Developing a Biblical Counseling Training Program for Leaders at Mission Valley Church in Phoenix, Arizona

Abstract

This project equipped leaders and members of Mission Valley Church in Phoenix, Arizona, to provide faithful, Scripture-based care through biblical counseling. Its purpose was to strengthen the church’s capacity to shepherd its members by cultivating a leadership culture grounded in the sufficiency of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit. Through a structured fifteen-week training course, participants developed a deeper confidence in the Word of God as the ultimate authority for addressing both sin and suffering. The project pursued three primary goals. The first was to assess existing perceptions of counseling among church leaders and members. The second was to develop a biblically faithful and practically accessible counseling curriculum. The third was to implement and evaluate that curriculum through classroom instruction, assigned readings, group discussions, and case-study applications. The study found that participants grew in their understanding of biblical counseling, in their conviction that Scripture is sufficient for life and godliness, and in their readiness to minister to others within the local church. The project also fostered a broader culture of discipleship, encouraging believers to care for one another with gentleness and truth. Overall, the initiative demonstrated that when church leaders and members are equipped in sound doctrine and biblical counseling principles, they become competent to admonish, restore, and encourage others, thereby strengthening the body of Christ and advancing the church’s mission to bring gospel-centered transformation to its community.