183: Start Here with Lauren Hickman – It Begins With Prayer

March 26, 2026

183: Start Here with Lauren Hickman – It Begins With Prayer

Lauren Hickman

183: Start Here with Lauren Hickman – It Begins With Prayer

183: Start Here with Lauren Hickman – It Begins With Prayer

183: Start Here with Lauren Hickman – It Begins With Prayer

🎙️ Introduction

We’re excited to introduce a new voice on Key Ministry, the Podcast—Lauren Hickman.

Lauren brings both professional and ministry experience to this conversation as a special education teacher and disabilities ministry leader at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Her heart is simple and clear: to help churches become places where individuals and families impacted by disability are not just accommodated… but truly welcomed and discipled.

In this episode, Lauren kicks off a brand-new series designed to give church leaders something they’re often missing—not more ideas, but clear next steps.

This series is built to walk with you through:

  • The first steps of starting a disability ministry
  • What to expect in the first three months
  • And how a ministry begins to grow over the first three years

If you’ve ever thought, “I know this matters… I just don’t know where to start,” this series is for you.


🧭 About the Series: Start Here

Disability ministry can feel overwhelming.

Questions come fast:

  • Where do we begin?
  • What do we actually do first?
  • What if we don’t have the people, budget, or experience?

This series exists to answer those questions with clarity and confidence.

Each episode is designed to help you take one step forward—practically, faithfully, and sustainably—so your church can begin removing barriers and reflecting the welcome of Christ to every family.


📌 In This Episode

In Episode One, Lauren starts where every healthy ministry must begin… not with a plan, but with prayer.

She unpacks why communication with God is not just important—but foundational—and how it shapes everything that follows in disability and mental health ministry.


🔑 Key Takeaways

  • Prayer is not preparation for ministry—it is the work of ministry.
  • You don’t need a budget, staff, or strategy to begin… you can start right now by praying.
  • Before meetings, emails, training, or hard conversations—pause and pray first.
  • Prayer aligns your heart, slows your reactions, and invites peace into difficult situations.
  • Healthy ministries are built privately in prayer long before they are seen publicly.
  • You are not responsible for outcomes—only for faithfulness. God brings the growth.

🛠️ Practical Next Steps

Lauren doesn’t just teach this—she makes it actionable:

  • Set a specific time each week to pray for your ministry
  • Invite a friend or team member to pray with you consistently
  • Begin every meeting with a focused, intentional prayer
  • Pray specifically for:
    • Wisdom
    • Volunteers and leaders
    • Families in your church
  • Build prayer into your Sunday morning rhythm before families arrive

📖 Scripture Highlighted

  • Matthew 20:32
  • Psalm 127:1
  • John 15:5
  • James 1:5
  • Philippians 4:6–7
  • Romans 8:26
  • 1 Corinthians 3:6–7

💬 Memorable Quotes

“Prayer is not preparation for the work. Prayer is the work.”

“Long before your ministry ever launches publicly, it must first be built privately in prayer.”

“You are not responsible for the outcome. You are responsible for faithfulness.”


🤝 Who This Episode Is For

  • Pastors and church leaders
  • Disability and mental health ministry leaders
  • Volunteers and team members
  • Parents advocating for their child’s belonging in the church

🔄 Share & Connect

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow church leader or volunteer who is trying to figure out where to start.

And if you haven’t yet, leaving a review helps more churches discover how to better serve families impacted by disability and mental health.

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