
Word of Life Center for Biblical Counseling
Job 12:13 “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His.”
Info about receiving counseling
What kind of problems can biblical counseling help me with?
Whether you need direction or you are struggling with hurts, fears, destructive habits, difficult relationships, and/or hardships of life, the CBC stands ready to assist you on your journey to greater soul stability and to a life of loving God and your neighbor more effectively. Most every life issue is addressed in Scripture; for those which are not specifically described, these will be addressed from a biblical wisdom perspective with relevance to that specific situation. The goal is to always seek God’s wisdom to determine what is good, better or best.
Where do I begin?
- Fill out an online form here
- We will contact you regarding your interest and schedule your initial appointment
- Meet with your counselor regularly
What can I expect from the counseling ministry?
- Regularly scheduled meetings with your counselor typically one hour in duration.
- A committed counselor who will provide compassion and accountability to guide you through the areas that brought you to counseling.
What is my commitment if I come to counseling?
Our goal is to graduate all counselees after having dealt with the issues that brought them to counseling. Therefore it is our expectation that the counselee will:
- Attend counseling sessions faithfully unless providentially hindered.
- Come to each session prepared to learn. Bring Bible, notebook and pen.
- Complete appropriate growth assignments in between sessions.
What is the cost for counseling services?
No charge for students and staff. However since the counseling process may involve growth assignments for the week, some assignments may require the counselee to purchase material.
What are the credentials of a CBC counselor?
All WOL CBC counselors are certified by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) or are in the process of becoming certified. All Biblical Counseling Interns (counselors in training) are in the process of becoming certified. Both counselors and interns rely on the wisdom of God as found in Scripture and act as skilled, compassionate guides that offer new perspectives and training that transforms futures.
For more regarding ACBC info go to: https://biblicalcounseling.com/.
What is the Center for Biblical Counseling view on medications?
We view legal medications as an issue of conscience [Romans 14], which means the counselee chooses what to do regarding taking medication. It is not within scope of the WOL CBC ministry to recommend using, or not using, or to discontinue using legal medications.
What is the setting where counseling takes place?
Counseling is in a private setting. We have individual counseling rooms in our counseling center where you and your counselor will meet.
Can I request a specific counselor to meet with or do I have to take the one I’m given?
Yes, you may request a specific counselor, however it might lengthen your wait time.

Info About
Receiving
Counseling
Biblical Counseling Internship (BCI)
The Biblical Counseling Internship (BCI) at Word of Life is a two-year program designed to train and equip believers in the ministry of Biblical counseling. One of the primary ways in which this is accomplished is through the mentoring of the interns in the field of biblical counseling. Upon acceptance into the program, each intern is required to continue their schooling online or pursue certification in biblical counseling through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). The advantage of the Biblical Counseling Internship is the combination of learning the fundamentals, while getting first-hand experience in counseling ministry. The program’s structure is designed to include a variety of resources for the interns to develop a biblical philosophy and methodology of counseling and discipleship. Some of the resources include in person classes, training conferences, group discussions, special Q&A sessions, observing experienced counselors, one on one mentorship, and the opportunity to observe and lead small groups. Then at appropriate time, with supervision and accountability have your own student counseling cases.
Many of those who have joined this internship have done so with different interests and focuses on ministry. Some of them desire to take what they’ve learned and use it in the context of their local church, some others want to learn how to better serve their communities and the people around them, and some even want to use it to go into missions.
“The Biblical Counseling Internship is a tool that God has used to help me grow and become more effective at making disciples.”
Ariel Hidalgo Biblical Counseling Intern (2020-22)
For more information, email: NYBIBiblicalCounseling@wordoflife.edu

Info About Our Biblical Counseling Internship
What is Word of Life Center for Biblical Counseling?
The Word of Life Center for Biblical Counseling is a ministry of Word of Life Bible Institute. We exist to provide Biblical counsel and guidance through life’s difficulties for students and staff seeking God’s direction for their lives. The Word of Life Center for Biblical Counseling does not claim to identify psychiatric disorders or use psychotherapeutic methodologies. Nor do we give medical or legal advice.
The Word of Life Center for Biblical Counseling intentionally aligns with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) in our Biblical counseling philosophy, model of care, and training.
What is Biblical Counseling?
Foundational to the counseling ministry of the Center for Biblical Counseling is the belief that the revelation contained in the Scriptures concerning God, humanity, and people’s problems and their solution is the only adequate foundation on which to build a counseling model that is truly Biblical. The Center for Biblical Counseling, therefore, practices and teaches a counseling approach and methodology which grows out of an understanding of biblical doctrines regarding human nature and development, behavioral changes, and problem solving.
Why Biblical Counseling?
Often times people are doing just fine in many parts of their life while at the same time they may be struggling in another area with various degrees of severity. There are times in life when people just need a helping hand or fresh perspective to bring clarity to a problem area that is not making sense. People in situations like this find it helpful for someone to come alongside, to be an encourager and show a way forward through the hope found in the Scriptures. That is what we do at the Center for Biblical Counseling.
