OUR FOUNDER

DR. NORMAN WISE

I. Education:

I have a B.S. in education and B.A. in Biblical theology from Geneva College. I have a Master’s of Divinity and a D.Min from Knox Theological seminary.

My doctorate focus and written dissertation was on “The Pastor and Pain” which examined in-depth methods on how we explain pain and suffering in our lives and the process that a pastor can take to provide caring counsel and practical help to emotionally and mentally suffering people.

II. My History

• Professed faith in Jesus Christ when I was 7 years old from reading John 3:16
• Was raised up to age of 11 in a home struggling with an alcoholic father.
• After the divorce that occurred when I was 11 was raised in a single parent home by my mother.
• Called to serve Jesus Christ when I was 17 years old when I was used to lead a head of a gang to profess faith in Christ.
• Was part of the “Jesus People” revival of the early 70s
• Began “lay counseling” of people using drugs and young people beginning in 1972
• Am called by God through Isaiah 61:1-3 and define my ministry as healing the broken hearted.
• Continued counseling people in the context of my teaching ministry through a variety of churches and ministries
• Served as the Executive Director of Communications and Counseling at Coral Ridge Ministries
• Served at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church as Minister of Discipleship focused on recovery and support groups.
• Worked with Randy Young and Dr. Bob Stuart to create Living Water Counseling in 1991.
• Rev. Young was called by God to begin another Living Water Counseling of Southern Oregon in 2004.
• Living Water Counseling began offering “Family Life Skill” Classes in 1992 working with Dr. Paul Hegstorm and Life Skills International.  http://www.lifeskillsintl.org/

• Became the Executive Director of Living Water in 2004 as well as continuing to serve as Senior Pastor of First Church West  (now Associate Pastor of Counseling)

II. The Ministry

• Living Water Christian Counseling provides personal counseling, coaching, and spiritual mentoring.
• We also have educational process groups to help people improve themselves and their families.
• We have two teaching centers, one in Tamarac and the other in Boca where we provide small groups and seminars.
• Since our founding in 1991 we have provided help to over 30,000 people
• Living Water Counseling normally sees about 20 people a year profess Christ as Lord and Savior.
• I co-host a talk show on Gracenetradio every week on Tuesday at 1:00 PM called “Ask the Counselor”
• I have authored several books:

Life Journaling: A Process Of Finding Inner Harmony
Succeeding At Life
Learning to Love in 27 days
Sane Relationships