Course Syllabus

Course title: PT 702 Biblical/Pastoral Counseling

Course description: This introduction to pastoral counseling will examine the counseling ministry of a pastor
in terms of biblical mandate and historic example. Through readings and lectures it will
provide a counseling model and demonstrate its application to differing counseling
problems. In addition the course will introduce practical counseling procedure.
Course instructor: Dr. Tedd Tripp is a visiting professor in Pastoral Counseling. Tedd, a father of three
adult children and eight grandchildren, has served as senior pastor of Grace Fellowship
Church in Hazleton, Pennsylvania since 1983. Dr. Tripp is a graduate of Geneva
College with a BA in History. He received a M.Div from Reformed Episcopal
Seminary and a D. Min with an emphasis in pastoral counseling from Westminster
Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Dr. Tripp has served as a guest lecturer in
pastoral counseling at Westminster. From 1985-1997 he served as a counselor at the
Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr.
Tripp has published articles on in CCEFs Journal for Biblical Counseling. Tedd is the
author of the popular childrearing book, Shepherding a Childs Heart, as well as A
Parents Handbook for Shepherding a Childs Heart, and the recently released
Instructing a Childs Heart, written with his wife, Margy. Since 1995, Dr. Tripp has
maintained an extensive world-wide ministry as a presenter of Shepherding a Childs
Heart Seminars; his audio and video seminar materials are used around the world.
Course credit: 2 credits
Course requirements: Student must satisfactorily complete the following course requirements:
(1) Lectures The student must listen to all 24 lectures on Biblical/Pastoral Counseling by Dr. Tedd
Tripp. The lectures are available on Virtual Campus.
Lecture Outline
1. Biblical Mandate for Pastoral Counseling
2. Historical Example of Pastoral Counseling in our Puritan Forbearers
3. Developing a Biblical Model
A. The Great Exchange Problem of Idolatry
B. The Great Exchange Delighting in God
4. Model Summary Framework for Counseling Introduced
5. Elements of Counseling Process
A. Friendship Developing Relationship
B. Faith Embracing the Hope of the Gospel
C. Facts Data Gathering
D. Focus Biblical Lens for Understanding
E. Future Commitment to Biblical Solutions
F. Fellowship Centrality of the Church in Biblical Solutions
6. Identifying Counseling Opportunities
7. Lay Counseling in the Church
8. Special Problems and Procedures Pre-marriage, Drugs and Alcohol, Etc.
9. Counseling dos and donts
(2) Reading The student must complete the following assigned reading:
Powlison, David. Seeing Through New Eyes (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R, 2003).
Powlison, David. Speaking the Truth in Love (Greensboro, North Carolina: New
Growth Press, 2005).
Tripp, Paul David. War of Words (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R, 2000).
Welch, Edward T. Blame it on the Brain? (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R, 1998).
The student may be allowed to substitute other reading for the requirements listed above,
but he must obtain approval from his mentor and course instructor before doing so.
(3) Book Review The student should write a thoughtful review of the book Blame it on the Brain?
interacting with the theological and practical issues raised in part one of the book.
Identify a common disorder that is frequently blamed on the brain and apply Welchs
framework of classification from part two of the book. Ideally each student could
interact with some actual counseling case or situation with which he is familiar. You
may use, but are not restricted to the six or seven disorders Welch addresses in Blame it
on the Brain? The review should be 6 to 8 pages double-spaced using 12-point font.
The book review is worth 20% of the student's grade and should be submitted together
with the student's lecture reviews, self-counseling project, and final exam. If the student
has any questions, he should contact the instructor at ttripp@epix.net or the seminary
dean at dean@rbseminary.org.
(4) Self-Counseling Each student will identify a problem in his life to begin to work on. (Sample list:
anger/impatience, worry/fear, bitterness/unforgiving spirit, jealousy/envy,
cynicism/sarcasm, shame/guilt, lust/pornography, parent/child conflict, spiritual
dryness/prayerlessness) Using the principles and procedures presented in this class he
will interpret this problem and develop plans for on-going response to it in a 10-15 page
paper. The paper should be single-spaced, 12-point font, with one-inch margins. The
project is worth 20% of the student's grade and should be turned in at the same time as
the student submits the book review, lecture reviews, and final examination. If the
student has any questions, he should contact the instructor at ttripp@epix.net or the
seminary dean at dean@rbseminary.org.
(7) Final Exam The final exam is based on the lecture content and lecture notes. A study guide is
provided so that the student knows what parts of the lectures and notes he'll need to
know to be prepared for the exam. If the student has any questions, he should contact the
instructor at ttripp@epix.net or the seminary dean at dean@rbseminary.org.
Course grading:

20% Lectures and reading
20% Review of Blame It on the Brain
20% Self-Counseling Project
40% Final Examination