Central Church

support groups/special classes

Among our pastoral counseling resources are various support groups/classes each designed to target a particular need. These support groups/classes are available to Central members, regular attendees, as well those outside the Central Church family. Contact the Pastoral Counseling Ministry office at 901-255-8115 or counseling@centralchurch.com for dates and/or room locations not listed, or for any other information.

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BattlePlan [BPM] (Men); Faithful Warriors (Women)

Dates/Location: For MEN: On-going, closed men’s group. Contact Pastoral Counseling for information . Or, contact Bill Berry at 901-754-2148 or willieb13@rocketmail.com.

For WOMEN: Weekly discipleship/support group for women who have male loved ones who have struggled or are struggling with habitual sexual sin. For details contact BPM at the number or email address above.

Format: For MEN: Battle Plan Ministry offers small group support/accountability and on-line internet support/accountability (www.battleplanministries.org). In addition to small group discussion and God’s Word, selected resources dealing with finding freedom from sexual brokenness will be utilized with an emphasis on the word of God.

For WOMEN: BPM offers online information, resources, and forum support for women dealing with the aftermath of sexual brokenness in the life of a male loved one. For those within driving distance of Central Church, the weekly support group allows women to connect with empathy and God’s love with women sharing similar challenge.

Purpose: For MEN: An ongoing, Christ-centered ministry for men who seek to be sexually pure before God and who desire Godly instruction and accountability concerning any facet of sexual brokenness and destructive lifestyle choices and behaviors.
For WOMEN: A ministry for women who seek answers to the “why” questions about the sexual sin in the life of their male loved one as well as the support of other women dealing with like circumstances.

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Beginning A New Ending (BANE)

(Scheduled periodically throughout the year)

“Beginning A New Ending: What to do when the miracles stop happening”is an interactive workshop focusing on “your” end of life wishes and decisions; your decisions for “eternity” and your quality of life between now and “when something happens”. The workshop, Beginning a New Ending, will provide illustrations and guidance to support the paperwork required to see that your decisions and “wishes” for “end of life care” are understood and honored by your medical team, family and friends.

“Beginning a New Ending” includes segments on Heaven, Stewardship, Leadership, Scripture, Grief, and a group of resources from a seemingly endless supply of support and “guidance” materials. Notable writers and speakers whose materials and ideas are referenced include; Chuck Swindoll, Randy Alcorn, Laurie Beth Jones, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Margie Jenkins, Billy Graham, Kathryn Patricelli, and the Central Church Senior Staff.

This interactive workshop, “Beginning a New Ending”, is structured around you, your family’s experiences and activities and your personal spiritual history. This workshop provides a variety of opportunities for enriching your current spiritual life. “Beginning a New Ending” is for you and anyone who thinks they will die someday-or knows somebody who will.

Some of the goals or objectives of this “activities” based “hands-on” workshop, ‘BEGINNING A NEW ENDING: What to do when the miracles stop happening” are:

To provide you with an expanded understanding of Heaven and eternal life.
To provide you with resources for improving your quality of life now and during your final stages of any life threatening disease or accident.
To provide information and documents for you to identify care givers to make health care decisions on your behalf should you not be able to communicate those wishes.
To provide your families, friends and care providers the opportunity to know your wishes prior to any emotion filled crisis; eliminating guesses, doubts, family conflicts and regrets.
To provide an acceptable setting for you to make “end-of-life decisions”.
To make available several methods for you to share memories, memorabilia, and your personal possessions with your family, friends or institutions.

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Empowering Kids for LIfe: Kids Living Free

Dates/Location: Age-specific groups for children ages 8 – 12 are scheduled periodically throughout the year.

Purpose: The time to prevent addictions is before they start. Empowering Kids small groups are for any child age 8-12. These groups teach the children that Jesus is the answer to life’s problems. If He is not the Lord of their lives, then whatever they turn to for comfort may eventually become a life-controlling problem. Adolescents who don’t understand this often turn to such things as drugs, video games, shopping, television, alcohol, cigarettes, anorexia, food or even pornography. Each participant will receive a workbook which gives parents an opportunity to reinforce what the facilitators have taught the children. A $12 donation is requested. When scheduled, Empowering Kids for Life groups meet for 13 weeks on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30.

