How much is tuition for your courses?

Tuition for our courses originally ranged from $95 to $180. Thanks to the generosity of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, we recently were able to slash the tuition to $35 per course. We intend for this to be a permanent price reduction. We believe this should make our curriculum affordable to all.

Q: Can my wife and I both study together?

Yes, of course! However, if you both would like to receive a certificate at the conclusion of your studies, you will each need to register under separate accounts using different email addresses.

Q: Nouthetic counselors don't have a personality theory, do they?

No, they do not. They are not interested in theories—of any kind. When it comes to human personality they are content to adhere to the biblical teaching about man. That is, of course, quite extensive, and it is accurate. There is no need for a theory when God has provided facts . That no systematic presentation of all the biblical material has been published by anyone in the Nouthetic camp is true. But generally speaking, Scripture, summed up in those sections of standard systematic theology texts that have been around for some time, provides those things that a counselor needs to know to counsel others. I refer to Hodge, Berkhof, Reymond, and the like. Here is a great difference between biblical counselors and those who care little about theology. The church has a long, solid tradition of exegetical work setting forth the facts about man in the states of holiness, sin, and redemption. The world knows nothing about these. Indeed, theories of counseling that are not based on the Bible fail to acknowledge man’s sinful propensities by nature, his need for regeneration to know and please God, and his failure to have a clear purpose for or meaning of life apart from Jesus Christ. Salvation, in terms of the Christian hope, and the ability to change in the ways that please God, not being an element of non-biblical systems, is a foreign concept. Since it plays no part in such systems of counseling, they cannot be correct, their theories of human personality must be flawed and there is no reason whatsoever for believers to waste their time devoting themselves to the study of them. Insights concerning human biology and other organic and truly hereditary aspects of human beings may be useful to Christian counselors in any number of ways, but a theory of personality—forget it! Jay E Adams

Q: I have a question about something presented in a lecture. Who can I ask about it?

I (Donn Arms) am available to answer your questions about coursework or any other aspect of our program. The best way to contact me is by email, especially if you have a simple question that can be answered in just a few sentences. If you would like to call, do not hesitate. Please be patient, however. If I am out of the office or unable to take your call, you may leave a message, but it would be best to simply try calling again later so I can avoid playing phone tag. If you find you are not able to get by my machine, it could be because I am out of the office for several days, or maybe even in the hospital! Send me an email that you are trying to call and I will try to respond as I am able.

Q: What about licensing or certification by the state? Will your training satisfy any of the government’s licensing requirements that would lead to becoming a Licensed Social Worker, Professional Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, or other type of mental health professional?

Yes, this is really a frequently asked question. We would respond with questions of our own. What branch or agency of either the federal, state, or local government has jurisdiction over the ministry of the Word of God? Would you want there to be such a government entity? By what criteria should such an agency make its evaluations? What would you do if such an agency concluded you were not qualified to teach the Word of God? Would you then stop ministering God’s Word? If you are seeking to become a professional counselor in the world’s system apart from the church of Jesus Christ then frankly, you would not be happy with the training you receive from the Institute for Nouthetic Studies.

Q: I have just started reading the Christian Counselor’s Manual where on page 12 Dr. Adams says counseling is pastoral work and that “persons with a life-calling to do counseling ought to prepare for the work of the ministry and seek ordination, since God describes a life-calling to counseling as the life-calling of a minister.” Does Dr. Adams mean a counseling ministry is not possible for women since women are not ordained?

Absolutely not. While all pastors should be counselors it does not follow that all counselors should be pastors. Listen to what he says earlier on the same page. “To say that the Christian minister is counselor and preacher, par excellence , means that he is called to these works as his function or office in the church. It does not exclude much teaching, exhortation, and counseling on the part of every Christian, incidental to his particular gifts and calling.” We know of no pastor who would not desire to have a cadre of well-trained women counselors in his church to call upon and refer other women to.

Q: I can’t log in, there is no sound, your site won’t open, the video keeps buffering, my computer froze up, my password does not work, I can’t print out the notes—what is wrong?

We don’t know, but it is our experience that 99% of these problems are with YOUR computer, internet, or software. If you do not know how to troubleshoot computer problems and do not have a 12-year-old son or grandson who can help, please call us. Do not give up in frustration. The folk who host our site have done a great job of constructing a bug-free and user-friendly platform. We can help with most issues but will need to talk with you while you are in front of your computer in order to help. Our courses are hosted by a local Greenville company named Pathwright . It was started by twin brothers shortly after they graduated from Bob Jones University. Today they are one of the premier companies that provide online educational services. We are proud to be one of their earliest customers.

We are regularly sending out ministry news so that you can keep updated with the Institute for Nouthetic Studies.

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