Ozark Christian College and Rapha International Launch New Partnership

June 4, 2026—Beginning in the fall of 2026, Rapha International and Ozark Christian College will launch the Culture of Care partnership on the campus of OCC. The partnership is an on-campus expansion of Rapha’s Culture of Care program, which empowers church leaders, volunteers, and college students with the training and tools necessary to protect students, honor survivors, and integrate child protection into all aspects of ministry. The partnership between the two ministry organizations will integrate Rapha’s training into Ozark’s student services and into the college’s degree programs.

Overseen by OCC’s Chief Operating Officer Damien Spikereit, Rapha International’s Chief Clinical Officer & Hope & Healing Center Director Angie Brower, MSW, LCSW, and Chief Development Officer Aryn Tanksley, the Culture of Care partnership ideas include:

· Seminars for OCC students

· Workshop series at OCC’s Preaching-Teaching Convention

· Annual summit for church and organizational leaders

· Culture of Care content integrated into OCC course curriculum

· Continued counseling services provided by Rapha to Ozark students

· Training for OCC faculty, staff, and resident assistants

· Rapha International representative to preach in OCC’s Chapel

· OCC to promote Rapha International and Culture of Care

“For years, Rapha has been at the forefront of offering care and protection to those in need. At Ozark, we’ve been training men and women for Christian service for 84 years,” says OCC’s Damien Spikereit. “This partnership is an alignment of our two missions, as together we prepare the next generation of leaders.”

Stephanie Freed, Rapha’s co-founder and CEO, adds, “It is part of Rapha’s mission to promote child protection and safety and care for survivors of abuse and exploitation. Our Culture of Care program is a way for us to come alongside church and ministry leaders to help fulfill that part of our mission here in the US. We’re grateful to our friends at Ozark Christian College for recognizing the value of this program and allowing us to invest in students who will have an enormous impact on churches and ministries in the future.”

For more on Rapha International or to request a Culture of Care summit for your organization or ministry, visit rapha.org or email [email protected]. For more information on Ozark Christian College, visit occ.edu or email [email protected].