Frequently Asked Questions

Where Can I Purchase the Porterbrook Training Notebook?

Notebooks can be purchased at the book table area at both campuses on Sundays.  The notebooks can also be purchased at the Germantown office area during normal office hours during the week.  The first notebook you will need to buy and study is from the “Character Stream” and costs $30–cash or check.  Make checks out to Sojourn.

What is the Training Schedule?

Because of the ministry demands, we developed an aggressive curriculum training schedule that will move you through the fundamentals of gospel counseling in a 1-year period.  We allowed 4 weeks for you to work through each training modules which require roughly 10 hours to complete.  We hope you will have no problem in finding time to study and learn in spite of a busy schedule.

Do I Have to Attend Weekly Classes at the Building?

You will not have to attend weekly classes at the building but each module can be studied and completed at home or in a coffee shop–the beauty of self-study material!  You are required to attend the Review Sessions (R) at the end of each module at the building on Sunday mornings.  You will be asked to turn in your completed assignments to your training group leader for accountability and assessment–it is important for us to see how well you are learning the material.

Do I Have to Come to the Review Sessions ?

Yes if you are pursuing either the Sojourn Gospel Counselor Certification or if you are pursuing only the Sojourn Gospel Counseling Curriculum Training.  The review sessions play a key role in your training as you will have the opportunity to work out what you study with peers and through case studies.  Not only do we change in community but we learn in community!

What If I Already Have a Counseling Degree?

For those with previous formal counseling training, we acknowledge and appreciate both their gifts in helping others and their rich experience with human behavior, relationships, and suffering.  Those trained in differing schools will find gospel counseling addresses each of these areas in greater depth and intimacy because of the profound and powerful nature of the gospel.

Those previously trained in counseling may progress, by God’s grace, through Sojourn’s training with a higher level of astuteness and wisdom as a result of their education and practical experience.  Others may be hindered in their development in gospel counseling if they are not able to think and practice beyond their previous formal training and think within a gospel-centered framework.

How Many Hours a Week Is Expected?

The Sojourn elders hold the tension between the demands of ministry and the demands placed on non-staff ministry leaders as it impacts their home and work responsibilities.  Based on our experience, most non-staff ministry leaders are able to maintain a load of 1-2 counseling cases during a given week.

Do I Have to Submit an Application if I Just Want to Go Through the Counseling Curriculum and Not Serve in Sojourn Counseling?

Yes. You will need to fill out the Gospel Counseling Curriculum Training Application so that we can assign you to a training group for the review sessions and track your progress.  If you are only working through the counseling curriculum and not seeking gospel counseling certification, you will not be able to take part in counseling observations and supervision, but you will still need to fill out the short application.

Can I Participate in Sojourn Counseling Training If My Primary Ministry Is in Another Area?

Yes!  There are ministry leaders who will continue to serve in SEED, Groups, and Student and Family ministries but will commit to pursue the gospel counseling training.  Any ministry leader from other ministries can participate in the counseling curriculum training but only a select number of leaders from other ministry areas can be certified at this time based on a limited number of observation and supervision training slots.

Why Isn’t Book Knowledge Sufficient for Equipping?

Effective equipping cannot be accomplished with mere classroom or textbook training.  Knowledge has to be applied to life and ministry, which in turn, requires personal and supervised reflection to maximize learning and growth.  Therefore, equipping strives to incorporate three components: (1) knowledge, (2) experience-life and ministry, and (3) reflection-both personal and supervised.