GCC Cohort Advanced Training – ABC Level 1
Program Introduction
Gospel Care Canada (GCC) Advanced Cohort Training is an eight-month online program leading to ABC Level 1 Certification through the Association of Biblical Counselors. The program is built around a structured learning cohort, pairing students with experienced Training Leaders and peers at the same stage of formation. It is designed for followers of Christ who want to develop a genuine biblical foundation for counselling and care.
Well suited for pastors, lay counsellors, small group leaders, ministry staff, and anyone wanting to grow in their ability to care for others, this program draws students from across Canada, the United States, and internationally. Level 1 is the first stage of GCC’s training pathway, and students who complete it will find two distinct Level 2 options available to them, both offering individual coaching and further formation in supervised counselling practice.
The program overview covers everything needed to make an informed decision: what is included, how the program is structured, Training Leader profiles, program investment, and the steps to enrol. Download the program overview to get the full picture before registering.
What You Will Learn
Level 1 is ABC’s knowledge credential. The goal of the program is to form students who understand the biblical basis of counselling, know how to apply that understanding in real conversations, and are prepared to address the struggles people bring to a counsellor.
By the end of the program, students will have:
- Developed a biblical philosophy of counselling rooted in the call of all believers to take part in the work of care and discipleship
- Understood the theology and practice of gospel-centred counselling and how change happens in a person’s life
- Acquired the core methods of biblical counselling, including how to listen well, gather meaningful information, and apply the gospel to specific situations
- Gained a working understanding of key counselling issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, addiction, and sexuality
- Completed a ten-session mini-practicum, practising what they have learned with a real counsellee under the guidance of their Training Leaders
- Earned ABC Level 1 Certification upon satisfying all program requirements
How the Program Works
The eight months are organized into two semesters. The first semester builds the theological and methodological foundation of biblical counselling. The second semester moves students into the mini-practicum, where they apply that knowledge in a structured ten-session counselling engagement. All program activity runs through Google Classroom, which serves as the central hub for assignments, video content, program documents, and Training Leader feedback across the full eight months. Download a sample program syllabus to see how the full eight months are structured week by week.
Live Teaching Sessions
Six live Zoom sessions with Training Leaders form the backbone of each semester. Sessions run three hours and cover core biblical counselling content, counselling skills, and gospel application. Time is built in for cohort discussion and real-time engagement with the material, so students leave each session with both understanding and community.
On-Demand Content
Between live sessions, students work through GCC-produced teaching videos covering module material week by week. Two complete Paul Tripp teaching series, Your Walk with God Is A Community Project and What Did You Expect? are integrated into the curriculum and accessible through Google Classroom at any point during the program.
Cohort Community
The cohort is more than a shared classroom. Students are placed in peer partner groups of four to six people, formed by timezone, which meet regularly for prayer, encouragement, case discussion, and mutual accountability. A dedicated Signal group connects the full cohort with GCC training coordinators throughout the eight months, providing secure and accessible communication between live sessions.
Mini-Practicum
In the second semester, students counsel an individual, couple, or family of their choice for ten sessions. The person counselled may be anyone outside of the student’s immediate family who is seeking counsel, including anyone the student is currently counselling in another context. Sessions may take place in person or online. Throughout the mini-practicum, students maintain counselling journals that are submitted as a graded component of the program.
What Is Required of You
GCC Advanced Cohort Training is a substantive eight-month commitment. Students should estimate at least five hours per week across the full program, covering weekly reading, assignments, live session attendance, and cohort engagement.
Before the program begins, students are required to set up their Google Classroom account and complete an initial Spiritual Assessment. Throughout the program, students are expected to complete all weekly reading and assignments, attend or view all live teaching sessions, and engage actively with their cohort and peer partner group.
Reading draws from two primary sources: Equipped to Counsel by John Henderson, the main course text available through Reformed Book Services, and weekly articles from the CCEF Journal, accessed through a digital subscription. Both are purchased separately from the program fee. ABC membership must be maintained for the duration of the program, and ABC awards certification to students who have satisfied all program requirements and held an active membership at the time of completion.
Continue Your Formation
Level 1 is the foundation. Students who complete GCC Advanced Cohort Training and earn ABC Level 1 Certification are well positioned to continue into ABC Level 2 Certification, where individual coaching and supervised counselling practice form the core of the program.
GCC offers two distinct Level 2 pathways. GCC Advanced Cohort Coaching pairs students with a Training Leader for individual coaching within a structured peer learning cohort, continuing the community-based formation that began in Level 1. GCC One-on-One Advanced Coaching offers individual coaching with a dedicated supervisor across a two-year program, suited to students who prefer a focused, one-on-one development relationship. Both are two-year programs conducted fully online.
Full details on each Level 2 option are available on the GCC Level 2 Certification page. Students ready to take the next step will find everything they need to make an informed decision about which pathway is the right fit for them.