Course Description
The focus of this course is to help students identify the Christian foundations to bringing life transformation through counseling and ministry programs. The focus of this course is to develop a comprehensive theological and philosophical basis for all of a ministry’s programs (see Christian Approaches to Counseling and Life Transformation Final Project). This course will integrate the following four perspectives on bringing life transformation as shown in the slide below: psychological, theological, spiritual formation and ministry program perspective.
Prerequisites
Available to undergraduates with 90+ credits and a 3.0+ GPA.
You can see how this course relates to other courses in the slide below.
Organizational Requirements
The final project of this course is focused on developing a program staff training manual explaining the unique approach that a ministry takes to counseling and life transformation. Because of this, students enrolling in this course will need to be able to identify a ministry to work with for your assignments. Students have two options in selecting a Christian Organization for the Final Project:
- Option 1. If you work for a Christian organization that provides counseling and life transformation programs, you can use your current organization.
- Option 2. Imagine that you work for a Christian counseling organization or ministry. If at all possible, you should select an organization or ministry where you could interview them.
Course Outcomes
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Evaluate a ministry’s core theology and worldview distinctives.
- Write how a ministry’s theological anthropology influences its understanding of causes of and potential solutions to client problems.
- Develop an approach to determining truth and evidence-based practice uniquely aligned with a ministry’s values.
- Develop detailed plans to integrate Christian concepts and practices into counseling and programs including: sin, confession, forgiveness, spiritual formation, spiritual disciplines and other spiritual interventions.
- Articulate a ministry’s unique approach to life transformation and translate that into specific programmatic and community elements.
- Develop a comprehensive program staff training manual explaining the unique approach that a ministry takes to counseling and life transformation.
Syllabus
Course Materials & Tuition
| Entwistle, D. N. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN: 9781498223485. Johnson, E. L., & Myers, D. G. (2009). Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Tyndale House Publishers. Hedlund, C. W. (2017). More than a Homeless Shelter: A Perspective on Residential Rescue Ministry Programming. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. | $9.99 $18.99 $9.99 |
| Tuition | $800.00 |
| Total Cost of Course | $838.97 |