Life Builders Inc.

Courses

Pastoral Care Course

Course Objective

This course is designed to provide pastoral care skills and insight to assist those involved in pastoral care in the local church. On completion of the course a participant will be able to:

facilitate a healing process in the life of another.
utilize communication skills more effectively.
address personal issues in a positive way
have insight into emotional, relational and spiritual problems.

Course Content

The course consists of four modules:

Module 1. Understanding Pastoral Care

Module 2. Pastoral Counselling Pt 1

Module 3. Pastoral Counselling pt 2

Module 4. Practical Shepherding

Each module represents 8 hours of lecture time plus reading and assignments. Modules will be presented in your local church over a Friday night/Saturday, weeknight program, or two modules combined over a three day live-in retreat.

Module Description

Module 1. Understanding Pastoral Care

This module helps understand the importance, role and function of pastoral care in the life of the church. It identifies the limits of caring and practical insight into how it can be facilitated

Module 2. Pastoral Counselling Pt 1

This module establishes a biblical understanding of counselling. Commencing with the biblical goal of counselling, the module considers the source and solution of man's problems. An emphasis is placed on understanding the biblical concept of Renewing the Mind as a foundation for the change facilitated through the counselling process. This concept will be expanded as The Healing Dynamic and incorporates a theology of forgiveness.

The process of counselling is discussed, producing a practical model to be built on in the following modules.

Module 3. Pastoral Counselling Pt 2

This module provides training in practical counselling skills such as listening, empathy, probing, challenging, goal setting, problem solving and establishing a practical action program.

The role of the Holy Spirit in counselling and the utilisation of gifts of the Holy Spirit in counselling will be discussed together with the place of Laying on of Hands and Deliverance.

Module 4. Pastoral Issues

This module begins with an understanding of emotions and goes on to deal with different emotional issues commonly confronted in counselling. The module establishes a biblical perspective of issues such as Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Guilt, Self Esteem and Stress, establishing practical approaches to deal with each issue.

Participants will be required to complete reading and assignment work for all modules before being granted a Certificate.

Cost

The cost per module is $800 for groups of 6-10 participants and $80 per participant for groups larger than 10 (plus GST). This cost includes the module manual. The minimum number of participants for any module is six (6).

Travelling expenses and accommodation are the responsibility of a church outside the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Instructor

Dr Ian Richardson

Ian holds a Graduate Diploma in Pastoral Counselling, Master of Arts (Counselling) degree, Doctor of Ministry degree and is a Clinical Member of the Christian Counsellors Association. He combines over 30 years of pastoral ministry together with extensive training and counselling experience. He has been involved in training and supervising counsellors since 1988. As a respected pastor, counsellor, author and teacher, Ian is able to bring a unique contribution to your church.

Christian Leadership Course

Course Objective

This course is designed to provide practical leadership skills and insight to those involved in all levels of leadership in the local church, as well as potential leaders. On completion of the course a participant will be able to:

establish effective goals and know how to bring them into reality
understand the concept of teamwork and how it functions
facilitate an effective small group
lead someone to Christ and disciple them.

Course Content

The course consists of four modules:

Module 1. Principles of Effective Leadership

Module 2. Vision, Goals and Programming

Module 3. Teamwork

Module 4. Discipleship & Small Groups

Each module represents 8 hours of lecture time plus reading and assignments. Modules will be presented in your local church over a Friday night/ Saturday, weeknight program, or two modules combined over a three day live-in retreat.

Module Description

Module 1. Principles Of Effective Leadership

This module begins by considering the biblical philosophy of leadership together with the attributes of an effective Christian leader. The importance of self-leadership is discussed, leading to the establishment of personal values and a personal mission statement. The emphasis is on the leader as a person and will assist the participant to identify areas of personal weakness and how to overcome them. A model for effective decision making will be presented together with the importance of time management.

Module 2. Vision, Goals And Programming

This module stresses the importance of vision for all levels of leadership and the process of bringing it into reality. The participant will be taken step by step through the process of establishing vision, setting goals, or objectives, and establishing a strategy to bring it pass. An effective problem solving model will be presented.

Module 3. Teamwork

This module begins by discussing the importance and development of teamwork. Jesus’ approach to team building will be considered. The different components of an effective team will be discussed. Participants will evaluate their own style of team leadership and best fit in a team. Personality styles and giftings will be considered. The "how to" of delegation will be presented together with establishing role descriptions. The importance of teams and changes to teams through various stages of church growth will be considered.

Module 4. Discipleship And Small Groups

This module firstly addresses practical issues of leading another to Christ and the process of discipling them. The importance of Small Group ministry in the life of the church is considered, together with practical training in facilitating an effective Small Group. An effective cyclical model for a Small Group program with keys and strategy for multiplication will be presented. Individual modules can be tailored to suit the needs of a particular local church.

Participants will be required to complete reading and assignments for all modules before being granted a Certificate.

Cost

The cost per module is $800 for groups of 6-10 participants and $80 per participant for groups larger than 10 (plus GST). The minimum number of participants for any module is six. (6). The cost includes the module manual. Travelling expenses and accommodation are the responsibility of a church outside the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Instructor

Dr Ian Richardson

As well as educational qualifications including a Master of Arts (Counselling) and Doctor of Ministry degrees, Ian has a breadth of successful ministry and leadership experience ranging from church planting to being the Senior Minister of a large multi-faceted, multi-staffed church. Ian was also the founding Principal of Tabor College, Melbourne Campus. His secular training was as a professional engineer. Ian's ministry spanning more than 30 years, has involved training leaders and building teams at all levels of church life. As a respected pastor, counsellor, author and teacher, Ian is able to bring a unique contribution to your church.