Why a New Coalition of Biblical Counselors Is Needed

Why a New Coalition of Biblical Counselors Is Needed

The newly launched Biblical Counseling Coalition asked their Board of Directors and Council Board Members why they were excited about the BCC; why the BCC was needed. Their responses capture the heartbeat and passion of the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

“As a pastor, I love biblical counseling and have seen the impact it has made on our church, but my heart has ached for this concept to be embraced on a broader scale. I’m thrilled to be a part of what can make the church of Jesus Christ stronger, more compassionate, and more effective in reaching hurting, broken people with the life-changing grace and mercy of our Savior.”—Brad Bigney, Sr. Pastor, Grace Fellowship Evangelical Free Church

“It is with great anticipation that I look forward to the future of the BCC. The combined energy, wisdom, creativity, and relationship between this team of leaders unite to bring a fresh and winsome perspective to biblical counseling. Through the joint resources and collaborative efforts, the BCC will strive to model excellence in biblical counseling and practice speaking the truth in love to motivate others in the Body of Christ to do the same.”—Kevin Carson, Pastor, Sonrise Baptist Church

“The message of the Gospel is a unified message of hope, love and transformation. I’m so thrilled that the BCC will now present the unified message we love to a hurting church and shattered world.”—Elyse Fitzpatrick, Founder, Counsel from the Cross Ministries

“The BCC gives the biblical counseling community a platform for ‘iron sharpening iron’ (Proverbs 27:17). Without that, it’s hard to see how biblical counseling can remain relevant into the 21st century.”—Jeff Forrey, Chair of the Department of Biblical Counseling, Trinity College of the Bible & Theological Seminary

“I am excited about the BCC because it affords a special opportunity to learn from, to interact with, and to work beside leaders who wish to give Jesus first place, who wish to equip God’s people to effectively minister God’s Word, and who wish to see the church be the primary place where the sinning and the suffering can receive help.”—Rob Green, Pastor of Counseling and Seminary Ministries, Faith Baptist Church

“I am excited to be a part of a coalition that upholds the sufficiency of Scripture, the necessity of the Gospel, and centrality of the local church in caring for the struggles of life. I pray God uses the BCC to facilitate greater clarity, unity, and appreciation for those truths.”—Brad Hambrick, Pastor of Counseling, The Summit Church

“We need the BCC because it is time to launch a ministry and create a unified movement that really captures and platforms biblical counseling’s significant growth. The BCC does this with a Christ-centered focus that is practiced in a grace-based context.”—Garrett Higbee, Executive Director of Biblical Soul Care Ministries, Harvest Bible Chapel

“I look forward to the BCC resourcing and aiding the broader Church of Jesus (pastors, lay leaders, counselors, scholars) by showing how the Scriptures—rightly interpreted and caringly applied—speak to the common and not-so-common troubles we all face.”—Robert Jones, Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“I’m excited about the Biblical Counseling Coalition because it provides a platform for uniting around Christ-centered relationships and Christ-focused resources. We want to equip people to promote personal change centered on the Person of Christ through the personal ministry of the Word.”—Bob Kellemen, Professor of Christian Counseling and Discipleship, Capital Bible Seminary, Lanham, Maryland.

“I am excited about the BCC because Christ is honored by our cooperation, and because our ministries are more effective when we work together.”—Heath Lambert, Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“As a leader of a biblical counseling organization (CCEF), I am thankful that those in our movement are reaching out to one another in an intentional way through the formation of the BCC. This is already fostering a better tone in our movement as we get to know each other. As Ephesians 4 so helpfully demonstrates, our unity is strengthened by our diversity as we rally around the same biblical, Christ-centered message of help and hope for people who are in need of God’s grace.”—Tim Lane, Executive Director, Christian Counseling and Education Foundation

“The goodness of God and His faithfulness to the Church in shaping a people who glorify Him in both love and deed is once again being revealed through the formation of a new coalition of believers dedicated to the supremacy of Scripture in tending to the human soul. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the emergence of the Biblical Counseling Coalition with its commitment to corporately bless the Church through a unified mission.”—Jeremy Lelek, President, Association of Biblical Counselors

“I’m looking forward to how this coalition will foster a biblical consensus in our training of pastors and counselors.”—Rod Mays, National Coordinator, Reformed University Fellowship (PCA)

“I am pleased to be part of the Biblical Counseling Coalition because it will provide opportunities for constructive interaction with other leaders in the biblical counseling movement. While God has graciously blessed my life and ministry, I know I have a lot to learn. The BCC will provide a wonderful avenue for biblical counselors, like me, to have their faith in Christ and His Word deepened and their ministry skills enhanced, making us wiser (Proverbs 13:20).”—Randy Patten, Executive Director, National Association of Nouthetic Counselors

“The care and cure of souls is the fruit of the message of Christ, both in public forms (preaching, worship, teaching) and in private forms (discipleship, friendship, counseling, parenting). The church has been weak at the latter, and now is the time for like-minded ministries to coalesce around a common vision for all of us to become deeper in wisdom.”—David Powlison, Faculty Member, Christian Counseling and Education Foundation

“For far too long, the biblical counseling movement has been divided into separate camps. It is too our shame that we have not been more united. BCC provides an opportunity for us to work together—building relationships and partnering together for the sake of the kingdom. Something like this has been long overdue.”—Deepak Reju, Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Families, Capitol Hill Baptist Church

“There are many tremendous organizations and individuals involved in the biblical counseling movement. The BCC seeks to connect such men and women in a way that creates a natural and healthy synergy. We truly believe that together we can accomplish more.”—Steve Viars, Sr. Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, Indiana.

“I’m committed to and excited about the BCC because I’m eager to learn from those whose hard work in past decades has proven the soundness and vitality of biblical counseling for the church. And I want to do my part to carry forward an ever-wiser, ever-more-compassionate biblical counseling into the next generation.”—Mike Wilkerson, BA, Pastor of Biblical Living, Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington.

“The BCC is another step in the maturation of the biblical counseling movement: building bridges and contextualizing the inimitable wisdom of God for the care and cure of the soul.”—Sam Williams, Associate Professor of Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary