Biblical Counselling UK’s Certificate Course has been running since 2013 and provides a theoretical and practical introduction to the ministry of biblical counselling.
Underlying the course is a conviction that the gospel connects with every human experience and struggle, and a desire to help church communities connect the riches of Scripture to the realities of life.
Starting with an emphasis on our own need for biblical change and personal growth in wisdom, the course then seeks to build students’ confidence in conversational ministry with a goal of developing the deep, relationship one-anothering that the New Testament describes.
The course provides a model for ministry that is applicable to form and informal contexts – from opening Scripture with a friend in the hard moments of life to shaping preaching that engages the heart.
Youth workers, small group leaders, pastors, secular counsellors and ordinary church members eager to be better equipped to help friends, will all benefit.
Course Content
- The Course combines material from CCEF’s School of Biblical Counselling with new content develop by BCUK for the UK context.
- Lectures, reading and assignments are delivered via an online learning platform which students access at a time that suits them.
- Fortnightly seminars with an experienced tutor encourage the development of practical skills in personal ministry and provide interaction with other students.
- The week-long Summer Intensive develops a student’s personal attributes and skills in conversational ministry.
- Each Certificate is completed in one academic year. Students can take one, two or all three Certificates.
- The first module, Dynamics of Biblical Change provides a foundation for all the others but can be taken for stand-alone study, either in the first term of the Certificate Course or in the slower-paced Dynamics of Biblical Change over 6 months course.
- Dynamics of Biblical Change can also form part of a ministry sabbatical – email courses@biblicalcounselling.org.uk for details.
Programme
| Foundations Certificate | |
| Autumn | Dynamics of Biblical Change |
| Spring | Helping Relationships |
| Summer | Counselling in the Local Church |
| Skills Certificate | |
| Autumn | Scripture for Life & Ministry |
| Spring | Marriage Counselling |
| Summer Intensive | Personal Qualities for Helping Conversations + Counselling Observation |
| Topics Certificate | |
| Autumn | Theology & Secular Psychology |
| Spring | Applied Theology of the Person |
Once a student has passed Dynamics of Biblical Change, they may take any of the other modules in any order, although we recommend taking Helping Relationships and Counselling in the Local Church after Dynamics. The Skills modules and the Topics modules are offered in alternate years, and do not have to be taken in the order listed above.
Assessment
All the modules have required assignments and some also have a final exam. The time commitment varies according to the module but a rough guide would be that you would need 8–10 hours per week in addition to the time required to attend the fortnightly seminars.
There are no minimum academic requirements to take the course but students should be aware that there is a significant amount of reading to be done and that this involves both book extracts and journal articles.
Summer Intensive
The week-long Summer Intensive is offered at a number of venues and includes two modules.
Personal Qualities for Helping Conversations explores some of the personal attributes that God develops in us and then uses in conversational ministry. The Observation Class provides an opportunity to view and discuss video material of biblical counselling sessions. A central element in the Summer Intensives are the nine sessions of conversational ministry where students take turns in each of the three roles of help giver, help seeker and observer.
The Summer Intensive is offered every year and can also be taken on completion of the Foundations or Topics certificates.
Exemptions for existing CCEF online students
Applicants who have already passed one or more of the modules directly with CCEF may apply for an exemption for up to two modules.
To qualify for a certificate students must attend a minimum of 70% of all the seminars for the modules in that certificate.
Students who have an exemption for a particular module often choose to attend the seminars for that module. This allows them to benefit both from the shared learning experience and the skills elements that are included in the seminars. There is a charge of £150 for this. For further information please contact courses@biblicalcounselling.org.uk.