There is a lot happening at Mission First Alliance, and we are excited to share several new ways we are connecting, equipping, and encouraging first responders, and those who are serving them.
From new tools for Alliance members to free discipleship resources and a nationwide prayer initiative, we are grateful for the momentum and for every organization, ministry, church, and leader who is bringing Real Hope to first responders, and their families.
Explore the New Alliance Directory
One of the greatest strengths of Mission First Alliance is the people and organizations that make up this growing network.
Our new Alliance Directory makes it easier to discover and connect with others who share a heart for serving first responders. Whether you’re looking for a ministry, organization, resource, or potential partner, the directory is designed to help strengthen relationships and collaboration across the Alliance.
We have also launched a new Members Only section of the Mission First Alliance website.
Each month, our virtual gatherings give Alliance members an opportunity to connect and hear from leaders and organizations doing incredible work in the first responder community. Now, members can access the video recordings from those gatherings in one convenient place.
If you missed a gathering, or want to go back and hear from one of our featured leaders again, you can find the recordings here:
We are especially excited about several new resources that have been completed and will be made available for free.
Living Mission First – A Discipleship Study for First Responders, by Jeremy Wade and others, is a new resource designed specifically to help first responders grow as disciples of Jesus while navigating the unique realities of their profession and calling.
We also have three new resources from Sgt. Jeff Daukas, our Arizona Regional Representative:
CHASE 90 Day Devotional for First Responders
CHASE 12 Week Group Study Guide
CHASE Leaders Guide
Together, these resources provide opportunities for individual spiritual growth, small-group discipleship, and leaders who want to walk alongside first responders in their faith.
Our desire is simple: get quality, practical, Christ-centered resources into the hands of first responders and those who serve them. Making these resources available for free removes another barrier to doing exactly that.
Stay tuned for details on how to access and share them.
Mission First Alliance SWAG Is Here!
Want to represent Mission First Alliance wherever you go? There is now a new way to get Mission First Alliance SWAG!
Through Living Blue Apparel, you can purchase Mission First Alliance gear and help spread the word about this growing movement. More SWAG to be added soon too.
A New National Prayer Initiative Is Launching October 28
Perhaps one of the announcements we are most excited about is the launch of a National Prayer Initiative on National First Responder Day, October 28.
We want to see churches and communities across the country intentionally pray for the first responders who serve them every day.
The vision is simple.
On October 28, we are asking churches to rally people in their communities to gather at the flagpole of a local police, fire, EMS, or dispatch facility and pray for the first responders who serve there, and for their families.
Imagine what could happen if, all across the country, first responders looked outside their facilities and saw people from their communities gathered simply to pray for them.
Mission First Alliance will provide information and guidance for church leaders who want to participate. We also plan to share the locations being prayed over that day so we can see and celebrate the collective impact happening across the nation.
More details are coming soon, but now is a great time to begin thinking about the first responder agencies in your community and the churches and people you could invite to participate.
Save the date: October 28 — National First Responder Day.
A New National Prayer Initiative Is Launching October 28
Every one of these announcements points back to why Mission First Alliance exists: to unite and equip all who have a heart to reach our nation’s first responders and their families for Christ.
A directory helps us find one another.
Virtual gatherings help us learn from one another.
New resources help us equip first responders.
And prayer brings churches and communities alongside the men and women who serve them.
There is so much happening, and we believe there is even more ahead.
Thank you for being part of Mission First Alliance and this growing community. United Together we can have a greater Kingdom impact.
If this article stirred something in you, you’re not alone. If you need prayer, support, or someone to connect with at Mission First Alliance, we’re here to help you take the next step toward hope.Please reach out to us through our Contact Us page, or leave a comment below.
We live in a world searching for the next breakthrough; the one solution that will fix what hurts. We look for the perfect relationship, the right career, financial security, a healthier lifestyle, a medication, or a new beginning. None of those things are inherently wrong. Yet many of us eventually discover that even when we achieve them, something still feels incomplete.
