THE “SUMMER SLIDE” is described as the loss of learning most students experience while on summer break. “Summer slide,” “brain drain,” and “summer learning loss” all describe the phenomenon that occurs when students “turn off their brains” during the summer months*. Researchers and educators concur that about two months of reading skills are lost over a single summer. The statistic only skyrockets with each higher-grade level. With its Summer Reading Program, the O.B. Vaughan Library at STCH Ministries Homes for Children Boothe Campus is committed to encouraging students to continue learning during the summer.

The old saying often goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” With that in mind, most local libraries offer the community a summer reading program and free book access. STCH Ministries’ Vaughan Library is no different. Open for extended hours during the summer months, the library on campus celebrated its tenth anniversary of offering the Summer Reading Program to all the students at Homes for Children.

Each year, the reading program kicks off at the start of summer break, and Homes for Children students are invited to compete based on their grade level. While the program is meant to encourage students to continue reading throughout the summer, the reading program is not mandatory; however, students love being able to compete. STCH Ministries librarian, Mrs. Perkins also creates a theme for the reading program every year to help increase excitement. Over the years the themes have included Dr. Seuss, Carnival Fun, Treasure Chest and more. This year the theme was God’s Masterpiece. With this theme, Mrs. Perkins encouraged students to create artwork to display in the library throughout the summer. She also hosted a celebration on campus where students could create masterpieces out of food. The biggest goal of this summer’s theme was to remind every student that they are God’s masterpiece no matter what they have been through.

Throughout the summer, rewards are given to students as they reach certain reading milestones. For every two hours of reading initialed by houseparents on a student’s reading log, they receive a reward. Rewards include candy, soda, other treats, small toys and stuffed animals. These small incentives help students continue to be excited to log more reading hours. “Students that participate in the reading program are always excited to read; they beg to read,” one houseparent shared. A total of 478 hours of reading were completed by the 47 student participants this year.

The Summer Reading Program hosts a reward recognition for all participants at the close of summer break. Top readers within each age group are recognized, including the top 12 readers out of all the age groups combined. This summer’s overall top reader was a middle schooler named Jade. Mrs. Perkins noted that Jade, “read almost half her hours while the library was open.” Mrs. Perkins went on to share that each time Jade entered the library this summer, she chose to read over getting a turn on the library’s computers, as most of the other kids often do.

Jade’s housemom, Robin Fisher, shared how the reading program’s motivation to read has helped the girls in their cottage to “have a healthier respect for reality and doing the work to be entertained instead of always being focused on technology.” The access to books the library provides is vital to help prevent learning loss over the summer amongst the students. “The fact that they’re asking to pick up a book instead of getting on the computer or watching television is huge,” Fisher added.

Jade first arrived at Homes for Children Boothe Campus in 2020. Each year she’s been at STCH Ministries, she has participated in and placed in the competition. In her first year, she totaled 42 hours and placed 1st in her age group. This summer, Jade surpassed her previous record of 42 hours and was also recognized as the Top Reader of the entire program with a total of 54 hours.

Participants of the Summer Reading Program demonstrate commitment, responsibility and integrity, as they are encouraged to complete reading logs honestly. Potentially influencing their peers to read is another excellent benefit of the program. If a student reads to another student, they both get to include that time in their reading logs, older to younger or younger to older. Reading together encouraged students to continue their reading all summer long.

The reading program can also lead students to want to read outside the program. Jade realized reading did not have to be a chore and that she actually enjoys reading. This new excitement for reading has led to her wanting to continue to read, for fun, outside the Summer Reading Program. She also began sitting with her houseparents in the evenings as they started reading the Bible in a year. She loves following along and hearing Bible stories as her houseparents read aloud. “If you ask Jade right now, her favorite part of the Bible is 1 Chronicles because of all the silly names in it,” Robin shared.

The Fishers admitted that, before the summer reading program, they would invite the girls to join them in their evening Bible reading, and most declined. Once the reading program started, Jade joined them every night. Due to Jade’s eagerness to join the Fishers in their daily Bible reading, other girls in her cottage began to join them too. “The reading program has impacted this cottage for His glory,” Robin excitedly shared. The summer reading program increased overall reading in the Fishers cottage, leading to the enjoyment of family Bible reading each evening.

