Our Mission & Values
Many Christian communities and their members are eager for resources around issues of mental health, addiction, career formation, and relational support. Yet, finding resources that are both clinically sound and also mindful of the cultures, values, and convictions of Christian communities can sometimes be difficult.
Many mental health professionals can lack understanding and respect for the perspectives, beliefs, and questions that are common for people in the Christian faith. This can create barriers for churches, families, and individuals getting the support they need.
Negev Institute was founded by trained social/behavioral health professionals who are deeply committed to walking in the Christian faith, and who desire to serve the body of Christ through their vocations by providing resources and trainings that are rooted in sound psychology and social/behavioral science, while also grounded through a Scriptural Christian worldview.
Our desire is to serve those from a wide range of Christian traditions. See our Statement of Faith from more information.
The Negev and the Acacia Tree
"Negev" is a Hebrew word meaning “Dry” and it is also the place name for a region in the south of the modern state of Israel. In Genesis 13, Abram and Lot journeyed through the Negev and into Canaan, and when the two decided to separate because a lack of resources to share, Lot choose the well-watered area of the Jordan Valley, obliging Abram to settle on dryer land. But in the context of this seeming hardship, Abram still prospered.
Today, the Negev region of Israel has become a world-renowned testing ground in water conservation, innovation in agriculture, and combating deforestation. This serves as an example of something we believe is important, that adversity can lead to growth and goodness.
One of the things that grows naturally in the 
Negev is the species of Acacia tree (specifically the "umbrella thorn acacia"), this was important to the ancient Hebrews as it was a key part of the construction of the Ark of the Covenant. Though the wood naturally twists and is hard to work with (much like God’s people), it is also dense, strong, and is resistant to decay.
In a world and culture that seeks easy gratification, we believe that health in our relationships, emotions, and behaviors, can find renewal in embracing dry places. We want to share the practical science on cultivating contentment, building anti-fragility, and fostering truly connective relationships. Our hope is to help equip the Church, families, and our communities to face some of our great social struggles with the best wisdom from social/behavioral science with a grounding in a Christian worldview.