CHN's Beginnings

The Christian Hospitality Network (CHN) came about when Paul Cowell—a pastor and business entrepreneur (and yes, you can be both and still be very spiritual!)—got together with his good friend, Steve Tackett, an ordained minister and law enforcement officer (another interesting combination). The two had been talking about the alarming burnout rate of people in ministry A few years earlier, Paul and his wife, Jean, started the amazingly gorgeous Whitestone Country Inn, and they saw that when a weary missionary or minister was able to spend time in Whitestone’s “sanctuary for the soul” and experience biblical hospitality, he or she would be totally rejuvenated.

Paul and Steve determined that there needed to be other places like Whitestone around the country—maybe around the world—that could provide a getaway experience for those serving the church—and it needed to be provided well within the means of people who raise their own support and are on limited budgets. The guys concluded that if a network of such places existed, then not only would ministry organizations everywhere benefit, but the Kingdom of God on earth that Jesus talked about could start to be realized in an exciting way.

Well, Paul started talking up the idea with some of his friends in the hospitality industry (and he has a lot of them!). In almost no time at all, the folks at scores of places similar to Whitestone were embracing this concept and offering the same kind of experience at their facilities. Today, there are nearly 1,000 properties affiliated with CHN—and it’s still growing.