2 Corinthians 3:18

BIBLICAL COUNSELLING

What is Biblical Counselling?

The goal of Biblical Counselling is to point people to the glory of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

People are not transformed by other people, and a heart will never be transformed by a counsellor. But people, hearts, and lives are transformed by the Spirit of God as we behold the glory of Jesus Christ!
Biblical counselling here at Mission City is about opening up the Word of God and pointing people to the glory of Jesus Christ. It’s not about clever counselling methods or strategies. It’s not about getting to “a better place,” being less anxious, having a better marriage or overcoming an addiction. These things are important, but they’re not the primary goal. It’s about pointing to the glory of God’s attributes and the glory of His gospel.

Mission

Glorify God by making disciples through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)

Vision

It's our vision to return soul care to the local church.

Passion

Ministering to the hurting in full dependence on the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the Community of God to experience transforming life change.

Core Values

  • Christ Centred (Colossians 1:15-20)

    The person of Christ, his preeminence, the gift of his life given to us

  • Biblically Grounded with Truth & Grace (John 1:14)

    We get principles for life and godliness from the Bible and we want to give counsel that is a blend of both truth and grace.

  • Spirit-led (John 6:63)

    The real counsellor is God who meets us through his Spirit. We want to be careful to give heed to his guidance and not simply let our experience dominate the direction for our counsel.

  • Prayer Saturated (Colossians 4:2)

    Humility and dependence on God are shown most clearly through prayer. We want to practice and model both humility and dependence throughout the counselling process.

  • Community Based (Hebrews 10:24-25)

    God calls us to live life in the context of his people. Care, encouragement, exhortation, and healing happen most fruitfully in the church community.

Some Issues We Counsel:

  • Abuse
  • Addiction
  • Anger
  • Anxiety

  • Betrayal
  • Cutting
  • Depression
  • Fear

  • Marriage conflict/issues
  • Pornography
  • Post-abortion

  • Worry
  • Much more...

An advocate is someone who:

  •         Loves God
  •         Firmly believes in the sufficiency of God’s Word
  •         Cares deeply for the counselee (Proverbs 17:17)
  •         Is available to attend counselling session with the counselee
  •         Prays for and with the counselee before, during, and after the sessions
  •         Reminds the counselee of what they were taught
  •         Encourages the counselee
  •         Holds the counselee accountable
  •         Helps the counselee complete the assigned homework

Advocates are an amazing addition to formal counselling. They can be a life-giving part in the change process for the counselee as they walk through the valley alongside the hurting person. If they have history with the counselee, they can provide important context that would otherwise be unavailable to the counsellor.

For a more in-depth understanding of what an advocate is, what they do, and what their impact can be for the community of God, please read our BSC Advocate Manual.

Three additional notes on advocacy:

1. Our counsellors will help with the selection of and give final approval to the advocates. Ideally, we desire advocates to get a recommendation from a leader within the community of Mission City Bible Church. This is important as we are looking to leverage the power of mature believers who will not judge but will intentionally pray, encourage, challenge, or even rebuke the counselee instead of being enablers, or flesh-sympathizers.

2. As a general rule, first-degree relatives (spouses, parents, siblings, etc.) don’t make for good advocates. We have seen that people who live both roles struggle to remain objective which may hinder the counselling process.  Again, our counsellors will try to discern with you if your initial choice is a good fit.

3. Confidentiality is an important aspect of the counselling process, and we will carefully guard the information you entrust to us.  Please fill out this consent FORM ,

    BIBLICAL COUNSELLING VS. BIBLICAL SOUL CARE

    It's More Than a Model of Biblical Counselling

    Biblical Soul Care is more than a model of biblical counselling. It is intentional and intensive discipleship and deep, authentic fellowship. It is something we all should do at the level we are equipped. It is not a new idea. It is living out the one another commands in the Scriptures. It has been practiced since the early church (Acts 2). It can be found in the Puritan community of the 16th and 17th century. It is our mission to restore soul care to the church.

    Context: In Community

    While all good biblical counselling content is the same (it is based on the authority and sufficiency of the Bible), how and where counselling happens differs. We believe the context is more about community than privacy. While we hold strongly to confidentiality and discretion, we believe in counselling in community. That can look like inviting friends into formal counselling, or doing informal counselling in a small group format.

    In other words, Biblical Soul Care is not just for pastors or biblical counsellors but it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer. It can take many forms like mentoring, coaching, and advocacy.

    What to Expect?

    Our desire is to come alongside you during a time of trial. Biblical Soul Care is built to lovingly care for and help carry the burdens of people (Galatians 6:1-2; James 1:2-5). The purpose of Soul Care is to engage the Body of Christ to walk and support one another by encouraging the involvement of advocates and your connection to small group whenever possible. Most importantly you can expect to be ministered towards our ultimate hope, Jesus Christ.

    For Counseling Inquiries:

    If you want to speak to someone about some specific issues in your life or you know someone who does, do not hesitate to contact us, (226)381-0050. You can also apply for Biblical Counseling here:

    Apply for BSC