There are numerous Christian counseling programs at reputable higher education institutions around the nation that can prepare you for a career and life as a Christian counselor. Before entering this professional field you will need to pinpoint a couple of schools to apply to, ranging from online institutions to large colleges to satellite campuses. You may also choose to stick with the bachelor's degree, or you could have aspirations of getting a master's or doctoral degree to take your career to new heights. There are benefits and drawbacks to each choice, but the rewards of a life serving your community in good faith make them all good choices in the end.
Bachelor's degree programs are the most popular Christian counseling programs. They typically consist of 120 units and are the stepping stone to a legitimate career in Christian counseling. If you so desire, you may go on to study for a master's degree in Christian counseling in order to gain more real world experience and get a firmer grasp on all the theoretical concepts that were explored in your undergraduate work. And if you want to become a university professor yourself, say at a prominent Christian university, you will need a PhD. If you study full time and stay on track you could start from square one and attain a doctoral degree in seven years, but most people take breaks between degrees, get some experience in the field and take whatever amount of time it takes to do it right. Christian counselors are concerned with a large number of issues that people face. Members of a congregation can go to the counselor at their church for marriage advice and help with many other important issues. You must have more than faith to enter this profession you must have skills as a counselor as well.
Christian counseling degrees combine faith-based education with real-world academic training to create well-rounded graduates who are prepared to counsel and make a difference in people's lives. If you want to apply for one of these degree programs, there are many Christian colleges and online universities to choose from.