Ephesians 4:15-16 - “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "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."

Our world is a broken place. More and more people are struggling to find their way through the darkness without any help. Those who are called to be the light have often times hidden their light until a bushel (Matt. 5:15). Some have created a separation between the world and the Bible suggesting that God’s word only applies to certain parts of life. This has only led to further confusion, further despair, and further destruction.

At Redemption City Church we want to help people navigate the darkness and endure their circumstances with the truth of God’s word. His word is a lamp (Psalm 119:105) to guide our way to peace and joy. Scripture is sufficient for “every good work” given by God to think carefully through every thought, every action, every circumstance life presents us.

And that sufficient word calls the church to be specially equipped to love our neighbors in this world who want refuge from its sorrows, its confusion, its pains. We love our neighbors by “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) as we compassionately draw near to them in order to draw them toward Christ and his truth.

Redemption City Church takes seriously the responsibility to train all its members to know their Bibles and share the grace of Christ with others. But even further, a few members in particular have received training for counseling to come alongside the church and the community in applying biblical truth to life’s difficult circumstances.

We would love to connect you with one of our counselors (trained by ACBC or CCEF) to help you find God’s grace to overcome whatever trials, weaknesses, or temptations have made the darkness feel more pressing in your life. Fill out the contact form below to get started with our intake counselor to connect you with the volunteer who will be most effective for you.

 

Our Counselors

Below are some of our volunteer counselors who may be able to help you with your needs. This isn’t a list to choose from. Our intake coordinator will discuss with you who will be fit your circumstances.

 
 

Travis Kingsley

Travis’s identity has been in Christ since he was 13 and he has been committed to the church since that time.  Travis pursued his Masters Degree in Biblical Counseling from 2003-2006 and have been committed to biblical counsel ever since.  He is also certified through ACBC and have been working with counselees over the last 7-8 years (after about 10 years on active duty with the military overseas and stateside).  Much of his efforts have focused on marriage counseling and the hard cases (abuse, trauma, personality disorders, etc.), and also general discipleship issues.  Travis says counseling brings the word preached on Sundays into the everyday lives, with its accompanying struggles, challenges and joys, of believers.

Patrick Porras

Patrick has an MA in Pastoral Counseling and is a certified biblical counselor through ACBC and ABC. He also has training and a certificate from CCEF. He enjoys helping others bring biblical truth to bear on their everyday troubles as sufferers, sinners, and saints. He strives to help bring God's grace and comfort to others as he has so richly received it. He resides in Rochester with his wife and three kids.

Brooklyn Smith

Brooklyn and her husband, Nick, have three little ones that she is privileged to stay at home with. She is currently completing training through the Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC) to become a certified biblical counselor. As someone who has been on the receiving end of many years of counseling (secular, Christian, and Biblical), she has seen how true change and sanctification can only come when we address our struggles with Scripture and the truth of God’s Word. Brooklyn is particularly interested in aiding in the areas of pre-marital and marriage counseling, body/self-image and eating disorders, and anxiety and depression.

Jordyn Hanson

Phil is a counselor

Stephanie Payne

Steph is a counselor

Andrew Bierbaum


Mike Exsted

 

Connect with a Counselor

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Our counseling efforts are a ministry of the church for the church. We do not charge anything for our counseling services. If anyone feels led to give an offering of thanks for the help received, you may give a donation to the church on our church giving page.

  • Most counseling relationships will start with an intake that helps us get all of the basic information we need in order to help you. Our intake coordinator will contact you for further detail in order to match you with the counselor who would be the most helpful.

    The first couple of sessions will simply be listening to you to understand your background and the issue you are dealing with. We will then spend time laying a foundation of biblical truths that give us a solid footing to build a more stable biblical vision to help you work toward.

    Because we think counseling best finds its success in a community of like-minded, same-focused people, we ask that all of our clients commit to regularly, weekly attendance at our Sunday worship (or at a like-minded church) in order to reinforce the biblical truths explained in counseling and to find other relationships to encourage you in your walk toward wholeness.

  • Most counseling relationships will start with an intake that helps us get all of the basic information we need to get right into helping you. Our intake coordinator will contact you for further detail in order to match you with the counselor who would be the most helpful.

    The first couple of sessions will simply be listening to you to understand your background and the issue you are dealing with. We will then spend time laying a foundation of biblical truths that give us a solid footing to build a more stable biblical vision to help you work toward.

    Because we think counseling best finds its success in a community of like-minded, same-focused people, we ask that all of our clients commit to regulary, weekly attendance at our Sunday worship to reinforce the biblical truths explained in counseling and to find other relationships to encoruage you in your walk toward wholeness.

  • We don’t claim to be experts in every method of counseling, thereapy, pscychology, or psychiatry. We believe that the Bible and God’s Spirit provide all we need for life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3). But sometimes other interventions are necessary to address potential challenges that we are not equipped or skilled to provide help for.

    Our counselors have a network of other relationships with professionals in the medical fields, government social services, para-church support ministries, and other licensed therapists to refer clients for additional support depending on your specific needs.

    Our goal is to lay a biblical foundation, build a stable community of helpful relationships, cast a vision of fruitfulness in Christ, and walk with you in faith toward that vision. As we do that and we find opportunities to pull other professionals near to gain valuable support.

  • We avoid the phrase “Christian counseling” because it is too vague. It can mean biblical counseling or it can simply mean someone who calls himself a Christian is doing the counseling (but may never reference Scripture). We want to be clear about what our counseling goals are in meeting with you.

    When we say “biblical counseling” we are stating that we strive to bring the Bible to bear in every situation. We will open the Bible and seek its truth to speak into every conversation.

    So much of this world’s sorrow is caused by sin (whether ours or someone else’s). Sin causes brokenness and suffering. Adam’s sin began all creation groaning. Our neighbors’ sins affect us. Our sin blinds us. The goal of biblical counseling is to see how sin causes our struggle and how we run to false gods to solve our problems. Then we strive to show how Christ has overcome sin, oppression, and suffering in his death and ressurreciton. He provides his word and his Spirit to help us stand firm in the face of trials and temptations. so that we can overcome our struggles and even become an instrument of redemption in others’ lives.

  • Item descriptionRedemption Biblical Counseling is housed at Redemption City Church. Counseling will normally take place in the counseling room at the church building. Our counselors are flexible though and have met in a variety of locations, from homes to coffee shops. Your counselor will work with you to find the appropriate environment for counseling.