Continuing Excellence for the Future

Since its founding, the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors has set standards for excellence in biblical counseling. As ACBC has grown over the last forty years, this calling and purpose remains at the core of what certification represents to counselors and counselees worldwide.

As ACBC moves into the future, it is vital to uphold the integrity of both the certification process as well as the overall quality, competency, and doctrinal standards of our certified members. During the 2021 Annual Conference, certified members voted to approve the addition of continuing education as an ongoing requirement for maintaining membership.

The Continuing Education requirement for ACBC membership precludes that, in addition to current renewal requirements, members in good standing would need to complete the minimum amount of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) on a biennial (two-year) basis in order to maintain membership. These units can be earned through ACBC approved avenues and range from conference attendance to approved reading.

If you would like to review the approved CEU reading list, you can access that list below. Please note that a book’s inclusion or exclusion does not suggest an endorsement from ACBC.

Continuing Education Reading List

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a CEU and what does it represent?

  CEU stands for Continuing Education Unit and represents ACBC approved training courses, events, and self-reporting opportunities that promote developing counseling skills and growing in biblical knowledge. CEUs are expressed in numerical values that will be associated with the member’s account.

  All certified counselors are required to earn 20 CEUs during a two-year earning window in order to maintain their status with ACBC. Examples of earning CEUs include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Attendance at the ACBC Pre and Annual Conference
  2. Completion of an approved BC course at one of our Certified Training Centers higher-education institutions
  3. Completion of a pre-approved CEU event/course at one of our 80+ Certified Training Centers
  4. Earning a pre-approved Counseling Specialization through one of our Certified Training Centers
  5. Approval of a Blog Submission for the ACBC website
  6. Virtually attending an ACBC Equip and Engage Webinar
  7. Reading from our new CEU Approved Reading List

• Why are CEUs required for maintaining certified status?

  ACBC certification is more than simply completing a course of study and passing a set of exams, it also includes counseling competency which is proven through supervision and a continued commitment and articulation of biblical doctrine and practice that is consistent with ACBC standards.

  Continuing Education provides motivation and opportunities to develop a more engaged, more knowledgeable, and more articulate membership, encourages active reinvestment in existing quality advanced training that is offered through Certified Training Centers as well as attendance at the ACBC annual conference, and communicates the high level of commitment ACBC has for ongoing theological and practical ministerial preparation.

  Other reasons include:

  1. Motivating members to pursue advanced training for the purposes of developing skills, increasing in knowledge, and pursuing excellence in biblical counseling beyond the basics.
  2. Setting high expectations of counseling competence regarding doctrine and conduct. This will develop a more engaged, more knowledgeable, and more articulate membership.
  3. Fostering the mission of ACBC by clearly communicating the serious nature of this mission to those in and outside of the church.
  4. Incentivizing our Certified Training Centers to offer or expand quality advanced counseling training options.
  5. Promoting attendance and engagement of our members to the ACBC Annual Conference.
  6. Encouraging our membership to engage with an ever-growing field of literature in and around the field of biblical counseling and Christian soul care.

• How long do I have to earn the required number of CEUs?

  The earning window is the two-calendar-year period that members have to earn the required 20 CEUs needed to maintain membership in good standing with ACBC.

  CEUs can only be accumulated up to the maximum number of units for the earning window period. Also, units must be earned during the earning window in which the member is currently enrolled.

  Members cannot “bank” or “roll over” CEUs from one earning window to the next.

  1. For those who became members of ACBC prior to 2022, the earning window begins on January 1, 2022 and ends on December 31, 2023.
  2. For those who become members of ACBC during 2022 or later, the earning window begins on January 1 following the year they became certified members.

  After the initial earning window expires, a new two-year earning window will open.

  The earning window, along with everything associated with tracking your CEUs, can be accessed through the CEU Portal.

• How can I earn CEUs?

  There are two avenues for members to earn CEUs.

  1. The first avenue is through the attendance and successful completion of an approved training course and events offered through either a Certified Training Center or through an ACBC conference or event. These opportunities will be available in-person and virtually and can be found at any time on our training map.
  2. The second avenue for earning CEUs is through several self-reporting options which include opportunities to earn units though reading from the Continuing Education Approved Reading List, observing counseling from ACBC counselors, Fellows and Assistant Supervisors providing Phase 3 supervision, and others.

