The Beginning

Ephesians Life Ministries began when a pastor, Jim Isom, started a Bible study group for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts at Halpine Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1979. Pastor Jim quickly realized that people in recovery needed the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to stay sober. By naming Jesus Christ as the “Higher Power,” he created a program through which alcoholics could learn about sobriety and, more importantly, about God’s love.

As happens with successful AA programs, spouses saw a change for the better in their mates and wanted help coping with the new family dynamics. Dee Bissell, a church member who was training as an addictions counselor, led the new group for spouses.

Pastor Jim and Dee (now Dr. Dee) were an unlikely pair. Raised in a devout Pentecostal family, Pastor Jim knew early that he would serve the Lord. After Bible College, he worked in recovery programs for the chemically dependent, an unusual choice for someone who had no first-hand experience with alcohol and substance abuse in his family. On the other hand, Dr. Dee grew up with two alcoholic parents and married an alcoholic. From infancy, she was in and out of hospitals where she was treated for polio. She was also an incest victim. She accepted Jesus Christ in 1971, while she was raising her two children. When she joined Pastor Jim’s work, she was in the middle of 12 years of night school to obtain her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She became a nationally certified chemical dependency counselor, criminologist, and a family systems therapist.

Growing Years

Within six months, the original Bible study outgrew its meeting place. The program quickly developed into a night of praise and worship, teaching and sharing, and small groups to help all family members cope with the effects of addictions. The group became Ephesians 5:18 Life Ministries, referring to the passage of scripture that reads, “Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Later, the name was shortened to reflect an expanded program with its attention to relationships. By the mid-1980s, about 400 people, some driving more than an hour, were attending meetings.

In the late 1980s, members began twelve-step meetings at their home churches. Many still meet in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. In 1991, the first professional therapist was brought on board. By 2000, twenty counselors had joined the ministry and Ephesians programs included therapy (for individuals, couples, families, and groups) as well as 12-step recovery groups for adults, children and adolescents.

Still Growing

We now have 23 counselors, including clinical social workers, professional counselors, an advanced practice psychiatric nurse, a chemical dependency counselor, and a marriage and family therapist. Since its inception, Ephesians has served more than 100,000 people. If you seek help through Ephesians you will find a caring therapist who is committed to Christ and who wants to share the love of God, whom he/she knows as the Divine Healer.

History