Steps to Counselor

Evangelism Counselor
Diagnose faith, hope, and love, and if the person is not saved, stimulate thirst for living water, and bring the person to faith in Christ. This stage can be compared to the maternity ward in the hospital because this is where spiritual life begins. Before anything else can happen, the person must be born again.
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Fill out the spiritual diagnosis form and go over it with an evangelism counselor
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
•	Listen to (or read) and take notes or highlight the following sermons:
•	“Judgment Day Surprise” (5/22/11)
•	“House of Cards” (5/29/11)
•	“Worst Excuses Ever Parable” (8/25/13)
•	“Reaching the Righteous” (10/27/13)
•	“Reaching the Ravenous” (11/10/13)
•	Complete the Reaching the Ravenous workshop (from the “Counseling Training” series)
□	Write a 300 to 700 word presentation of the gospel
□	Observe at least 3 sessions of another Evangelism Counselor
□	Begin counseling with an Evangelism Counselor observing, until the counselor is confident in your readiness to counsel alone. 

Wisdom Counselor
Offer advice to those who are faced with a difficult decision and are trying to discern God’s guidance.
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
□	Knowing God’s Will (IBCD)
•	Read Job, Psalm 1, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and James
•	Listen to (or read) and take notes or highlight Making Wise Decisions series (12 parts)
•	Read a biblical counseling book on Pre-Engagement 

Financial Counselor
Assist people in principles of stewardship, spending, budgeting, giving, etc.

Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group

Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
□	IBCD lecture “Solving Marriage Problems: Finances” 
•	Watch the Budget Seminar (2/19/2011) (http://foodforyoursoul.net/ffys_v2/?page_id=37&y=2011&m=02)
•	Listen to part 6 of the series “Making Wise Decisions” titled Money (http://foodforyoursoul.net/ffys_v2/?page_id=37&series=65) 
•	Read either Money and Marriage God's Way by Howard Dayton or your choice of one book from the Biblical Counseling Coalition book list: “13 Top Resources on Finances” http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/books/lists/13-top-resources-on-finances 
•	Observe at least 3 sessions of another Financial Counselor
•	Begin counseling with a Financial Counselor observing, until the counselor is confident in your readiness to counsel alone. 

Relationships Counselor
Help counselees with marriage and family problems, Conflict Resolution, Pre-Marital Counseling, 2nd Marriages, Blended Families, Singleness, and other relationship problems.
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the spiritual diagnosis form and go over it with an evangelism counselor
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
•	Listen to/read and take notes on the Building a Joyful Marriage series and the 2013 Marriage Builder.
•	Read Forgiveness and Reconciliation by Darrell Ferguson
•	Read The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
•	Complete the following lectures
•	What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical? (ACBC) or What is Biblical Counseling parts 1-3 (IBCD)
•	The Doctrine of Spiritual Growth (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Parts 1&2 (IBCD)
•	Husbands and Wives Play Your Position (ACBC) 
•	Peacemaking Parts 1-3 (IBCD)
•	Anger/Abuse (IBCD)
•	Read Wise Counsel or watch the Biblical Counseling class (taking notes or highlighting) 
•	Read Between the Sheets by Kevin Leman
•	Listen to the ACBC session “Biblical Parenting for the 21st Century” or watch the Agape parenting panel.
•	Observe at least 3 sessions of another Relationships Counselor
•	Begin counseling with a Relationships Counselor observing, until the counselor is confident in your readiness to counsel alone. 

Emotions/Behavioral Counselor
Help people overcome problems such as Anger, Anxiety, Grief, Loneliness, Discouragement/Depression, Mood Medications, Rebellion, Social Problems, Immature Behavior, Enslaving Sin/Habits, Food, Body, and other Obsessions, Sexual Sin/Behavior, Bizarre Behavior, Insanity, Wrong Desires/Lack of Good Desires, and Lack of Self-Control
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the spiritual diagnosis form and go over it with an evangelism counselor
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
•	Complete the following ACBC sessions (with worksheets):
•	What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical? (ACBC) or What is Biblical Counseling parts 1-3 (IBCD)
•	The Doctrine of Spiritual Growth (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 1 (IBCD)
•	How to Grow and Change (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 2 (IBCD)
•	Counseling People with Physical Illness (ACBC) or Cognitive-Perceptual Disorders and Biblical Counseling (IBCD) 
•	Forgiveness (SCBC or Peacemaking Part 2 (IBCD)
•	Trials and Suffering (ACBC) or God’s Grace in Trials (IBCD)
•	Depression (ACBC) or Depression (IBCD)
•	Worry and Fear: The Accepted Sin (ACBC) and Guilt and Repentance (ACBC) or Worry/Anxiety (IBCD) and Fear (IBCD)
•	Counseling People Committing Sexual Sin (ACBC) or From Idol to Blessing Parts 1-2 (IBCD) or Temptation Parts 1-2 (IBCD)
•	Counseling People Who Are on Psychological Drugs (ACBC) or Psychotropic Drugs and Biblical Counseling (IBCD) 
•	A Biblical View of Anger (ACBC) or Anger/Abuse (IBCD)
•	Read Wise Counsel or watch the Biblical Counseling class (taking notes or highlighting) 
•	Observe at least 3 sessions of another Emotions/Behavioral Counselor
•	Begin counseling with an Emotions/Behavioral Counselor observing, until the counselor is confident in your readiness to counsel alone. 

Enslaving Sins Counselor
Help people overcome enslaving sins such as Drug/Alcohol Abuse, Pornography, Gambling, Eating Disorders, and other Addictions/Enslaving Habits 
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the spiritual diagnosis form and go over it with an evangelism counselor
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
•	Complete the following ACBC sessions (with worksheets):
•	What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical? (ACBC) or What is Biblical Counseling parts 1-3 (IBCD)
•	The Doctrine of Spiritual Growth (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 1 (IBCD)
•	How to Grow and Change (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 2 (IBCD)
•	Temptation Part 1 (IBCD)
•	Counseling People Committing Sexual Sin (ACBC) or Temptation Par 2 (IBCD)

•	Read Wise Counsel or watch the Biblical Counseling class (taking notes or highlighting) 
•	Listen to Escaping Enslaving Sins
•	Read The Heart of Addiction by Mike Shaw
•	Observe at least 3 sessions of another Enslaving Sins Counselor
•	Begin counseling with an Enslaving Sins Counselor observing, until the counselor is confident in your readiness to counsel alone. 

Discipleship Counselor
New Believers – teaching them the basics of how to live the Christian life
Counselees - Helping people who have received counseling make permanent the changes they made in their counseling sessions
Others – Providing accountability, encouragement, and instruction to anyone desiring one-on-one help in general spiritual growth
Make sure they are on a good track with the spiritual disciplines and means of grace, then begin taking them through the counselor training.
Getting Acquainted 
□	Read the Agape Distinctives
□	Share your testimony with a pastor and complete the Agape 101 Class
□	Fill out the spiritual diagnosis form and go over it with an evangelism counselor
□	Fill out the Basic & Deacon Doctrine Survey 
□	Participate faithfully in a prayer group
Equipping
□	Listen to the Loving God series and keep some journal notes for each one that contains the highlights of the class for future reference in your ministry.
•	Complete the following ACBC sessions (with worksheets):
•	The Doctrine of Spiritual Growth (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 1 (IBCD)
•	How to Grow and Change (ACBC) or How Do People Change? Part 2 (IBCD)
•	Guilt and Repentance or Temptation Parts 1-2 (IBCD)
•	Listen to The Basics of the Christian Life series.
•	Become familiar with the various resources recommended by Agape for discipleship