  Please note, if the CEU opportunity does not appear either on our training map or is not available as a self-reporting option found in your “CEU Portal,” then it does not count towards earning CEUs.

• How do approved training courses and events work?

   

  1. Search for approved courses or events. An easy way to determine if a particular course or event counts for CEUs is to check the event map. All approved CEUs will appear on our training map.
  2. Attend the approved training and earn CEUs. You will need to register for and complete approved continuing education courses and events through the venue or organization hosting the event. It will be your responsibility to successfully meet the requirements of each CEU option offered through Certified Training Centers or ACBC.
  3. Verify and record completed CE training. Once you attend and complete a training course or event, you will supply the training center or host with your unique ACBC ID number. In turn, these instructors will verify your completion to ACBC and the units associated with the course or event will be applied to your account. Your unique ACBC ID number is located under your name once you sign in to your member dashboard.

  Please note, if the CEU opportunity does not appear on our training map, then it does not count towards earning CEUs.

• Can I attend approved training courses and events online?

  There are actually three modes through which members can attend approved training courses and events:

  1. Onsite training is available in-person at a physical location including one of our 80+ Certified Training Centers or an ACBC conference or event.
  2. Online training is available during a scheduled time period that includes a definitive start and end time. These are often synchronous training opportunities.
  3. Online training is also available on-demand and offers the most flexibility for members who are looking at a self-paced or self-guided experience.

  All approved CEU courses or events can be searched for using multiple filters through our training map.

• How do self-reporting CEUs work?

  ACBC provides several low-cost self-reporting options which include opportunities to earn units though reading from the Continuing Education Approved Reading List, observing counseling from ACBC counselors, Fellows and Assistant Supervisors providing Phase 3 supervision, listening to our podcast, contributing to our blog and many others!

  Please note, if the CEU opportunity does not appear as a self-reporting option, then it does not count towards earning CEUs.

  1. Search for approved opportunities. To view details about the various ways you can self-report the completion of CEUs, log into your membership dashboard and look under the “CEU Portal.” Once there, select the “Self-Report” tool.
  2. Submit and record completed CE training. You can submit verification of self-reporting CEU options on your own through your member dashboard on the ACBC website. Members will have the ability to provide documentation, complete logs, upload transcripts, and submit other verification methods that provide proof of successful completion. At this point, staff members will review submitted materials and credit CEUs to the member’s account.

   

• What factors determine CEU values?

  Unit values offered through Certified Training Center events and courses will vary depending on instructional hours, financial investment, and assignment work-load; however, once these events and courses are approved and posted on the training map, the unit value for that particular event will be displayed.

  There are other specific events or self-reporting options that do have more value standards associated with them that makes assessment more straightforward. Some examples have been provided below as a frame of reference:

  1. Attendance at the ACBC Pre-Conference and Annual Conference is valued at 20 CEUs.
  2. Approval of a blog submission for the ACBC website is valued at 3 CEUs per accepted submission.
  3. Virtually attending an ACBC Equip and Engage Webinar is valued at 1 CEU per webinar viewed.
  4. Reading from our CEU Approved Reading List is valued at 1 CEU per 100 pages read.

• What is the cost associated with earning CEUs?

  The cost depends upon the venue offering the approved course or event. As noted above, the assigned value will factor financial investment in attending and completing the requirements for earning that particular CEU.

  There are also several low-cost self-reporting options for earning CEUs that you can find through the CEU Portal.

  Standard annual dues do not include additional costs that may be associated with earning CEUs.

• Can I view how many CEUs I have earned?

  Certified Members can keep track of their progress at any time, including how many CEUs have been earned to date and the deadline to get the required number (20 CEUs) within their two-year earning window.

  Once approved by ACBC, members will be able view their completed CEUs through the “CEU Portal” found within their membership dashboard on the ACBC website.

• Are there any extensions or exemptions?

  Generally, extensions and exemptions are not available for the CEU requirement.

  In rare and unique cases where members may be providentially prevented from completing their 20 units within the earning window, ACBC may provide either an extension or a one-time waiver. However, ACBC reserves the right to deny any request for an extension or waiver to the CEU requirement.

  In cases when the required CEUs have not been earned by the end of the earning period, ACBC will examine each case on an individual basis and refer these members to a sub-committee of the Board for further review.

Still have questions?

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