LAUNCH helps your church start a counseling ministry, and it begins with a Kick-Off weekend.
What does a LAUNCH Kick-off weekend look like?
I am just returning from a LAUNCH weekend in New York state and thought you might like to “see” it in action.
A while back Calvary Baptist Church in Riverhead, NY, located on the north shore of Long Island, got in touch with Biblical Counseling Center. The leadership desired to learn biblical counseling.
We had several phone conversations so that the church leadership knew the value LAUNCH delivers. As we understood Calvary’s goals, we customized it to suit them. They decided to launch a counseling ministry with our help. Calvary is a church of 125 people.
This is one great thing about LAUNCH: its flexibility combined with strong planning.
LAUNCH: Kickoff Weekend in Riverhead, NY
PLAN — On a Friday afternoon or evening, the BCC team spends time with key leaders (or the pastor) regarding the plan for a counseling ministry. We help you assess your strengths, weakness and develop a plan to grow your church in biblical counseling.
What it looked like this past weekend: Calvary Baptist Church had identified point leader, a local missionary with a Christian organization. His goal is to equip a full team of people to care for the flock and reach out to their community.
We had a working dinner Friday night to learn more about the church and the vision that God has laid on his heart. LAUNCH is designed to equip and empower lay leaders for effective ministry.
LAUNCH: Training
PLAN — On Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, the BCC team presents Introduction to Biblical Counseling Seminar.
What it looked like this past weekend: At Calvary 56 people from three or four churches were seeking to learn and grow in biblical counseling. For some attendees, this was the first exposure to about biblical counseling; they received the training
well. The goal is to find those who would want to join a biblical counseling training program that BCC is helping Calvary to facilitate.
LAUNCH: Step-by-Step Guide
PLAN — On Saturday afternoon, the BCC team talk through our LAUNCH: Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Counseling Ministry Resource and has a higher level discussion with the designate key players who will be driving the biblical counseling ministry formation.
This conversational seminar with church leaders helps ensure that they are on the same page in the planning process. They receive assignments and helpful tools in the execution of the counseling ministry.
What it looked like this past weekend: At Calvary on Saturday afternoon, seven elders and their wives met around a conference table to work together through the Step-by-Step Guide. The conversation let leaders ask any question. The goal was to make sure everyone was on the same team. It was a unifying time, and elders commented they found it clarifying and helpful. I answered questions until about 5 p.m.
LAUNCH: Whole Church Exposure
PLAN — On Sunday Morning in Adult Sunday School or a Sunday service, a BCC instructor teaches on a key topical issue (such as forgiveness, marriage communication, etc.) or preaches for your weekend services.
What it looked like this past weekend: At Calvary in adult Sunday School, we unpacked the importance of forgiveness that mirrors God’s pattern of forgiveness with us. We even had the teens in the Sunday school class with us!
In the morning service, we examined the importance of wise friendships and challenged the congregation to be a place where wise friendships are found, kept and thrive.
In the following months, about 20 people from the church are going to embark on training using our online school. One group will take Foundations of Biblical Counseling another group will be working on more advanced training since they have already completed Foundations previously. BCC will come back for a similar weekend in the middle of the year and towards the summertime to encourage and check in with leaders.
Why LAUNCH Works This Way
Why do we structure our LAUNCH Training this way? We at BCC have learned that Counseling Ministries don’t ever get off the ground for several reasons:
- The leadership is not the same page. Most biblical counseling training doesn’t coach the leaders on the next steps. The time with high level leaders is crucial as you get to learn
from a center who has been helping churches for 27 years. We want your leaders to ask about the elephant in the room and get answers that unify your team.
- The training process stalls out. Spacing our visits over the course of a year and helping your setup a training process using online, video and small group resources provides touch-points to keep momemtum going when they may otherwise stall out.
- Point leaders don’t have the support they need to overcome obstacles. Most churches and pastors haven’t ever developed this type of ministry before. We desire to help you learn and execute best practices. The personal consultation built into LAUNCH is crucial and valuable. We come to serve you on these weekends.
As a result we’ve designed LAUNCH to overcome obstacles and to provide a comprehensive plan that creates success.
If you desire to learn more about LAUNCH, email us at info (at) biblicalcounselingcenter.org or contact us here.
