Calvary University believes and maintains that the revelation contained in the Scriptures concerning God, man, and man’s problems and their solution is the only adequate foundation on which to build a counseling model.
The Biblical Counseling Department teaches and practices counseling approaches and methods from a Biblical worldview regarding human growth and development, behavioral changes, marriage and family, crisis intervention, human trafficking, substance abuse, and problem-solving in counseling.
The Biblical Counseling Department does not just simply integrate models and theories into each of our courses, but we undergird each course with the very foundation of sacred Scripture. Every single course in our department is geared to reinforce and challenge our students to counsel from a Biblical worldview…all to the glory of God.
Biblical Counseling Department Objectives
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To enable the student to articulate a biblical philosophy of counseling.
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To challenge the student to demonstrate Christian character qualities necessary for a Biblical counseling ministry.
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To provide the student with a basic knowledge of the counseling process.
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To assist the student in identifying people problems.
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To help the student develop communication skills needed for counseling one-on-one and in small group situations.
Required Courses
All Biblical Counseling Majors must take the following courses:
- CO244 Introduction To Biblical Counseling
- CO245 History of Psychological Systems
- CO246 Theological Foundations of Biblical Counseling
- CO331 Group Counseling Practicum
- CO345 Marriage and Family
- SS249 Conflict Resolution
- SS324 Human Growth and Development
- RP343 Ethics and Biblical Counseling
- CO449 Senior Counseling Project
- Senior Counseling Internship
Biblical Counseling Electives
Biblical counseling majors also choose from the following electives in their Biblical Counseling program:
- CO247 Counseling Cross-Culturally (J-Term)
- CO338 Counseling Children
- CO342 Developing A Biblical Counseling Center
- CO411 Transformation and Restoration
- CO432 Crisis Counseling
- CO438 Substance Abuse
- CO340 Counseling Youth
- CO346 Counseling Depression
- CO436 Death, Dying, and Grief Counseling
- CO326 Counseling Addictions
- CO347 Counseling The Non-Traditional Family
- CO351 Introduction To Human Trafficking
- CO446 Counseling Topics
- CO327 Life Dominating Sexual Sins
- CO340 Counseling Youth
- CO348 Counseling Troubling Emotions
- CO352 Human Trafficking Intervention
Biblical Counseling Concentrations
Biblical counseling majors may also choose to focus their studies on one of these concentrations:
- Addictions
- CO326 Counseling Addictions
- CO327 Life Dominating Sexual Sins
- CO438 Substance Abuse
- Human Trafficking
- CO351 Introduction To Human Trafficking
- CO352 Human Trafficking Intervention
- CO411 Transformation and Restoration
- Marriage and Family
- CO338 Counseling Children
- CO345 Marriage and Family Counseling
- CO347 Counseling The Non-Traditional Family
Dr. Luther Smith
Undergraduate Biblical Counseling Department Program Director, Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling
B.A. Ashford University, 2008
M.A.C.P (Masters of Arts Clinical Psychology); M.R.S. (Master’s Religious Studies) Southern California Seminary, 2012
Psy. D (Doctorate of Psychology). Southern California Seminary, 2017
“The Scriptures are extremely important to all of the students and faculty here, and it is seen in the day-to-day interactions with one another here on campus.”
Dr. Ken Tibberts
Adjunct Biblical Counseling Professor
B.A. (Intercultural Ministries) New Tribes Institute, 1985
M.A. (Biblical Counseling) Trinity Theological Seminary, 2014
D.B.S. (Doctor of Biblical Studies), Master’s International University of Divinity, 2017
Member of the International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC)
“I believe that the authority of God’s word must be the foundation for counseling the principles and practice of counseling must be firmly rooted in the Scriptures.”
Bill Gibbs
Adjunct Biblical Counseling Professor
B.A., University of Missouri, Kansas City, 1990
M.S. (Biblical Counseling), Calvary Theological Seminary, 1997
“I teach a Biblical Perspective of Depression, a Biblical perspective of Addiction, Crisis Counseling, and Death, Dying, and Grief. All of these courses find their definition and resolution in the sufficiency of Scripture.”
Barbara Bridges
Adjunct Biblical Counseling Professor
B.A., University of Kansas, 1975
M.S. (Biblical Counseling), Calvary Theological Seminary, 2000.
“I have seen and am convinced of the life and heart change that occurs in the counseling office when the counselee is given directive counseling from Scripture.”