Our History...

Sandy Purdie is a Scot who was born and brought up in Edinburgh. He became a committed Christian in 1972 which refocused his life. After pursuing a career in higher education Sandy felt a real call from God to help the ‘poor and needy’. Initially he worked with Aids sufferers and in addiction before commencing counselling work with his wife. Sandy is qualified to post-graduate Masters Level in Business Administration (MBA).

Sandy was led to work with Jackie Pullinger-To in Hong Kong for a short time in 1988 and after seeing so many miracles wondered if God might have a plan for him to do counselling work. As a result Sandy helped pioneer ACET (Aids Care Education and Training) for people with Aids in Edinburgh, which was the Aids capital in Europe at one time, and then went on to work in a rehabilitation unit for addicts (drugs and alcohol) run by Bethany Christian Trust. All of this was marvellous preparation for the joint call the Lord put on Sandy and Gwen to be full time Christian counsellors, ministering together.

Gwen Purdie (formerly McDowell) was born and raised in Scotland. Becoming a Christian as a teenager changed her life dramatically and led her into professional social work, desiring to see people made whole. It became clear that Gwen’s work with people had to be done in the power of God and with all of His resources. After ten years as a specialist with adolescents and alcoholics, Gwen was one of the first pioneers in Christian counselling in Scotland. It was as though she heard the deep cry of peoples’ hearts to be set free from emotional pain and the very real symptoms that come from inner turmoil. She has a Certificate Qualification in Social Work, trained other counsellors and directed the Christian Counselling Service in Edinburgh, which continues to operate as Dove Christian Counselling in Glasgow and Costa Rica. She has been a Christian counsellor for over twenty years having initially been sponsored by her church at that time, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, Edinburgh and has seen God working His healing out in countless lives.

In 1996 Sandy married Gwen, and they have been working together as Christian counsellors since then. They have a particular heart for reaching people with hope. Primarily they have ministered to individuals or couples on a one-to-one basis who asked for counselling help. Many people have been set free from life dominating issues, deep wounds and hurts. Sandy and Gwen continue to be involved in Christian counselling, consultancy, training, teaching and lecturing (see Our Ministry). They are also involved in counselling and praying with people at seminars and conferences. They both serve on the Pastoral Care Ministries prayer team worldwide (founded by Leanne Payne).

Gwen has counselled exclusively from a Christian perspective since leaving professional social work twenty years ago to minister to people who were not especially labelled as having problems. She pioneered Dove Christian counselling in Scotland and was involved in counselling an epidemic of people who had been abused in some way, along with all the other issues that present themselves in a busy counselling service.

Sandy and Gwen are members of Selkirk Baptist Church in the Scottish Borders. They are mainstream Christians who believe that the Lord is able to transform lives, answer prayer and make all things new. Both of them feel strongly that society today is confusing and does not give answers to the dilemmas that are faced. They are keen to teach Biblical truth about how to live and about God’s expectations for relating to Him and to other human beings. His love is real, as is His presence and power. There is nothing too hard for God.