ONLINE SOLUTION: What church doesn’t want to save money and gain convenience while starting an effective, caring counseling ministry?
In this two-part series by Tim Allchin, BCC executive director, you’ll see how Biblical Counseling Center has come alongside a variety of churches and para-church ministries, helping them to start and build effective ministries to care for those who hurt. BCC is accomplishing this by online training that develops their counseling team right within their own church walls. Here meet two common scenarios detailed from conversations with pastors. In part two, you’ll meet two more.
Online Program for Every Church
Urban Church Profile: A young, multi-racial church plant full of young adults in their twenties and young families in their thirties; many different nations and theological backgrounds represented in the church; located in an area of the city that has diverse socio-economic factors. They recently invited and trained three older, mature couples to form a counseling team that will help care for the needs of the body. BCC online training helped this church to achieve that goal.
Small Church Profile: A pastor who has been at the church for more than 25 years, but with growing concerns for his flock; a graduate of one of the largest evangelical seminaries in America, yet uncertian how to counsel his people. In his years there, he has never seen any of the troubled marriages restored. All were either divorced or remain together but miserable. Those he referred to counseling are frustrated that even Christian counseling seemed to make no difference, and they don’t know what to do. The pastor found BCC on the web and decided to take our Foundations in Biblical Counseling online training.
Perhaps you resonate with one of the examples above. Developing a biblical counseling team and a culture of biblical care within the body will benefit any church by increasing individual spiritual growth and impacting outreach into the community. Wouldn’t you like help to begin and access excellent online training for your care and counseling ministry? BCC wants to help you get started, right where you are through our online training programs.
We also have a specific training program called LAUNCH. LAUNCH trains church leaders to begin a counseling ministry at their church.
Key Advantages of Online Training Programs
Biblical Counseling Center has offered in-person, live training for decades. With Internet access, more and more churches are turning to technology for training. It is cost-effective and convenient, and provides the same excellent training as our in-person training.
Here are some distinctives of our online training programs that help you start and build a counseling and care ministry within your church walls.
- Any size of church, small or large
- Any place you have Internet access
- The time of day or year that works for you and your people
- Cost effective with group discounts
- Self-paced (up to 1 year per course)
- Sustainable training for years
- 100 hours of instruction online
- Skype instructor Q & A sessions available
- Discussion guides provided
- Build team camaraderie and mutual encouragement
- Available for small groups, large classes or individuals
Which of these online distinctives resonate with you and your needs?
4 Strategic Ways to Implement Online Training
Here are four ways to implement online training at your church. Each are important to the success of your care and counseling ministry.
1. Introduce biblical counseling first to trusted key leaders.
If biblical counseling is new to your church, an online training course is a great way to introduce key leaders to biblical counseling without creating unwarranted controversy. A few leaders who catch the vision can go a long way to help turn the tide of momentum toward implementing a biblical counseling vision in your church.
2. Create an ongoing training class as part of your Christian Education program.
If your church has a regular equipping track or education hour, biblical counseling training will educate and also motivate the educated toward discipleship. Help those “who ought to be teachers by now” gain tools to disciple and counsel the hurting in your congregation. An online training program is sustainable and achievable on a semester or yearly basis.
3. Prepare a mature small group to multiply, thereby increasing ministry leadership.
Small groups can become primarily social groups if they are not strategically multiplied. It is best to encourage groups that reach higher levels of maturity to transform themselves into catalysts to disciple and counsel others. These small groups are full of those who “ought” to be teachers by now, and biblical counseling training is designed to give them the tools and vision to disciple and counsel others through real world struggles and difficulties.
4. Develop a Lay Counseling Team.
Do your people know where to turn when they need sound advice and support? Rather than referring out to secular counselors, why not develop a team of committed lay counselors who are equipped and resourced to disciple and counsel the common issues your people are facing? Hosting an online training course is a great way to discern those you will be able to trust to help in critical care situations. Encouraging some to pursue certification or certificates is a great way to create a benchmark.
Every church should equip its leadership in biblical counseling. Our goal is to help you become more successful in your efforts. If we can help you in any way, please reach out to us at .
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