Pastoral Studies & Biblical Counseling degrees to bolster spiritual leadership, care in the region
Montana Bible College, a premier choice for Biblical higher education in the northern Rocky Mountain region, recently announced the addition of two new bachelor’s degree programs: Pastoral Studies and Biblical Counseling.
Previously offered as emphases (i.e. minors), recent trends in church leadership and the rapidly rising need for mental health care prompted MBC leadership to elevate these areas of study so that MBC graduates would be better equipped to serve the people of Montana and the surrounding region.
“We’re answering the call and helping the church answer its call that has existed for centuries: The call to engage in the care of souls,” MBC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Andre Gazal said.
Why Biblical Counseling?
Montana and surrounding states like Wyoming, Idaho, and North and South Dakota have some of the highest rates of mental illness in the country. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021 all five of these states were in the top 10 for rates of suicide in the nation. Wyoming and Montana topped the list with 32.3 and 30 deaths per 100,000 people.
“The fact is that there is a glaring demand for mental health,” Gazal said. “As Christians, we understand that the issues of mental health are also related to spiritual issues.”
MBC Biblical Counseling graduates will be able to “help people explore the spiritual dimension of the various kinds of crises that they’re experiencing,” Gazal said, emphasizing that counsel will always come from a biblical and theological standpoint and the belief that clinical mental health conditions are often inextricably tied to matters that are spiritual.
Benefits of the Biblical Counseling Degree
Due to the immense need for highly qualified counselors, MBC has partnered with the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation’s School of Biblical Counseling for the new degree. CCEF is a national organization with a local Billings chapter.
CCEF certified counselors will teach core curriculum for the degree program, and MBC students will be able to earn the CCEF Formation Certificate and CCEF Essentials of Biblical Counseling Certificate in addition to their bachelor’s degree. CCEF also has a formal arrangement with Westminster Theological Seminary that will enable the certificates and coursework to transfer into the Westminster Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling, a fully online degree program.
“Until now, CCEF has been far out of reach of many Montanans,” said Aaron Sironi, a CCEF faculty member and counselor who supervises the CCEF affiliate office in Billings, Montana. “Located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, most Montanans have never heard of this biblical counseling ministry let alone been able to benefit from its rich history of excellent training. This partnership will extend CCEF’s reach into the West and provide the state with locally trained biblical counselors. I have long dreamed of this day.”
Why Pastoral Studies?
Montana Bible College also converted its Pastoral Studies emphasis into a stand-alone bachelor’s degree. This was due in great part to help address the regional and national pastor shortage occurring as aging ministers leave the pulpit and fewer students pursue seminary studies and church leadership positions.
“There are more vacant church positions, even in cities, than there are trained and qualified pastoral candidates,” Gazal said. “MBC has always existed to help meet that need.”
Benefits of the Pastoral Studies Degree
The MBC Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies will prepare men to serve as pastors through a thorough grounding in scripture and training in preaching, biblical counseling, leadership, and biblical languages. MBC specializes in preparing pastors for rural town-and-country church ministry as rural pastorates have always been more difficult to fill and are keenly feeling the pinch in the nationwide pastor shortage.
“MBC is helping to meet the glaring need in our churches statewide and region-wide,” Gazal said, emphasizing the need for rural areas to have pastors who are trained to accurately instruct from God’s word and offer critical spiritual care for their churches and communities.
More Information About MBC
In addition to its bachelor’s degrees in Pastoral Studies and Biblical Counseling, MBC offers a bachelor’s in Biblical Studies with the choice of three emphases (minors): General Ministry, Missions, and Nex Gen Ministries. MBC also offers a one-year certificate in Biblical Studies and six professional degrees in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Criminal Justice, Healthcare Management, and Sports Management conducted through a hybrid model partnership with Lancaster Bible College.
Montana Bible College was founded in 1987 and located in Bozeman, Montana, until relocating to Billings, Montana, in the summer of 2023 following the formation of a unique partnership with Billings Christian School. MBC shares a campus with Billings Christian High School. On-campus housing is available, and MBC students benefit from a close-knit community, strong emphasis on discipleship, and access to Montana’s abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation.
