winter/spring 2025
a unique ministry
Meet Valerie Owen, one of our Biblical Counselors. Some of our supporters know Valerie from her time at Friendship Baptist Church in North Charleston, SC. Valerie was a member at Friendship when I was serving as the Lead Pastor, and she helped me with some counseling needs during our time together. She is bilingual, and I had a Spanish-speaking couple with whom I was working, and she served as our translator. From that experience, Valerie decided she also wanted to serve as a Biblical counselor. Valerie attended Liberty University, earned an MA in Human Services Counseling, and has been working with CCS for a year or more. Her Biblical counseling ministry is growing, and that will fascinate many folks.
Take a couple of minutes and watch her introduction video. You can also read about Valerie's Biblical counseling using horses by clicking the "Learn More" button to read her blog.
Rod
Take a couple of minutes and watch her introduction video. You can also read about Valerie's Biblical counseling using horses by clicking the "Learn More" button to read her blog.
Rod
i still do marriage conference
Teresa and I had the pleasure of leading another "I Still Do" Marriage Conference on February 14-16, 2025, for CPHC Ministries in Chadourn, NC. Pastor Conway, his wife Lisa, and the CPHC staff helped make the conference successful. Twenty-seven couples participated in the weekend event. We closed the conference on Sunday morning with a challenge to the church and a covenant recommitment signing for those who attended (see the pictures below).
If you'd like to know more about hosting a, I STILL DO Marriage Conference, or one of our other weekend conferences, please use the button below.
Update on the shepherd's house
When I hear about the ongoing needs of pastors and their families struggling with various spiritual and emotional issues, I keep trying to figure out new ways to help them. I take every opportunity to share the vision of The Shepherd's House with pastors and churches who are shocked by the sheer number of pastors leaving the ministry each year and the number of churches looking to fill pulpits. One source from an older study states that approximately 1500 pastors leave the ministry each month (newer studies are presently underway to verify these numbers). We know from other studies that serving in ministry is one of the most challenging professions in America. I know there's a running joke about pastors only working on Sundays and a half day on Wednesdays, but truth be told, most pastors work 55 - 75 hours a week (72%). Note a few other statistics for pastors:
51% regularly consider leaving the ministry.
65% have not taken a vacation in the last 5 years.
35% report being depressed.
54% regularly feel overwhelmed.
57% are unable to meet monthly financial requirements because of low wages.
44% state they are experiencing burnout.
Lastly, only 1 out of 10 pastors will retire as pastors.
At Christ-Centered Solutions, we are prayerfully seeking property in Western North Carolina to aid pastors who need respite and recovery. At present, there aren't any facilities in the Carolinas doing what we're seeking to do for these pastors and their families who are on the verge of destruction. Be sure to visit our News Page regularly as Valerie and I share more information on The Shepherd's House. You can also sign up for the CCS Newsletter by following this LINK, and please visit our GIVING page to help financially support The Shepherd's House.
Rod
51% regularly consider leaving the ministry.
65% have not taken a vacation in the last 5 years.
35% report being depressed.
54% regularly feel overwhelmed.
57% are unable to meet monthly financial requirements because of low wages.
44% state they are experiencing burnout.
Lastly, only 1 out of 10 pastors will retire as pastors.
At Christ-Centered Solutions, we are prayerfully seeking property in Western North Carolina to aid pastors who need respite and recovery. At present, there aren't any facilities in the Carolinas doing what we're seeking to do for these pastors and their families who are on the verge of destruction. Be sure to visit our News Page regularly as Valerie and I share more information on The Shepherd's House. You can also sign up for the CCS Newsletter by following this LINK, and please visit our GIVING page to help financially support The Shepherd's House.
Rod
Hebrews 13:7 (ESV) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Galatians 6:6 (ESV) Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 (ESV) Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
Galatians 6:6 (ESV) Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 (ESV) Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
Colossians 1:28–29 (ESV) Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
My First Try of Writing For The CCS Newsletter
God blessed Rod and me with a new ministry (Christ-Centered Solutions) several years ago. I say “us,” but Rod is God's engine in the work of the ministry. Rod has been given a true gift from God to carry out this ministry of helping other Christians and pastors with their Biblical counseling needs. He works long hours every day to help others, as well as wading into the world of a nonprofit with all the rules and procedures it involves. At this point, I want to thank our faithful prayer warriors and financial supporters personally; without you, Christ-Centered Solutions would not be able to operate and help hurting people. I also want to thank the CCS Board Members for their willingness to serve, and their support is invaluable.