My research into the Fatal 10™ identified ten major life stressors that can increase the risk for devastating outcomes. Relationship conflict, trauma, illness, substance misuse, identity loss, retirement, and other major life transitions all have one thing in common: they challenge our sense of connection and purpose.
For years, I asked, “Which of these factors is the most important?” But the better question became, “What is the foundation that helps us navigate all of them?” Well, with the help of my cohort, Dr. Jorey Krawczyn, we believe the answer is “relational purpose”.
At its deepest level, relational purpose isn’t simply about having better relationships with family, friends, or coworkers. It begins with understanding who we are because of whose we are. Before we can love others well, we must first know the One who created us.
When we’re hurting, it’s easy to search for relief in places that promise comfort but leave us emptier than before. We may chase another relationship, numb our pain with alcohol or other substances, bury ourselves in work, or search for fulfillment in success. Yet none of those things can fill the place that was designed for Christ.
Jesus offers something different. He offers peace that isn’t dependent on circumstances, hope that outlasts disappointment, and a purpose that reaches beyond any title or season of life.
The invitation of the Gospel is not about perfection. It’s about relationship.
Perhaps the answer we’ve been searching for isn’t another temporary solution.
Perhaps it’s the One who has been calling us all along.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:33
Today, if your heart feels weary, know this: you are deeply loved, you are never beyond hope, and you are always invited into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes the greatest transformation doesn’t begin with finding the right answer; it begins with finding the right foundation.
If you found this information helpful, you might consider our podcast episode 13 “Finding Real Hope in the Recovery” with Matty Fiorenza where he shares why lasting freedom, joy, and hope are found only through Jesus Christ and answers the question: Can recovery truly heal the soul?
If this article stirred something in you, you’re not alone. If you need prayer, support, or someone to connect with at Mission First Alliance, we’re here to help you take the next step toward hope.Please reach out to us through our Contact Us page, or leave a comment below.
The first responder wellness movement has grown significantly over the last decade. Conferences, peer support programs, resilience training, mental health resources, and wellness initiatives are now more common than ever before. Yet despite these advancements, many organizations continue to struggle with burnout, trauma, suicide, and declining morale.
In Episode 12 of the Living Mission First Podcast, “Leadership That Changes Lives,” we welcome filmmaker, podcast host, and wellness advocate Conrad Weaver for a conversation that challenges the status quo and explores what may be missing from the current wellness movement.
This episode represents more than just another discussion about wellness, it is a full-circle moment and an opportunity to examine first responder wellness through a unique lens.
A Perspective Outside the Wellness Echo Chamber
Most voices in the first responder wellness space come from two backgrounds: experienced first responders or academic professionals with specialized training, certifications, and research credentials. Both perspectives offer tremendous value and have helped move the conversation forward.
However, Conrad Weaver suggests that the industry may have unintentionally created what he calls a “wellness echo chamber.”
Too often, the same speakers are presenting the same messages to the same audiences, while organizations continue to face many of the same challenges. Awareness has increased, but measurable cultural change remains elusive.
Conrad brings a different perspective to the conversation.
Through producing the acclaimed documentary PTSD911, hosting the First Responder Wellness Podcast, attending wellness conferences across the country, and engaging directly with first responders and agency leaders, he has observed trends and gaps that deserve serious attention.
His conclusion is both simple and profound: two critical components are frequently missing from wellness conversations—leadership and faith.
The Leadership Gap
Wellness programs can provide resources, training, and support systems, but leadership ultimately determines whether those resources become part of an organization’s culture.
When leaders model vulnerability, prioritize wellness, and create environments where people feel safe seeking help, positive change becomes possible. Conversely, when leadership remains disconnected from wellness efforts, even the best programs often struggle to gain traction.
Leadership is not simply about policy; it is about influence.