Jade entered the 7th grade this school year with all the benefits of having stayed in her books all summer long. Children who read four or more books over a summer perform better on reading-comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who don’t.*

Learning does not have to come to a screeching halt each summer. Encouraging students of all ages to continue reading while out of school can reduce the “summer slide” immensely. Jade is just one example of how summer reading programs, library access and encouragement from houseparents can help make the transition from one grade level to the next easier. Mrs. Perkins is already at work preparing for next summer’s reading program, anticipating an increase in the number of participants. She prays that more students find new joy and peace through reading.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

DEBBIE MOVED TO STCH Ministries Homes for Families in 2014 with her five children. Her children had been in and out of Child Protective Services (CPS) and moved between children’s homes, including Bluebonnet Youth Ranch and foster homes. Debbie wanted to find a place to go where she could learn how to leave the darkness of her past behind and gain custody of her children without worrying about CPS taking them away again. She did not realize at the time how difficult leaving her old life behind would be. Over time, she learned to lean on God and His strength and persevere even in difficult times. With support from her resident coordinators, counselors and case workers, God allowed her story to transform from one of brokenness to one of redemption and obedience.

The first time Debbie came to STCH Ministries Marshall Campus, she and her children stayed eight months. With hard work, Debbie was able to complete Phase I of the program, however, with Phase II she started hitting a wall. She chose to leave the program and return to relationships and situations that were not healthy. She wanted desperately to escape a life of darkness but was continually pulled back in. Debbie returned to the program in 2016, this time seven months pregnant with her sixth child. She wanted to make it this time, if not for herself, then for her children, but she hit the same wall in Phase II that she did the first time and decided to leave again. “I didn’t know how hurt and lost we were, and I kept hitting the same wall so we would leave and come back. I know the Lord was working through me and through the process to grow me,” Debbie shared.

Debbie returned in 2017, ready to make it through the program. She found Phase I to be more difficult this time. Debbie pushed forward and made it to Phase II. She did not want to give up and leave again this time because she knew what she needed to do for her kids.

In 2019, while in Phase II, Debbie worked hard and graduated from high school. She describes graduating as the most amazing time because she had the opportunity to go back to school and persevere with the Lord’s help. She was honored that her children were able to watch her go back and finish what she had started. She also received her driver’s license. After completing these two big steps, Debbie moved to Phase III and continued working on herself and her relationship with her children. She graduated from the program in April 2021 and she and her children were able to leave Marshall Campus.

Debbie’s children felt the strain of moving around as Debbie struggled with how to build a healthy parenting relationship with them. The STCH Ministries Homes for Families staff continued to check in with her even after she graduated. They worked to encourage her and support her. Debbie herself was doing well and thriving, but the place she felt she still needed to grow was in her parenting. In July 2021, STCH Ministries partnered with Bluebonnet Youth Ranch to open a Homes for Families campus on the Bluebonnet Campus. Some of the staff from Bluebonnet Youth Ranch applied to work with the new program opening up on the campus. Homes for Families Director Theresa Klackman saw this as an opportunity to help Debbie and her children.

In November 2021, Debbie and her children moved into Phase III on the Bluebonnet Campus. Debbie knew she was not where she needed to be as a mother and wanted to continue growing. Her children also needed a safe place to heal and grow from the wounds they had suffered over the years. Bluebonnet Campus was a familiar place for her older children, and they saw familiar faces when arriving on campus. The staff, including the counselor, activities coordinator and childcare provider, started working with the children to help their hearts heal. Debbie started working with the staff to learn how to better parent her children. The staff provided biblical words of wisdom that she had heard before, but for the first time, she really listened and put it into action.

Debbie’s relationship with her children has grown immeasurably since first coming to Homes for Families, and she gives all the glory to God. Her children’s relationships with Christ have also grown since moving to the Bluebonnet Campus. They enjoy going to their local church and having a church family that supports them no matter what they have been through. Recently Debbie’s oldest son was baptized at their church, and she could not be prouder. “Tears were just rolling down my face. It was an amazing holy moment as a mom to see my son who was heading down the wrong path as a teen giving his life to Jesus in an open public confession. Words could not even describe what I felt,” Debbie shared.

Despite all she has faced, Debbie now radiates joy. “Everything I went through made me who I am today. I am one of the blessed ones who get to be here and share my testimony about what Jesus did for me. This last time I came back, the Lord told me not to run. I was convinced I wasn’t going to run but then caught myself running from the hard things. But now I have the Lord to help me through the hard times so now I’m not going to run!” Recently Debbie applied for a part-time job with STCH Ministries as the commissary assistant on the Bluebonnet Campus. She is overjoyed to be able to work for STCH Ministries and be a part of the ministry that helped save her and her family from the darkness they were living in.

