Frequently Asked Questions

Our most frequently asked questions.

Is the $500 paid at one time and upfront?

Yes, it is. You pay the entire $500 before you have access to the Learning Management System (LMS) coursework. The fee is a one-time, non-refundable payment for the whole program. The only way to have access to the program is to be actively doing it. If you stop the program, you won’t have access to the program until you become an active student again.

When can I begin?

You may start at any time after you submit your $500 non-refundable payment for the purchase of the program. It is self-paced, so you pick your start time. Each student comes individually and is treated as an individual. Though there are several other students in the program, we supervise each student as though he or she is the only student. There are no seasons or semesters.

Can I take a break, or stop at any time?

If you ever need to stop, you stop. Our program is an integrity program, in that we’re Christians, so we trust each other. If a person becomes sick or needs to take a break for any reason or just does not want to do the program any longer, they can stop, and there are no penalties for pausing. We are a Christian organization; it is our joy and desire to serve you, not to create unnecessary hurdles. The only way to have access to this online resource is to be actively “doing the program” or as a graduate.

Can I stop the $100 recurring billing?

Because of the ongoing supervision and the need to pay your supervisors, there is a $100 per month payment that begins 30 days after you purchase the program and lasts for the duration of the program, unless you quit or pause, as outlined previously. If you do stop the program or take a break, you must notify us to let us know you want to stop the recurring billing. Anything you have paid is not refundable.

Are there any refunds?

No.

Does being certified mean anything?

You may listen to the podcast in the next section about that. Being certified can be overstated in the Christian community. It will not give you a special inroad or larger platform necessarily. The main thing that will bring people to you for counseling is your ability to counsel, as appropriated by God’s grace. Your reputation as a competently skilled counselor—more than anything else—is what will set you apart as someone that people will seek.

Your reputation will be because of the grace of God in your life, as the good Lord works in you, through you, and for you—according to the gifting that He has given you, and according to your desire and discipline to work out what He has given you. If you have the desire to counsel and the skill (God-gifting) to counsel, and you passionately seek to appropriate those means of God’s grace into your life, the Lord will more than likely build you a platform to care for many people.

Why should I not take this program?

I’m not sure. I try to talk people out of doing this program because it is not easy. Most of the individuals who begin the program, do not finish. The Mastermind course is a transformational program that requires (1) personal discipline, (2) time management skill, (3) an unwavering passion to help individuals, (4) courageous grace for self-examination, (5) faith for the process, (6) detestation for procrastination, and (7) an ability to balance life on the go.

This is a leadership program, not a course for “counselees,” or those who try to use it as an alternative to counseling. People do not quit because it’s beyond their intellectual ability. They quit because of one (or all) of the following elements:

• It requires discipline: If you are not skilled in time management or if you procrastinate, you will not be able to do this program.
• It stretches you mentally: We will challenge you to apply the Bible to everyday situations practically. It is one thing to know and be awed by God’s omnipresence, for example, but it’s a different matter to know how to practically connect sound doctrine (omnipresence) to a person struggling with problems. These applications are without question the hardest part of the program.
• You must be mature: This is an apprenticeship, where there is specific and customized supervision sculpted to your uniqueness. Our goal for you is not to teach you how to counsel others, but to teach you how to counsel yourself.
• You are your first, primary, and most important counselee. Always. We are not looking for just anybody. We are looking for leaders, who are passionate about God, life, and others. These are people who have a distinct gift for disciple-making, or what some call Christian or biblical counseling. While we don’t want to run you away from this program, we do want to be honest with you.

What would be a ballpark estimate of the number of hours a week needed to do the weekly work if a person planned to complete the course in 18 to 36 months? I have a full-time job.

Typically, the time commitment is about five to six hours a week. But it is hard to fully capture how much time you spend “doing the program” because a lot of time is expended in the program while doing other things. Here are a few examples:

• You’re listening to the audio assignments on the way to work, or while you’re running errands.
• You’re thinking through case studies while on a walk, a run, or shopping.
• You’re reading Systematic Theology (ST) during lunch breaks at work.

Those moments are hard to quantify, but as far as “dedicated desk-time,” you’re probably talking about five to six hours a week. We recommend you set up a dedicated time to do your coursework while finding those spots, as outlined above, to capture as much time as you need to do the program well.

You will need (1) passion for the work, (2) personal discipline, (3) time management skill, (4) biblical habituations, and (5) an organized mind. These five things are essential if you want to counsel well. Every skilled and seasoned disciple/counselor has mastered those disciplines.

If I have already read some of the books, will I need to re-read them cover-to-cover or simply re-acquaint myself with the material in each book?

You need to read it a second time because of the assignments that we require. Perhaps we can find a comparable alternative that you have not read.

Does this training program qualify for certification?

No, we are not a training center for any counseling organization. Our program is an independent study course that equips a student to be able to counsel within their God-given abilities. If you do not have the gift for counseling, no training will be able to accomplish that goal. Gifting is God-given, not training given. Training only enhances what God has given to you.

One of our goals is to train Christians, while not establishing in the person’s mind an unintended consequence of a two-tier system: (1) those who can counsel, based on being certified and (2) those who can’t counsel because they were not certified.

My wife and I are considering signing up and beginning the program. Is the cost still $500.00 total, or $1000 for a couple? I assume the monthly mentoring is still $100 per person, rather than $100 per month for a couple?

Each student is an individual, even if they are married. The reason is that each student is trained according to their (1) gifting, (2) gift mix, (3) character, (4) competency, (5) capacity, and (6) other inherent and shaping influences.

There is no group or couple training due to the (1) uniqueness of each person, (2) their walk with God, and (3) where they are in their sanctification. How we train your spouse through the program will be different from you, and distinct from any other student in the program. We correspond with you throughout the program as though your spouse was not in the program; it is between you, God, and your supervisors. And we will treat your spouse just as uniquely.