📝 Worksheet 2.4: Referral Readiness and Safety Map

Course: Christian Gratitude Discernment Ministry
Topic 2: Understanding and Referring to Christian Gratitude Growth
Leader Connection: This worksheet helps leaders discern whether the public course Christian Gratitude Growth: Seeing Your Life as God Designed It is a wise next step, a companion resource, or something that should wait until safety, pastoral care, counseling, medical care, or crisis support is addressed.

Opening Thought

A Christian leader should not see every ministry need as a course referral.

Sometimes a course is exactly the right next step.

Sometimes the person needs listening first.

Sometimes the person needs pastoral care.

Sometimes the person needs counseling, medical care, addiction recovery, abuse intervention, or emergency support.

Sometimes the public course Christian Gratitude Growth can be a helpful companion, but not the main support.

Referral wisdom asks:

Is this person ready for a gratitude formation pathway?
Is this person safe?
Is there a crisis concern?
What is my role?
What is beyond my role?
What is the next faithful step before God?

Part 1: Referral Readiness Self-Assessment

Use this scale:

1 = Rarely true of me
2 = Sometimes true of me
3 = Often true of me
4 = Usually true of me

Listening Before Referring

I listen carefully before recommending a course or resource.
1 2 3 4
I avoid assuming that someone’s gratitude struggle is only an attitude problem.
1 2 3 4
I ask enough questions to understand whether the person needs formation, care, safety, or crisis support.
1 2 3 4
I can sit with someone’s pain without immediately moving them toward a solution.
1 2 3 4

Knowing My Role

I understand the difference between pastoral care, chaplaincy, coaching, counseling, medical care, and crisis support.
1 2 3 4
I know what my ministry role allows me to do and what is beyond my role.
1 2 3 4
I am willing to say, “This is beyond what I should handle alone.”
1 2 3 4
I can refer someone without making them feel rejected or dismissed.
1 2 3 4

Safety Awareness

I know that suicidal thoughts, abuse, threats, addiction crisis, severe depression, and medical concerns require more than a course referral.
1 2 3 4
I would pause a gratitude conversation if I suspected immediate danger.
1 2 3 4
I know who to contact in my ministry setting when safety concerns arise.
1 2 3 4
I understand that gratitude must never be used to pressure unsafe reconciliation.
1 2 3 4

Wise Course Invitation

I can explain Christian Gratitude Growth without hype or false promises.
1 2 3 4
I can invite someone into the course without making them feel ashamed or spiritually defective.
1 2 3 4
I can say clearly that the course supports formation but does not replace counseling, medical care, pastoral care, or crisis support.
1 2 3 4

Part 2: My Referral Readiness Reflection

My strongest referral wisdom areas are:

My growth areas are:

One situation where I may be tempted to recommend a course too quickly is:

One kind of situation where I need more referral confidence is:

Part 3: The Referral Decision Map

Use this map before recommending Christian Gratitude Growth.

Step 1: What Is the Person Bringing?

Check all that apply.

Spiritual discouragement ☐
Desire to grow in gratitude ☐
Regret or resentment ☐
Grief or loss ☐
Marriage or family stress ☐
Depression or anxiety concerns ☐
Addiction struggle ☐
Abuse or safety concern ☐
Suicidal thoughts or self-harm ☐
Medical concern ☐
Need for community support ☐
Need for pastoral care ☐
Need for counseling ☐
Need for emergency help ☐
Other: ______________________________________

Step 2: Is the Person Safe?

Answer honestly.

Is there immediate danger to self or others?

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Unsure

Has the person mentioned suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or not wanting to live?

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Unsure

Has the person described abuse, threats, coercion, or fear of another person?

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Unsure

Is the person unable to function in basic daily responsibilities because of distress?

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Unsure

Is there an addiction, medical, or mental health crisis?

☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Unsure

Step 3: What Kind of Help Comes First?

Check the most appropriate next step.

☐ Listen and pray with permission
☐ Recommend Christian Gratitude Growth
☐ Recommend the course with follow-up support
☐ Invite the person into a small group or Soul Center pathway
☐ Encourage pastoral care
☐ Encourage counseling
☐ Encourage medical care
☐ Encourage addiction recovery support
☐ Address safety planning or abuse intervention
☐ Contact crisis or emergency support
☐ Seek supervision or guidance from a pastor/leader
☐ Other: ______________________________________

Part 4: Course Referral Language Practice

Complete each sentence in your own words.

A Gentle Invitation

“There is a course called Christian Gratitude Growth that…”

Naming What the Course Is Not

“This course is not…”

Explaining What the Course Does

“This course may help you…”

Inviting Without Pressure

“Would you like to…”

When More Support Is Needed

“This course may be helpful, but I also think…”

When Safety Comes First

“Your safety matters, so before we talk about the course…”

Part 5: Scenario Practice

Write a wise response for each situation.

Scenario 1: Ready for the Course

A man says, “I have been complaining a lot lately. I want to become more thankful, but I do not want fake positivity.”

Wise response:

Scenario 2: Grief and Formation

A widow says, “I miss my husband terribly, but I want to learn how to see God’s grace again.”

Wise response:

Scenario 3: Depression Concern

A young adult says, “I cannot sleep. I do not answer texts. I do not know if I want to be here anymore.”

Wise response:

Scenario 4: Unsafe Relationship

A woman says, “My husband says I am ungrateful when I tell him I am afraid of his anger.”

Wise response:

Scenario 5: Life Coaching Ministry

A coaching participant says, “I want structure. I need help noticing grace, changing my thought patterns, and taking one faithful step each week.”

Wise response:

Scenario 6: Small Group Use

A small group member says, “Could our group use Christian Gratitude Growth together?”

Wise response:

Part 6: The 15-Aspect Referral Check

Use the 15-Aspect Christian Gratitude Discernment Method to discern whether the public course is a wise next step.

1. Grace Noticed

What grace is this person already noticing?

2. Grace Missed

What grace might be hidden by exhaustion, grief, shame, or stress?

3. Pain Named

Has the person’s pain been named honestly?

4. Lament Invited

Does the person need space to lament before structured gratitude practice?

5. Thought Renewed

What thought pattern may need Scripture-shaped renewal?

6. Story Examined

What story is the person living inside right now?

7. Embodied Reality Honored

What is happening in the person’s body, sleep, stress, energy, or health?

8. Relationship Discerned

What relationship dynamics are part of this situation?

9. Boundary Considered

Is there any safety, boundary, accountability, or protection concern?

10. Gift Received

Could the course help this person receive grace, help, or calling?

11. Sin Confessed

Is there resentment, bitterness, avoidance, pride, control, or unbelief that may need to come before God?

12. Mercy Remembered

What mercy of God may this person need to remember?

13. Forgiveness Discerned

Are forgiveness, trust, reconciliation, justice, or safety being confused?

14. Hope Held

What Gospel promise or resurrection hope may need to be held?

15. Next Faithful Step

Is the next faithful step the course, a conversation, pastoral care, counseling, safety support, or something else?

Part 7: My Referral Network

List the people or resources you should know before making referrals.

Pastoral or Ministry Leader Contact

Name: ___________________________________________
Contact: _________________________________________