Program Director
Welcome to the MA in Biblical Counseling!
Biblical Counseling is practical theology, personally applied. Making gospel truth practical in the life of a struggling fellow-believer who is facing challenging life circumstances is the essence of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Therefore counseling is not just one of church’s ministries. It is an inseparable part of its mission.
All Christians are called to counsel one another (Rom. 15:14), but pastors have a special responsibility for the care of souls (Heb. 13:17).
That’s the reason our primary focus is on training pastors, elders, deacons, and other Christian leaders, those who have basic theological education and ministry experience. Pastors are called to counsel their own hearts (1 Tim. 4:16) and to equip their members, bringing them to maturity in Christ (Eph. 4:11-13; Col. 1:28).
In understanding our own hearts, those passions that motivate our behaviors (James 4:1-3), we rely completely on the absolute and sufficient authority of the Bible (2 Peter 1:3). No other instrument can penetrate so deeply into a man’s soul, as can the Word of its Creator (Heb. 4:12).
We joyfully look forward to seeing you in our program!
Andriy Murzin, Director of MA in Biblical Counseling
About Program
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling degree program at Kyiv Theological Seminary is to train pastors and Christian leaders to skillfully use the Word of God in personal discipleship (1 Tim. 4:16; Heb. 4:12). Students learn to keep close watch of their own hearts (Mt. 7:5), leading them to God (Mt. 22:37-38), to provide appropriate biblical counsel individually (1 Thess. 5:14), and to train others to do the same (2 Tim. 2:2).
Vision Statement:
The vision of the MABC program is to see godly Christian leaders provide heart-focused soul-care at local churches, apply the knowledge and skills gained in the program to open local church-based centers of biblical counseling in Ukraine and abroad, and assist in the initial creation and continuing development of national biblical counseling training and certifying organizations.
Course of Study:
The program is designed for busy ministers, so a student will have to attend KTS only twice a year, in the fall and in the spring. Every session consists of two courses and is taught for two weeks at the KTS facility. Students will do pre-session assignments, communicating with teachers and classmates through Internet. Post-session assignments will include practicum (practical Biblical Counseling experience). Practical assignments will introduce students to typical Biblical Counseling situations, which they will face in ministry. This will help them to relate theoretical knowledge to practical ministry.
Goals:
- Strengthen in students the conviction that the Bible is sufficient for the ministry of counseling (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
- Teach students the biblical principles of understanding people, their motives, problems and solutions (Prov. 20:5; Mark 7:21-23; James 4:1; Heb. 4:12).
- Train students to minister effectively to people who suffer (Job 6:14; 2 Cor. 1:3-4).
- Teach students to understand and respond biblically to humanistic systems of psychological therapy (Col. 2:8).
- Equip students to know and interact with current biblical counseling issues and trends.
Core Values:
- All ministry activities are under the authority of God's Word (Col. 2:2-10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
- We value the priesthood and ministry responsibility of every believer as illustrated in the “one anothers” of the Scriptures (Rom. 15:14).
- Salvation from sin process (sanctification) requires personal discipleship, which focuses on a person’s heart before God (Deut. 6:4-5; Prov. 4:23; 1 Tim. 4:16).
- A local church is the primary place where personal discipleship should take place (Eph. 4:11-16).
Curriculum
The curriculum of the Biblical Counseling degree is composed of counseling philosophy and training courses (built upon prerequisite biblical and theological courses) and is designed to produce compassionate and skilled people helpers. The classroom instruction is strengthened by practical ministry assignments.
Courses:
BC 501 Introduction to Biblical Counseling
BC 502 Dynamics of Biblical Change
ВС 503 Process of Biblical Counseling
BE 504 History and Analysis of Ministry Systems
BC 505 Marriage & Family Counseling
BC 506 Counseling in the Local Church
BC 507 Hermeneutics for Biblical Counselors
BC 508 Research Methods for MABC
BC 602 Biblical Counseling and Medical Issues
BC 603 Connon Issues in Biblical Counseling
BC 604 Biblical Counseling and Theology
ВС 606 Counseling Practicum