Healthy organizational cultures are built when leaders consistently demonstrate care for their people, communicate purpose, and create trust. Without leadership engagement, wellness can become another initiative rather than a transformational movement.
The conversation highlights a truth many first responders already know: culture starts at the top by servant leaders.
The Faith Gap
While wellness and peer support are frequently talked about, the role of faith remains absent from most conversations, programs, and training. Conrad shared that most conferences and training will not even bring it up.
This reality and burden grew for me personally and even led me to leave the Seattle Police Department after 13 years of service. During that time, I served as a full-time Peer Support Coordinator, Resilience Trainer, Chaplain Program Leader, and founding member of the department’s Wellness Unit.
First responders are more than physical, emotional, and psychological beings. We also have a spiritual need. Every day, we encounter tragedy, death, injustice, and human suffering. Eventually, those experiences force us to wrestle with questions of meaning, identity, and eternity.
Most wellness programs address the mental and physical symptoms but never address the soul.
While the wellness movement has made significant strides, I believe it will continue to fall short until we are willing to acknowledge this foundational piece and the life-changing hope available through faith in Jesus Christ.
A Full-Circle Moment
This episode carries special significance for me because Conrad interviewed me twice on his First Responder Wellness Podcast. One of those appearances, Episode 22 titled “Are You Losing Your Religion?”, was released on January 31, 2024, and became the podcast’s most downloaded episode of the year.
Both were great conversations about my experience, but I was even more excited to hear what Conrad has been learning.
Reasons for Hope
While the challenges facing first responders remain significant, this conversation is ultimately one of hope.
Mental health struggles continue to impact agencies across the country, and there is still much work to be done. Yet there are also encouraging signs of change. More leaders are recognizing the importance of wellness. More organizations are embracing holistic approaches to care. And more first responders are finding healing, support, and renewed purpose.
For those who have experienced trauma, burnout, or despair, the message is clear: you are not alone.
As we discussed throughout this episode, true wellness requires more than programs and policies. It requires leadership that inspires, communities that support, and a source of hope that endures even in life’s darkest moments.
We desire to see more first responders and their families find that hope in in Jesus Christ.
The wellness movement has come a long way, but perhaps its next chapter will be defined by addressing the very things that have been missing all along: leadership that changes lives and faith that sustains them through every challenge.
Listen to Episode 12 of the Living Mission First Podcast, “Leadership That Changes Lives,” to hear the full conversation and explore these important insights for yourself.
If this article stirred something in you, you’re not alone. If you need prayer, support, or someone to connect with at Mission First Alliance, we’re here to help you take the next step toward hope.Please reach out to us through our Contact Us page, or leave a comment below.
Waiting on the Lord in the Line of Duty, “Serving in the Kingdom of God”
In the heart of the chaos, when sirens wail and every second matters, first responders step into the storm. They are the unsung heroes who run toward the crisis, embodying courage and compassion. But what if we viewed their profession through the lens of faith—as a mission field in itself?
First Responders: Servants in the Field
First responders—be they police officers, firefighters, paramedics, or emergency medical personnel—stand at the crossroads of human vulnerability. They encounter the broken, the frightened, and the lost. This isn’t just a career; it is a calling, ripe with opportunities to shine the light of Christ.
Recognizing the first responder profession as a mission field means acknowledging the profound impact they have not only on physical lives but also on spiritual well-being. Each moment of rescue, every comforting word, is an act of service that reflects God’s love. These acts, seemingly small, often mirror the compassion of Christ—the ultimate First Responder, who rescues us in our deepest need.
Persevering in Faith: The Call to Wait Upon the LORD
The profession of a first responder is fraught with challenges—long hours, emotional tolls, and moments of uncertainty. But it is in these challenges that the call to “wait upon the LORD” becomes paramount. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us: “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Waiting upon the LORD isn’t passive; it is an active trust in His timing and His plans. It is a spiritual discipline, a reminder that strength comes not from our own efforts but from reliance on God.
