Associates in Christian Counseling

The Heart of a Ministry

I had never heard of James Fraser, a worker with the China Inland Mission, in the early 1900s until recently when a friend shared some of his thoughts on the work God calls us to--

“It has come home to me very forcibly of late that it matters little what the work is in which we are engaged so long as God has put it into our hands.”

Nearly 20 years ago a group of local pastors came together to discuss a need they had in common.

Counseling is part of every pastor’s job description. The concerns people share with their pastor are often of a spiritual nature or about emotional transitions in life. Sometimes, however, it’s just not that simple. For a handful of local pastors, that reality began a unique journey.

In addition to somewhat limited training in counseling, these pastors acknowledged other struggles. Time was a factor. Some situations required longer involvement than they were able to give. There was also the question of how to help non-members who were seeking counseling.

As these pastors met and shared their hearts, a vision was formed of a place where they could refer members of their congregations with confidence. It would be a place with a professionally-trained and credentialed staff. It would be a more clinical setting than a church campus. It would not be affiliated with any particular church or denomination.

Many decisions had to be made along the way. This group of pastors shared a great respect for one another and encouraged each other. Firmly keeping their focus on meeting the needs of people, they never allowed denominational distinctions to become obstacles to seeking God’s direction.

“Since the things that lie in our immediate path have been ordered by God, who shall say that one kind of work is more important and sacred than another?”

Out of that common need, the vision for a unique nonprofit professional counseling center with the heart of a ministry was born and put into the hands of those He called to do this work. For eighteen years, that vision has been played out in the work of Associates in Christian Counseling.