Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) is committed to providing more than excellent education for aspiring pastors. SEBTS also wants to be a part of equipping the entire church to become more excellent at their non-vocational ministries.
This is the purpose of SEBTS’s certificate programs and why they are excited to forge this partnership.
Each one-week intensive qualifies you to receive one of seven credits necessary to receive a certificate in biblical counseling from SEBTS.
While everyone is welcome to attend all of the seminars for free, if you want certificate credit there is a cost of $236 for each credit and a one-time application fee of $30. These fees are paid to SEBTS for enrollment and course credit. You would begin the process earning a certificate by applying for admission at SEBTS.
The first two classes available in this one-week (seminar schedule available here) intensive partnership between Summit, SEBTS, and Bridgehaven are:
- Marriage and Pre-Marital Counseling (Fall 2014)
- Foundations
- Communication
- Finances
- Decision Making
- Intimacy
- Counseling Problematic Emotions(Spring 2015)
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief
- Identity in Christ
Bridgehaven’s Role
“But what if I get in over my head? What if I learn of struggles that are larger than I feel equipped to handle?” These are the questions that often cause individuals and churches to shy away from these types of training.
Too often we fall into the trap of thinking, “If I can’t do everything, I won’t even do the parts that I can do.” The result is people’s struggles become more overwhelming as their lives become more isolated.
The reality is, these struggles existed before you “discovered” them. People were just hurting in silence. Now there is hope, because a conversation has started.
Bridgehaven Counseling Associates is a parachurch, pastoral counseling center that exists for these occasions. Bridgehaven provides clinically-informed biblical counseling and seminars, not to replace the caring relationships within the church, but to multiply their prevalence so people are more willing to be purposefully involved in one another’s lives.
Equipping Every Person
Change that last impacts our day-to-day relationships. Our beliefs, values, and habits are constantly shaped and reinforced by those we call “friends.”
These seminars are designed to facilitate meaningful conversations about change with those you already know. Scripture is clear; our friends should be involved in our efforts to pursue the peace and hope God offers.
Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
While these materials can be used in more formal counseling contexts, their most wide-spread impact will be realized when they are used to facilitate intentional friendships and mentoring relationships.
Each seminar is comprised of five to nine segments and comes with a study guide to facilitate discipleship or mentoring relationships. Videos and study guide request forms for these seminars can be accessed here.