"CCEF training unites experienced faculty, Christ-centered theology, and the complex difficulties of every day life. It will challenge, stretch and bless you – that is the word from almost every student we have had over the past thirty years. We too have been challenged, stretched and blessed by what happens in our classrooms. If your educational background makes you feel inadequate to the task, please know that our students include friends, family, lay leaders, ordained clergy and other professionals. Since we believe that Scripture should be accessible to everyone, we believe our classes can be successfully completed by thoughtful men and women who desire to offer biblical help even more skillfully."

Ed Welch
Director of the School of Biblical Counseling

New!!....Take CCEF Distance Education Classes for Graduate Credit

Over the years, many of you have inquired about ways to use your CCEF course credits in accredited programs. CCEF is making that available to you through a partnership with Biblical Seminary. Over 20 years ago CCEF launched Biblical Seminary’s (Hatfield, PA) original counseling program and now CCEF and Biblical are offering accredited distance learning courses.  Click here to download a brochure.

Why Accreditation Might Matter to You

• You may want to complete coursework that can be counted toward a graduate degree at Biblical Seminary
• You may want to complete coursework that can be transferred to another graduate institution in your own location

Your next opportunity to take an accredited distance education (DE) course from CCEF through Biblical Seminary will be this April when Dr. David Powlison teaches Dynamics of Biblical Change. You must first apply and be accepted as a Biblical Seminary student. Click here for more information.

In addition, CCEF courses taken within the past 5 years may be eligible for conversion to accredited courses through Biblical Seminary. An administration fee applies to courses accepted.  Contact academic@biblical.edu for more information.

Biblical Seminary is both nationally (Association of Theological Schools) and regionally (Middle States Commission on Higher Education) accredited.

Is CCEF Distance Education right for me?

Commitments to family, church, and work make it impossible for many people to attend our on-site CCEF classes in Pennsylvania. CCEF's Distance Education (DE) program gives you access to high-quality ministry training in biblical counseling without uprooting you from your current ministry contexts. It gives you all of the benefits of our Counseling Certificate program without requiring you to relocate or come to campus. Whether you want to take a class for personal or professional growth, the virtual classroom offers you the rigorous and engaging coursework that you would expect from CCEF.

How do I take classes?

Through mp3 web downloads of the course lectures, an accompanying audio workbook containing detailed outlines of the course lectures, online community boards, and the Internet, students can now pursue CCEF’s Certificate training from home. All of our courses are flexible - with students and instructors communicating via e-mail and Community Discussion Boards at times that are convenient for them. Each week, you listen to a new class lecture when you have time. You review and complete the scheduled assignments wherever you are most comfortable. You have access to a recitation instructor who has been trained by CCEF faculty.

Sample Distance Education Course

Sample from Lecture 1, parts 5-11, of Counseling Problems and Procedures:

Download sample workbook pages for this lecture

Dr. Welch explains:

The distance education material that is posted comes from my second class in Counseling Problems and Procedures. It is on suffering. Specifically it is on the suffering that comes from sexual violation.

I place this early in the course for a few different reasons. First, counseling typically begins with “I hurt,” so we better know what Scripture says about the pain of life. Second, a quick reading of the psalms reveals that they major in victimization and oppression. These problems are all around us and, as we would expect, God speaks with depth and compassion to those who have been hurt by injustices. As people who are eager to help others, we want to be able to speak with this compassion and we want to offer Christ in a way that will be deeply hopeful.

I have taught on this subject a number of times, and each time I am both compelled to pursue those I know who are hurting and encouraged by the beauty and power of God’s communication to us in Scripture. This particular lecture was no different.

Listen to Dr. Welch discuss the Distance Program

Ed Welch discusses the Distance Education program:

Ed Welch on the learning experience:

Tuition

Please see Academic Policies

What will I do in my Distance Education Program?

Distance Education Program offers the Introduction to Biblical Counseling Level I certificate, the Counseling Apologetics - Level III certificate and two of the Level II certificate classes

Introduction to Biblical Counseling Certificate - Level I

This certificate requires the completion of three courses:

• Dynamics of Biblical Change
• Counseling in the Local Church
• Helping Relationships

An Introduction to Biblical Counseling Certificate (Level I) will be awarded to students who complete these three courses.

Advanced Counseling Certificate - Level II

This certificate is not available by Distance Education but you may take two of the classes:

• Marriage Counseling
• Counseling Problems and Procedures (listen to Ed Welch discuss this course)

The other two classes required for this certificate (Counseling Observation and Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor) may be taken through the On-Site Program. Periodically, there are opportunities for students to take these classes in an intensive format.  Click here for a link to Intensive onsite courses.

Counseling Apologetics Certificate - Level III

This certificate requires the completion of four courses:

• Human Personality
• Theology and Secular Psychology
• Counseling and Physiology
• Biblical Interpretation

A Counseling Apologetics Certificate (Level III) will be awarded to students who complete all of these courses and have also earned a Level I Certificate.

Two things you should know:

• All students must begin with with the Dynamics of Biblical Change class. After that, classes may be taken in any order.
• All classes are taught at the Masters level.

For more information, see Course Descriptions and Distance Education Class Schedule.

To apply go to Register Now.