Biblical Soul Care

Ascend Church wants to be a blessing to the community by providing facilities and counselors who volunteer their time and services. While the counseling is free there is a $25.00 cancellation fee payable before the first counseling session. If an appointment is canceled less than 48 hours before the scheduled time for counseling, the counselee will forfeit the cancellation fee and he or she must submit another $25.00 before continuing in counseling. If all sessions are attended or canceled on time, the cancellation fee will be returned after the final counseling appointment. A counselee is expected to pay for their materials (pamphlets, books, etc).

Ascend Soul Care is not a professional service. Our counseling team consists of pastors, counseling staff, lay counselors, coaches, and trainees. The counselors are not trained as and do not counsel as licensed psychologists, licensed psychiatrists, state-certified therapists, or any other type of professional mental health care provider.

Biblical counseling provides a distinctive approach to sin and suffering that may look different from secular counseling. Biblical counseling is guided by three distinct principles:

1. The Bible is God’s Word given to us. When properly interpreted, it can reveal everything we need to understand our need for Christ, how we can submit to and follow him, and how we can honor Him with our lives.
2. The Bible is the ultimate source of truth and guides all that we do, and we reject any principles that are inconsistent with biblical teaching.
3. Our counselors and coaches do not pretend to know all there is to know about biblical teaching and its application to life; nevertheless, they do know much and will do their utmost to help you. Biblical counseling and coaching consist of the giving of scriptural advice and the practical application of the same to each individual.

For more details on our beliefs, please visit the ACBC website.

We offer premarital coaching, financial coaching, family counseling, group counseling, and individual counseling. God has answers for every issue a person experiences. We can offer biblical solutions and support for whatever you are going through.

• Biblical soul care relies on the Bible for God’s perspective and answers to your problem, while secular therapy relies on man’s thoughts.
• Biblical soul care calls you to action to desire, think, and live differently based on God’s purpose for your life.
• Biblical soul care provides support, encouragement, and accountability every day of the week through church community.
• Biblical soul care provides real, lasting hope founded on God’s promises for you.
• Biblical soul care is short-term because you will be equipped to navigate your current and future difficulties.

Many times, our counselees are seeing a secular therapist. Due to competing philosophies of counseling, we do not recommend someone see a secular therapist at the same time as one of our biblical counselors (this does not include medical doctors). If, however, you are currently seeing a secular counselor and want to continue to see them during biblical counseling, please discuss that with your counselor to decide the best course of action. If you do remain seeing your secular therapist, you will have to commit to following biblical instruction when it contradicts or competes with your secular therapy.

You will be cared for by a counselor who listens and considers your current circumstances. You will read from the Bible and learn what it means, the hopeful promises it contains, and how to apply it to your current problem. Lastly, you will walk out with a plan of growth. We ask our counselees to come prepared to review their progress throughout the last week, including the completion of personalized “homework” assignments. We ask you to share your goals for the present meeting and attend all scheduled sessions to the best of your ability.

Your consultation appointment, which outlines what you can expect from the process, will last approximately 30 minutes. Each counseling session will last from 60-90 minutes depending on the schedule you and your counselor determine works the best.

Please submit the counseling application on our website, and we will be in touch to discuss further consultations and placement options with one of our biblical counselors.

Please call the church office a minimum of 24 hours prior to your appointment to respect the time of the biblical counselor.

Please bring your Bible (if you do not have one, one will be provided), a notebook, and any homework materials assigned during your counseling sessions.

While we do prioritize individuals who are currently members of Ascend Church, we offer counseling to anyone in our church community, including those without a church home and individuals who are involved with other churches.

Confidentiality is an important aspect of the counseling process. We carefully guard the information you entrust to us to the fullest extent possible. However, we do not promise confidentiality. There are times when counseling information may be shared outside the Ascend Soul Care context. Those exceptions would include, but are not limited to the following:

(1) if a person expresses intent to harm himself/herself or someone else;
(2) other credible intent to harm self or others;
(3) if there is evidence or reasonable suspicion of abuse against a minor, child, elder person, or dependent adult;
(4) the intent to take criminal actions or violence against another person;
(5) active suicidal thoughts or intentions;
(6) consult with their supervision;
(7) matters of church discipline;
(8) if a person persistently refuses to renounce a particular sin (habitual unrepentant rebellion against the Word of God) and it becomes necessary to seek the assistance of others in the church to encourage repentance, restoration, and reconciliation (see Matthew 18:15-20).

Counselors reserve the right and discretion to contact any and all appropriate entities when, as a result of the counseling, it is clear that a crime has been committed or is about to be committed or the safety and welfare of any person (including the counselee) are in jeopardy. The counselor is not required to notify the counselee in advance of any such contact with the appropriate entities.