ANCC Impact Men · Course 4 of 7
Brothers in Hope
Faith, mental wellbeing and practical companionship, including responding to concerns about suicide.
Adult men seeking connection, greater mental health awareness or ways to support a friend. The group offers education and companionship, not diagnosis, counselling or crisis treatment.
Read at your own pace or ask ANCC about current group arrangements. Meeting dates, venue, access, costs and trained leaders are confirmed separately. You can listen, ask questions or pass. Your private reflections belong to you.
For a paper workbook, use your browser menu to print this page or save it as a PDF. You can also write your responses in a private notebook.
What you will practise
- Use non-stigmatising language and recognise when professional support is needed.
- Practise listening, asking directly about suicide when concerned and connecting someone to help.
- Build a personal support map and agree sustainable boundaries for mutual care.
Your six sessions
- 1. You do not have to pretend
- 2. When pressure becomes too much
- 3. Grief without a timetable
- 4. Friendship that can hold a difficult week
- 5. When you are worried about suicide
- 6. A sustainable plan for support and hope
Read each Bible passage in its full context using NIV or another suitable translation. The teaching and exercises below are original ANCC material. The course offers Christian learning and companionship; professional health, safeguarding, financial and legal needs require the appropriate support.
Before you begin: Some sessions address distress, suicide concerns, abuse, sexual integrity or loss. You may skip a topic, pause or ask for an individual conversation. Facilitated groups require appropriate leader preparation and support arrangements. No personal disclosure is expected.
Session 1
You do not have to pretend
Read Psalm 42
Make room for emotional honesty and understand the difference between friendship and treatment.
Psalm 42 gives language to longing, tears, memory and questions. Its repeated movement towards hope does not remove the difficult emotions within the prayer. The passage allows believers to bring distress into their relationship with God. We should not use it to diagnose the writer or promise that one spiritual practice will end a mental illness.
Men can struggle with low mood, anxiety, trauma, loneliness or symptoms of an existing condition. These experiences differ, and a group cannot establish a diagnosis. If changes are persistent, distressing or affecting daily life, a GP or qualified mental health professional can help. Faith, prescribed treatment, therapy and practical companionship can work together.
A supportive response begins with attention. Thank someone for telling you, listen and ask what kind of help they would welcome. Avoid comparing suffering or making spiritual explanations on their behalf. You may also be struggling yourself. Caring for a friend does not require becoming his only source of support.
Talk it through
- Which emotions and questions appear in the psalm?
- How does the writer bring distress into prayer?
- Which statements about mental illness can make it harder to seek help?
- What can friendship offer, and what requires professional support?
A fictional situation
A man says that taking antidepressants makes him a weak Christian. Another participant wants to tell him to stop them. Practise a response that affirms his dignity and directs medication questions to his prescriber.
Practise together or privately
- Choose words for a fictional person’s week without using diagnoses: exhausted, isolated, worried, hopeful or overwhelmed.
- Practise a two-minute conversation in which the listener does not interrupt or offer a solution.
- Privately identify whether you want connection, practical support, a pastoral conversation or professional help. You can leave the page blank.
In your own workbook or notebook
Words that help me describe how I am doing
The kind of support I would welcome
A professional or trusted person I can approach
During the week
Arrange one manageable connection. If symptoms affect your daily life, contact a GP, existing care team or NHS talking therapies service as appropriate.
Optional prayer
God, help us bring our real lives to you and receive care without shame. Amen.
Session 2
When pressure becomes too much
Read Philippians 4:4–9 and Mark 6:30–32
Recognise pressure and choose practical support without treating spiritual practices as a cure.
Paul writes about prayer, attention and what the community practises. These are valuable spiritual invitations, but the passage is not a test that separates good Christians from anxious ones. A person can pray faithfully and still experience an anxiety disorder. Mark also shows Jesus recognising the need to step back from demands.
Pressure may come from employment, migration, debt, caring, illness or expectations that men must provide without complaint. Begin by identifying what is happening rather than blaming yourself for feeling overwhelmed. Distinguish what you can act on, what needs help from others and what is outside your control today.
A small practical adjustment may make the next day easier: ask for help with a task, arrange an appointment, eat regularly or make space for rest. These actions support wellbeing but do not replace treatment. Avoid alcohol or drugs as a response to distress. If you are unable to keep yourself safe, use emergency help immediately rather than waiting for a group meeting.
Talk it through
- What practices does Paul commend to the community?
- Why must we avoid treating the passage as a guarantee against anxiety?
- Which pressure could be shared or addressed with help?
- What is a realistic action for the next twenty-four hours?
