The fast-paced, modern lifestyles are being increasingly embraced by the peoples of the world; at the same time, it brings with itself enormous pressure on individuals. The modern might be alluring, but it is extremely demanding too. The inability to cope up with the present day life has led to the development of psychological counseling. Christian counseling falls under the umbrella of psychological counseling, but follows a distinct approach in its practice.

Secular counseling, more often than not, do not agree with the value systems of Christians who constitute about 33.2% of the world population. Thus emerges the need for Christian counselors who would be able to use the instruments of psychology in consistent with the teachings laid down by the Holy Scripture. Thus, one can practice one’s faith without any need to compromise professionally. In fact, one can merge one’s faith with one’s career in this field.

There is a dearth of spirited, dedicated and qualified professionals in this field. Hence, the degree one earns will not go wasted. If you are already trained in counseling, then a Christian counseling can act as an added advantage to your career chances. Another important point is that you have strong chances of earning as much as a general/secular counselor earn.

One need not be based in the religion to become a Christian counselor. What counselors actually do is utilizing the faith factor of the mentally ill persons in treating them and helping them lead a normal life. The qualified Christian counselors will find themselves serving in churches and non-governmental organizations. The Christian institutions are generally known for their reluctance to leave the conservative pedagogical method of teaching. However, these days, many of them have come to offer courses online.

Do not worry that you need to be highly qualified to earn a quality certificate in Christian counseling. The minimum requirement that is demanded by most of the institutions is a diploma from the high school. You are sure to find quality material online as well as some of the best guides in the field. The greatest advantage of any online course is that you can take your own pace and time. The materials could either be mailed to you at your home address or could be downloaded from the respective websites.

If you are looking for a well-established career in Christian counseling, a Bachelors degree is what you should start with. A Bachelors degree has been always of 120 credits, for any course offered by any institution. There are some institutions that offer what is known to be as an Associate degree. It demands the completion of only sixty credits, half of what is required to earn Bachelors. Though an Associate degree will give you a good introduction, it is wiser to take a full-fledged Bachelors degree course. In Bachelors level, one will learn in addition to the biblical foundations in counseling, leadership skills and communication skills too.

In the Masters level, which is at an advanced level, bases itself more on the experiential end. The theory and the concepts that are taught are equally important. But for the course to take its complete effect, one should supplement and cement the theoretical understanding with practical experience.

The PhD is the highest level in Christian counseling that is offered in the online world. This will require you to submit a thesis of around 60,000 words (the institutions usually specify the word length). A PhD is undoubtedly going to benefit you in your career.

As in the case of any online course, Christian online counseling courses have its own share of drawbacks. The greatest disadvantage is that online courses cannot replace the conventional method of direct teaching. However, for those who do not have much time to spare a full-time course, online option will be the best.