Become a Certified Biblical Counselor at Light University

Course Description

Caring for People God’s Way will help equip counselors and mental health caregivers to respond to the growing needs of others who are broken and in need of healing. Each course comes complete with six lessons, worktext and, of course, exams – all of which will assist caregivers in providing competent and compassionate care to those who are hurting.

Course Lessons

Unit 1: Introduction to Biblical Counseling

BCOU 101: Becoming a Christian Counselor
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

BCOU 102: Using Your Spiritual Gifts in Counseling
Ed Hindson, D.Phil., Th.D., Th.M., D.Min.

BCOU 103: Helping Others Find Significance in Life
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.

BCOU 104: The Power of Truth
Leslie Vernick, M.S.W.

BCOU 105: Overcoming Depression
Michael Lyles, M.D.

BCOU 106: Surviving Sexual Abuse: On the Threshold of Hope
Diane Langberg, Ph.D.

Unit 2: Faith and Life

BCOU 201: The Effective People Helper
Ian Jones, Ph.D.

BCOU 202: Bringing People into God’s Presence
Ron Hawkins, Ed.D., D.Min.

BCOU 203: How to Help People Change
Ron Hawkins, Ed.D., D.Min.

BCOU 204: Heart Matters: Repentance and Godly Sorrow
Ed Hindson, D.Phil., D.Min., Th.D.

BCOU 205: Forgiveness: Letting Go of the Past and Pain
Everett Worthington, Jr., Ph.D.

BCOU 206: The Spiritual Disciplines in Counseling
Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D.

Unit 3: Marriage and Family

BCOU 301: Marriage: Keeping Love Alive
Linda Mintle, Ph.D.

BCOU 302: Healthy Sexuality: A Biblical Foundation
Doug Rosenau, Ed.D.

BCOU 303: Addiction and Recovery
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.

BCOU 304: How Couples Lose at Love: Disaffection in Marriage
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

BCOU 305: Hope-focused Marriage Counseling
Everett Worthington, Ph.D.

BCOU 306: Divorce Recovery: Starting Over Again
Tom Whiteman, Ph.D.

Unit 4: Challenging Issues in Biblical Counseling

BCOU 401: Crisis Response and Intervention
Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A.

BCOU 402: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling Ministry
Jeanneane Maxon, J.D.

BCOU 403: Breaking Generational Patterns
David Stoop, Ph.D.

BCOU 404: Infidelity: Stabilizing After the Affair
David Carder, M.A.

BCOU 405: Pain and Suffering: Helping People in a Broken World
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.

BCOU 406: Breaking the Bonds of Sexual Addiction
Mark Laaser, Ph.D.

Unit 5: Emerging Issues in Biblical Counseling

BCOU 501: Managing Stress and Anxiety
Archibald Hart, Ph.D.

BCOU 502: Grief and Loss
H. Norman Wright, M.A.

BCOU 503: Psychiatric Care and Medication
Paul Meier, M.A., M.D.

BCOU 504: Financial Bondage: Strategies for Freedom
Scott Palmer, B.A. and Bethany Palmer, B.A.

BCOU 505: Anger Management
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

BCOU 506: The Helping Process: Basic Skills and Practice
Ken Nichols, Psy.D.

Course Description

Attending to the needs and issues of hurting people today is complex, and at times overwhelming. As today’s generations search for purpose, meaning and value, many experience a pervasive sense of emptiness and loneliness. And why shouldn’t they? In a world flooded with distresses like divorce, father absence, rampant sexual abuse, terrorism, anxiety, and depression, there seems to be an epidemic of escapism through drugs, alcohol, consumerism, sex, violence, and suicide. Yet it is in the darkest times that light shines the brightest. This five-unit course is designed to equip you to help others break through the darkness in their lives. Each unit contains six lessons on-demand, complete with work-text and exams. Despite the tension and emptiness, something seems to be happening across America — people are searching for God.

Course Lessons

Unit One: Foundations of Spiritual Care, Discipline and Godly Living

COMN 101: Using the Bible and Relying on the Holy Spirit in Counseling
Ed Hindson, Th.D., D.Min., D.Phil.

COMN 102: Living the Life: Pursuing After God’s Heart with All Your Heart
Glenn Wagner, Ph.D.

COMN 103: Breaking Free: Disaffection with God and Life and the Recovery of the Heart
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

COMN 104: When Life Doesn’t Make Sense: Facing Evil, Sin, and Suffering
Diane Langberg, Ph.D.

COMN 105: Bondage and Spiritual Warfare: Fighting Wickedness in High Places
Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D.

COMN 106: Spiritual Disciplines: Taking People Closer to the Heart of God
John Ortberg, Ph.D. and Nancy Ortberg, M.A.

Unit Two: Helping Process, Skills, and Working with Tough Cases

COMN 201: Doing Brief, Solution-Focused Counseling for Christ
Gary Oliver, Th.M., Ph.D.

COMN 202: Creating a Safe Place: Listening, Empathy, and Winning Trust
Sandra Wilson, Ph.D.

COMN 203: New Beginnings: Helping People Make a Fresh Start
Ron Hawkins, D.Min., Ed.D.

COMN 204: Change Skills: Goal Setting, Planning, and Taking Action
Sharon Hart May, Ph.D.

COMN 205: Spiritual Freedom: Disarming Strongholds, Changing Habits
Gary Moon, Ph.D.

COMN 206: Mental Illness & Character Disorders: How to Recognize and Refer Serious Problems
Archibald Hart, Ph.D

Unit Three: Applications in Mood Change, Medicine, and Addictions

COMN 301: Depression and Mood Disorders: A Clinical Update
Michael Lyles, M.D.

COMN 302: Stress and Anxiety: Overcoming Fear, Phobias, and Panic Disorders
Archibald Hart, Ph.D.

