BLC 242
Active Listening & Caring Conversations
Biblical Lay Counseling & Christian Life Coaching CertificateBiblical Lay Counseling & Christian Life Coaching Certificate24 contact hours8 sessionsCost: No tuition. All materials are provided.
Certificate Enrollment
This course is part of the Biblical Lay Counseling & Christian Life Coaching. One payment of $997 covers all 4 courses in the certificate.
“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2
This course trains you in the heart and skills of caring listening. Building on the basics from BTO 102, you will practice presence, nonverbal attention, open questions, reflecting feelings and content, summarizing, empathy, and the ministry of silence. You will learn to listen across differences with humility, to listen in a trauma-informed way, to stay steady with anger and grief, to speak the truth in love, and to pray with someone when she asks. You will also learn to recognize, in the moment, when a conversation must be handed to staff, a chaplain, or emergency help. Most class time is hands-on role-play with observer checklists. This is lay ministry training, not clinical training: you will not diagnose, advise on medication, or handle a crisis alone.
Syllabus
Course Syllabus
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | BLC 242 · Active Listening & Caring Conversations |
| Program | Bridge to Opportunity · Biblical Lay Counseling & Christian Life Coaching Certificate |
| Contact Hours | 24 hours · 8 weekly sessions of 3 hours |
| Format | Online to start; in-person once facility clearance is granted |
| Prerequisites | BTO 101–105 Foundations Core; BLC 241 recommended first. |
| Cost | No tuition. All materials are provided. |
| Instructor | ________________________ |
| Meeting Time | ________________________ |
Course Description
This course trains you in the heart and skills of caring listening. Building on the basics from BTO 102, you will practice presence, nonverbal attention, open questions, reflecting feelings and content, summarizing, empathy, and the ministry of silence. You will learn to listen across differences with humility, to listen in a trauma-informed way, to stay steady with anger and grief, to speak the truth in love, and to pray with someone when she asks. You will also learn to recognize, in the moment, when a conversation must be handed to staff, a chaplain, or emergency help. Most class time is hands-on role-play with observer checklists. This is lay ministry training, not clinical training: you will not diagnose, advise on medication, or handle a crisis alone.
Faith Integration
God is a listening God. He inclines His ear to us (Psalm 116:2), sees us (Genesis 16:13), and draws near in our sorrow (Psalm 34:18). When we listen well, we bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) and reflect His care. Throughout this course we honor both Scripture and the work of trained professionals, and we treat every person's story as holy ground.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain from Scripture why listening is an act of love and a foundation of lay counseling.
- Demonstrate attentive presence and appropriate nonverbal communication.
- Ask open, caring questions that help a person explore her own thoughts.
- Reflect feelings and content, paraphrase, and summarize accurately.
- Distinguish empathy from sympathy and from fixing, and use silence wisely.
- Listen across differences of culture, age, and background with humility.
- Apply trauma-informed principles (safety, choice, no pushing for details) and respond calmly if someone becomes overwhelmed.
- Listen steadily to anger and grief, speak the truth in love, and pray with someone only with her permission.
- Recognize red flags that require immediate referral and follow the program's safety rules.
- Build a personal self-care plan for sustaining a listening ministry.
Course Materials
- This student workbook
- Role-play scenario cards and observer checklists (provided by the instructor)
- Feeling-words list (in the Student Companion Quick Guide)
- Pen or pencil
- No devices are required; every activity is designed for paper
Weekly Schedule
| Week | Module | Assignment Due |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening as Love | Listening Covenant and Self-Portrait |
| 2 | Presence, Attention, and Nonverbal Communication | Presence Practice Log |
| 3 | Asking Wise Questions | Twenty Good Questions |
| 4 | Reflecting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing | Reflection Practice Sheet |
| 5 | Empathy, Silence, and Listening Across Differences | Assumptions and Empathy Reflection |
| 6 | Trauma-Informed Listening and Knowing When to Get Help | My Get-Help Card |
| 7 | Anger, Grief, Hard Truths, and Prayer | Caring Words Practice |
| 8 | Caring for the Listener and Bringing It Together | Final Project Submission |
How You Will Be Graded
| Component | Weight | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Participation | 15% | Being present, prepared, and engaged in discussion and group work (Participation Rubric) |
| Reflection Journal | 15% | Eight weekly entries connecting the lesson to your life and faith (Journal Rubric) |
| Module Assignments | 25% | Eight weekly assignments (Module Assignment Rubric) |
| Module Quizzes | 10% | Eight short quizzes, each given at the start of the next session (Module 8's is given with the final exam) |
| Final Exam | 10% | Given in the last session; covers all eight modules |
| Final Project | 25% | A practical project that brings the whole course together (Final Project Rubric) |
To pass this course: earn 70% or higher overall and attend at least 80% of sessions.
Classroom Covenant
- We begin and end each session in prayer. Participation in prayer is always welcome, never required.
- What is shared in class stays in class. We protect one another's stories.
- We speak with respect, listen without interrupting, and disagree with grace.
- We come prepared, do our own work, and ask for help when we need it.
- We follow all facility rules. Safety and security come first.
- We believe the best about one another and about what God can do.
Support & Accommodations
If reading, writing, vision, hearing, or any other need makes a part of this course harder, tell your instructor privately. Materials can be read aloud, enlarged, or completed orally. Missed sessions can be made up using the module pages. If you are transferred or released, your completed work stays on record and you can finish online.
Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to Active Listening & Caring Conversations. This companion walks beside you with a weekly reading, five devotions for the days between sessions, and a Quick Guide of listening skills and safety steps to keep with you. Remember: this is lay ministry training, not a clinical license. You will learn to listen with love and to bring in help when a burden is too heavy to carry alone.
How to Use This Companion
- Read the weekly reading after each class session. It takes about 10 minutes.
- Reflect on the questions. These are for you; you do not have to turn them in.
- Meet with God through the five daily devotions between sessions.
- Keep the Quick Guide at the end to carry home after release.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.— Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Course Modules
- 1.Listening as Love
- 2.Presence, Attention, and Nonverbal Communication
- 3.Asking Wise Questions
- 4.Reflecting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
- 5.Empathy, Silence, and Listening Across Differences
- 6.Trauma-Informed Listening and Knowing When to Get Help
- 7.Anger, Grief, Hard Truths, and Prayer
- 8.Caring for the Listener and Bringing It Together
Final Project, Rubrics & Final Exam
Course Materials
Materials for this course are coming soon.