DEFINITION OF TERMS:

First, let's define what we mean by each of these terms.  As this school and our accrediting body are located in the United States, we will use the definitions as are consistent and applicable in our country and many (not all) other countries.

Accreditation:  This is a credential awarded to an organization that voluntarily seeks it. In the case of Christian life coaching and counseling the credential is awarded to organizations that provide education, endorsing it's practices, ethics and reliability. 

Certification:  This is a credential awarded to an individual who voluntarily seeks it, for successful completion of a course of study. 

Regulation:  This is lawful oversight and governance by a governmental body of a particular industry, and by it's own standards dictates how its members operate and participate, its methods of operation and quality of service its members provide.

Licensing:  Licensing is granting permission. Because coaching is not regulated, when you hear the term licensing, it refers to the permission another person or organization will grant you to use their material or program in your work. However in Counseling, licensing is very important. All states regulate counseling, meaning you either need a state issued license OR faith oversight / ordination in order to be able to practice and charge a fee. Most states have an exclusion clause that permits faith-based or pastoral counseling.

ACCREDITATION

This course from PCCCA is currently fully endorsed and board accredited by ICEC as a training provider. Click HERE to learn more about ICEC. 

“We teach and promote the un-compromised Word of God in our training, said PCCCA President, Rev. Evan Bush, MCLC. “We also may include empirically provable, scientific facts, which now prove Biblical prophesy from ancient days.  We believe if we can see the evidence, this also qualifies as God ordained and factual.“

Credentialing in specifically Christian behavioral studies including life coaching and counseling, has progressed over the years with the creation of ICEC Credentialing Board in 2011.

Life Coaching is not regulated by the government like Counseling and therapy. There is also no state license for Life Coaching. In lieu of that, groups of coaching industry professionals have created organizations (some large, some small) to promote their members and their particular methods of coaching. Their purpose is to differentiate themselves from others. Those who pay a fee to join various ones, also have to abide by their rules and promote their agenda.

Organizations and associations are certainly within their rights to promote themselves but in our opinion, do not have the right to shame and belittle those who disagree with their methods and philosophies or tell independent coaches and schools what they should or should not do. 

We urge caution if someone tells you or implies that you can only be a successful coach if you join a particular organization or train with a certain organization's schools. If this occurs, you will know there may be a secondary agenda at work. The truth is that many of the world's most successful coaches are not trained by or generally even members of a specific organization, nor are some of the most successful coaching schools.

This school is an independent, professional academy and we offer proprietary curriculum developed by Dr. Leelo Bush, as inspired by the word of God. This is not the same as man's methods. This organization is committed to God's plan and is not willing to dilute or water down His methods with ideals from non-Christian entities. Additionally one may have secular coach training and certification and even though they may be a believer, this does not qualify them as a Christian coach.  God has HIS OWN particular way of coaching prescribed by the scriptures, This is what Dr. Bush has put into our programs, His way inspired by scripture.

Because we put God first, we believe He has honored us and our graduates with incomparable success and has sustained us over two decades regardless of world events and financial downturns.  For this we give God all the glory and praise!  He alone is able.

CERTIFICATION:

This course offers certification to those who successfully complete the outlined course of study. Our certification warrants that the student has successfully completed their course of study and has successfully completed all requirements demonstrating their competence. Here, certifications are always earned by demonstrating the student's understanding and application of the material covered. However, certification does not guarantee the graduate's future performance in any capacity. It is up to the person hiring or partnering with the certified individual to do their own due diligence to satisfy their concerns about that person's competence.

COACHING INDUSTRY NON-REGULATION:

Life coaching is not regulated by the government like counseling and therapy. There is also no state license for life coaching. In lieu of that groups of coaching industry professionals have created organizations to promote their particular type and method of coaching.  This is neither right or wrong.  It simply differentiates them from others. Those who pay a fee to join various ones, also have to abide by their rules and promote their agenda.

Christian coaching is not regulated as an industry by government agencies. There are individuals and organizations that may tell you that you must study with or join a particular group in order to be recognized but this is blatantly false. Unlike the professions of counseling, psychology, mental health-related therapies, coaching is NOT a government-regulated industry and any statement to the contrary is untrue. 

As a Christian coach, you are free to practice where and when God leads.

The prospect of regulation has been touted by private interest groups within the coaching industry since this academy began training in 2003 and we are no closer to regulation now, than we were then.

Due to the broad spectrum of coaching specialties and niches, regulation would not only be unpractical but also standardization nearly impossible. Should the unlikely happen, and some sort of regulation take place, existing coaches would be grand-fathered in, as has happened in all other industries, as a precedent.

Allow us to put your fears to rest. Your faith is your safety net. As a faith-based coach, if regulation ever took place, which is highly unlikely for the reasons stated above, you would then have the option to become ordained through a a faith-based organization of your choosing and continue to practice under the auspices of a formally-formed and government-recognized religious body.

COUNSELING INDUSTRY REGULATION:

Counselors are regulated (with some exceptions) as part of the larger group of mental health professions. Each state in the United States has set forth their own statutes governing how this industry and its participants may function.

The good news for Christian, faith-based, pastoral, biblical counselors is that almost every state in the United States has very clearly stated in their statutes, that you may practice for fee as long as you have the oversight of a faith-based organization. This may be ordination, ministry license or similar credential. You also need to remain in fellowship with the organization as long as you use their credential to oversee your practice or ministry.

We are often asked whether your ministry ordination qualifies for this. Yes. In states where they offer an exemption, exclusion or exception is made from state licensing in lieu of faith oversight, your ordination / ministry credential qualifies. 

Near the bottom of the Christian Counselor certification course page, we give examples of some state statutes so you can read them and see how this may apply to you.

Those who reside in states that do not specifically have this exemption typically decide to study Christian life coaching in order to help others. It is important to mention that no Christian life coach should ever refer to their work as counseling or provide counseling services unless they have met the qualifications of their state, province or region.

YOUR WORD IN THIS SEASON:

"Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land
which I swore to their fathers to give them." 
Joshua 1:6 (AMP)