Care Ministry P&P

Messiah Bible Church Biblical Counseling Services in San Antonio rests firmly on Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” and Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

BCS counselors have been vetted through a Messiah Bible Church (MBC) screening process and have completed an intensive on-line lay counseling certification through the Biblical Counseling Center. Additionally, they participate in recurring training throughout the year. Our counselors come alongside those in need, also approved through a MBC screening process, walking with them for a season, building relationship and trust through which care receivers are encouraged to go deeper into Scripture and their walk with God. Our counselors do not tell care receivers what to do; they observe, ask questions, speak truth in love, and encourage care receivers to do the hard work to resolve their issues—always pointing them back to God and the Word.

Note: Our biblical counselors are not licensed, trained mental health professionals.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• All counseling is Biblically based, resting on the sufficiency of God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit
• All counseling is provided free of charge
• Counseling is provided to those who attend MBC or their friends (13-17 year olds require parental permission)
• No child care is provided
• There is no cross-gender counseling
• Couples counseling is available and includes both a male and female counselor to meet consistently with the couple
• Counselors must be at least 28, approved via a MBC screening process, have completed the Biblical Counseling Center’s lay counseling certification program, BCS observation training, as well as participate in recurring training
• Counselors are unpaid volunteers
• Counselors may not accept any gifts (no matter how inexpensive) from their care receivers
• Cases will be reviewed at the church by the Care Ministry Staff team (supervision)
• Care receivers may be referred out to nationally certified, paid biblical counselors and/or to licensed professional counselors as appropriate
• Care receivers must sign a counseling agreement and a waiver of liability and risk prior to entering into a BCS counseling relationship
• Care receivers will receive a Notice of Protection of Information explaining how their personal information will be protected and may be used
• The counseling relationship will typically encompass up to ten 45 to 60-minute sessions over several weeks (unless extenuating circumstances warrant exceptions)
• Counseling sessions will begin and end in prayer
• Scripture verses and homework will be given at each session
• If, after two consecutive sessions, a care receiver has not completed any homework, counseling will be suspended until the care receiver shows a willingness to do the hard work to resolve the issue bringing him/her to this ministry
• Care receivers are expected to show up on time; if more than 15 minutes late, the session will be cancelled/rescheduled. Should an urgent, unplanned need require short-notice cancellation, the care receiver must promptly notify the counselor (via email or text)
• Both the counselor and care receiver will respect and adhere to confidentiality and its limits
• Limits of confidentiality (reportable information) as required by law include:
  -  a disclosure the care receiver presents a serious risk of harm to self or others
  -  a disclosure of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation
  -  a disclosure of suspected elder or dependent adult abuse or neglect
  -  a disclosure which, in the counselor or supervisor’s opinion, requires action to protect participants in this ministry or the church
• All counseling-related paperwork with personally identifiable information or personal health information will be kept protected at all times and in locked containers at MBC when not in use by counselors or the Care Ministry staff team
• All counseling-related documentation will be maintained by MBC for 7 years, after which it will be shredded
• BCS will not provide records or testimony for any legal proceeding. The care receiver is expected not to voluntarily involve MBC or BCS in any such proceeding

MBC provides this ministry at no cost to care receivers to support and build up the Church, God’s body. We recognize none are perfect this side of heaven. We hope all who participate in this ministry, both counselors and care receivers, do so with humility and a sincere desire to grow in their relationship with God and others and, especially, to bring glory to God.