What Do I Do?

A few months after I left the ministry team at College Hill Presbyterian Church to set up the LifeWay Christian Counseling Center a group of pastors invited me to speak about what I was now doing. CHPC at the time was one of the most prominent and influential Evangelical churches in America so most people at least thought they knew what I did. (Except my mother who went to glory wondering.) Now, however, heading a clinic and in-patient psychiatric hospital seemed to through my friends and colleagues into a frenzy of confusion.

After I spoke about the integration of psychology and theology and how God had called me to pursue a healing ministry one of my friends raised his hand and asked me a simple question that still befuddles me when I think about it. It went something like this.

"Gary, now that you have left the church, do you still believe in Jesus?"

I was stunned. "First," I replied, "I have not left the church. I am just no longer paid by the tithes and offerings of God's people to do the works of ministry. Second, I believe in Jesus more than ever. To heal the broken hearted and set the captives free requires faith, power, truth and love."

For Seven years I led Life Way Counseling Centers as Chairman and CEO. I was also traveling around the world training lay and pastoral counselors as head of Equipping Ministries Int. (EMI)

In 1994 the stresses and strains of overwork and overworry led to a series of physical set backs and my doctor demanded that I take some time off.

I went on medical leave for several months, resigned from EMI and turned the leadership of Life Way over to Martin Re. After a year of recovery I founded Life Way Ministries International, Inc, a non-profit ministry devoted to the training, support and mentoring of pastors and Christian leaders.

This is what I am still doing.