Christian Counseling
Capstone Excelsior University, LLC {C.E.U.}
Christian Education - Seminary, College, and Institution.
-Associate's of Christian Counseling
-Bachelor's of Christian Counseling
-Master's of Pastoral Care and Counseling
-Master's of Christian Counseling
-Doctor of Christian Counseling
**Special Doctorate Degree Program:
Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Christian Counseling
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NCCA Certified Institution -Christian Counseling Program |
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College of Christian Counseling Curriculum
NCCA, Association
NCCA Counseling Curriculum Information
The Lighthouse Academy for Christian Counseling and Seminary (LACC) is proud to be affiliated with the National Christian Counselor's Association (NCCA). LACC is a Certified Institution for the National Christian Counselor's Association. This Association is an educational and training organization for Christian counselors and includes ministers, professional Christian counselors, church leadership, testing specialists, medical doctors, attorneys, and educators. The staff of LACC and the NCCA has committed themselves to Jesus Christ and believe that counseling is vain, unless it is founded upon, and directed by, the Word of God.
As a licensure candidate, you will learn an exciting counseling model developed by NCCA's founders, Drs. Richard and Phyllis Arno. Currently, this model is being used by thousands of lay counselors, professional Christian counselors, pastors, and Christian leaders throughout the United States and in nine foreign countries. This is an easy to learn, step-by-step counseling technique that is over 90% successful. The Arnos developed this model over a period of seven years. It is the result of systematic research involving over 5,000 counselees.
Our main purpose is to provide quality training for pastors and mature Christians who believe God called them to the ministry of Christian counseling and make available credentials that the community (Christian and non-Christian) will recognize. LACC has established Ministerial Studies offering a course in Ministerial Training with Catechism Examination for Licensure for students who need credentials and covering under the organizational Lighthouse Christian Counseling and Outreach Center, Inc. (LCCOC).
Benefits to Students:
-Students will receive a Certificate of Completion and may participate in the semi-annual commencement exercise-
-Students will receive an 81/2 x11 Ministerial License
-Students will receive a wallet size Ministerial License {renewed annually with LCOCC}
-Students will be prepared to perform basic ministerial services.
-Students are exempt from the Catechism Examination if a degree is successfully earned at C.E.U. Students will receive non-advanced credentials, because students are exempt from catechism testing from earning a theological degree.
Program Description- Offered By LCCOC-LACC:
This course will educate, train, prepare, equip, enhance, and impart to students who have a call and commission to ministry and is seeking credentials as an ordained or non-ordained license through the Credentialing Board of Directors of the Lighthouse Christian Counseling and Outreach Center, Inc.- (LCCOC) founded February 1, 2001. Ministers who complete this course will have a comprehensive knowledge base on the general "Ministerial Services," in which are needed and demanded in ministry today.
Specific Entrance Requirements
-A call to ministry/ecclesiastical endorsement
-Must be commissioned by God
-Must be endorsed by a church/organization
-Qualified spiritually, morally, intellectually, and emotionally to serve
-Must be an adult - 18 years an older
As with our Biblical Studies and Ministry programs, costs and requirements are identified upfront, and you pay for your courses and fees as you go through the program.
Upon completion of degree requirements, you will receive your degree in Clinical Christian/Pastoral Counseling from LACC and you can be licensed by the NCCA, the world's largest Christian licensing association.
Who Can Benefit from LCCOC AND NCCA Training?
The training adjusts to meet the needs of Christians with different goals including:
- Christians who want to be better equipped to minister to those who need counsel or are hurting (emotionally).
- Pastors who want to learn how to counsel members of their community who are experiencing problems (marriage, depression, anger, crisis, or spiritually, etc.)
- Christians who want to be credentialed and enter the field of counseling as a part-time or full-time ministry.
- Professional counselors who want to become APS (Arno Profile System) certified and learn a Biblical-based counseling model with proven success.
- General Benefit- will educate, train, prepare, equip, enhance and impart to those who have a call and commission to ministry for the advancement and up-building of God Kingdom
Advantages of the Arno Profile System
As a candidate, you will learn the Arno Profile System (APS) counseling model. APS is an easy-to-learn counseling technique used by thousands of lay counselors, professional counselors, and pastors throughout the United States and in nine foreign countries.
The Christian counselor administers a questionnaire, which takes fewer than ten minutes for the counselee to complete. The questionnaire measures the counselee's needs, natural traits, strengths, and weaknesses according to temperament. These are identified in the computerized Arno Profile System report, providing the counselor with in-depth information and the best way to counsel the individual. The system enables a qualified counselor to identify the counselee's temperament problem faster and more accurately.
NCCA Credentials Help You
Personally and Professionally
Potential counselors often ask about the benefits of the training and obtaining certification or licensure. Of course, the main benefit is knowledge. The training you receive provides a deep spiritual insight into understanding human behavior and relating to others. This knowledge is valuable in every area of life, including your ability to help those who are hurting.
In addition, the certification or license can open many doors. For example, once you successfully complete the program, you may elect to apply for ministerial credentials through the National Conservative Christian Church and qualify to open your counseling ministry in your community under the authority of this national church organization.
