Christian Formation & Counselling _ Title

Discern God’s ways in your life and prepare to disciple others

The Christian Formation program is an excellent choice for those considering any profession that works closely with people. It provides a firm foundation for those interested in entering relational ministry or considering a career in counselling.

  • Cultivate a listening life through meditation on the Word and works of God.
  • Learn from the wisdom of the church through the centuries.
  • Learn to integrate Christian theological psychology with empirical research to appraise contemporary therapies.
  • Develop an understanding of the theoretical and practical foundations of counselling and develop practical skills in becoming a “skilled helper.”


This program is available for a 2-year diploma and a 4-year bachelor’s.

Off-Campus Experience – In the fall of your second year, you can spend seven weeks learning about God through the beauty of His handiwork in the Canadian Rock Mountains at Frontier Lodge. This experience will shape your soul, mind and body.

Diploma in Christian Formation

The two-year diploma program offers a foundation for basic, discerning spiritual care for others. At the same time, it deepens your own personal transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Prairie’s Christian Formation Diploma will equip you to:

  • Slow down: Cultivate a transforming friendship with God.
  • Go deep: Effectively study and interpret Scripture; Begin to integrate theology and human behaviour; Discern how God is redeeming your past and re-shaping you now.
  • Give life: Become a soul friend to disciple others in their journey.

Bachelor of Arts in Ministry

In our four-year program, students will graduate from the degree program with “level 1” certification in spiritual direction from Urban Sanctuary which includes the opportunity to learn from and work with experienced evangelical Christian counsellors and spiritual directors. Complete a 9–credit internship.

The degree program carves out a pathway for credentialing and graduate level training in a range of people-helping careers, while building on the spiritual foundations of the diploma program.

Dr. Justin Allison Mini Lectures

The real sense of peace

1 - ???????

We will take you through 4 basic building blocks skills for you to safely and effectively ride a trail. 

THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE

2 - ???????

We will take you through 4 basic building blocks skills for you to safely and effectively ride a trail. 

THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE

Dr_Allison_Justin

Dr. Justin Allison

Program Coordinator

Do you have questions? Let's chat...

Dr. Ray Yeo Mini Lectures

The conundrum of persistent sin and addiction

1 - Addiction

The topic that we want to look at for today is your problem of persistent Addiction in the Christian Life.

2 - Sin

For this movie lecture question that we want to think about is why we continue to sin even though we know so much about God Jesus in the Bible.

3 - Why we continue to sin

The question that we want to think about this why we continue to sin even though we know so much about God, Jesus and the Bible.

4 - Christian counselling

The topic that we want to look at in today’s lecture is what is the what is Christian Counseling and hit it different from non-Christian Counseling.

When it comes to Christian Counseling it is important to note that not all Christian Counseling approaches or equal now…

6 - Church based non church based

The next important point we want to know about Christian Counseling is that it is helpful to differentiate between Church-based Christian Counseling and Norm Church-based Christian Counseling.

Dr_Yeo_Ray

Dr. Ray Yeo

Associate Professor of Theology

Do you have questions? Let's chat...

Are you interested in Christian Formation?

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Prairie College
Box 4000
Three Hills, AB T0M 2N0
Canada
Phone: 403.443.5511
TollFree: 1.800.661.2425
Email: admissions@prairie.edu

2022 © Prairie College. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy

Diploma

Students in the Christian Formation and Counselling program learn to offer discerning spiritual care by cultivating an attentive life with God. Our students pursue this goal by engaging in spiritual disciplines and by crafting an evangelical theology of God and the human person in dialogue with modern psychology and traditions of Christian devotion.

Students in the Christian Formation and Counselling Diploma program:

  • Cultivate an attentive life with God by spending seven weeks in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies at Frontier Lodge and learning to experience God in creation and community.
  • Build a strong foundation in the life-giving Word of God by studying nearly the entire canon of Scripture in six courses.
  • Begin to develop a Christian psychology as a basis for counselling and soul care.
  • Begin to offer basic, discerning spiritual care for others.

 

OFF-CAMPUS EXPERIENCE
In the fall of your second year, you can spend seven weeks learning about God through the beauty of His handiwork in the Canadian Rock Mountains at Frontier Lodge. This experience will shape your soul, mind and body.

TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES
Prairie has developed a formal transfer agreement with Briercrest Seminary that provides 12 advanced credits into their Masters of Counselling or Master of Marriage and Family Therapy programs.

Bachelor

Students in the Christian Formation and Counselling program learn to offer discerning spiritual care by cultivating an attentive life with God. Our students pursue this goal by engaging in spiritual disciplines and by crafting an evangelical theology of God and the human person in dialogue with modern psychology and traditions of Christian devotion.

Students in the Christian Formation program:

  • Cultivate an attentive life with God by spending seven weeks in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies at Frontier Lodge and learning to experience God in creation and community.
  • Build a strong foundation in the life-giving Word of God by covering the entire canon of Scripture over seven courses.
  • Develop a Christian psychology as a basis for counselling and soul care.
  • Participate in a three-month internship under a qualified minister of spiritual care.
  • Receive “level 1” certification in spiritual direction from Urban Sanctuary (also known as the Centre for Evangelical Spiritual Formation). This includes the opportunity to learn from and work with experienced evangelical Christian counsellors and spiritual directors from Urban Sanctuary.


