Word Of Hope

What Word Of Hope does

Word Of Hope is a Christian nonprofit post-abortion care and pregnancy-resource ministry operated under the parent organization Lutherans For Life, a recognized Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod affiliated body. Founded in 1991 (originally under the name Healing Hearts and renamed Word Of Hope in 2012), it provides confidential, free-of-charge pregnancy assistance, post-abortion recovery counseling, miscarriage and infant-loss support, sexual-integrity education, and spiritual care through a 24/7 phone hotline (888-217-8679), online chat, and referral pathways. Its service geography is national and inbound-international, with calls received from around the world, and its beneficiaries are individuals and families seeking spiritually integrated support — outside the commercial reproductive-health market.

The core service model is human-delivered pastoral and clinical care, with no technology platform or digital product layer described in operating materials. Programming centers on the hotline plus structured retreats, beginning with the Redeeming Grace Retreat (scheduled 2026), a multi-day intensive delivered in partnership with Lutheran Family Service at Wildwood Hills Ranch, priced at $75 per attendee against a stated per-attendee program value of $2,500. The organization maintains a small permanent team of approximately three core staff (including a PsyD-credentialed Executive Director, Chrissie Gillet, appointed in 2017, and a Deaconess-trained staff member, Lorelei Humphrey, joining April 2023) and is staffed operationally by trained volunteers, with a credential pipeline through Concordia Theological Seminary.

Word Of Hope is funded entirely through donations — it does not sell services at commercial pricing, and its monetization is implicit in its parent relationship with Lutherans For Life and donor contributions across individuals, congregations, and groups. Distribution of educational and care resources is conducted through a partnership with Concordia Publishing House, extending the ministry's reach into Lutheran congregations. The operating model is therefore best characterized as a small, donation-funded faith-based care ministry embedded in a Lutheran ecclesiastical ecosystem, with programmatic rather than commercial ambition.

Name

Word Of Hope

Legal name

Word Of Hope

Website

https://word-of-hope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Word Of Hope is a Lutheran nonprofit ministry providing free, 24/7 post-abortion recovery counseling, pregnancy support, and spiritual care via phone and online channels, serving individuals nationwide and inbound internationally under its parent, Lutherans For Life.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Counseling and Crisis Pregnancy Support

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Post-abortion counseling
• Crisis pregnancy support
• Spiritual care services
• Faith-based counseling
• Pregnancy assistance hotline

Headquarters

HQ city

Nevada

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Word of Hope is funded entirely by donations from individuals, churches, and groups. The ministry states it has few operating expenses, so donations go directly to supporting hurting people. Grants from organizations have also been received (e.g., for publicizing the hotline and acquiring technology).
2. Retreat Registration Fee: The Redeeming Grace Retreat has a $75 registration fee per attendee that covers materials. Travel assistance is available. The full retreat value is stated at over $2,500 per person, with the remainder subsidized by donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Word Of Hope operates a confidential 24/7 national hotline (888-217-8679) that delivers Christ-centered counseling, spiritual care, and referrals for individuals facing post-abortion trauma, crisis pregnancies, and broader life issues. The ministry also runs an annual multi-day Redeeming Grace Retreat at Wildwood Hills Ranch in Iowa for in-person post-abortion healing, and produces Bible studies and audio content for ongoing support.