Debbie is forever thankful for the resident coordinators, counselors, case workers and other staff that have come alongside her and helped her become the mother and woman she is today. Most of all, she is thankful for God’s unending love in her life. Some of her best memories are conversations she had with her mentors on campus. Debbie sees a bright future for herself and wants to continue working for STCH Ministries mentoring other women in similar situations. Her advice to other women considering Homes for Families is, “just come with all your junk and all your brokenness. God will restore you!” Debbie faced the pull to return to her old life but she never gave up and now she is able to be a light for Christ in a dark world.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

At the age of 22, Wayne decided to make a life change by joining the military. He did not know then how this decision would ultimately impact the rest of his life or his family’s lives. Almost 25 years after enlisting, everything changed drastically, and moving forward seemed impossible. Through God’s healing power and aid from a STCH Ministries counselor, his and his family’s ability to face daily struggles grew in ways they never thought possible.

GROWING UP, WAYNE ENCOUNTERED many difficulties that led to substance abuse and not knowing what direction to go following high school. Around that time, he fell in love with Claira and knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Still not knowing what to do with his future and wanting to prove himself to Claira’s father, he enlisted in the United States Army. Wayne received his orders for a high clearance position. He would not be able to share with Claira his position or any details of his missions. Having to keep what he experienced to himself would lead to emotional and physical trauma in the future.

Wayne’s exposure to trauma started early in his military career. Being exposed to things that most humans cannot even imagine led him to building walls in his brain to hide his experiences. Claira would write to him sharing about her life at home, wishing he was there with her. Wayne traveled home and after being together for four and a half years, proposed to Claira. She said yes and they married the next year. Even after marrying, much of his work travel did not include Claira. She still believed that his work in the military involved nothing more than fueling trucks.

After a little more than ten years, Wayne left active duty but remained in the reserves for a few more years. When discharged, he received two different sets of discharge papers, one that explained what his true job was although most was redacted) and what his family and others thought his job was. During his time in the military, he endured multiple physical injuries as well as countless emotional scars. He kept the emotional trauma tucked in the back of his brain as he started a new job and tried to move forward with his family, including his two children.

Although he tried to move forward, his family experienced unexplained bursts of anger from Wayne and did not understand where it came from. Claira recounted, “his anger was so bad so many times through our marriage literally we were almost done so many times. I would say, ‘I can’t take it anymore. We’re done.’ He would get mad. I would get mad. He would pack up. I would pack up. I would say, ‘there is something wrong with you. You have to get help,’ but he didn’t know where to go.” His anger created a division in his family and their daughter ran away.

Shortly after their daughter ran away, Wayne and Claira started watching a television show that depicted military scenarios. During one of the episodes, the glass wall that Wayne built in his mind to hide his trauma came crashing down and flashbacks started flooding his brain. He started to share with Claira some of the experiences from his days in the military. A few months later, a sudden explosion of emotion combined with post-traumatic stress disorder and conversion disorder caused him to suffer a major stroke. While at the hospital, he also suffered sudden blindness, loss of speech and a seizure.

One of the doctors called Claira out of the room and shared with her that he believed Wayne was suffering from conversion disorder. He explained that the amount of mental anguish he was feeling was causing physical ailments to appear. He also explained that no cure existed, but going through counseling could help with the emotional and mental aspects relieving some of the physical ailments. After being discharged the family faced many difficult situations in a short period of time that allowed them to realize that anytime Wayne became extremely sad or mad or extremely happy, it caused him to suffer a seizure.

The family knew that he needed help and he started seeing psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors. Finding one that would truly listen to him and believe his stories proved difficult. One day Claira ran into a friend who worked for STCH Ministries. He shared with her about Family Counseling and told her to try it. Ten days later, Claira brought Wayne in for his first session. Early on his STCH Ministries counselor saw the level of emotional trauma. She saw him disassociate and heard about his post-traumatic stress disorder and conversion disorder. She listened and walked hand and hand with both Claira and Wayne. Their daughter also attended counseling and the family began to heal.