OFF-CAMPUS EXPERIENCE
In the fall of your second year, you can spend seven weeks learning about God through the beauty of His handiwork in the Canadian Rock Mountains at Frontier Lodge. This experience will shape your soul, mind and body.

TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES
Prairie has developed a formal transfer agreement with Briercrest Seminary that provides 12 advanced credits into their Masters of Counselling or Master of Marriage and Family Therapy programs.

Diploma

All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.

Bible and Theology (27 credits)

NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OR OT 453 Reading the Prophets
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
ST 100 The Christian Life
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel

Arts and Sciences (21 credits)

HF 111 Thinking and Writing
OL 104 Introduction to Experiential Education (1.5 credits)
OL 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation (1.5 credits)
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
Arts and Sciences elective

Christian Formation (12 credits)

CF 141-242 Readings for Christian Formation (2 credits)
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 290 Directed Study (1 credit)
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship

For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.

Notes:

  • Readings for Christian Formation are required each year a student is enrolled in the Diploma program.
  • Directed Study CF 290 can be taken for 2 credits if a student joins the program in their second year.

Bachelor

All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.

Bible and Theology Major (45 credits)

BT 409 Word and World
NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
OT 453 Reading the Prophets
ST 100 The Christian Life
OR ST 205/06/07/08 Freedom Session
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel
TH 313 Creation to New Creation
Bible and Theology electives (9 credits)

Arts and Sciences Core (39 credits)

AS 400 Integrative Seminar
HF 111 Thinking and Writing
HF 231 History of Western Civilization I
HF 232 History of Western Civilization II
OT 104 Introduction to Experiential Education
OT 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation
SC 230 History and Philosophy of Science
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
SS 314 Social Psychology
Arts and Sciences elective

Christian Formation Major (33 credits)

CF 1-341 Readings for Christian Formation
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 418 Theology and Psychology
CF 430 Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction
CM 250 Introduction to Counseling
CM 478 Christian Formation Internship (9 credits)
CM 479 Practicum in Spiritual Direction
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship

Electives (6 credits)

For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.

Notes:

  • Readings for Christian Formation (1 credit, year-long) is required for each year a student is in the diploma or degree program, up to a maximum of three years.
  • Most students will have to take two of their electives by Online Education outside the regular school year.

Diploma

  1. Craft a biblically-based evangelical theology of God, personhood and the human condition.
  2. Recover the wisdom of the church from the classics of Christian devotion throughout the centuries.
  3. Integrate Christian theological psychology with empirical research in order to appraise contemporary therapies as well as spiritual teachings and practices.
  4. Cultivate a listening life through meditation on the word and works of God.
  5. Offer discerning spiritual care to another.

Bachelor

  1. Craft a biblically-based evangelical theology of God, personhood, and the human condition.
  2. Recover the wisdom of the church from the classics of Christian devotion throughout the centuries.
  3. Appraise and discern the theological appropriateness of common spiritual teachings and practices.
  4. Cultivate a listening life through meditation on the word and works of God.
  5. Offer basic, discerning spiritual care to another.

Diploma

All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.

Bible and Theology (27 credits)

NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OR OT 453 Reading the Prophets
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
ST 100 The Christian Life
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel

Arts and Sciences (21 credits)

HF 111 Thinking and Writing
OL 104 Introduction to Experiential Education (1.5 credits)
OL 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation (1.5 credits)
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
Arts and Sciences elective

Christian Formation (12 credits)

CF 141-242 Readings for Christian Formation (2 credits)
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 290 Directed Study (1 credit)
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship

For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.

Notes:

  • Readings for Christian Formation is required each year a student is enrolled in the Diploma program.
  • Directed Study CF 290 can be taken for 2 credits if a student joins the program in their second year.

Bachelor

All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.

Bible and Theology Major (45 credits)

BT 409 Word and World
NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
OT 453 Reading the Prophets
ST 100 The Christian Life
OR ST 205/06/07/08 Freedom Session
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel
TH 313 Creation to New Creation
Bible and Theology electives (9 credits)

Arts and Sciences Core (39 credits)

AS 400 Integrative Seminar
HF 111 Thinking and Writing
HF 231 History of Western Civilization I
HF 232 History of Western Civilization II
OT 104 Introduction to Experiential Education
OT 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation
SC 230 History and Philosophy of Science
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
SS 314 Social Psychology
Arts and Sciences elective

Christian Formation Major (33 credits)

CF 1-341 Readings for Christian Formation
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 418 Theology and Psychology
CF 430 Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction
CM 250 Introduction to Counseling
CM 478 Christian Formation Internship (9 credits)
CM 479 Practicum in Spiritual Direction
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship

Electives (6 credits)

For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.

Notes:

  • Readings for Christian Formation (1 credit, year-long) is required for each year a student is in the diploma or degree program, up to a maximum of three years.
  • Most students will have to take two of their electives by Online Education outside the regular school year.

For our Tuition & Fee rates as well as Room and Board please see Fees & Financial Aid

Program Specific Costs:

Christian Formation students are charged a $60 program fee in the Fall semester. Students participating in the Frontier Lodge 7-week experience have a fee of $1000 to offset additional programming in the Canadian Rockies in that term.