0

Your ACBC Journey with Life Over Coffee

Congratulations on advancing to Phase 3 of your ACBC certification process. It’s a significant achievement, and I would be delighted to supervise you through this phase. To assist you in your decision-making process, I want to walk you through some of the aspects of how I supervise. We have developed this simple, straightforward course with a series of videos and written text that you can watch or read.

Because of the comprehensive training that I provide, I do not offer prescreening interviews of candidates before they begin. I believe that if ACBC has cleared you to begin Phase 3, we trust their endorsement. Should you decide for me to train you, I will commit approximately 70 hours through a multimedia, interactive approach.

Once you go through this Learning Management System (LMS) and decide this type of supervision is a right fit, you may begin immediately.

Training Benefits

Your first step will be to join our Life Over Coffee community. This community allows us to interact on our private forums in addition to our email and Zoom meetings. This membership is essential for several reasons:

  1. All your training will happen in one place.
  2. You will be able to interact with other ACBC Phase 3 Candidates.
  3. We use our resources for supplemental and suggested training.
  4. You will have access to a warehouse of homework assignments and other materials to enhance your counseling and training.

Fee Structure

The total fee for the twelve-month supervision process is $800. You can pay $66 monthly, making it a manageable commitment. If you want to give more than $66 per month, you may do that, with the remainder being a donation. If you complete the program within one year, the remaining balance of $800 will be due then. Should you require an extension, ACBC allows for a one-time extension, and we can discuss the details if needed at that time. 

After reviewing our process and if you’re ready to embark on Phase 3, please follow this link to become a Leader Over Coffee.

Once your first payment is complete, we will set up your thread on our Leaders Over Coffee forums and guide you through its usage to ensure you are comfortable and confident in your learning journey.

Our Interaction

As part of the program, we will meet ten times via Zoom—after every five Case Study Reports.

You will also submit to me five audio recordings—at the end of every 10 sessions—of your counseling sessions as per ACBC’s guidelines.

Your primary interaction will be through our forums, providing you with almost constant contact with me to ensure you receive the best and most comprehensive training.

The forums allow for quicker and more direct communication, ensuring prompt responses

Next Step

Click on the panels below to read the content and watch the videos to learn what the process will look like during your ACBC journey. Once you finish the videos, have read all the information, and are ready to go, the next step would be to become a Leader Over Coffee.

Long-form Summary of Rick's Supervision

As an ACBC Fellow overseeing Phase 3 Candidate Supervision, my approach centers on providing thorough, continuous, and dynamic support to each candidate. Unlike the standard model in which most Fellows receive and review five Case Report Forms (CRFs) at a time and meet through Zoom with their Candidate, my method integrates multiple avenues of consistent feedback, guidance, and enrichment to promote comprehensive development. By investing in this extended process, I aim to cultivate biblical counseling skills, foster deep biblical insight, and build a collaborative community of ministry-minded counselors who are equipped and inspired to serve with excellence.

Detailed and Timely Feedback on Each Case Report Form

The first distinction in our method is the intentionality behind my feedback. Rather than reviewing CRFs in batches of five, I review each report form individually as it is submitted. This process enables me to provide detailed and timely feedback on each case, addressing strengths, areas of improvement, and specific nuances of the counsel provided. I aim to ensure that candidates are receiving prompt input on cases, which does not create gaps in learning or the next counseling sessions. This continuous cycle of feedback and adjustment allows for immediate refinement, helping candidates build their skills incrementally and in real-time.

Scheduled Meetings with Candidate-directed Agendas

In addition to written feedback on each CRF, I meet with my candidates for one hour after every five case reports are submitted. However, instead of limiting our discussions strictly to the cases, I allow each candidate to direct the agenda, bringing any topic or question that would serve them best. This flexibility encourages them to seek guidance in areas where they may feel unsure, whether related to casework, theological inquiries, or counseling strategies. This Candidate-led approach fosters a sense of ownership over their learning journey, enabling them to focus on the aspects of biblical counseling that challenge or intrigue them most.

Continuous Support Through the Leaders Over Coffee Forum

Our supervision relationship extends beyond the formal meetings, as each candidate has an individualized thread within the Leaders Over Coffee forum. This ongoing thread serves as a personalized space where they can ask questions at any time throughout their journey. The forum provides a context where questions about cases, theology, counseling methodology, and even personal reflections can be addressed. This benefit not only keeps candidates connected to me and the community but also reinforces a mentorship model that values their unique learning paths and specific needs.

Daily Messages and Community Engagement

The Life Over Coffee framework offers candidates several layers of community and content interaction that keep them engaged and learning actively. One of these is our Daily Messages, which serve as regular reminders and insights that are biblically grounded and practically useful. These messages address diverse topics in counseling, theology, and personal growth, providing candidates with daily wisdom to shape their perspectives and reinforce critical biblical principles. Additionally, the forum’s design encourages candidates to respond to others’ posts, fostering an interactive learning environment where they can discuss cases, offer counsel, and receive feedback from their peers. This interaction sharpens their thinking and allows me to observe their responses, gaining a deeper understanding of each candidate’s development and perspective.

Monthly Meetings and Peer Interaction

Candidates are invited to join our monthly Leaders Over Coffee meetings to enhance their experience further. These gatherings serve as touchpoints where we can discuss relevant issues with experienced leaders. This shared setting provides an opportunity to discuss challenges, ask questions, and hear diverse perspectives. By interacting with peers at varying levels of expertise, candidates broaden their understanding of biblical counseling while learning from others’ experiences and insights. The monthly meetings create a collective wisdom pool, enhancing their learning and building relationships that reinforce their commitment to ministry.

Comprehensive Resource Access

Beyond community support, candidates benefit from an extensive library of resources curated for disciple-makers. Life Over Coffee offers thousands of materials, including articles, podcasts, videos, webinars, infographics, mind maps, posters, and books. These resources serve dual purposes: candidates can utilize them for their personal growth and incorporate them into their counseling sessions as homework assignments. Having such a vast range of biblically grounded materials allows them to tailor homework effectively to the unique needs of their counselees. By familiarizing themselves with these resources, they not only deepen their biblical counseling skills but also become better equipped to serve those they counsel with precision and sympathy.

A Holistic and Dynamic Supervision Experience

The essence of my supervision approach lies in the continuous, layered support that allows for personalized growth, practical skill-building, and a sense of community. Through consistent feedback, individual meetings, forum engagement, daily insights, and comprehensive resources, candidates remain in constant contact with our ministry and their training process. This dynamic supervision model offers a holistic experience that ensures they are not only completing the 50 required cases but are also being transformed through the process.

My goal as an ACBC Fellow is not simply to oversee case reports but to walk alongside each candidate, equipping them with the knowledge, experience, and discernment necessary to serve others with God-centered counsel. This method moves beyond a transactional model of supervision to a relational and formative approach that prepares candidates to minister with wisdom and compassion, rooted deeply in the transformative power of gospel-centered love. By integrating these various avenues for growth, I strive to foster a generation of biblical counselors who are grounded in Scripture, equipped to guide others, and committed to lifelong learning in their calling.