FAQ

ACBC Certification Process

• What are the costs associated with certification?

  Due to the structure of ACBC training, fees and costs will vary. However, the information below should give you a general idea of the financial investment involved in pursuing ACBC certification.

  Fundamentals Training Course: Costs Vary
  Books & Resources: $85 (minimum, but may vary)
  Observation DVDs: $168
  Grader Fee: $100
  Supervision Fee: $800 (maximum)
  Membership Dues: $115 (annual)

  Total: Approximately $1400

  Costs and fees will be due over the course of time. It will depend on how you pace yourself. The first three listed above are part of Phase 1. The grading fee is due at the end of Phase 2, and the supervision fee is due during Phase 3.

  The membership fees will occur once you have completed all three phases of the process and are initially approved for membership. Please note that membership dues are also required annually for renewal.

• Does the certification program have a time limit?

  Yes.

  The Fundamentals Training Course is valid for four years, by which point an applicant must have Phase 2 exams submitted for grading. If this timeline is not met, you will be required to refresh an approved Fundamentals Training Course before moving forward. For example, if an individual finishes the Fundamentals Training Course in 2024, they will need to have their Phase 2 exams submitted for grading by the end of 2028.

  Additionally, upon entering Phase 3, candidates will have  one year to complete supervised counseling.

• How long will the certification program take?

  This varies depending on several factors including personal pace, mode of training, etc.

• Can my spouse and I counsel together for supervision?

  No.

  ACBC does see great wisdom in team counseling, but for the purpose of certification, your Fellow supervisor must determine that you can bear the entire load of preparing for and conducting the counseling session. For the counseling case you submit for supervision, you should be the only counselor participating in the session.

• I have prior education/experience in biblical counseling. Is there a fast track to certification for me?

  No.

  While we are thrilled to have people pursue certification who have prior education and experience in counseling, as well as those with no prior education and experience, our certification standards require that each applicant must complete all three phases of the ACBC certification process.

  Additionally, the Fundamentals Training Course required for ACBC certification must be completed through an Certified Training Center (CTC) or another approved venue.

• Can I become certified with ACBC if I am on the Public Sex Offender Registry or am currently incarcerated?

  No.

  ACBC recognizes that the Lord can use men and women who have repented from past sin and who are walking in faithfulness in a local church for great kingdom work in discipleship and counseling, and we encourage these individuals to receive training and education in the area of biblical counseling.

  With that being said, ACBC is not able to certify anyone who is currently on the Public Sex Offender Registry or currently incarcerated.

• Can I become certified if my church has a female pastor?

  No.

  The local church is indispensable in the ministry of counseling. We believe our counselors must pursue the closest possible connection to their church for accountability and ecclesiastical authority. In light of the importance of ecclesiastical oversight, we require our counselors to serve under biblically qualified leadership in their church. At ACBC, we hold a complementarian view, recognizing that while women may serve the church in a myriad of ways, the Bible requires that an elder/pastor be a man meeting specific qualifications (1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Corinthians 11:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-3).

  Because of these beliefs, both of which are reflected in our guiding documents, we cannot certify an individual who has joined fellowship with a church that has a female given the role or title of elder/pastor, regardless of their oversight responsibilities.

• Can I become certified if I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)?

  Any applicant who is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, or who holds equitable licenses for counseling services, is required to undergo an appeal process to determine their eligibility to move forward in the certification process. This appeal can be made after submitting your Phase 1 Review request and can be sent to certification@biblicalcounseling.com.

  ACBC reserves the right not to approve current Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, or those holding equitable licenses for counseling services, from continuing the certification process due to the growing ethical and moral restrictions placed upon state licensed practitioners.

  As state governments continue to encroach upon the religious liberties of individuals and groups, ACBC recognizes that this is particularly noticeable within the discipline and practice of counseling. As Christians, we affirm that it is inconsistent to withhold biblical morality and mandates in counseling and soul care, in deference to state statutes and codes of ethics which regulate Christian principles and truths.

  With these concerns in mind, ACBC welcomes those currently holding state licensure for professional counseling to engage in our Phase 1 training to further discern the philosophical and theological underpinnings that distinguish biblical counseling from other approaches.

• Can I share digital content that I purchased on the ACBC store with others?

  You may share purchased ACBC store content with family members, counselees, and groups in your church or para-church ministry for educational purposes. If you share the material with others, they are not permitted to share the material again (e.g., if you share the material with your brother, he is not permitted to share the material with his counselees without first purchasing it himself).

  Please keep in mind, watching the Fundamentals Training Course via a purchased digital media recording will not count toward certification. If you show the material in a church or para-church ministry setting, you are required to make a verbal or written statement to those watching the training that it will not lead to certification.

Phase 1

• Why am I getting an error message that says “Invalid Integer” when I try to complete the Contact Details section in the certification dashboard?

  This particular error message means that you have entered text in a box that requires a number only. The most common error is in the Education page for the Graduation Year.

• Can I use audio books for the required reading portion of Phase 1?

  Yes.

  The reading is meant to help give you a good biblical counseling and theological foundation, which you will also use to help you work through the exams in Phase 2. Having a physical or e-book copy that you can highlight and look up page numbers in will be helpful since you must footnote any citations you may use in your answers on the exams.

