When I was first hired at The Owen Center, I could not have imagined where we would be today. I was promised a humble salary for only one year, trusting that the Lord would provide through His people. Now, seven years later, we have seven counselors, five support staff, and our own office—only by God’s grace working through the generosity of donors like you. If you have a moment, I would be grateful for the chance to share the magnitude of God’s goodness in this ministry.
As of right now, we are providing Christ-centered biblical counseling to 700 men, women, and children. We have provided over 4,000 counseling appointments this year alone and are averaging about 400 new counselees per year. Many do not realize the breadth of struggles we walk with people through, so here are just a few examples of how the Gospel is entering into people’s lives. The topics we commonly counsel include marriage counseling, relationship problems, anxiety, depression, domestic abuse, pornography addiction, familial conflict and estrangement, disordered eating, sex addiction, sexual identity, sexual issues in marriage, intrusive thoughts, child abuse, childhood sexual trauma, divorce recovery, affair recovery, shame, emotional issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic health issues, assurance of salvation, theological and biblical misunderstandings, missionary care, premarital counseling, orphaned children, grief, foster care for families, vocation and calling issues, suicidal ideation and threats, anger management, general addiction, communication issues, and financial issues, just to name a few. It is an incredible honor to witness how God works through all of these issues firsthand. As Gary Spooner often says, every day Owen Center counselors have a front row seat to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Another aspect of our ministry that many may not know about is our virtual biblical counseling offered to partnered ministries across the country. This is a newer calling the Lord has given us, and already we are seeing meaningful fruit among those receiving biblical counseling in places where it is otherwise unavailable.
We have also launched our first annual biblical counseling certification course through the Association of Biblical Counselors, where our counselors are training 30 individuals in our community to become certified biblical counselors. We stand in awe of God’s faithfulness over the past year.
With the year-end approaching, I want to express our deep gratitude for the faithful donors who make this ministry possible. Without God working through you, The Owen Center simply would not exist. We are equally grateful for those who support us through prayer, encouragement, and faithful partnership in many forms. With more than one-third of our annual fundraising arriving in December, I would humbly ask you to prayerfully consider contributing to the Gospel work being done at The Owen Center.
By becoming a monthly partner, you accelerate the ministry of biblical counseling. Your partnership allows us to provide counseling for those who cannot afford it, hire additional counselors and support staff, and expand the reach of Christ-centered, biblically based counseling throughout the Southeast.
We are truly grateful for your generosity and your consideration in this season.
May the Lord bless you richly for the ways you invest in the lives and souls of others.