A fictional situation
A self-employed man is caring for his mother and sleeping badly. He assumes he must cope alone. The group cannot change all his circumstances. What small offer could be useful, and when should professional help be encouraged?
Practise together or privately
- Draw three circles labelled my next action, help I can request and outside my control today.
- Choose one manageable step. The activity may be quiet reflection rather than a breathing exercise; nobody has to close their eyes.
- Practise asking for specific help, including a clear way for the other person to decline.
In your own workbook or notebook
A pressure I can name
One practical request or appointment
What I can set aside for today
During the week
Try one supportive adjustment and notice its effect without grading yourself. Seek professional advice if distress continues, worsens or interferes with daily life.
Optional prayer
Lord, help me face today with honesty, wise support and room to rest. Amen.
Session 3
Grief without a timetable
Read John 11:17–36
Practise accompanying loss without forcing an explanation or a recovery schedule.
The people around Jesus are grieving. Martha speaks directly, Mary expresses her pain and Jesus weeps. Even within a story of resurrection, grief receives space. The passage does not require a person to suppress tears in order to demonstrate faith. Christian hope and deep sorrow can be present together.
Loss may involve a death, miscarriage, relationship, health, home, career or the future someone expected. People respond differently and may move between ordinary activity and intense sadness. Avoid predictable stages or deadlines. Ask what is difficult now and what practical help would be welcome.
A person bereaved by suicide may face shock, anger, guilt and intrusive questions. Do not speculate about causes, blame the person who died or imply that relatives failed to prevent the death. Offer specialist bereavement support and practical companionship. If someone’s distress is making daily life unmanageable, help them seek professional care; urgent safety concerns need immediate help.
Talk it through
- How do the people speak to Jesus about their loss?
- What does Jesus’ weeping communicate?
- Which familiar comfort phrases might close a conversation?
- What specific practical help could respect a grieving person’s wishes?
A fictional situation
A colleague returns to church after bereavement and is told that he should be over it because he believes in heaven. What might a more helpful conversation sound like?
Practise together or privately
- Compare two responses: an explanation of why the loss happened and an offer to sit, listen or help. Discuss their likely effect.
- Write a message of support for a fictional bereaved person without advice, promises or pressure to reply.
- Privately note a loss you want to acknowledge. You may use a symbol or leave the page untouched.
In your own workbook or notebook
A loss or change I wish to acknowledge privately
A kind of support that might help
A practical offer I could make someone else
During the week
Make one respectful offer to someone experiencing loss, or ask for support yourself. Let the person decide whether and when to respond.
Optional prayer
God of compassion, stay near to us in grief and teach us to accompany one another patiently. Amen.
Session 4
Friendship that can hold a difficult week
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 and Romans 12:9–15
Develop practical listening and build a wider network of support.
Ecclesiastes observes that companionship can provide practical help when a person falls. Romans connects sincere love with honour, hospitality and sharing both joy and grief. These are ordinary forms of mutual care. They do not require a man to be impressive or constantly positive in order to belong.
Listening involves attention, open questions and resisting the urge to fix everything. Try asking what the person has found difficult, what support already exists and what help would be useful today. Reflect what you have heard without claiming to understand exactly. Respect a decision not to talk.
A reliable friendship includes boundaries. Agree what contact is realistic, avoid promises of constant availability and encourage more than one support connection. A friend should not become someone’s only reason to stay safe. Serious concerns need professional support and, where appropriate, safeguarding action. We can care deeply while recognising the limits of our role.
Talk it through
- What practical benefits of companionship appear in Ecclesiastes?
- How does Romans describe being present for others?
- What is the difference between listening and taking over?
- Why does a broader support network matter?
A fictional situation
A man tells his friend, “You are the only person I can speak to, so you must answer every night.” The friend is exhausted. How could he respond with care, boundaries and help to widen support?
Practise together or privately
- Practise listening for two minutes, then summarise what you heard and ask whether you understood.
- Build a private support map with several connections: ordinary friendship, practical help, pastoral care and professional support.
- Agree an optional check-in with a clear time, purpose and boundary. A missed message is never treated as proof that someone is safe.
In your own workbook or notebook
People and services in my wider support network
A realistic boundary for contact
One connection I would like to strengthen
During the week
Have one ordinary conversation, walk or coffee. If you agree to check in, keep the arrangement and explain promptly if it needs to change.
Optional prayer
God, teach us to listen well, keep wise boundaries and make room for each other. Amen.
Session 5
When you are worried about suicide
Read 1 Kings 19:1–18
Learn a clear supporter response while recognising that volunteers cannot assess or manage a crisis alone.