  Keep in mind that you will need to provide page numbers in your certification dashboard when you log your reading requirement.

Phase 2

• What will the graders be looking for on the exam?

  On the Theology Exam, the grader will be noting the applicant’s understanding of theological truth in line with ACBC’s Standards and his ability to communicate it clearly.

  On the Counseling Exam, the grader will be observing how the applicant applies the Scriptures to a variety of counseling issues in line with ACBC’s Standards.

• What if I disagree with a particular doctrine? (i.e., views of trichotomy and dichotomy, views on continuing revelation, views on egalitarianism and complementarianism, etc.)

  The purpose of the exams is to be sure that the applicant truly believes and practices theology and counseling according to the Standards of Doctrine and Conduct of ACBC. If the essay exam questions reveal a disagreement with ACBC standards, opportunity for growth, learning, and coming in line with these standards will be allowed though a chance for rewrite upon grading.

  However, if the candidate’s beliefs differ from ACBC standards and he or she does not desire to change the positions to be in line with ACBC, then ACBC cannot certify that individual. Though we would encourage continued growth and ministry, ACBC is not able to certify anyone outside of the guiding documents.

• Can I access Phase 2 ahead of time to prepare?

  No.

  You will not be able to access Phase 2 ahead of time.

• I received my rewrites from my grader, but I can’t see my grader’s comments, what should I do?

  If you are viewing the files on a mobile device, you will not be able to see the comments. You will need to open the files on a laptop or desktop computer in order to see the comments on the right-hand side of the exams.

• I uploaded my rewrites; how do I know if they were received?

  When you upload your exams into the dashboard, they are automatically uploaded in our system.

  You can tell if they have been uploaded from your dashboard. If you are wondering if your grader has started regrading them, then you will need to reach out to him directly. Your grader’s information is listed on your Phase 2 dashboard.

• What evaluations will be required in Phase 2?

  You will be required to have three evaluations submitted on your behalf:

  Colleague Evaluation – This is an evaluation of you from someone close to you. It can be a friend, co-worker, ministry partner, etc.

  Pastor/Elder Evaluation – This is an evaluation of you from a male Pastor/Elder of the church where you are a member.

  Church Membership & Authority Letter – This is a letter from a representative of your church (secretary, Pastor, etc.), on church letterhead and submitted digitally, showing that you are both a member in good standing and under the authority of the church.

• How do I access the evaluations in Phase 2?

  You will not be able to have access to the evaluations and grader payment until you have completed and uploaded your exams.

  Be sure to read the Phase Overview/Instruction and watch the Phase Tutorial in each phase to make sure you know how to complete each item correctly and in the proper order.

• How do I check the status of an evaluation?

  To check on the status of your evaluations, you may log in to your dashboard and check the status in the same place where you sent out the requests. If it does not show completed, that means it has not come back clear yet and you will want to follow up with the person you sent it to (may have them check junk/spam mail).

  You can also resend the request from there as well, either to the same person/email address or to another person/email address.

Phase 3

• How will I connect with a supervisor?

  Step-by-step instructions are provided in Phase 3.

  Working from a list of Fellows, you will begin to email them one at a time asking them to supervise you. You will be able to reach out to them through the contact information provided. Once you have connected and communicated with your supervisor through the proper steps, you may begin working on those hours.

New Member/Membership Renewals

• When do I pay renewal fees?

  If you became a new member (or were reinstated):

  Between January 1 – August 31, membership will be covered until December 31 of the same year. The membership fee will be pro-rated as the membership coverage is less than the full year. Renewal is due December 31 of the same year.

  Between September 1 – December 31, membership fee will be the full $115, and the coverage will be more than one year. Renewal is due December 31 of the next year.

• How do I renew my membership?

  In October of each year, the option to renew your certification for the next year will become available in your account dashboard.

• What if I missed the renewal date?

  The renewal process should be included by December 31 each year. If renewals are not completed according to the deadline, your membership/certification will expire.

• My membership expired, can I be reinstated?

  If your membership is expired and you want to be reinstated, you may apply for reinstatement in your account dashboard.

Certified Membership

• How do I change/update my details on the Find a Counselor Map?

  In order to make yourself visible on the map, and to choose what information you provide on the map, you can log into your member account, click on the “Directory/Map Details” button and enter the information there.

  Changes to this information may take up to 24 hours to change on the Find-A-Counselor map.

• What are the membership levels?

  After you complete the certification process, you will become a certified biblical counselor and can renew your membership annually.

  Level 1 — This is the standard membership designation.

  Level 2 — This designation is for certified members who “have a theological degree” and “hold ordination to the pastoral office by a Christian church.”

  Fellows — This designation is for Level 2 members who have completed and passed the Fellow Candidate Process. For more information on becoming a Fellow, click here.

• What are the benefits of being a certified ACBC Member?

  Training under key leaders in biblical counseling

  Accountability for faithful counseling practice

  Endorsement from the largest biblical counseling association in the world

  Recommendation on our Find a Counselor on-line map

  Networking with like-minded biblical counselors

  Exclusive invites to our Live training webinars

  Discounts on registration for ACBC events

  Free Members Resources online through your Member Account