Training in Biblical Counseling: Capital Bible Seminary’s MACCD
Note: This interview was originally posted at the Biblical Counseling Coalition’s Weekend Interview Series. You can also read it there at Capital Bible Seminary’s MACCD.
Capital Bible Seminary’s MACCD
As part of our BCC vision, we want to point you to the best of the best in robust, relational biblical counseling. Each week we’re posting (and then making available as an ongoing resource) interviews with churches, para-church groups, educational institutions, and individuals committed to biblical counseling.
This week we highlight the MA in Christian Counseling and Discipleship Department (MACCD) at Capital Bible Seminary (CBS) in Lanham, MD. To learn more about their counseling program, we interviewed their Founding Chairman and current Professor of Counseling and Discipleship, Dr. Bob Kellemen.
BCC: “Bob, please tell our readers about your program’s mission and vision. What makes your degree program(s) unique?”
CBS: “Our vision is to equip Christ-like disciple-makers for relational ministry to the Body of Christ by emphasizing godly character, biblical content, ministry competence, and Christian community focused on Christ-centered, church-based, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed biblical counseling that changes lives with Christ’s changeless truth. Along with our focus on comprehensive equipping another unique aspect of all our programs are our labs. In our labs we not only learn counseling competencies, but we focus directly on character development. We believe that you learn to be a biblical counselor by giving and receiving biblical counseling. Our labs are not simply “role play oriented.” As one of our professors says, “Our labs are real and raw. We connect deeply with one another as we relate truth to our lives.”
BCC: “What is your program’s succinct definition of biblical counseling?”
CBS: “Christ-centered, church-based, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed biblical counseling depends upon the Holy Spirit to relate God’s Word to suffering and sin by speaking and living God’s truth in love to equip people to love God and one another (Matthew 22:35-40). It cultivates conformity to Christ and communion with Christ and the Body of Christ leading to a community of one-another disciple-makers (Matthew 28:18-20).”
BCC: “Bob, please tell our readers about the degree(s) you offer in counseling.”
CBS: “The primary degree that we offer is the MA in Christian Counseling and Discipleship (MACCD). When we founded the program, we wanted to emphasize our focus on discipleship—we want our graduates not only to be equipped to do the work of the ministry, but to equip others also. Within our MA degree, we have two main concentrations: Church and Para-Church and Youth and Family. We also offer an M.Div. with a concentration in Christian Counseling and Discipleship, along with a Th.M. in Christian Counseling and Discipleship. Some of our students who complete our foundational 60 semester hour MACCD choose to take an additional 30 semester hours in our Licensure concentration.”
BCC: “How many courses are required? What are the names of some of your core biblical counseling courses?”
CBS: “Our MACCD curriculum involves 20 courses covering approximately 60 semester hours. Ten of our courses are foundational Bible, theology, and hermeneutic courses. The other ten courses are core biblical counseling courses such as Discipleship Counseling I, Discipleship Counseling II (Lab), Marriage and Family I, Marriage and Family II (Lab), Equipping Counselors, Small Group Ministry, and more.”
BCC: “Who is your target audience or ideal student? Are your programs primarily for senior pastors, associate pastors, lay people, biblical counselors, all, others?”
CBS: “Each concentration is somewhat different. Our M.Div. concentration is primarily for Sr. Pastors. Our Th.M. concentration is primarily for Sr. Pastors and for those who sense a call to the teaching ministry. Our MACCD Church/Para-Church is for Sr. Pastors, Association Pastors, Women’s Ministry Directors, and lay leaders. Our MACCD Youth/Family concentration is primarily for those who want to go into Youth Ministry or have a focus on Family Ministry.”
BCC: “How do you envision your graduates using their degrees? In what types of ministries are your graduates already serving?”
CBS: “Our primary focus is on equipping equippers for church and para-church ministry. Our graduates are serving in a multitude of settings. Pastor Dwayne Bond is one example. Pastor Bond used his training at CBS in the MACCD to plant a church in Charlotte, NC where he now serves as Sr. Pastor. Sister Ellen Barney is another example. Sister Ellen is the “First Lady” (Sr. Pastor’s wife) at a predominantly African American congregation outside of Baltimore, MD: New Antioch Baptist Church of Randallstown. She has equipped over 1,000 women as biblical counselors and small group leaders in her Lay Encouragers And Disciplers (LEAD) ministry.”
BCC: “What model(s) of instruction do you use?”
CBS: “We offer the traditional model of one class per week over a fifteen to sixteen week semester. We also offer modular classes where a student can take a full class in one week. Many of our students choose a blended model with some of their classes in the traditional model and others in the modular format. We have beta-tested online courses, but have not yet moved aggressively in that area.”
BCC: “Is your program accredited, and if so, by which agencies?”
CBS: “Yes, our program is accredited by ATS (Association of Theological Seminaries), by MHEC (Maryland Higher Education Commission), and by Middle States.”
BCC: “Share a little bit about your director/chair and about your faculty.”
CBS: “Professor David Swan is our Acting Chair. Professor Swan has his MABS and his MACCD from Capital Bible Seminary. Like all of our professors, you can find Professor Swan teaching any of our ten core biblical counseling classes. Professor Chris Boucher has his M.Div. and his MACCD from Capital Bible Seminary. Professor Doug McCraken has his MACCD from Capital, as does Professor Mel Pride (who is now completing his Ph.D.) and Professor Dwayne Bond (who is also completing his Ph.D.). Dr. Bob Kellemen has his Th.M. from Grace Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Kent State University. We also have numerous Adjunct Professors and Mentors. All of our professors are active in their local churches in counseling and equipping the Body of Christ.”
BCC: “How can people contact you?”
CBS: “People can connect with us through Capital Bible Seminary, 6511, Princess Garden Parkway, Lanham, MD 20706, 301-552-1400, http://bible.edu.”
BCC: “Thank you, Bob, for helping our readers to learn more about the ministry of Capital Bible Seminary and the MACCD department.”
