in software development with my calling as a pastor—is what eventually became CareNote. It’s a care tracking and coordination platform that helps churches:

• Receive care needs (from prayer requests to pastoral visits)
• Assign care to the right people
• Follow-up consistently
• Capture a complete story of someone’s journey over time

Care Is a Stream, Not a Checklist

One of the images I shared on the podcast is this: I see care as a stream. People add their needs into the stream. Pastors, deacons, volunteers enter their updates. And together, we create a picture of wholeness—where no one slips through the cracks.

This isn’t just about software.

It’s about belonging. About people being remembered on their birthdays. About checking in weeks after surgery. About not having to carry your burdens alone.

Care isn’t a department. It’s a culture.

A Tool to Decentralize Care

I’m convinced that one of the most powerful shifts a church can make is to decentralize care. Not to take it away from pastors—but to equip more people to share in it.

That’s what CareNote helps churches do. Whether you’re serving 25 people or 5,000, it gives you a framework to turn compassion into action—without burning out your staff or losing the thread.

If you’re a care pastor, a volunteer team lead, or just someone who knows your church can do better in this area, I hope you’ll give the podcast a listen. We get practical. We get real. And I share some of the stories that shaped CareNote along the way.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here

📘 Learn more about CareNote

Thanks again to Laura and the Hope Made Strong team for hosting this conversation and for all you do to strengthen care teams across the country.