Careforce Lifekeys emerged from the recognized need by Pastors Allan and Helen Meyer to solve an ongoing problem - effectively managing the demands of counseling and pastoral care.

It is a problem for many churches.  Very few people in the life of any church are competent enough to help people struggling with deep needs and support them through to a successful conclusion.  When someone does demonstrate a capacity to help, the demand rapidly overwhelms them.  The need for healing and restoration amongst congregational members is greater than can be effectively handled, add to that the challenge of reaching out to an increasingly broken community, and we wonder how we will ever rise to the challenge!

In 1989 Ps Allan and Helen Meyer began a series of visits to the USA.  Speaking there over the next few years allowed them the privilege to encounter a number a great churches.  One church in particular, in Phoenix - Arizona, the Meyers observed some innovative attempts at handling the needs of people whose needs ranged from general family issues to sexual abuse and addictions of various kinds.  Not only was this church assisting hundreds of hurting people, they were using ‘everyday' members of their congregation to do it.  Using small groups with trained leaders, along with a competent teacher, and a structured learning program, they were assisting people both inside and outside the church to experience the grace of God. 

That is the essence of the Lifekeys Ministry.

For some years Helen's role in Careforce Church had primarily been the development of small groups.  The possibility of combining the small group process with its elements of accountability and support to bring healing and growth to a significant number of people was exciting and filled with potential.  A vision was born!

In 1991 Helen took the lead in establishing a Board of Management, drawing upon available skills within the congregation.  A unique, wholly Australian training program was developed and in 1992 the first small group leaders (which we call Facilitators) trained together in preparation for the first Lifekeys series.  Later that year, the first 10 week Careforce Lifekeys program was opened to local churches and the community, with over 100 people applying for the first program.

From the very first weeks of the first course, the Meyers were hearing some very encouraging stories.  Many Christians who had struggled with difficulties of various kinds for years testified to an encounter with God.  For some the changes were nothing short of miraculous.  People from outside the normal sphere of influence of the Church came to do a Lifekeys Group, encountered Christ, found a saving relationship with Him and became a functioning part of the life of the Church. \

Here's just a few insights into the feedback received:

"I've been a Christian for four years, but feel only now, through this course, do I actually understand the Good News"

"I finally understand why I act the way I do"

"This course encouraged me to become a Christian - it has started having a positive effect on my whole family"

"When I started Search for Life I was an atheist.  When I finished I was an agnostic. During Man to Man I wondered how I ever lived without God and now I am a Christian.  Nothing could buy what I have now."

"I was absolutely astounded that a course could and did provide so much relief, understanding and insight to not only my past, but me, where I am going and how I am going to get there."

The results were so impacting that the local Police, the local Council and a number of secular service and counseling organizations began referring troubled and needy people to Lifekeys for help.  Hundreds of totally un-churched people from our local community are now regularly worshipping at Careforce Church after being introduced to the life of the church through Lifekeys.

Why Choose Lifekeys?

In every church there are people who are tired, wounded, hurting, defeated or emotionally stuck ..... often they have no idea why.

The church proclaims the good news that in Christ we are loved, redeemed, forgiven and accepted.  All of this is based on Christ's performance and it comes to us in gift form only.  Yet for some people the truth never seems to reach to where the problem is, even though they sincerely want it to.  Imagine if you tried to commit yourself to meeting with every such person in your church, one-on-one, until they had found the promises of the New Covenant to be realized in their own experience - there wouldn't be enough hours in the day!  Even if you could find the time, with many of them you wouldn't know how to help anyway.  So we tend to let "sleeping dogs lie" - leave them as they are and hope things will change.  These people get disillusioned with us, with church and even with God; sometimes they change churches in the hope that such a move will result in some kind of inner change.  Occasionally they become bitter and critical, even dropping out of active Christian involvement altogether. 

It doesn't have to be this way!

What if there was a way to encounter these people within the context of your own church without overloading yourself and other leaders to the point of exhaustion?

What if there was a way to take ordinary people and equip them to be small group leaders to work with you for the strengthening of the flock of God?

What if there was a way to begin to reach beyond the counseling needs of your own congregation to the homes and families that have not been open to your church's ministry up to this point in time?

We believe we have something to share with you that can make a difference.  Careforce Lifekeys is not simply another church growth idea, although for Careforce Church, it certainly had that result.

Careforce Lifekeys has as much to do with church ‘wellness' as it does with reaching into the unbelieving yet wounded community.  It's not just unbelievers that need restoration and strengthening, the church needs it to.

Since 1992 the Meyers' (and others) have developed 12 programs to help restore men, women and children back to ‘wellness' by helping them tackle some of their greatest hurts and fears, through sound theological teaching, in a safe and caring environment with people that genuinely care.

The first step to getting Lifekeys programs started in your church is getting a greater understanding of the Lifekeys Methodology, which requires some basic TRAINING.  Careforce Lifekeys has developed ‘Facilitator Training' to meet this basic training requirement, which can be run by churches themselves using the DVD training materials and comprehensive support materials.  To learn more go to the Getting Started section of this website.