Definition of Terms:
First, let's define what we mean by each of these terms. This academy is located in the United States so 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.
Why are Accreditation and Certification Necessary?
Here is the Biblical Foundation:
“If I alone testify about myself, my testimony is not [a]valid."
John 5:31
Accreditation:
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.“
Rev. Bush continues, “Because of this, PCCCA has declined offers to participate in various secular or new age accrediting programs over the years. We remain loyal to God's coaching model and we're unwilling to modify it to suit secular, humanistic methods. When God raised up PCCCA, He did not ask for a non-Christian society's approval, so neither shall we.”
PCCCA is honored to have been the first Christian Life Coaching School to receive FULL ACCREDITATION AND ENDORSEMENT (in July, 2006) by UACCCI (circa 1985 - 2010) as an "Accredited Christian Coaching School of Excellence". 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.
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, you will know there is 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.
PCCCA is an independent, professional academy and we offer proprietary life coach curriculum inspired by the word of God. This is not the same as man's methods. This academy 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.
As part of coaching God's way, PCCCA CCLC (Certified Christian Life Coach) courses include the 10 Christian Coaching Proficiencies© from Dr. Bush's foundational textbook, Christian Coach Handbook, Spirit-Led Coaching and Business Success.
Because we put God first, we believe He has honored us and our graduates with incomparable success and has sustained us over the years regardless of world events and financial downturns. For this we give God all the glory and praise! He alone is able.
Certification:
PCCCA offers certification to those who successfully graduate from specific courses and programs. Our certifications warrant that the student has successfully completed their course of study and has successfully completed all requirements demonstrating their competence. At PCCCA, 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.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
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Our Affiliations
PCCCA has trained over 20,400 students as of July 29, 2018, from every continent including principals and members of major ministries and organizations you no doubt would immediately recognize.
Because this academy has also trained many if not most of other schools' leaders and trainers in our industry since 2003, we regretfully do not accept or post affiliations. Thank you for understanding.
PCCCA's reputation and long-standing history of quality, professional training stands on its own merit.
PCCCA is one of just a few schools with the ICEC seal of approval for our biblically-based courses that do NOT integrate humanism, secularism or new age thinking.
(ICEC is International Christian Educational Credentialing that oversees Christian behavioral studies; ie. coaching and counseling.)
Our Training Criteria
Here we measure all we do by Matthew 6:33. Our initial question is, "Does it honor God first?"
If you agree with this priority, you will absolutely love Dr. Leelo Bush's industry-leading training programs!
Certifications Accepted Worldwide
Our certifications are accepted in every US state and country around the world.
The certification credentials you receive, now granted by Anew University, have been recognized in Christian / ministry and private / business / government / other settings.
No school can predict exactly who will accept their training. Thus we recommend that you share the course description page with its curriculum details with the company or organization, so they can evaluate if the contents meet their criteria.
Many of our courses now offer dual certifications so that our graduates may confidently display their credentials in any environment, be it Christian or other.
EXAMPLE:
The Certified Christian Life Coach (CCLC) program now offers a bonus certification as a
Certified Professional Life Coach (CPLC) included in your tuition.
One Course = Two Certifications
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)