Now, to the difficult part of being a nonprofit, which you may already know, but please bear with me). Christ-Centered Solutions is a donation-based ministry, and while those who receive Biblical counseling are asked to donate something for the care they receive, most can only give a nominal amount. Sometimes, those we care for aren’t able to contribute due to various life crises they are experiencing. Then, there are the other costs and services of running a nonprofit. One such cost is that of maintaining good financial records. CCS recently took a significant financial hit when the bookkeeping company we work with more than doubled their fees, and our CPA (we must file returns for the IRS and the state of South Carolina each year) also increased their cost, which is more than doubled from what
Now, to the difficult part of being a nonprofit, which you may already know, but please bear with me). Christ-Centered Solutions is a donation-based ministry, and while those who receive Biblical counseling are asked to donate something for the care they receive, most can only give a nominal amount. Sometimes, those we care for aren’t able to contribute due to various life crises they are experiencing. Then, there are the other costs and services of running a nonprofit. One such cost is that of maintaining good financial records. CCS recently took a significant financial hit when the bookkeeping company we work with more than doubled their fees, and our CPA (we must file returns for the IRS and the state of South Carolina each year) also increased their cost, which is more than doubled from what
we were paying pre-pandemic. Other services we must use have also increased their rates significantly, i.e., website, client forms, QuickBooks, etc. You know how difficult daily life has become with our economy as it is, and like most who support CCS, you operate on a shoestring budget like we do. One thing Rod doesn’t like when our newsletter goes out is asking for additional financing; he believes he might be asking for too much. So, this time, I’m asking, as his wife and partner in ministry. I’m asking you to pray about becoming a monthly supporter, be it $25, $50, or more; it’s easy to do when you’re on the Giving Page of the CCS website. Maybe you can only give once or twice a year, and that’s okay too, but please make us and Christ-Centered Solutions a part of your daily prayers. We love you, and we thank you for loving us and the people we minister to each week.
Thank you,
Teresa
Thank you,
Teresa
Sharing The Gospel & Encouraging Believers
October has been a busy time for us at Christ-Centered Solutions. Not only was I honored to address the good folks at Friendship Baptist Church on their 80th celebration of ministry, but I was also honored with the opportunity to preach at Sunset Park Baptist Church, Bear Branch Baptist, and lastly Crossroads Church. Anytime Teresa and I can visit other believers and share the ministry of Christ-Centered Solutions, we consider it a blessing.
Our trip to Friendship in North Charleston was extra sweet because we were able to see the dreams we had 10 years ago coming to fruition.
Friendship Baptist, in partnership with the Charleston Bilingual Academy, is reaching the community with the Gospel of Christ. The transformation is amazing to watch. Ten years ago, Friendship's congregation on any given Sunday ran 20-25, mostly older adults. Today, the numbers are closer to 200, which includes a significant number of children. Again, ten years ago, there were no children in the church except on special occasions. Today, Friendship is not only in partnership with Charleston Bilingual Academy but also with Holmes Avinue Baptist Church, which hosts a second campus for the school.
What brought about such change? Christians who faithfully prayed and believed God wasn't finished with the work He had begun decades earlier. It also took a willingness to make changes where changes were needed. If you'd like to hear more about the transition of bringing a dying church back to life, please watch the video with Pastor Timmons, myself, and Rev. Craig Tuck, who serves as the Mission Strategist for the Charleston Baptist Association (use the video button).
Our trip to Friendship in North Charleston was extra sweet because we were able to see the dreams we had 10 years ago coming to fruition.
Friendship Baptist, in partnership with the Charleston Bilingual Academy, is reaching the community with the Gospel of Christ. The transformation is amazing to watch. Ten years ago, Friendship's congregation on any given Sunday ran 20-25, mostly older adults. Today, the numbers are closer to 200, which includes a significant number of children. Again, ten years ago, there were no children in the church except on special occasions. Today, Friendship is not only in partnership with Charleston Bilingual Academy but also with Holmes Avinue Baptist Church, which hosts a second campus for the school.
What brought about such change? Christians who faithfully prayed and believed God wasn't finished with the work He had begun decades earlier. It also took a willingness to make changes where changes were needed. If you'd like to hear more about the transition of bringing a dying church back to life, please watch the video with Pastor Timmons, myself, and Rev. Craig Tuck, who serves as the Mission Strategist for the Charleston Baptist Association (use the video button).
Let's Talk About Pain & Suffering
Most of us struggle for answers when confronted with the loss of a loved one, a job, or a dream, and sometimes we find ourselves questioning where God is in the midst of our pain. In the short devotional video, Is Suffering Ever Part of God's Will, I try to answer some of those questions and bring a Biblical perspective to loss and suffering. I hope you'll take a few minutes to watch the video, and as always it is my prayer that you find a sense of comfort and encouragement from what we do at Christ-Centered Solutions.
Below are more videos on the topic of pain and suffering.
Below are more videos on the topic of pain and suffering.
Turning A Dream Into A Reality
Over the next few years, one of our goals at Christ-Centered Solutions is to raise funds to purchase land and a home to serve as a pastor/minister restoration and renewal center. Why this project, and why now? Because a large number of pastors and the churches that they serve are in trouble. I routinely get calls asking if I know of a facility that helps pastors and other ministers who are burned out, have fallen into sin, or have a myriad of issues and need a place to heal and be restored.
Pastor burnout has been rising, and the local church now faces the challenge of a pastor shortage. In a recent interview with Dr. Michael Cloer of the Cape Fear Network of Churches, he stated that 20% of churches in one southern state are without a pastor. He also said that 469 Baptist pulpits in North Carolina are empty. Our pastors, their families, and churches are struggling, and CCS wants to help. I will share more about our dream for The Shepherd's House in our following newsletter. Until then, if you would like to support The Shepherd's House, you can do so on our giving page using the dropdown box.
Pastor burnout has been rising, and the local church now faces the challenge of a pastor shortage. In a recent interview with Dr. Michael Cloer of the Cape Fear Network of Churches, he stated that 20% of churches in one southern state are without a pastor. He also said that 469 Baptist pulpits in North Carolina are empty. Our pastors, their families, and churches are struggling, and CCS wants to help. I will share more about our dream for The Shepherd's House in our following newsletter. Until then, if you would like to support The Shepherd's House, you can do so on our giving page using the dropdown box.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)