Elijah expresses profound distress in this narrative. The story includes rest, nourishment, presence and renewed direction. We should read the whole passage carefully without assigning a modern diagnosis or presenting its events as a treatment protocol. Its value here is to make room for honest distress and compassionate response.
When you are concerned, ask clearly and calmly, “Are you thinking about suicide?” Take any answer seriously. Listen without debate, shock or blame. Do not promise secrecy, offer a spiritual explanation, or ask someone to promise that they will never act. Asking and listening are a beginning; appropriate professional help is still needed.
If there is immediate danger, serious injury, an overdose, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E. Stay with the person if safe while help is arranged; another leader can make the call. For urgent mental health support use the NHS urgent help route. Samaritans offers listening support on 116 123. A denial of suicidal thoughts does not settle every concern; seek professional advice if you remain worried.
Talk it through
- What forms of care appear in the narrative?
- Why should we avoid diagnosing Elijah or using the passage as a treatment plan?
- What direct question can a concerned friend ask?
- What requires emergency help rather than waiting for a church meeting?
A fictional situation
A fictional participant says that people would be better off without him. He has not described any method. Practise the supporter’s opening response, a direct question and a connection to help. Do not role-play a suicide attempt or invent further details.
Practise together or privately
- Read the support information in this workbook before practising anything.
- A facilitator reads the fictional statement; participants practise only the supporter’s words. Nobody performs being a person in crisis.
- Identify who calls emergency services, who remains with the person if safe and how the safeguarding lead is informed. This is rehearsal of the response process, not a risk assessment.
In your own workbook or notebook
Words I can use to ask directly and listen
Where I will find urgent professional help
Who can support me after a difficult conversation
During the week
Leaders complete external suicide awareness training. Participants may choose to view it as well. Save the support information somewhere easy to find; it is not a substitute for seeking help.
Optional prayer
God of compassion, give us courage to ask, patience to listen and wisdom to seek help promptly. Amen.
Session 6
A sustainable plan for support and hope
Read 2 Corinthians 1:3–7 and Psalm 23
Create a personal support map and a realistic pattern of companionship beyond the course.
Paul describes receiving comfort and becoming able to offer comfort to others. Shared experience can deepen empathy, but it does not make us experts in another person’s needs. Psalm 23 pictures companionship and care through difficult places. Neither passage promises that distress will disappear on a timetable.
A support map should be practical. Identify changes that tell you that you are struggling, the people you can contact, professional services and activities that help you feel more connected. Keep it somewhere accessible. If suicidal thoughts are present, ask an appropriate professional to help develop a clinical safety plan; this workbook is not that plan.
The end of a course can feel like the loss of a connection. Agree what continues and what does not. A monthly meal, an optional check-in or a local peer group may help, but each needs clear boundaries and confirmed arrangements. No volunteer promises round-the-clock care. Hope can include treatment, ordinary friendship, faith, practical help and patience over time.
Talk it through
- How does receiving comfort affect the way we accompany others?
- What does the shepherd image communicate about difficult seasons?
- Which parts of a support map are practical enough to use?
- How can the group end responsibly without creating a false promise of care?
A fictional situation
The course finishes and a participant assumes the leader will remain available every evening. Design a clear, caring ending that names realistic future contact and professional support routes.
Practise together or privately
- Complete the support map privately: signs I am struggling, helpful actions, trusted contacts, professional support and emergency route.
- Check that any person named has agreed to the role and that you have more than one source of help.
- Choose one connection and one practical action for the next month. Set a review without promising clinical improvement.
In your own workbook or notebook
My signs that I need more support
Agreed contacts and professional help
My next connection and review date
During the week
Review the map with a suitable professional if you have ongoing mental health or suicide concerns. Keep using the care you already receive and ask about changes in need.
Optional prayer
God, help us receive support, offer steady friendship and keep taking wise steps towards care. Amen.
Your next thirty days
Create a private support map, including early signs of struggling, people to contact, professional support and emergency help. A clinical safety plan should be developed with appropriate professional support when needed.
Choose one priority, a first action and a review date. Agree any support with the person involved, respect boundaries and adjust the plan to your circumstances.
Activities to explore
- A gentle walk and talk with a seated option.
- A shared meal focused on connection, without a demand for personal stories.
- A guest session from a qualified mental health practitioner and externally provided suicide awareness training for leaders.
These are course activity ideas, not confirmed events. Contact ANCC for current arrangements.
Further learning
Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Groups
Zero Suicide Alliance training
External resources are optional. Links do not imply partnership, endorsement or accreditation. Use each provider’s materials under its current terms. Resource and support links checked 31 October 2026.
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