SYLLABUS FOR MACC PRACTICUM II
REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - CHARLOTTE
SPRING 2016
REV. GABRIEL SYLVIA
gsylvia@christcovenant.org
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides opportunities to develop as a biblical counselor. The student will counsel in
live and case study settings subject to the evaluation and critique of his peers.
Course Objectives
1) To understand the importance of being a “counseling counselor.”
2) To further develop a biblical counseling practice.
3) To develop a philosophy of biblical counseling praxis.
4) To use tools in counseling.
5) To properly apply scripture to difficult cases.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
The student must read the following books:
1. Counseling
Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert, eds., Counseling the Hard Cases, Broadman and
Holman, 2012, (366 pp).
CCEF-authored booklets:
Anger: Escaping the Maze
Angry at God? Bring Him Your Doubts and Questions
Help! My Spouse Committed Adultery: First Steps for Dealing with Betrayal
Living with an Angry Spouse: Help for Victims of Abuse
Domestic Abuse: How to Help
Harvest USA-authored booklets:
Can you change in you’re gay?
The Gay Dilemma and Your Church
Homosexuality and the Bible
2. Topical
“Anger at God” Robert Jones, JBC; Vol. 14, No. 3; 1996
3. Suffering
“Complaining to God: Lament” (30 pp.)
4. Doctrine
John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence, Banner of Truth Trust (224 pp.)
The following additional books are highly recommended for the student’s practice of biblical
counseling:
1. Elyse Fitzpatrick and Carol Cornish, Women Helping Women, Harvest House Publishing,
1997.
2. Ken Sande, Resolving Everyday Conflict, Baker Book House, 2011.
3. Robert Jones, Uprooting Anger, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2005.
4. Richard Baxter, The Practical Works of Richard Baxter, Vol. 1: A Christian Directory,
Soli Deo Gloria, 2003.
REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION:
1. Personal Philosophy of Biblical Counseling
The student will write a personal philosophy of biblical counseling highlighting:
a. The vision of your biblical counseling ministry
b. The mission of such ministry
c. The ministry strategies you will use to achieve that mission
In class, we will discuss each of these elements.
2. Weekly in-class Case Studies
N.B. All students must be prepared to role play each week. There will be at least four
participants each week: two role play participants and two counselors.
a. Each case study will last two class periods simulating an initial meeting and the first
follow-up meeting.
b. Counselor A will run the initial meeting; counselor B will run the follow-up meeting.
The meetings should represent collaboration between counselors.
c. Evaluations.
1. Written evaluations should be completed and submitted by the class period
following the last week of the Case Study. See the syllabus for schedule.
2. Evaluations must use the detailed Covenant Conflict format for data organization
(template located at the end of this syllabus).
3. Submission will include the Covenant Conflict form and a summary document
outlining at least the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
What areas would you probe as a counselor in your next meetings?
Why did you choose those areas?
How would you integrate this person more fully into church life?
What church resources would you leverage as part of pastoral care?
d. Submissions must be thoughtful and helpful.
Intent: to provide the counselor the opportunity to make real-time evaluations on a
counseling case study session.
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3. Scripture Application Papers: the student will choose 2 Scripture passages (one from each
Testament) and submit application papers (due dates per the syllabus) on the passages
focusing on how those passages pertain to biblical counseling.
These passages will have specific messages that need to be applied specifically.
N.B. These must be exegetically sound papers taking context and redemptive history into
account. They are meant to be application papers whose focus is on assisting a
counselee understand and apply a passage of Scripture in a way consistent with gospel
ministry.
The papers will have three sections:
a. “What does the text say?” (observation of the details of the text)
b. “What does it mean?” (interpretation of those details in context) and
c. “What does it matter to the counselee?” (application of the passage in counseling).
Intent: to help consider biblical texts in light of the counseling / discipleship mandate of
Luke 9:23-26.
4. Psychological Lexicon “translation” Papers: the student will choose 2 psychological terms
or concepts and write two-page “translation” papers in which he will:
a. Demonstrate an understanding of current secular use of the term
b. What it may describe biblically
c. How to speak to (with or against) it in counseling
Intent: to give the counselor experience in translation from a psychological to a biblical
paradigm.
5. Reading: the student will complete all assigned reading per the schedule on the syllabus.
Intent: to introduce the counselor to resources that will assist his biblical counseling
ministry.
6. Class attendance and discussion: You will be expected to attend every class in order to
participate. Unexcused absences will adversely affect your final grade. Please be on time.
Intent: so I can see you, so you can learn and so others can learn!
7. Grades:
The following assignments are Pass / Fail:
Class participation
Reading
5%
5%
The following will be given letter grades:
Personal philosophy of biblical counseling
Scripture application papers
Case study participation and evaluation
Lexicon “translation” assignments
10%
20 %
30 %
30 %
N.B. Full credit depends on timely submission.
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8. Contact.
I will be available after class to discuss assignments, case studies, the counseling dyad or
any other item. If you desire to meet outside of class then you should contact me at 704708-6168 to set up an appointment.
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CO741– Counseling Practicum II, Spring 2016
Location: TBD, Wednesdays 3-5 p.m.
Date
1
Lesson
Orientation, syllabus
and introduction
2/3/2016
Philosophy of biblical
counseling
2
3
Case Study
Anger, Part 1
Case Study
Anger, Part 2
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Assignments Due
“Anger at God” Robert
Jones, JBC; Vol. 14,
No. 3; 1996
2/10/2016
2/17/2016
Role of Laments
4
Reading Due
“Complaining to God:
Lament”
Scripture Application
Paper 1
Case Study
Anxiety, Part 1
Anger Case Study
evaluations
Case Study
Anxiety, Part 2
Lexicon translation
paper: 1
Case Study
Adultery, Part 1
Anxiety Case Study
evaluations
2/24/2016
3/2/2016
3/9/2016
Case Study
Adultery, Part 2
Case Study
Same sex attraction,
Part 1
Case Study
Same sex attraction,
Part 2
Case Study
Leaving the Faith,
Part 1
Case Study
Leaving the Faith,
Part 2
Case Study
Abuse, Part 1
Case Study
Abuse, Part 2
Stuart Scott and Heath
Lambert, eds.,
Counseling the Hard
Cases, Broadman and
Holman, 2012,
Lexicon translation
paper: 2
3/23/2016
Adultery Case Study
evaluations
3/30/2016
4/6/2016
SSA Case Study
evaluations
4/13/2016
All booklets
Scripture Application
Paper 2
4/20/2016
Leaving the Faith Case
Study evaluations
4/27/2016
5/4/2016
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John Flavel, The
Mystery of Providence,
Banner of Truth Trust
Philosophy of biblical
counseling
Abuse Case Study
Evaluations
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