How did We come to be?
A Brief History of Origin
For a number of years, pastors representing churches from the Madison County area had discussed the growing need for more Christian therapists or even the establishment of a counseling center as a ministry sponsored cooperatively by multiple congregations. The Church of God Ministerial Fellowship took the initiative to discuss possibilities with Rev. Glen K. Cox who had recently completed his doctoral work in Pastoral Counseling.
By the spring of 1985, a consensus of opinion emerged to sponsor a Christian counseling ministry under the executive and clinical leadership of Dr. Cox. The East Side Church of God Congregation, where Dr. Cox was a staff pastor, helped make this possibility become reality by financially under writing a significant portion of the start up and first three years of operation. The Center was located in space offered by one of the original seven congregational sponsors, Park Place Church of God. The first Board of Directors oversaw the renovation of rooms, the drafting of structural bylaws, and the establishment of the Center as a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation on September 17, 1985.
While the first sponsors were Church of God Congregations, the decision was made that the Center would be intentionally ecumenical in nature. Other compatible church congregations were invited to join as sponsors. The Executive Director consulted with pastors and other organizations within the community and offered workshops and seminars related to mental health and Christian faith, and marriage and family-life issues.
A unique feature of this venture was to provide a place for the affiliation of mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and psychologists who wished to house their private practices within the umbrella structure of our agency. These Consulting Therapists provide therapy in addition to that offered by the Executive Director. All are Indiana Licensed Professionals and represent a diversity of specialties.
In 2007, our services expanded to a satellite location within one of our sponsoring congregations, the Middletown Church of the Nazarene.