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How does Biblical Soul Care happen?

We believe counseling is Christ-centered, biblically-based, prayer-saturated, and includes a biblical plan of action for individuals and their community.

We believe the Gospel heals people by reconciling relationships to God and each other.

We believe being reminded of God’s love, His promises, and His holiness, especially in times of difficulty or crisis is a source of help in the present and provides hope for the future.

We believe God desires the local church to be the place of sustained support, healing and encouragement. The community of God is His intended place for loving accountability and discipleship.

We believe that counseling should not happen in a vacuum. Seeds don’t grow well outside soil and believers don’t grow well outside community. As part of our counseling in community model of care, we bring in concerned friends, family members, non-vocational counselors, calling them advocates.

We believe and have seen first hand the impact intimacy and accountability has in smaller circles of influence. This model has the potential to profoundly speak into people’s lives and prevent more serious issues from developing. We also are commanded as the body of Christ to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

We believe that everyone will experience times in their life when they need someone to walk closely beside them like a mentor or advocate. All counselees will be asked to consider who to bring to counseling with them, such as a small group leader, family member, or friend. It is such an encouragement for the person in the midst of a great struggle to have a trusted friend or fellow sojourner come alongside and help bear the burden of their trial.

We have embraced a “team counseling approach” which consists of a lead counselor and a co-counselor/apprentice. An apprentice is generally someone who is working under a master of their trade or art for a specific time and under specific conditions. For us in the ministry of Biblical Soul Care it is someone committed to the discipline and art of counseling with Truth and Grace as exemplified in Christ Jesus (John 1:14).

What is "Counseling in Community"?

While we think counseling is highly personal we don’t think it should be so private that it excludes those we love and do life with. Scripture challenges us to lean into Christ and to bear one another’s burdens. The advocate model is a great avenue for encouraging community and helping hurting individuals within the church to realize they do not have to walk their journey, trial, or crisis alone. "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end." Hebrews 3:12-14

Counseling in community is done to assist one another in making lasting change for His glory. It is such an encouragement for the person in the midst of a great burden to have a trusted friend or fellow sojourner come alongside and help bear the burden of their trial. This example is modeled throughout scripture.

What is an advocate?

Simply put, an advocate is someone who loves God, loves His Word and loves or cares about you.
Advocacy is a unique pillar of the Biblical Soul Care model. Tough times are part of life. During those times it is great to have someone walk alongside you. We ask the counselee to bring a friend, small group/flock leader, family member, pastor to come to Biblical Soul Care with them. This advocate will pray, encourage, and be available during this difficult season of life.

What are the benefits of an advocate?

• Hope provided through mutual transparency and a continuation of relationship with a purpose of growth in Christ.
• Mutual growth as both advocates and counselees learn and grow together through the power of God’s Word.
• Freedom and power of private sin being revealed and confessed and yet the individuals being loved within the body of Christ.
• Wisdom provided through a multitude of counselors along with a balance of truth and grace. 

Is an Advocate required for all counseling with Biblical Soul Care?

Yes, with very few exceptions.

The concept of an advocate is foundational to the success of Biblical Soul Care because as believers in Christ, we need one another. We believe the effectiveness of Biblical Soul Care comes from the people of God using the Word empowered by the Spirit of God. The advocate is equipped to provide help, encouragement, and accountability using the shared experience and knowledge gained during our time together. What an encouragement it is for a person in the midst of a great burden to have a trusted friend or fellow sojourner come alongside and help bear the burden of their trial. Not only do believers need one another, God intended the community of believers to assist one another in making lasting change for the glory of God (Romans 15:1-2, Ephesians 4: 11-16, Philippians 2:1-4). Lasting change takes place in community. Christians were never meant to live in isolation. God has equipped the body of Christ to serve one another in love using the gifts He has given for edification of the entire body (Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 12:4-8).

What is intensive counseling?

We want to help those individuals or families who: have lost hope, are dealing with significant life issues, are in broken relationships, or have grown weary, exhausted and/or frustrated with life.

Intensive counseling is appropriate when someone is really hurting, in life dominating sin, or has a situation that is just too difficult to handle alone. This may be a half day, one or two day session depending on the severity of the problem. Intensives are conducted in a beautiful two-bedroom home on the Harvest Bible Chapel Elgin Campus.

We believe the intensive model works because we care, are desperately dependent on prayer, the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit pointing others to their hope in Christ.

Is there a cost for Biblical Soul Care?

Yes and No.
We ask that you prayerfully consider giving to the Biblical Soul Care to help us sustain and build the ministry; however, no one will be turned away because of finances. Here is a brief message from Pastor James explaining our policy: For intensives, there is a charge due to the overhead and staff costs. These costs will be discussed with you at the time of scheduling. Intensives are only available at the Elgin and Niles Campuses at this time.

What are the next steps?

We know the counseling needs are real and the need will not be met by simply adding more counseling staff. Be assured we are training as many people as we can to counsel one another in a biblical manner. As you begin seeking help, we ask that you first contact your small group leader, flock leader, campus pastor, or elder. After discussion and prayer with them, they will get you into contact with us.

If together you decide more formal counsel is needed, we would be privileged to help. You can contact us at 847-398-7005, Ext. 3104.