Product overview

Word of Hope is a Christ-centered ministry of Lutherans For Life offering a comprehensive suite of services for individuals facing life issues, particularly post-abortion healing. The core offering is a 24/7 national hotline staffed by trained professionals. The portfolio includes: After Abortion Care counseling services, Pregnancy Assistance with referrals, and Spiritual Care through Bible studies, counseling, and support groups. The Redeeming Grace Retreat provides an intensive in-person healing program. Bible study products (Identity in Christ, Weakest of These, and Wellness) serve as educational resources for congregations. The Word of Hope Podcast extends the ministry's reach through audio content on life issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 National Hotline A confidential national hotline providing support for life issues including post-abortion care, crisis pregnancy, and spiritual care, staffed by trained Christian professionals. Accessible by phone, text, email, and video.
• After Abortion Care Counseling and support services for men and women struggling with regret, grief, anger, and confusion after an abortion decision, offering forgiveness, grace, hope, and restoration grounded in Scripture and Lutheran doctrine.
• Pregnancy Assistance Support services providing relationship assistance, information, and referrals to help ease the burden of unplanned pregnancies for women facing crisis or unplanned pregnancies.
• Spiritual Care Bible studies, individual counseling, and support groups addressing the spiritual needs of those struggling with unplanned pregnancy or past abortion, grounded in Scripture and Lutheran doctrine.
• Redeeming Grace Retreat A confidential, Christ-centered healing retreat for women who have experienced abortion, featuring spiritual reflection, small-group fellowship, and guided sessions at Wildwood Hills Ranch in St. Charles, Iowa. Registration fee is $75 with travel assistance available.
• Identity in Christ Bible Study A four-session Bible study exploring identity in Christ, designed for small groups or personal use.
• Weakest of These Bible Study A Bible study focusing on vulnerability, weakness, and care for those in need, based on Matthew 25 teachings.
• Wellness Bible Study A four-session Bible study exploring the differences between worldly and biblical views on wellness and resiliency, including emotional intelligence.
• Word of Hope Podcast Audio content covering pro-life perspectives on topics including hospice care, singleness, serving others, and Down Syndrome.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 300 people per month connected through hotline or email at peak operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wildwood Hills RanchcoreOthers · 1 October 2026Wildwood Hills Ranch in St. Charles, Iowa is the venue for the annual Redeeming Grace Retreat. It provides the physical setting — described as 'a sanctuary for the soul' — for the confidential, multi-day healing experience.
• Lutheran Family ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran Family Service partners with Word of Hope to co-host the Redeeming Grace Retreat — a confidential, Christ-centered healing retreat for post-abortive women. This is a first-of-its-kind retreat offering spiritual care, counseling, and community in a retreat setting at Wildwood Hills Ranch.
• Concordia Publishing HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcordia Publishing House distributes Word of Hope brochures and resources nationally. Brochures (LFL404T in English; LFL404T-S in Spanish) are available for order through cph.org, enabling wide distribution to churches, pregnancy centers, and individuals.
• Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort WaynecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWord of Hope's staff are trained through the Distance Deaconess Program at Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana). Current director Chrissie Gillet and phone counselor Janet Nicol both graduated and were commissioned as deaconesses through this program.
• Concordia University ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcordia University Chicago is listed as a Word of Hope collaborator, promoting academic and theological collaboration in service of the ministry's mission.
• Lutherans For LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWord of Hope is a ministry of Lutherans For Life (LFL). LFL provides organizational oversight, theological grounding, conference platforms (LFL National Conference), the Dominus Vitae Award recognition, and a network of affiliated churches and Life Teams across the United States.
• CareNetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWord of Hope staff have collaborated with CareNet (a crisis pregnancy center network) in outreach to women facing unplanned pregnancies and in fostering a culture of grace within churches. CareNet provided referral pathways and joint client support.
• Sarah BaughmanminorOthersSarah Baughman is a collaborator and author contributing to Word of Hope's content. She is known for her capacity to communicate deeper Truth through story and contributes writing to the ministry's resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Save the Storks: Save the Storks is a faith-based crisis pregnancy organization that operates mobile medical units and pregnancy resource centers. Comparable in mission to Word of Hope for serving women facing unplanned pregnancies, but with a more clinic/operations-oriented delivery model.
• Abortion Changes You: Abortion Changes You is a post-abortion support and outreach ministry offering resources, support group listings, and online content for post-abortive men and women. Comparable as a niche post-abortion support resource, though with a primarily web-based, referral-driven model rather than a staffed 24/7 hotline.

Broad incumbents

• Focus on the Family: Focus on the Family is a large evangelical Christian organization providing counseling, crisis support, and family resources, including post-abortion and pregnancy-related content. Comparable as a broader Christian counseling/resource platform, though it operates nationally with a much larger content and broadcast footprint than Word of Hope.
• Lutherans For Life: Lutherans For Life is the parent organization of Word of Hope and the broader Lutheran pro-life umbrella under which Word of Hope operates. Directly comparable mission, denomination-specific focus, and referral ecosystem, but at a much broader scope covering education, advocacy, conferences, and Life Teams in addition to post-abortion care.
• Heartbeat International: Heartbeat International is one of the largest umbrella organizations for crisis pregnancy centers globally. Comparable to Word of Hope as a faith-based pregnancy-support infrastructure, though it operates a much broader affiliate/center model rather than a single counseling hotline.

Others

• National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA): NIFLA is a membership and advocacy network for pregnancy resource centers and pro-life nonprofits. Comparable as ecosystem infrastructure supporting the same target population and referral chain that Word of Hope relies on, though it does not directly deliver counseling services.

Direct peers

• Rachel's Vineyard Ministries: Rachel's Vineyard runs structured post-abortion healing retreats globally and is one of the most prominent retreat-based post-abortion ministries. Highly comparable to Word of Hope's Redeeming Grace Retreat offering, with a similar in-person, faith-based, small-group healing model for post-abortive women.
• Project Rachel: Project Rachel is the Catholic Church's post-abortion healing ministry, operated under the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is the closest denominational parallel to Word of Hope in terms of offering confidential counseling, referral to trained clergy/counselors, and a healing framework grounded in religious doctrine for post-abortive men and women.
• CareNet: CareNet is a national network of crisis pregnancy centers and one of Word of Hope's listed referral/collaboration partners. Comparable as a faith-informed pregnancy resource and referral infrastructure serving women facing unplanned pregnancies, though it operates at a network level rather than as a single counseling ministry.
• Lutheran Family Service: Lutheran Family Service is the ministry that co-hosts the Redeeming Grace Retreat with Word of Hope at Wildwood Hills Ranch. It is a faith-based social services organization serving Iowa and surrounding states with counseling, family support, and pregnancy-related services — directly comparable as a Lutheran-aligned counseling/family services peer.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wordofhopeministries
• Facebookfacebook.com/WordOfHopeHealingHearts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Word Of Hope