Wayne tried counseling before, but no one seemed to listen to him or understand him the way STCH Ministries did. Wayne shared, “STCH Ministries counseling has allowed me to talk about it in a sense that it’s okay to talk about it, instead of holding it in, putting it in the back of my mind, locking it up and throwing away the key.” The ability to open up and try different methods of counseling allowed for Wayne to start learning how to cope with his disability.

Due to his seizures, Wayne stopped working and the family dealt with financial stress. Not knowing how to move forward, they sought help from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration. Both agencies struggled to provide assistance because the discharge papers they received did not show Wayne’s actual job so the level of trauma was unexplainable. Also, at the time, conversion disorder was a new diagnosis and the Social Security Administration needed more proof of his emotional distress. The couple sought help from a lawyer and a judge took their case. The judge provided paperwork for a counselor or doctor to fill out stating they had witnessed the level of emotional distress Wayne suffered.

Wayne and Claira approached their STCH Ministries’ counselor, who already helped change their lives and start the healing process, to see if she would help them through this as well. The counselor jumped at the opportunity to write a letter detailing the work Wayne had done in his sessions, including the day he showed up to a counseling session and was disassociating along with his other mental health disorders. This letter, along with a psychiatric hospitalization, led to the Social Security Administration finally recognizing that Wayne suffers from a severe mental health disorder that prevents him from working which allows him to collect full disability.

The future still contains uphill battles for Wayne and Claira. Currently, they are working to find a way for Claira to stay home and be a full-time caregiver for Wayne. Through this process, Wayne learned that his body cannot handle emotional highs or lows. He works to keep an even demeanor and avoids situations that cause either. He started writing a blog to help other veterans dealing with similar situations. He is learning to play piano as an artistic outlet. He continues to see his STCH Ministries counselor and both thank her deeply for all she helped them accomplish. Wayne’s STCH Ministries counselor shared, “Wayne went beyond the call for his country and gave up more than people can ever fathom by his service. It was a complete honor to answer my call to help him and his family.”

Celebrating 70 Years of Ministry

ON MAY 1, 2022, STCH Ministries celebrated 70 years of ministry impacting the lives of children and families. In 1952, with help from area churches, individuals and organizations, land and a dream provided by Laura Boothe Overby, Rev. Jess Lunsford opened South Texas Children’s Home on the Boothe Campus just outside Mineral, Texas. In the years that followed, the campus would grow with the building of new cottages and with it, the ability to care for more children. Little did Rev. Lunsford know how STCH Ministries would continue to grow.

In May of 1970, STCH Ministries opened another campus in Goliad which today is known as Marshall Campus. Originally used as an extension of the children’s home, Marshall Campus now serves as a Homes for Families campus impacting the lives of single mothers and their children. In 1973, Dr. Jack Green replaced Rev. Lunsford as the Executive Director, going on to serve in the role for twenty-five years. Under Dr. Green’s leadership, STCH Ministries would expand by opening new ministries, including Family Counseling. All of the ministries continued to flourish and countless lives were impacted by the work of STCH Ministries.

Fast forward to 2012, Eron Green became President/CEO and STCH Ministries continued to serve children and families through five ministries including International and Homes for Families. By 2016, under Eron Green’s leadership, four more ministries, Faith & Finances, Pastor Care, Family Support and Ministry Consulting, were added bringing the total number of ministries to nine across four major cities and two campuses with close to 100 staff members. Getting out into the community and reaching people where they are at, led to the Faith & Work and Faith & Finances ministries opening up more classes and recruiting volunteer facilitators. Today, virtual classes take place throughout Texas and internationally.

Since 2020, with many organizations having to downsize due to the Covid-19 pandemic, by the grace of God, STCH Ministries has continued to grow. In 2021 alone, STCH Ministries added Homes for Families on the Bluebonnet Campus, counseling expanded into the Rio Grande Valley and we broke ground for a new counseling center in Victoria and a children’s center on the Marshall Campus. This growth will allow for STCH Ministries to reach more children and families with God’s love and truth.

From the beginning, STCH Ministries adopted three founding principles that remain true today, 1. STCH Ministries will never incur any debt, 2. STCH Ministries is 100% privately funded and does not take any state or federal funding, 3. STCH Ministries provides their services regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. With no signs of slowing down, STCH Ministries continues to pray for God’s guidance as we look to the future and find new and innovative ways to impact more lives.