Also, we are still looking for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of children.

For information or to register your child, contact: Jean Brunson at 492-1627 or jeanbrunson@centralchurch.com.

You can also view more information at: www.kidslivingfree.org.

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Celebrate Recovery

We all have Hurts, Hang-ups, and Habits

Dates/Location: Weekly Meeting — Thursday Nights in the SR. High Room located on the 2nd floor of the Worship Center building.

7pm – Worship/Teaching/Testimony Time

8pm – Open-Share Group Time

9pm – The Solid Rock Cafe/Dessert – Coffee

Format: Psychologist Dr. Mark McMinn says in Why Sin Matters, “Part of our mess is not knowing we are a mess. Perhaps you, like me, have never been convicted of a felony, never committed murder or adultery, and never abused a child. Sometimes we don’t feel a pressing need for grace because we do not see our sin as particularly troublesome. We feel good about ourselves, content with our choices, pleased with our lifestyle. . . . However, I am like everyone else: broken, longing for love, prone to blame, yearning to be understood, self-deceived, desperate for mercy” (21, 23).

Pastor Rick Warren has said, “The Bible clearly states ‘all have sinned.’ It is my nature to sin, and it is yours too. None of us is untainted. Because of sin, we’ve all hurt ourselves, we’ve all hurt other people, and others have hurt us. This means each of us needs repentance and recovery in order to live our lives the way God intended.”

In other words, each of us has hurts, hang-ups, and habits that are carried out in life in a multitude of unhealthy behaviors and attitudes.

Celebrate Recovery is for everyone with ANY “Hurts, Habits & Hang-ups” that keep interfering with you being who God wants you to be. These include: worry, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, pornography, chemical dependency, workaholism, gossip, divorce, marriage problems, grief, parenting problems, abuse issues, depression, sexual issues, low self-esteem, compulsive behaviors, and co-dependency. The list is endless.

Purpose: to fellowship and celebrate God’s healing power in our lives. This experience allows us to “be changed.” We open the door by sharing our experiences, strengths and hopes with one another. In addition, we become willing to accept God’s grace in solving our lives’ problems. By working and applying these Biblical principles, we begin to grow spiritually. We become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors. This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly, a stronger personal relationship with God and others. As we progress through the program we discover our personal, loving and forgiving Higher Power – Jesus Christ, the one and only true Higher Power.

Contact: Celebrate Recovery ministry office – 901-255-8123 or celebraterecovery@centralchurch.com

Ministry Leader: Don Johnson: dwjxcpt@yahoo.com 428-4541

Bill Bellican: counseling@centralchurch.com or 255-8115

Childcare is available.

We also have ongoing need for new open-share group leaders to be trained. Additionally, we have need for those to help with important tasks. Let us know if you believe the Lord is leading you to help in any of these areas.

The (example) videos below will give you an idea about the Celebrate Recovery environment and mindset — all are invited to come to a safe place where each one can be real and honest without fear of judgment or condemnation among others doing the same as we all deal with whatever life-issues we face. Together we do this by seeking Christ, standing on His Word, and learning biblical and practical truths applied through recovery principles and steps.

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Chemical Dependency

Dates/Location: Sundays 5pm; Wednesdays 7:00pm; Room 215.

Format: Sixty to 90 minute sessions. No registration required. Open group appropriate for men, women and older teens. Facilitator-led discussion follows a Christ-centered, 12-step approach.

Purpose: Using the Christ-centered, 12-step approach, various chemical dependency behaviors and lifestyle choices are looked at that prevent one from achieving a life of sobriety and serenity. Each participant will be encouraged to select and make use of a sponsor.

