The Church and Biblical Counseling

The church is the primary context for soul care, and we must recover the church’s responsibility to provide care for sufferers and sinners. Therefore, we encourage and support the indispensable ministry of biblical counseling as an expression of church life.

Association of Certified Biblical Counselors

You Are Able to Counsel

“I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.”

Romans 15:14

The Scriptures Are Sufficient

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Biblical Counseling Should Be A 

Regular Function of Every Church

Proper Training Equips Leaders in the Church to Counsel Using God’s Word

Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center is certified by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).

Formerly the Redeemer Biblical Counseling Training Institute (RBCTI), the center has trained pastors, elders, and laypersons in biblical counseling for 24 years.

The Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center's one-year intensive training program in biblical counseling is a comprehensive journey that includes classroom instruction, counseling observation, role-play, and more, ensuring a well-rounded education.

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Counseling Center Leadership

  • Dr. Scott Stephens

    Director - Greenville Location

    Scott Stephens is the founder and director of Covenant Counseling Center and the counseling pastor at West End Baptist Church’s West End Counseling Center.

    Scott serves as the executive director of the Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center. Scott earned his MA in Biblical Counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his PhD in Biblical Counseling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    Scott is an Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) certified biblical counselor with a specialization in marriage and family counseling. Scott is currently a “Fellow Candidate” with ACBC.

  • Bill Slattery

    Director - Greer Location

    Bill Slattery is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church and is a lead instructor at Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center.

    Bill and his Father-in-law, Jay Adams, founded the Redeemer Biblical Counseling Training Institute (now Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center). Bill served as lead instructor and executive director of RBCTI for 23 years.

    Bill earned his MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary and is an Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) certified biblical counselor.

  • Dr. Steven Owensby

    Dr. Steven Owensby

    Director - Gaffney Location

    Steven Owensby is the pastor of Corinth Baptist Church and is a lead instructor at Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center.

    Steven earned a Masters of Divinity as well as a Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Steven is an Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) certified biblical counselor.

  • Dr. Ben Marshall

    Instructor

    Ben Marshall serves as the Executive Director of Freedom That Lasts, a Christ-centered biblical discipleship ministry equipping local churches to launch addiction recovery chapter.

    Ben holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and an M.A. from The Master’s University, and brings decades of biblical counseling experience with thousands of hours of direct counseling.

    Ben is an ACBC Fellow and active supervisor, an elder at Christ the Redeemer Church in Greenville, South Carolina, and is deeply committed to the local church as the primary context for lasting life change. He and his wife Cory were married in 1998 and have 8 children.

Upcountry Biblical Counseling Course Curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center is committed to providing training for issues that you are regularly confronted with. This course covers the principles and practices of biblical counseling, counseling problems, the theology of counseling, medical issues, marriage, and family.

  • Becoming an effective Biblical Counselor takes time. Comprehensive training cannot be done in a few weekends. Upcountry Biblical Counseling Training Center takes biblical counseling training very seriously, offering 90 hours of in-depth training over a 3-semester period.

  • We have three convenient locations: Greenville, Greer, and Gaffney. The cost is very reasonable, $250 per semester for an individual, and $350 for married couples.

  • Getting started is simple. Tap the “Class Registration” button below and complete the information form so we can contact you personally.

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