Week of Hope – Sharing Hope Through Giving

For a second year, STCH Ministries Week of Hope served as a time of sharing hope through giving while engaging supporters and partners through nine open house events. A team of STCH Ministries leadership traveled to eight locales where local staff coordinated the events to share what God is doing in and through STCH Ministries. The week started in the Rio Grande Valley, STCH Ministries newest ministry region. Church partners as well as ministry partners attended the open house to hear more about STCH Ministries vision for the area.

TUESDAY THE TEAM TRAVELED TO CORPUS CHRISTI for two events. The first, hosted at the Family Counseling and International office, allowed guests to learn more about these two ministries. During lunch time, Faith & Work and Faith & Finances staff in Corpus Christi hosted their open house. Shortly after the event started, a neighborhood wide power outage threatened to end the event. With light pouring in from open doors, STCH Ministries staff and President/CEO, Eron Green, stood to share with guests about the growth and future plans for STCH Ministries. Not even the heat of the day and darkness could stop this moment.

Later that afternoon, the team traveled to Victoria where the counseling staff hosted tours of the new Jack Green Counseling Center. Although the building is not open yet, much of the building is completed and the staff enjoyed getting to share their vision for the new space with individuals from the community. With smiles on their faces, they shared about the play therapy space, the offices and the hope of healing for individuals that come through the door.

The Houston counseling staff hosted Wednesday’s event at Crosspoint Church in Bellaire. During the presentation time, Eron Green asked if there were any questions, one man stood up and shared how his and his son’s lives were changed thanks to Family Counseling. Tears filled his eyes as he stated that he will never stop talking about the life change he experienced. Thursday, the San Antonio office hosted their event. Volunteers, partners and friends of STCH Ministries came to see the office and meet new staff. The halls of the office filled with conversations of healing and hope as people shared their stories and prayers for the future.

Friday morning started at Homes for Families’ Marshall Campus in Goliad where staff toured attendees through the new Petty Family Children’s Center while the moms gave tours through a cottage. Although the new building is not finished yet, the excitement for a wonderful space to better serve moms and their children filled the air.
STCH Ministries celebrated their 70th anniversary Friday evening on Boothe Campus in Pettus. The place where it all began filled with over 300 excited faces ready to celebrate. The On the Moove ice cream truck and Shark Shack snow cone truck served dessert first as children enjoyed bounce houses and adults enjoyed tours of Foster Cottage. Dinner was served by Fly By’s Smoke-N-Grill while the Singing Men of South Texas performed. Vice president of campus ministries, Greg Huskey, and Eron Green shared about the history of STCH Ministries as well as plans for continued growth.

STCH Ministries newest campus, Homes for Families on Bluebonnet Campus hosted the last event of the week. Phase 1 moms toured attendees through one of the houses and other areas of the campus. Long time supporters of Bluebonnet Youth Ranch attended to see the changes and show their support for STCH Ministries and the new ministry taking place on the campus.

Sharing hope through giving also played a large role during the week. With over 380 donors STCH Ministries raised close to $300,000 during Week of Hope. 70 years of ministry is a huge accomplishment and STCH Ministries wants to thank everyone who prayed over Week of Hope, attended an open house or gave during the week. The ministry would not be possible without supporters like you!

“I have never seen a harder time to be a pastor than right now,” is an often-repeated statement at pastor gatherings these days. This statement on the state of pastors today has a strong backing from recent nationwide studies.

ALARMING TRENDS IN THE LIVES OF PASTORS

A recent Barna Group study confirms the difficulty pastors are facing. The study found, “With pastors’ well-being on the line, and many on the brink of burnout, 38 percent indicate they have considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year. This percentage is up 9 full points (from 29%) since Barna asked church leaders this same question at the beginning of 2021.”

“The change that has been accelerating in the last 18 months has left a lot of pastors with their heads spinning and their hearts spinning as well,” said Joe Jensen, Barna’s vice president of church engagement. “All the chaos, all the pressure, the magnifying glass of social media, the pandemic, the politics, the hyperdigital context, it makes sense that you have a lot of pastors saying, ‘Is this really what I signed up for? Is this what I was called into?’” The Barna study also found that, “Only one in three pastors is considered ‘healthy’ in terms of well-being.”

Another nationwide survey also found alarming trends in pastor health. LifeWay Research’s 2022 “Greatest Needs of Pastors” study found, “of all the mental challenges U.S. Protestant pastors face, stress stands out above the rest. Distractions and discouragement are also significant factors for pastors. Almost 2 in 3 pastors say they are facing stress in ministry (63%). Nearly half also point to discouragement (48%) and distraction (48%) as ministry mental challenges.”