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Divorce Care

Dates/Location: Scheduled in the Spring and Fall each year. This 13-week support group meets in room 212 on Wednesdays 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Format: Participants may begin with any weekly session, although it certainly is recommended that an individual begin with session one and complete each subsequent session. A “love offering will be” requested (although not required) to defray the $10 per person materials cost. Open Group – No registration required. Designed for men and women who are experiencing separation and divorce and need a safe place to respond to the healing grace of God and choose a Biblical path of restoration. A Group Facilitator will use videotaped seminar sessions with nationally recognized experts on divorce and restoration topics along with small group discussion.

Purpose: The goals of Divorce Care are to: 1) identify and acknowledge the losses and the feelings that occur as the result of divorce; 2) acknowledge the realities of life as a single parent or single person; 3) understand the Biblical principles related to separation, divorce, and remarriage; 4) understand when a person is ready to enter a new relationship; 5) guide parents in helping their children through the early days of separation and divorce and to minimize the long term effects; 6) to show how each one can grow closer to God in their divorce experience.

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Growing Seasons

Dates/Location: Scheduled Fall and Spring each year. Registration Required.

Format: Ten weekly sessions lasting 60 minutes each. Children MUST be pre-registered ONE WEEK PRIOR to the first session. A “love offering” of $10 per child will be requested (although not required) to help defray materials costs. Age-specific closed groups are led by facilitators who work with not more than 5 children per group. Children from ages 4 – 12 may attend. The parent/guardian is provided with curriculum support materials to reinforce and supplement at home what the child is covering in each session.

Purpose: The groups are for children who have had a change in their family structure because of divorce, death of a parent, or living in a single-parent home. The children listen to Bible stories and participate in activities that deal with their particular issues. They are encouraged to talk about their emotions, learn about forgiveness, and look to Jesus for healing.

Contact: Jean Brunson, Ministry Director, jeanbrunson@centralchurch.com or 901/492-1627.

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Lay Counseling Training

Our Lay Counseling training materials are provided by The Light University through the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)

Lay Counseling Training is designed for those who wish to complete more formal training leading to a Certificate of Completion for each series completed and/or appropriate credentialing (not licensing) as all required series are successfully completed as outlined by the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors (BCPPC).

At this time, the lay counseling training is set up on an independent/guided study basis. One may begin lay counseling training at anytime. The training consists of lessons on DVD featuring some of the leading Christian counseling leaders and Bible teachers, complete with course lectures, outlines, study notes, and exams. This is open to those pursuing training in various aspects of Lay Counseling as well as those who could personally benefit from this instruction, even if pursuing Lay Counseling is not a goal. As a ministry of Central Church, this training is open to those interested persons even if they are not members/attendees of Central.

Time Commitment: View individual lessons as one’s schedule permits on campus at Central Church (approx. 1 hour). Each series consists of 30 lessons. An individual can be arrange time to view lessons by contacting: Bill Bellican — counseling@centralchurch.com

Unfortunately, we cannot make the DVD’s available for use off the Central Church campus.

Cost: To receive a Certificate of Completion from the AACC for successful completion of an individual series, the cost is $165. This includes the workbook, exams, and a one-year membership in the AACC. Exams are open book/open note and normally are taken at the end of each unit of 6 lessons. Exams are sent to and scored by the AACC.

To register to take a series, you must contact the AACC directly at 1-800-526-8673 and select Member Services. Tell the (AACC) representative which lay counseling series you wish to register for. Mention that you are taking this series through Central Church/Bill Bellican in Collierville, TN. You can then pay the fee by credit card with the representative. The AACC will send your course materials directly to your mailing address.

If a Certificate of Completion is not desired, one may view the DVD’s, take individual notes, and benefit from the excellent instruction provided for one’s own personal awareness and growth. In this case, there is no cost. However, a workbook/outline is not provided. There are no exams given.

Credentialing:

For anyone who wishes to work toward a Certificate of Completion or appropriate credentialing, it is necessary to first meet with Dr. Bill Bellican, Director of Pastoral Counseling, to discuss goals and plans. Dr. Bellican can be contacted via email at counseling@centralchurch.com or 255-8115.

