About MABC 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:

  1. 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).
  2. 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).
  3. Train students to minister effectively to people who suffer (Job 6:14; 2 Cor. 1:3-4).
  4. Teach students to understand and respond biblically to humanistic systems of psychological therapy (Col. 2:8).
  5. Equip students to know and interact with current biblical counseling issues and trends.

Core Values:

  1. All ministry activities are under the authority of God's Word (Col. 2:2-10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
  2. We value the priesthood and ministry responsibility of every believer as illustrated in the “one anothers” of the Scriptures (Rom. 15:14).
  3. 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). 
  4. A local church is the primary place where personal discipleship should take place (Eph. 4:11-16).