Having credentials ensures that you are recognized within your community as a qualified Christian/Pastoral counselor. The community can be assured that your credentials are authentic and current because you will be under the discipline of professional review boards that are organized on the national and state levels by the NCCA.
Other benefits available to NCCA members include qualifying for professional liability insurance, networking with other counselors, and the opportunity to earn continuing education credits at seminars and conferences.
Christian Certification/Licensing
Each individual must decide if he or she wants to be an agent of the state or a servant of the Church (Body of Christ). If you have a divine call on your life to counsel and minister to the hurting, then a state license may inhibit such ministry.
The NCCA Licensing Program is not a state license and is, in fact, distinctly different. Most states have regulatory laws governing the practice of psychology. Many of them also legislate the practice of general counseling. The laws vary from state to state. For example, some states have a counselor category called "Licensed Professional Counselor." Therefore, the NCCA requires its counselors to clearly identify their license, e.g., "NCCA Licensed Pastor Counselor" or "NCCA Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor." This ensures that the NCCA counselor is operating within legal and ethical standards, and maintaining the public's trust and confidence.
State regulatory laws help to protect the public, and ensure professionalism within the counseling profession. The NCCA strives to attain a similar goal within the Christian community and, at the same time, operate so as to avoid infringing upon state regulations.
The state and federal governments also have jurisdictional boundaries. They cannot pass laws that prevent the Church from fulfilling its purpose and ministering to humanity's needs. The state recognizes that counseling is one of the responsibilities of the Church and its clergy. For this reason, the state does not and must not interfere with the Ministry of Counseling.
The major difference between state-licensed professional counselors and Pastoral or Christian counselors, who are licensed by the NCCA and under the authority of the Church (Body of Christ), are clear and well-defined. Counselors who have been licensed by the state and are held to strict ethical standards which mandate an individual's right to be free from religious influence. The state licensed professional counselor is forbidden to pray, read, or refer to the Holy Scriptures, counsel against things such as homosexuality, abortion, etc. Initiating such counsel would be considered unethical by the state. The only time a state licensed counselor can involve religious (Christian) principles, morals, activities, instruction, etc., is if the counselee initiates or requests counsel in this area. The state-licensed counselor may not have the education, experience, and knowledge of Scripture that the NCCA provides.
Opposite from that, pastoral counselors are required to pray, share their faith, read the Holy Scriptures, etc. The fact that pastoral and Christian counselors do these things creates a clear distinction. We are two distinct professions and govern ourselves accordingly.
As you can readily see, the state governs secular counselors and the Church is responsible to set standards and govern ministers who have devoted their lives to the ministry and to pastoral counseling.
None of this is to say that the Christian counselor, minister, or priest is not permitted to request fees and receive remuneration for the services they render, as long as they remain adherent to the state laws governing such procedures.
The NCCA requires all who are certified or licensed by its Licensing Board of Examiners to:
- Be credentialed ministers (ordained, licensed or commissioned) whose goal is to evangelize and ease the emotional pain and suffering of humanity.
- Provide their service under the authority of a legally organized local church, a national church organization or a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit ministry.
- Complete specialized training provided by LCCOC and NCCA.
- Complete the minimum requirements for continuing education and license renewal.
- Uphold NCCA's Code of Ethical Standards.
NCCA's published "Code of Ethical Standards" outlines all of the procedures involved in dismissal, revocation, probation, and reinstatement of in individual's membership, certification and/or license.
Explanation of Ministerial Credentials and Clergy
Are you "called" by God to counsel and want to be licensed?
Many individuals who inquire about NCCA's licensing program are ordained ministers. These individuals can complete the requirements and be licensed as a Licensed Pastoral Counselor or as a Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor. They can counsel anywhere in America and accept remuneration for this service (in accordance with state and local guidelines) without being affiliated with any state agency, i.e., without being state licensed. This is because the laws governing counseling in all states exempt "Clergy" from submitting to its (the state's) authority. The First Amendment of our Constitution requires such exemption: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof:…"
What about the others - those individuals who are not ordained ministers or pastors? The call to counsel is just as real for them. They do not want to be state licensed and most certainly do not want to relinquish their right to represent Jesus Christ in their counseling ministry. They just want to answer and fulfill God's call on their lives.
Indeed, some are called to the high office of the pastorate. These persons should be ordained (set aside) by a church or a denomination and approved to perform all the duties of the pastorate, including the dispensation of the sacraments (giving Holy Communion and Baptizing).
The Ministry of Counseling is a valid ministry, which is instituted by God. The call into this ministry is an awesome call, which cannot be easily ignored.
Perhaps you are not called to pastor a church or to give Holy Communion or Baptize. However, if you are called by God into the Ministry of Counseling, we can help you. You do not have to be ordained; you can qualify to be commissioned as a Commissioned Minister of Counseling. This will meet state requirements so you can legally counsel and accept remuneration because you will be recognized by your state as Clergy. And, it will open the doors for you to accept God's call on your life.