To be credentialed as a Board Certified Biblical Counselor (BCBC) by the AACC, one must take for credit and pass FIVE specified 30 hour courses offered by the AACC. Course series currently available at Central include: Caring for People God’s Way – 1; Caring for People God’s Way – 2/Breaking Free; Caring for Kids God’s Way; Caring for Teens God’s Way; Marriage Works, Addiction and Recovery, and Extraordinary Women.

Any of these series may be taken by arranging a time individually to view the DVD’s by contacting Bill Bellican — counseling@centralchurch.com or 901-255-8115.

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Life Issues

Dates/Location: Ongoing Class. Meets each Sunday at 9:25 a.m. in 231.[maps].

Format: Open Class – No registration required. Appropriate for Men, Women, Singles, Couples, Married, &/or Divorced. Each class will be based on a selected video topic and/or series followed by facilitator-led group discussion, as time permits. Come for one, some, or all of the topics of interest to you or someone you know. These are open to the community and those outside of Central.

Purpose: Different life events, changes, and problems present the need for one to get trustworthy, godly advice and information. This class is designed for those who need biblical, pertinent information about one or more of the scheduled topics to be covered each Sunday. Individuals may come and go to this class as needed to obtain the desired information. An emphasis will be made to provide information from leading Christian experts via video on a wide range of relevant topics.

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PATH – Grief Recovery

Dates/Location: Two seven-week seminars are held each year with one scheduled for the Spring and one in the Fall. The Group meets on Thursdays at 6:45pm in the Hospitality Room (off the worship center). Contact Pastoral Counseling for Registration — 901-255-8115 or counseling@centralchurch.com.

Format: Open Group – No registration fee required. Appropriate for men and women who have suffered grief and loss because of the death of a loved one. A Group facilitator will incorporate selected speakers and also utilize small group processing. Each session lasts approximately 2 hours. All participants must begin no later than the second session. This group is closed to new participants after the second session. It is very important for all participants to commit to attending all sessions to derive the full benefit the Lord has for all involved.

Purpose: To provide grief support for those who have suffered loss through the death of a significant person in their lives. (e.g., spouse, young child, adult child, or adult children who have lost a parent). PATH offers a safe place to deal with subjects such as the physical symptoms related to grief, adjustment issues, and how to choose the PATH of hope and love.

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Preparing for Marriage/Remarriage

Dates/Location: Scheduled several times each year on Sunday Mornings. [maps] Contact Pastoral Counseling Ministry for schedule, 901-255-8115.

Format: Eight weekly sessions 60-75 minutes each. Participants must attend the class by the 2nd session. Registration is required through the Pastoral Counseling Ministry office. Designed for couples planning or seriously considering marriage/re-marriage. This class is required for those couples who will be marrying at Central Church. The couple-facilitators will lead couples using lecture and group discussion. Two assessment profiles will be administered to identify couple strengths as well as areas of concern. Completion of this class also satisfies the state requirement for completing a Pre-Marital Preparation Course which affords a $60 discount on the marriage license fee for those marrying in Shelby County/Tennessee.

Purpose: This is a pre-marital counseling class with an emphasis on equipping couples with the tools needed prior to entering the marriage relationship. In addition to using couples’ profiles, other topics covered include marital oneness, spiritual oneness, conflict resolution, finances, and sexuality/fidelity.

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Recovery – One Step at a Time

Dates/Location: Ongoing Class. Meets each Sunday at 11:00am in room 207.[maps]

Format: Open Class. Discussion Format. Available to all (single, married, divorced, parents, spouses, older teens) who have been adversely affected by life-controlling habits individually and/or in one’s family.

Purpose: Insight from the Pastor’s sermons along with other targeted materials will help each one “walk in the way of understanding” (Proverbs 9:6) and be able to embrace more of the freedom the Lord has available to each.

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Results