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Well Church Initiative

“Our objective in extension work is to help people reach higher levels of living—physically, mentally, and spiritually."

This quote by Mildred Horton at the 1942 Texas Annual State Extension Conference expresses the importance and positive influence of religion and health—now supported with decades of scientific research. The WELL CHURCH INITIATIVE of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's Family and Community Health Unit maintains this tradition and trusted relationship with faith communities, supporting their clergy and congregations with education and resources across the faith-placed to faith-based continuum.

While the WELL CHURCH INITIATIVE specializes in churches of various Christian traditions, we also welcome partnerships with other faith-based organizations, places of worship, non-profit organizations, healthcare, and statewide agencies who are seeking to positively impact the health and wellness of their communities across Texas.

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Is your church well?

As a starting point, the Well Church Check-Up is a free resource for our Well Church Partners that provides a report of a church's physical, mental, religious, and spiritual health and wellness of their congregants. Below is summary of the MAP-IT steps to completing your Well Church Check-Up. More details and help are provided for you once you are logged into your Well Church Account.

1. Mobilize
  • Form a Well Church Committee with interest in health and wellness to oversee the Well Church Check-Up Process.
  • Designate one member of the Committee to create a Well Church account.
2. Assess
  • Create a new survey
  • Market and distribute the online survey to your congregation
  • View real-time results in your Well Church Report 

SAMPLE WELL CHURCH REPORT

3. Plan
  • Review the findings from your Well Church Report for leading health concerns of your congregation
  • Connect your Well Church Committee with your County Extension Agent and/or local health partners to help prepare a plan of action.
  • Create a Well Church Plan to address the leading health concerns, including needed resources, education, and programs.
4. Implement
  • Prepare an implementation process
    • Who is implementing the plan?
    • When is the plan being implemented?
    • Where is the plan being implemented?
    • How is the plan being implemented?
  • Implement your Well Church Plan
5. Track
  • Evaluate the implementation and impact of your Well Church Plan.
    • Did the plan produce the intended outcomes (e.g., increase in knowledge)?
    • When did the planned activities occur (e.g., weekly, monthly, or yearly)?
    • How were the activities shared/marketed (e.g., newsletter, social media, Sunday announcement, etc.)?
    • Are congregants or community members being reached as intended (e.g., track attendance)?