A Crisis of Ministry: Increasingly, Christian leaders and their families are experiencing a need for rest and restoration from burnout, moral failure and forced termination. Missionaries are experiencing unrealistic expectations, financial burdens, denominational pressure & family stress leading to a mass exodus from full-time vocational ministry. We are in a crisis of ministry like no other where the needs of full-time ministry staff & church lay leadership hang in the balance. Consider the following:
* 70% of pastor's have no one they call a close friend, or spiritual director. * 50% of pastor's are so discouraged they'd leave ministry if they could. * 90% of pastor's feel inadequate for ministry. * 80% of minister's kids experience some level of depression. * Only 1 out 10 pastors in full-time vocational ministry will retire as such.
What is the Church to do? Where can Christian leaders who are called by God go to find healing and restoration?
Westwood Ministries has been operating since 1989 as a pastoral care ministry in an attempt to meet the physical and family needs of those in full-time ministry and church lay leadership. Westwood offers ministry in three priority areas: Sabbatical Retreat & Rest, Holistic Christian Counseling & Life and Ministry Training. We are convinced that God's desire for His Church is to be a healthy, functioning body. But before the Church can be healthy, its leaders must find health themselves.
::Our Mission:: "Joining God by coming alongside Christian leaders, their families and ministries to cultivate health, renewal and transformation in the Kingdom of God."
::Three Areas of Ministry::
"A Place To Go..." Sabbatical Retreat and Rest: Westwood offers a place of retreat and rest for the purpose of renewal, health and healing through Living Hope Retreat in Ingram, TX.
"A Person To Come To..." Holistic Christian Counseling: Counseling and mentoring are available to Christian leaders and their families. We offer a safe place with a safe person for the health and well-being of the entire person: Mind, Soul and Spirit.
"A Purpose To Train For..." The Potters Institute: The Life and Ministry Training piece for Westwood Ministries. We offer practical and relevant leadership training for current and future generations of ministry professionals and Church lay leadership.
