Ep. 165 Why Our Program Can Be As Lame As Any Other

Photo: ©AntonioGuillem from Getty Images via Canva.com

Shows Main Idea – Part of the requirements for our Mastermind program is for the student to interact and personalize blocks of topical content to their lives. In this podcast, I’m sharing with you part of an assignment that a student sent in and my supervisory notes back to him.

Show Notes

You may want to read:

• Do I Need to Be Certified to Be a Counselor?
• Ten Things to Know If You Want to Be a Counselor
• There Is No Passing or Failing in Our Program

Student – As I was relaying to my pastor how challenging this program is, I paraphrased a line from the webinar this week – “if you take this class and only learn the content, you missed the point.”

Rick – I’m not sure if I have made that point before the webinar, but as I was prepping for the webinar and thinking about the results of our training on those who have graduated or who are further along, it became apparent how our Mastermind program can be like all the other training that folks receive.

I have talked for years how books and programs and Bible studies can be the “stacking of knowledge on top of knowledge,” but I have never connected that concept to our program because we do focus on application a lot. But it might be better said that “I focus on application a lot,” though every student may not be doing that.

And if the student does not focus on application, our training will be some version of all the other training that they may receive. So, I’m glad you heard that point in the webinar; it’s a big one. The onus is on each student to step up—when they are ready—and do more in the area of application.

I say, “When they are ready,” but that may not be the best way to say it because some students delay because of (1) fear of man, (2) procrastination, (3) “I’m not qualified,” or (4) (fill in the blank). Part of the solution is all of us motivating each other to step up, and for the students, that means stepping up to the forums where there is opportunity for real-life interaction.

Student – “Getting reps in” is hard when you consider that these are real people with real problems. They are not “case studies” that get critiqued and returned for finer honing, but real people that have already decided to some degree or another to both trust us and believe that we can help them.

Rick – That feeling won’t ever change. You could think of it this way: “When I arrive, I will be ready to help folks.” Do you hear the arrogance in that statement? We never arrive. So, while we don’t want to be legalists—“what I do matters the most and not the grace of God,” we also don’t want to beat ourselves down into passivity, which leads to doing nothing.

Student – I’m determined to finish this course, but I have relented from trying to do so in two years or less. I do not want to speed through the content and come out with knowledge at the expense of wisdom and maturity.

Need More Help?

1. If you want to learn more from us, you may search this site for thousands of resources—articles, podcasts, videos, graphics, and more. Please spend time studying the ones that interest you. They are free.
2. If you want to talk to us, we have private forums for those who support this ministry financially. Please consider supporting us here if you would like to help us keep our resources free.

Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).