IBC Care & Counseling
Vision: Offer the hope of Christ in the midst of problems in a broken world.
Mission: We offer biblical counseling to individuals, couples, and families of IBC who experience difficulty in life. Our desire is for people to grow in their faith in Jesus Christ as a result of their problems.
This counseling ministry is offered to those who are members or regular attenders (of at least 6 months) of Immanuel Bible Church. The following are requirements of those who are recipients of counseling:
- Regular attendance of worship services at Immanuel Bible Church (fill out white card or App check-in)
- Regular attendance of an ABF, Bible study, or small group
- To regularly seek God’s direction through disciplines such as reading the Bible and prayer
For more information, please call 703.813.1952 or use the Online Contact Form.
Distinctives:
Christ-centered. All of the help we provide is in efforts that a counselee has greater love for Jesus. Sin entangles us, we may suffer at the hands of others, and general hardships come at us; our Savior Jesus Christ provides hope for change and a future.
Biblical. Our counsel comes through a distinctly Christian worldview (who is man? what is man’s problem? how does man change?) founded on God’s word. In cases of matters not explicitly addressed in the Bible, our criteria will be consistent with scriptural truths and principles.
Community-oriented. Christians need one another for help and encouragement. The “one another” commands in the New Testament benefit believers living in community. Lasting change and growth occurs more during the week with others God has placed in your life than it does in a counseling room.
Clinically-informed. By God’s design, we are embodied souls (or psychosomatic wholes) where our material and immaterial bodies are inextricably linked. And, as a result of our fallen nature, both our material and immaterial bodies have been affected by sin. Where necessary, we seek to understand how physiological factors may impact one’s psychological well-being. Even though the assumptions of secular psychology are not grounded in a Christian worldview, we believe that insights nevertheless exist in the social sciences that may assist us in understanding and counseling a person’s mental condition, and sometimes facilitating application of biblical truth to their lives. Thus, we aim to employ a clinically-informed biblical counseling. As we recognize our limitations, we may work alongside other mental health professionals to ensure adequate care.
The Care and Counseling office maintains a large database of local area Christian professional counselors. We would be happy to suggest referrals.
