Medical science has learned the great benefits of early detection and treatment of diseases like cancer and coronary disease. It has long been known that identifying and treating symptoms before more serious problems occur is essential for maintaining good physical health. The same is true for a person's emotional and spiritual health. The writer of Proverbs states that a happy heart is good medicine and that a downtrodden heart will make us sick.

John Maxwell recently reported that as many as 1300 ministers a month are leaving the ministry because of unresolved problems in their churches and ministries. These and other statistics mark one of the greatest crises happening in the church today. With hundreds of ministers leaving the church every month due to these and other stressors, it is evident that ministries are being lost. Tragically, this also means that the witness of the church is being seriously damaged at the same time. Media reports in newspaper and television coverage regularly feature these losses, often with a negative slant, showing the ineffectiveness of the church in dealing with these kinds of issues.

Jesus reminded His followers that the Christian life-and especially the demands of ministry—is hard work. For those who are honest in facing their problems and who seek help early, most of those ministries, marriages, and families can not only be saved, but enlarged by successful remediation. There often comes a time when counseling is needed. Cornerstone Lodge is established for those times when more than a once-a-week outpatient counseling session is needed, and when an intensive inpatient stay at a psychiatric hospital is inappropriate. In a quiet and very confidential rural environment, the hard work of repairing the hurts and broken hearts of struggling ministers will take place.

The ministry and counseling staff at Cornerstone Lodge is dedicated to creating a healing environment for guests who come for retreat and counseling visits. We are aware that the Lord Jesus frequently took times of retreat to refresh Himself from a clamoring, demanding world. In following His example and maintaining the highest standards of confidential and cost-effective retreat-focused counseling, Cornerstone Lodge stands ready to welcome each guest with the healing love of Christ. It is our ultimate goal to send repaired ministers and laypersons back to their churches to complete the call they have received from the Lord.