Our History
OIC Japan has been training church-based counselors internationally for over 17 years, serving 31+ countries and establishing a strong foundation for biblical counseling in Japan.
OIC Japan Foundation
OIC Japan (Overseas Instruction in Counseling Japan) is a ACBC certified organization for training biblical counselors internationally. For seventeen years, OIC has provided training in over 31 countries.
Launch in Japan
Since 2018, OIC Japan has served local Japanese churches by training biblical counselors and translating materials from English to Japanese. Over 100 people received a Biblical Counselor Certificate in 2018 in the Tokyo area after completing four module trainings over two years.
Training Process
Pastors and believers can receive a certificate for completing JBCA's phase-one training by taking four in-person training modules over two years or completing an approved online course. This is followed by observing and practicing biblical counseling in small groups to develop confidence and skill in applying the help and hope found in Christ and His Word to people's hearts and relational issues.
Recent Milestones (2023)
Transition to Japanese Leadership
OIC Japan has transitioned into a Japanese-led organization under the name Japan Biblical Counselors Association (日本聖書カウンセリング協会) with the launch of this website (seishocounseling.jp) as a hub for training, resources, and a network of approved biblical counselors.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Dr. Joe Miller and the guest OIC trainers for their significant investment in catalyzing the grassroots beginning of a biblical counseling movement in Japan. We acknowledge the tens of thousands of hours invested by our passionate Japanese volunteers who have translated over 150 hours of handouts and videos and two foundational counseling booklets: \"Motives\" and \"Christ and Your Problems\".
Looking Forward
As we continue to serve the people of Japan, we give thanks that biblical counselors completed their training by November 2023, just before the recent earthquake in Ishikawa. There is still much to share about the wonderful, unshakable hope we have in Christ for the problems we face now and in the years to come.