Welcome to
Bethesda by the Sea!
In John 5:1-9, Jesus heals a paralytic who has been struggling with infirmity for 38 years. One can only imagine the sense of helplessness and hopelessness that the paralytic had experienced all his life. He had long sought healing but could never quite make it to what he believed were the healing waters of the Pool of Bethesda.
Bethesda means House of Mercy, and it was there that Jesus, in His great mercy and grace, intervened in what seemed to be a desperate and utterly hopeless situation. An encounter with Jesus, Jehovah Rapha, The God Who Heals Us, changed the paralytic’s life forever!
At Bethesda by the Sea, we seek to provide a House of Mercy, where struggling pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders can “come apart” from the stressors of everyday life and ministry for Biblical pastoral counseling, in order to find mercy and grace to help them in their time of need.
As veteran international and domestic missionaries for almost 30 years, we understand the unique pressures and stressors that assault people in full-time ministry. We understand the personal, relational, and ministerial issues and conflicts that weigh so heavily on men and women seeking to serve the Lord on the front lines of full-time ministry.
"Bill has had a great impact on my life and ministry. He truly is one of the wisest and most godly men I have ever known, and he is a tremendous counselor."
- Rev. Billy Godwin
"Bethesda by the Sea is
a safe place for anyone who is struggling with
an issue to find godly counsel in a warm and relaxing environment."
- Rev. Bob Perdue
"They asked profound questions, infused wisdom and perspective as we navigated the life-stressors in one of the most difficult ministry environments of the 90’s."
- Rev. Mark Cathey
Mission & Vision
Our Mission is to help struggling servants of the Lord “make it to the healing waters of the Pool of Bethesda” so that they may be Rested in body, Renewed in soul, and Refreshed in spirit.
Our Vision is to see valiant kingdom servants Restored to eternally fruitful ministry on the front lines of the spiritual battle.
A visit to Bethesda by the Sea may be just what you need to experience a fresh encounter
with the Lord that will restore your soul by:
Resting your body
Renewing your soul
(mind, will, & emotions)
Refreshing your spirit
We encourage you to explore our website to learn more about Bethesda by the Sea — who we are, what we do, and what a visit for intensive pastoral counseling would look like. We are glad to answer any questions that you might have, and we would be delighted to welcome you to Bethesda by the Sea!