Our Goal
Our counselors work on the basis that God’s wisdom is essential in the counseling process, and that in His Word we find all we need concerning the issues of life and living-out a godly life. As such, it is the goal of the Center for Biblical Counseling to bring glory to God through the application of Scriptures to hurting people in need of change; not just any change but change that produces Christ-likeness.
Other Helpful Counseling Links
Association of Certified Biblical Counselors
ACBC is the certification organization that WOL CBC has adopted for the certification of all of its counselors. A number of helpful features are found on this website, including a “Find a Counselor” feature that allows you to locate ACBC counselors by zip code.
https://biblicalcounseling.com/
Biblical Counseling Coalition
On BCC’s site you will find books, resources, podcasts for the biblical counselor. BCC also has a "Find a Counselor" feature to help you locate counselors by zip code.
https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/
Biblical Counseling for Women
Biblical Counseling for Women is a very helpful site where you will find helpful blogs, articles and resources for the counselor and for the person needing counsel. Julie Ganschow is the head of this ministry.
https://bc4women.org/
Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF)
CCEF offers quality resources including impactful videos, effective counselor training and produces the Journal of Biblical Counseling, an excellent resource for Biblical Counselors. They also have a “Find a Counselor” feature that allows you to locate CCEF counselors by zip code, https://www.ccef.org/find-a-counselor-near-you/
https://www.ccef.org/
Expository Counseling Training Center (ECTC)
The ECTC “equips saints for transformation” to develop in the knowledge and skill of "Expository Counseling”.
The director, Dr. Nicholas Ellen is the Senior Pastor of Community of Faith Bible Church in Houston Texas and Senior Professor of Biblical Counseling at the College of Biblical Studies. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Word of Life Bible Institute.
https://mycounselinqcorner.com/dr-nicolas-ellen/
Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries - Lafayette, Indiana
Faith Baptist Church is a premiere counseling center and counseling training ministry located in Lafayette, IN. Annually, they host a counseling training conference in February.
https://www.faithlafayette.orq/counseling
Faith Resources
Faith Resources is an online resource ministry of Faith Church in Lafayette, IN. The great benefit of this online bookstore is that they only stock books that have been reviewed for solid content and theological accuracy.
https://store.faithlafayette.org/
The Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship (IBCD)
The IBCD offers training through their Care & Discipleship program, as well as counseling resources, events, and other free resources that are helpful to anyone interesting in learning how to better help others.
https://ibcd.org/
Current Bible Institute Information
Focus Groups
Focus Groups will have roughly 4-6 openings.
Sign-ups will close October 3rd (Unless there are still openings)
Focus Groups for Women
Leader: Krystel Schwab
This group will be centered around gospel hope for the things many of us wrestle with- fear, worry, and anxiety. What do these terms actually mean, and what does God have to say about this struggle? We will be covering things like practically dealing with anxious thoughts, fear of others, fear of the future, and God’s words of comfort and hope for anxious people.
Book: Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest by Edward T. Welch
Leader: Anna Sales da Silva
“In this Focus group, we will be going through a series called A Theology for Relationships by Biblical Counselor and Pastor Nicolas Ellen. We will be focusing on laying a Biblical foundation for relating to one another and pulling out applications as it relates to guy/girl dating relationships. This group is for both single and dating ladies who have an interest in learning more about God's design for relationships.”
Leader: Anna Van Horn and Berny Cabrera
“Everyone will at one point in their life experience some type of grief. Whether it is broken friendships, not making the cut for the sports team, rejection, or the loss of a loved one. We want to provide a place where together, we can discover what God says about the broken world that we live in, how to grieve with the hope that Christ brings, and discover how this can ultimately become an avenue of worship.”
Book: God’s Healing for Life’s Losses by Bob Kellemen
Focus Groups for Men
Leader: Orion Aviles
“The purpose of this group is to gain a deeper understanding of biblical decision-making. It will revolve heavily on discussion and participation. We, as followers of Christ, often over-think and over-complicate making decisions. We ask, “is this God’s will,” without truly understanding what that statement means, which is why we will be reading the book, Just Do Something, by Kevin DeYoung. A few topics of this group include defining what God’s will for our lives is, what does God say about making decisions, how to make decisions that honor/serve God and others.”
Book: Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
Leader: Hadriel Sales da Silva and Josie Ganawah
“This focus group has the purpose of learning God’s design for purity. We are going to be reading Passions of the Heart by John Street through the year and learning how to truly fight stubborn desires in a God honoring way. We will be exploring the following in-depth; true change of heart, true repentance, the nature of sin, and how to battle stubborn sins.”
Book: Passions of the Heart: Biblical Counsel for Stubborn Sexual Sins by John Street
Leader: Colin Boyden
“In this group we will study together how to have a better understanding of what the Bible says about depression and how to apply that to our everyday lives. We will use Depression: A Stubborn Darkness by Ed Welch as a guideline for meetings. Topics covered include answers to questions like: "I am a Christian so why am I depressed?", "How do I stop being depressed", "Where is God in my depression", and "What does the Bible say about depression".
Book: Depression: A Stubborn Darkness by Ed Welch