Pain can prepare you for ministry—even when some of that pain is self-inflicted.
When I was a kid, one of my favorite baseball players was Jim Abbott. His career statistics alone do not explain why he mattered to me. What set him apart from every other Major League Baseball player was this: he pitched with one hand.
In 2025, ESPN released Southpaw: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott. The film brought me to tears. It tells the stories of children who were inspired to persevere because Abbott showed them that a challenge did not have to define their lives.
That is an important lesson for those of us in the church.
Do you let your past define you?
You should not. Consider how Paul describes the stark contrast between our former lives and our restored life in Christ:
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
—1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV
Your Past Does Not Disqualify You
Here is something many people do not realize: almost every good biblical counselor I know has a painful past.
When I think about our staff at BCC, I think of counselors who have lived through abusive marriages, divorce, addiction, and seasons of pride and self-righteousness. Some are former church leaders who were unjustly fired. Others endured significant seasons of marital difficulty.
Some of our counselors experienced sexual abuse. Some have walked through major health challenges. Several are widows who have grieved the death of a spouse. Others have lost a child, adopted children, or parented a child with special needs.
The point is not that pain automatically makes someone ready to counsel. The point is that pain does not have to disqualify us from ministry. In God’s hands, even self-inflicted pain can become part of how he prepares us to serve others.
Training Helps You Steward Your Story
“I’m not mature enough. I’m not professional enough.”
That is what many people think, and it keeps them on the sidelines.
Our training is not designed to turn you into a professional counselor. It is designed to help you live out the transformation Paul described: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified.”
If you long for God to use you and your story in greater ways, a plan for caring conversations—and biblically grounded resources to place in people’s hands—can increase your impact.
Many of our counselors began as volunteers in their local churches. They received training, practiced what they learned, and grew in their ability to care for people. Many went on to earn our Lay Counseling Certificate.
Training cannot replace your story, but it can help you steward it well. You can invite people into what God has taught you while gaining the skills and resources to guide them through their own struggles. It is a sacred privilege to help bear another person’s burdens. It is part of what God has called us to do as we love him and love others.
Why We Are a Training Center
Why do we put so much effort into being a training center, not only a counseling center?
Because we know the power of an overcomer’s story—and “such were some of you” as well.
Throughout the year, people join our training programs because they want to make a greater impact in their churches, families, and communities. Perhaps this is the year for you to take that step.
Ready to grow in your ability to impact others? Visit our brand-new BCC Cares website to explore the Lay Counseling Certificate Program, more than 20 training courses, and hundreds of practical tools and resources. Everything is designed for ordinary Christians who have been restored and want to share their stories to help others.