So, what can be done to address these problems?

THE PASTOR STRONG INITIATIVE

In 2019, STCH Ministries was included in a partnership with Texas Baptists to address the needs of pastors. With the backing of a grant from the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, actions were put in place to form a ministry to pastors and their families in San Antonio and the surrounding area called, The Pastor Strong Initiative.

Initially led by Ben Hanna, son of former STCH Ministries leader Homer Hanna, the Pastor Strong Initiative is now being led by a group of San Antonio pastors who early on saw the positive impact the ministry was having on their lives. In the Pastor Strong Initiative, pastors were connected to peer support groups in different geographic areas of the city. There were events and retreats for pastors and wives, even in the pandemic. A strong core of participants found mutual encouragement in these relationships. The efforts are now continuing with leadership coming from veteran Pastor Strong Initiative participants.

One of those leaders is Pastor Joshua Fuentes. According to the Crestview Baptist Church pastor, the Pastor Strong Initiative is meeting some of the key pastor needs that the LifeWay and Barna studies detailed. “What I have seen, and experienced myself, is genuine friendships that are being cultivated among pastors. Usually gatherings like ours are more about “talking shop” and they never go beyond that conversation. Yet, pastors who participate in the Pastor Strong Initiative are moving past the surface conversation, and are having more “friendship” conversations that everyone, especially pastors, so desperately need. There is a difference between a work friend and a friend, and what makes the Pastor Strong Initiative unique is its value on friendships,”

Pastor Joshua went on to say, “Ultimately, the Pastor Strong Initiative has given me a multitude of brothers I can go to when I am dealing with a difficult time. There’s wisdom in numbers, and there are many men who participate that have weathered some mighty storms, and their experiences give hope, encouragement and guidance to guys who are in the middle of their storm.”

Monthly pastor gatherings are now taking place at the San Antonio Baptist Association building where participants have lunch and then a discussion around the individual tables.

Joshua Fuentes’ wife, Melissa, has been a leader in putting together events for pastors’ wives throughout the Pastor Strong Initiative efforts. She recently helped put together the first ever Pastor Strong Family Retreat held at Highland Lakes Camp and Conference Center this past May. Over 80 pastors, wives and children gathered to spend time with God and with each other. Along with regular camp activities – ropes course, archery, rifle range, camp fires and s’mores – there were times of praise and worship with teaching times led by the participants.

One scene captured in a post on Facebook at the retreat, was of a group of elementary aged girls talking about being a pastor’s kid. Those types of encounters are incredibly rare but important in the faith development of children in pastors’ families.

Another Pastor Strong Initiative leader, Pastor Chad Shapiro of Ignite Church in San Antonio, described the retreat this way, “What a weekend at our first Pastor Strong Family Retreat! It was a couple of much needed days of activities, praise and worship and devotionals to help us grow together. Kids and families had a blast and united to move forward in our work for Jesus in our communities!”

As the needs of pastors grow, the Pastor Strong Initiative is also changing to help encourage pastors and families in the calling they seek to answer. STCH Ministries’ Pastor Care Ministry will be there as a partner to help pastors develop sustaining relationships with each other and with the One who called them.

PASTOR COACHING

Knowing that the needs of pastors everywhere is growing, STCH Ministries is enabling Director of Church Relations, Tim Williams, to receive training as a certified pastor coach. While STCH Ministries Family Counseling is making it a priority to work pastors and family members into their schedules to counsel them on a personal, couple or family level, pastor coaching seeks to work with pastors on an individual level to discern how to go about what he senses needs to be done.

A pastor coach is a sounding board for pastors to throw out ideas in a non-threatening setting. Pastor coaches are trained to walk with pastors by asking strategic questions that help a pastor determine the next best step towards the place he feels God is leading him to go. Coaching in the pastor world has a lot to do with helping pastors stay on task, especially in the environment that many pastors face today – doubt, discouragement and distractions. Having a coach available to them, with no fee for the ministry, is an idea that several pastors have affirmed enthusiastically. STCH Ministries sees the needs of pastors today and is seeking ways to help them in the calling God has given them in these trying days. Pray for your pastor and pray that STCH Ministries will be able to continue to find ways to help pastors answer God’s call.