TRAINING CHURCH LEADERS OF THE AUBURN, ALABAMA, COMMUNITY IN BIBLICAL COUNSELING THROUGH THE OWEN CENTER

Abstract

This project strives to provide training in biblical counseling for pastors and ministry leaders in Auburn, Alabama, through The Owen Center. Chapter 1 presents the ministry context and history of The Owen Center, a biblical counseling ministry located in Auburn, Alabama, and describes the goals of this project. Chapter 2 provides exegesis from Scripture supporting the biblical grounding for the need for biblical counseling within the church. Chapter 3 describes the historical evidence that supports the pastor’s call to counsel biblically, as well as a theoretical basis for the approach developed in recent decades. Chapter 4 describes the details of the project and the methodology used therein. Chapter 5 evaluates the efficacy of the project based on the results found in the training. The main purpose of this project is to give pastors and church leaders confidence in properly utilizing biblical counseling principles as they seek to care for their church.