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–Biblical Counselor
BECOMING A BIBLICAL
COUNSELOR
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The reason the term Biblical counseling is often used today instead of Nouthetic counseling is because
it’s less intimidating. The word “Nouthetic” is not immediately recognizable, even by those who have
read the Bible, and many may think that they’re required to hold a degree in religion in order to offer
Nouthetic counseling (https://www.pastoralcounseling.org/specialization/nouthetic-counseling).
Biblical counseling, however, is a friendlier term that is not as intimidating. The two terms are, however,
interchangeable and refer to the same thing.
Biblical counseling is not a licensed form of therapy or counseling. Being a Biblical counselor does not
mean you’re quali ed to offer any sort of formal counseling.
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Because all Biblical counseling is to be based on the Bible and the scriptures, there is no need for any
courses on behavioral study, counseling, therapy, or psychology. Because of this, few Biblical counselors
hold degrees in counseling. In fact, the practice of Biblical counseling is expressly against bringing these
secular studies and treatments into the discussion. All counseling should focus on identifying sin,
changing behavior to overcome that sin, and making one’s life more in line with what the Bible outlines.
A person who practices Biblical counseling will often work through the Three C’s with someone they
feel is in need of counseling.
First, they will confront the person. This should actually be done in a very non-confrontational way,
despite what it sounds like. Someone who is acting as a Biblical counselor has a duty to point out to
another when they are committing a sin or acting in a way that goes against Biblical teaching. This
confrontation should be based on the Bible and religious teachings, not on personal feelings. It’s
important to do your best to refrain from judging the person or feeling superior—that’s just as sinful in
the eyes of those who practice Biblical counseling.
The confrontation should come out of concern, the second C. Being concerned for another member of
the congregation should always be the driving force behind a confrontation. Biblical counselors are
concerned about the consequences of sinful actions and do their best to reach out to them by using the
Bible to illuminate any sins the person appears to be committing. Unlike with traditional counseling or
therapy, Biblical counselors make no attempt to be detached or emotionally uninvolved. Biblical
counselors show their concern and their love for the person they are counseling.
The third C is for change. This is the goal of every Biblical counseling session. The idea is that, by
showing concern and by confronting the other person, you can convince them to see the sins they are
committing and change their behavior. This change will come from within and from their faith, not from
any type of therapy.
In some cases, you may not feel quali ed or con dent enough to engage in Biblical counseling with
another member of the congregation. That’s perfectly ne—in this case, it’s important to speak with a
minister or other church leader. They may be able to guide you on how to approach the person, or they
may approach the person themselves.
Since all members of a congregation can practice Biblical counseling, it’s often true that the roles will
reverse themselves at some point. The person you confront out of concern and hope to change may be
the person who later comes to you offering Biblical counseling for behaviors they’ve seen in you that
have troubled them.
Requirements to Become a Biblical Counselor
(https://www.pastoralcounseling.org/)
Becoming a Biblical counselor rst and foremost requires studying the Bible and the scriptures. You will
need to be very familiar with this text because it will form the basis of your counseling. In many cases,
you will need to be able to identify the sin that the person is committing and know which of the
–Biblicalcharacters
different Counseloror stories in the Bible is the best to use when approaching the person. By drawing
parallels between the Bible and the person’s behavior, it’s often easier to help highlight how and why
they are acting inappropriately.
Because everything comes from the Bible, there is no educational program or training to undergo to
become a Biblical counselor. You may want to take courses in religion, and many ministers who hold
bachelor’s or master’s degrees do practice Biblical counseling. However, you don’t necessarily have to
have a degree or even be ordained. Doing so often means gaining much of the knowledge of the Bible
that you would need in order to provide effective Biblical counseling, but that knowledge can be gained
in other ways.
For example, you will most likely want to join Bible study groups, and you may want to work through
some of the courses in Biblical counseling available online. These online courses are offered through
several different groups, including the Institute for Nouthetic Studies, the Association of Certi ed
Biblical Counselors (ACBC), and the Biblical Counseling Institute.
You’ll need to have a few speci c personality traits to be a good Biblical counselor. First, you’ll need to
be a good listener. Much of Biblical counseling is listening to the other person and responding to them in
the most helpful way possible. You need to be a good conversationalist—much of Biblical counseling is
simply talking. This skill can be learned, but until you’re really comfortable talking about faith and sin,
especially pointing out someone else’s sin, your counseling may be awkward and, in the end, fairly
ineffective.
Finally, you’ve got to be very strong in your own faith and do your best to practice it in all ways of your
life. Many religions stress that all people sin, and as a Biblical counselor, it’s important to remember that
you’re not better than the person you’re counseling. Judging them or feeling superior is going to make
the person feel antagonized, which will quickly end the session.
Of course, this isn’t completely necessary—you don’t even have to consider what you’re doing as formal
Biblical counseling, and many don’t. They’re just talking to others about problems and using the Bible as
a way of solving those problems. Some people have years of practical experience as a Biblical counselor
and don’t even realize it.
Is There a Biblical Counseling License or
(https://www.pastoralcounseling.org/)
Certi cation?
While you can become certi ed as a Biblical or Nouthetic counselor through the Institute for Nouthetic
Studies or through the ACBC, the certi cation is not an of cial certi cation or license recognized at the
–Biblical Counselor
state or national level. The certi cation simply demonstrates that you have completed a Biblical
counseling program. You will not be able to use one of these certi cates to meet the requirements for a
job as a licensed counselor, therapist, or other position. However, these certi cations do hold some
weight with a number of churches and others who practice Biblical counseling.
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