How to Serve and Persevere
See the Job as Ministry: Embrace the truth that each interaction is an opportunity to be a vessel of God’s love. Your vocation “is” your ministry, ministry isn’t a vocation.
Rely on a Faith Community: Fellow believers can offer encouragement, prayer, and support for the unique burdens first responders bear.
Cultivate Spiritual Resilience: Make time for daily devotionals, prayer, and Scripture reading to renew your strength in Him.
Trust in God’s Timing: Understand that even in the waiting—whether it’s during a shift or in life’s broader challenges—God is at work.
Obedience is key! Your availability to serve this field is vital in the success of the mission. Waiting upon the LORD allows Him to prepare you and those you are called to serve and serve with. It’s God’s strategy.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart…”
Deuteronomy 8:2
The wilderness is a great teacher. Its lessons are rarely pleasant, but they are always effective. God has used wilderness as a teaching tool for all of human history. Adam and Eve were taken out of the garden, and put into the wilderness. The patriarchs all walked through seasons of wilderness. Moses went through 2 seasons of wilderness. David had to flee into the wilderness. Even Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tested…
As a first responder, you may not find yourself surrounded by trees and wildlife, you may be stationed downtown in a metropolis, but you are familiar with wilderness. I worked as a paramedic for 10 years before going into vocational ministry. I know well the long 24-hour shifts away from home, missing important family moments, and being confronted with the worst of humanity day after day after day. This is where burnout lives. This is where our Kingdom witness falters. But the Lord is sovereign, and the Lord uses seasons of wilderness. In Deuteronomy 8:2, God isn’t learning, He is teaching us what is in our hearts. What is most important to us? Where do we look for peace, joy, satisfaction?
If we are looking to anything, or anyone, other than Jesus – We will not have peace, joy, or satisfaction.
Jeff Richardson
Dallas Willard says this: “Human desire is infinite by its nature. You must take your stand against it because you cannot satisfy it. Desire is infinite partly because we were made by God, made for God, made to need God, and made to run on God. We can be satisfied only by the one who is infinite, eternal, and able to supply all our needs; we are only at home in God. When we are distanced from God, the desire for the infinite remains, but it is displaced upon things that will certainly lead to destruction” God uses those seasons of suffering, those long shifts, those terrible calls, those difficult partners to teach us where we still are looking for satisfaction somewhere besides Him.
I felt called to the ministry for 5 years before I was brought on staff at our church. That was 5 long years of knowing where God wanted me, and still working on an ambulance. Years of frustration with ‘frequent flyers’, DUI fatalities, and pediatric codes. It was also 5 years of the Lord teaching me that my identity was as a chosen royal priest: not just a medic. 5 years of learning that my ambulance was a mission field. 5 years of learning how to be content in the wilderness, by learning how to be content in Christ. Even though my job wasn’t what I wanted.
David wrote Psalm 63 from the wilderness. I encourage you to go read it.
David had been anointed (called) as the next king of Israel but had not been crowned yet. Instead of a coronation, he was given exile- he was forced into a season of wilderness by the current king who wanted to kill him. Despite his circumstances, David is able to write, “My soul is satisfied.” His soul was satisfied in the worst of circumstances, in the wilderness: because he was seeking the Lord. He was not seeking the kingship, the kingdom, the riches, the power, the women, the fame. He wanted God more than all of that. And you know what? The Lord was there with David and satisfied his soul.
This season of wilderness is not for nothing. Paul says it is working an eternal weight of glory. It has purpose. Don’t convince yourself you are a victim. Don’t try to rush the Lord’s time. Don’t try to medicate your suffering with other things. Instead: change your desire. Seek the Lord earnestly, completely. You can always have Him, and He will satisfy you like nothing else, no matter your circumstances. Find your identity in Christ alone. You will not find true and lasting satisfaction anywhere else in this world.
