Why Pastor Thrive
You do not have to carry this alone
Pastoral ministry carries immense weight — the care of a congregation, the needs of a family, and the responsibility to a community. In the midst of this calling, many pastors quietly carry isolation, fatigue, and discouragement. That is why we come alongside you.
Our Mission
We exist to encourage and equip pastors and churches through safe, trusted relationships, helping them become all God intends for their communities.
We provide a trusted space where you are seen, heard, and valued — a place to grow, connect, and become more fully who God is shaping you to be. This is a safe place. You are heard here. You are valued here.
How we help you thrive
Five ways we come alongside you
- 01
Confidential Support
A safe, trusted relationship where honest conversations, wise counsel, and encouragement can happen without judgment.
- 02
Purposeful Retreats
Retreats at our beautiful Lodge near Lake Huron — designed for learning, rest, reflection, renewal, and spiritual recalibration.
- 03
Lunch & Learn Gatherings
Convenient, year-round events that offer relevant insight, encouragement, and practical support for the realities of ministry.
- 04
Pastoral Cohorts
Small groups of pastors in similar roles and regions, creating space for shared wisdom, mutual support, and collaboration.
- 05
Resources & Trusted Connections
Curated tools and relationships to help you grow, stay healthy, and flourish in ministry for the long term.
Your journey to thrive
We offer more than resources — we offer relationship
At Pastor Thrive, we walk alongside pastors who care deeply about their calling and the people they shepherd. Whether you're weary, searching, rebuilding, or flourishing, you are welcome here — just as you are.
We offer more than resources. We offer relationship. You can trust us as a mentor, a trusted companion, a connector to other pastors, and a place to pause and breathe amid the demands of ministry.
Our heart for you is not just to survive, but to truly thrive — today and for the journey ahead. We believe thriving pastoral health is holistic, shaped by spiritual depth, emotional resilience, healthy relationships, physical well-being, and vocational clarity.
At the core of everything we do is this conviction: thriving is rooted not in what a pastor does, but in who a pastor is becoming before God.
Our History
Faithfulness across generations
Pastor Thrive was born out of a clear and compelling calling: to ensure that pastors and ministry leaders are not left to carry the weight of their calling alone. In the early 1990s, Dick and Dee Sochacki discerned a quiet but urgent need within the Church — those entrusted to lead were often among the most discouraged, lacking safe relationships where they could be known, supported, and restored.
In 1993, they responded by founding Barnabas Ministries of Michigan, building the ministry on a deeply relational foundation. Dick met personally with pastors, offering encouragement, wisdom, and a trusted presence, while Dee led a devoted team of intercessors who faithfully covered leaders in prayer. Together, they established more than a ministry — they cultivated a lifeline marked by compassion, confidentiality, and spiritual care.
Following Dick's passing in 2017, Doug and Carolyn Schmidt stepped into leadership, bringing decades of pastoral experience and a shared passion for strengthening ministry couples. In 2019, they transitioned fully into this work, expanding the ministry's reach through mentoring environments, retreats, and personalized care. Dee Sochacki continued to faithfully lead the prayer ministry until her passing in 2024, leaving a lasting legacy of intercession that still undergirds the heart of the ministry today.
A defining milestone came in 2024 when Woodside Bible Church entrusted the ministry with a 40-acre retreat property in Deckerville, Michigan. Known as The Lodge, this space has become a tangible expression of the ministry's heart — a place set apart for pastors and their spouses to rest, be renewed, and experience care in a deeply personal way.
Today, as Pastor Thrive, the ministry continues to serve pastors and churches locally, nationally, and increasingly around the world. What began as a quiet step of obedience has grown into a movement of care and connection — one that champions the health of pastors as essential to the health of the Church.
Pastor Thrive staff
