By Dr. Philip Attebery, President • BMA Theological Seminary
The Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary has scheduled a Fall 2025 “free course” to be offered from Sept. 2 to Oct. 30.
The course, entitled “Inductive People Helping,” will explore the concept of integrating Inductive Bible Study questions with principles of “people helping” or counseling.
The premise of Inductive People Helping is that students of the Bible can apply the same questions and principles used in their study to the practice of counseling others in need. Inductive Bible Study involves asking a series of questions to determine what a passage of Scripture says, what it means and how it applies. Similarly, such questions can assist people helpers during counseling opportunities.
The course is designed to assist pastors, ministers or laypeople in asking questions that observe, facilitate understanding and encourage change. Having prior knowledge of Inductive Bible study, particularly the questions used in the DiscipleWay Bible Study discipline, is beneficial but not mandatory.
Ronnie Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Christian Education, will be the course instructor. Dr. Johnson has been a faculty member at the BMA Seminary since 1990, specializing in Christian education, discipleship and Christian counseling. Dr. Johnson created the course based on his article: “Inductive People Helping: Integrating Inductive Bible Study and the Process Model of Helping,” which was published in the Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling in March of 2025.
Dr. Johnson has also published articles inthe Evangelical Dictionary of Christian Education, the Children’s Ministry Magazine and the Christian Education Journal, and currently serves on the Baptist Publishing House editorial team, focusing on leader-assistance materials. With experience as a hospital chaplain, youth minister and pastor, he is currently the adult Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Maydelle, Texas.
Anyone interested in taking the course should contact BMA Seminary for more information. Contact us online at bmats.edu/free, by email at bmats@bmats.edu or by phone at (800) 259-5673.