COMN 303: Freedom in Christ: Hope for the Addict, the Brokenhearted & the Evil-Minded
Neil Anderson, D.Min.

COMN 304: Helping Others with Alcohol, Substance Abuse, and Addiction Problems
David Stoop, Ph.D.

COMN 305: Overcoming Gambling, Spending, and Credit Abuse
Gregory Jantz, Ph.D.

COMN 306: Emotional Eating: The Truth about Dieting and Weight Control
Dwight Bain, M.A.

Unit Four: Applications in Crisis Care and Relationships

COMN 401: Eating Disorders: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Referral with Anorexia and Bulimia
Kari Wolfe, M.A.

COMN 402: Complicated Grief and Mourning & Crisis and Trauma
Freda Crews, D.Min., Ph.D. & Jennifer Cisney, M.A.

COMN 403: Helping Distressed Couples: Anger, Conflict, and Disaffection in Marriage
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.

COMN 404: Families in Crisis: Hopeless Parents and Angry/Defiant Children
Tim Clinton, Ed.D. & Gary Sibcy, Ph.D.

COMN 405: Aging and Elderly Parents: Health Problems, Dementias, & Disabilities
Kathie Erwin, Ph.D.

COMN 406: Blended Families: Helping Yours, Mine, and Ours Become a Family
Ron Deal, M.A.

Unit Five: The Ethics of Care and Helping Ministry in the Church

COMN 501: Chronically Troubled Relationships: Everybody Has at Least One
Linda Mintle, Ph.D.

COMN 502: Developing an Effective Lay Helping and Supervision Ministry
Siang-Yang Tan, Ph.D.

COMN 503: Dynamic Small Groups and Spiritual Care Teams in Church-based Counseling
Stephen Greggo, Psy.D.

COMN 504: Preventing Compassion Fatigue: Self-Care for Caregivers
Eric Scalise, Ph.D.

COMN 505: Boundaries and Violations I: Confidentiality, Consultation, & Referral
David Carder, M.A.

COMN 506: Boundaries and Violations II: Dealing with Seductive, Suicidal, and Dangerous People
George Ohlschlager, MSW, J.D.

Because there is no legal requirement that mandates Biblical counselors must be licensed or undergo formal training, becoming a Biblical counselor can be straightforward. If you want to become a biblical counselor, you can declare yourself one – though we advise against this.  

If you “become a biblical counselor” without studying the Bible, learning basic lay counseling skills, and doing your due diligence, you may find yourself unprepared. Worse yet, you misidentify what the person you’re helping needs – and you may fail to provide optimal care. Fortunately, becoming a certified biblical counselor is simple and affordable at Light University. With a 100% online format and a time-tested program of study, you’ll emerge from our program more prepared to help struggling people.

Answers to this question may vary, but the short answer is this: nouthetic counseling is enveloped by the larger umbrella of biblical counseling. Nouthetic counseling relies on the sufficiency and supreme authority of scripture alone to provide solutions to man’s problems (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Like nouthetic counseling, Christian counseling uses scripture–but unlike nouthetic counseling, Christian counseling draws on principles of observational psychology to identify sin patterns. Great care must be taken when using psychology, however. Psychology is inherently man-centered, and for counseling to be biblical, it must be God-centered and focused on conforming the client to the image of Christ.

Yes. The academic requirements of our certificate program are built into the diploma program, and the academic requirements of the diploma program are integrated into the master diploma. 

The coursework of the biblical counseling certificate program is enveloped by the diploma curriculum, and the diploma’s curriculum is enveloped by the master diploma curriculum. 

Upon completion of a program, you’ll have the option to order a printed certificate. When you’ve finished your program of study, contact us. Upon verifying your completion of program requirements, you will be issued a digital diploma!

There are several lists of biblical counseling electives. The detailed list you’re looking for depends on which program you’re enrolled in.  

Our Biblical Counseling Certificate program does not require any electives. Our Biblical Counseling Diploma, however, requires two electives. The first elective you take in our diploma program must be one of the following courses: 

• Extraordinary Women 
• Caring for Kids God’s Way 
• Caring for Teens God’s Way 

For the second course you take in our diploma-level biblical counseling program, you will choose from the following list:  

• Extraordinary Women 
• Caring for Kids God’s Way 
• Caring for Teens God’s Way 
• Healthy Sexuality 
• Marriage Works 

It’s worth noting that you cannot complete the same course twice and receive dual credit. For example, you cannot take “Caring for Kids God’s Way” or “Caring for Teens God’s Way” once to satisfy both elective requirements – nor can you take the class twice.  

At the master diploma level, you will take three elective classes. You may choose three courses from the following list: 

• Extraordinary Women 
• Caring for Kids God’s Way 
• Caring for Teens God’s Way 
• Healthy Sexuality 
• Marriage Works 

For more information, please see our certificate, diploma, and master diploma pages.

Our online biblical counseling program is a great way to prepare for ministry work and lay counseling. The emotional intelligence skills you glean from our online biblical counseling certificate can also help make you a better parent, son or daughter, friend, mentor, or confidant.  

Our biblical counseling certificate is a non-licensure program. It is not designed to equip you for clinical counseling settings.

There is a clear distinction between professional mental health services and life coaching. Licensed mental health professionals diagnose and treat emotional and behavioral health disorders. Life coaches help clients focuses on setting and achieving goals. Many ask what the difference is between counseling and coaching.

There is a clear distinction between professional mental health services and life coaching. While both life coaches and mental health professionals seek to improve client wellness, educational and licensure requirements set the two apart. Coaches do not diagnose or treat mental-health-related disorders, but mental health professionals often do. While therapy focuses on mental health, abetting distress, and improving impaired functioning; life coaching focuses on setting and achieving goals.