Biblical Counseling
We believe that the Bible is God’s Word and guide, sufficient for addressing life’s problems and struggles. Seeking counseling and guidance are a healthy part of Christian life. Living Word is dedicated to helping people through the ministry of Biblical counseling.
Biblical counseling is an approach to holistic soul-care that is informed, bounded, and shaped by the Scriptures as the authoritative Word of God. The goal of Biblical counseling is to help people heal, restore, mature and become more like Christ (Col. 1: 28-29) and to see their lives and circumstances through a Biblical lens. Biblical counselors seek to apply God’s love and truth to various areas of life, which can include struggles with sin or the trials brought on by living in a fallen world. This includes processing challenging life circumstances and seasons of lament and loss. This is done by lovingly pointing counselees to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and forgiveness of self and others. Biblical counseling also includes practical, Biblical instruction that focuses on meaningful healing, change and understanding that is Gospel centered.
mission
With God’s love, we listen, extend compassion, and apply God’s Word and the Gospel to life stories of sin, pain, struggle, loss, grief, shame and hurt.
VISIOn
Living Word Biblical counseling exists to bring Gospel centered care to hurting and broken people in a safe, private, Christ-centered environment.
FAQ
Biblical Lay Counselors are volunteers who are appointed by Living Word pastors and are equipped through CCEF (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation) as Biblical counselors.
Counselors have oversight from the Living Word Church Council and Pastors.
This is a ministry of Living Word serving Living Word members and regular attendees who are not yet members.
Living Word Biblical counselors provide one-on-one hour-long sessions at the church, with privacy and care. Sessions will include counselee’s goals for counseling, weekly homework, and truth filled guidance and encouragement from God’s Word. Counselees can find help and hope for unforgiveness of self and others, grief and loss of any kind, sin struggles, issues of worth and identity in Christ, relational problems and brokenness, and spiritual issues. In general, female counselors will meet with female counselees and male counselors will meet with male counselees. We will meet during office hours at Living Word in a designated classroom. Counselees are encouraged to meet with counselors for 8-12 sessions. Some counselees may benefit from more than 12 sessions.
Initial counseling appointments will be made through filling out an online Inquiry Form. After receiving the inquiry, the Counseling Coordinator will reach out to answer questions and/or set up an appointment for the counselee, using a Living Word email account. Living Word Biblical counseling is not a crisis center. Appointments are made by scheduled sessions only. Counselors are not on call and do not respond to crisis intervention. The Counselee will need to fill out the Intake Form and sign the Counseling Agreement before their first session with a Biblical Counselor. All correspondence between counselor and counselee will be done through the counselors Living Word email account.
Counselors respect and honor the time of counselees and ask counselees to do the same. Appointments will begin on time. Counselees who need to cancel a session must do so 24 hours prior to the appointment. This allows counselors to serve others in that time slot. Repeated late or missed appointments without prior notice will lead to termination of counseling services.
Biblical counselors serve voluntarily and are not paid for their services. We suggest a free will donation of $25 per session to help cover a portion of the training and administrative costs of the counseling ministry. This fee can be paid in the following ways: online giving, give in person at the counseling session or give at the church office.
Julie Christensen
Julie Christensen has been a Christ follower most of her life. She is married to Pastor Dave Christensen. Together they raised 4 cherished daughters and now have added 2 wonderful son-in-laws to their family.
Julie has a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Social Work degree. She has worked as a children’s advocate for a domestic violence organization, served on the board of directors for 5 years for McLeod Alliance for Victims of Domestic Violence and worked for Lighthouse Christian Counseling as a counselor. In recent years, Julie completed a training called Prayer Resolution in 2018 and also completed the Formation Certificate offered by Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) in 2025. Julie spent many years as a stay at home mom, as well as mentoring and discipling women of all ages, leading Bible studies and prayer groups.
Through Biblical Counseling, Julie looks forward to walking together with people through the common difficulties we all experience like sin, suffering, grief and shame. It is her hope to create a Gospel-centered refuge for women to experience meaningful healing, forgiveness, restoration and maturity through seeking the Lord together in prayer and through God’s Word.
Ron Bortnem
Ron Bortnem has been married to Kris for the past 54 years. They have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Ron enjoys golf, pickleball, and any friend and family time he can get! He has gained a vast amount of experience in business covering finance and sales along with 6 years of Army National Guard duty. He has an agricultural background being raised on a crop and livestock farm in SD, and working alongside his father and brother. In the past few years, Ron believes the Holy Spirit has been prompting him to learn more about rooting meaningful connections and conversations in God’s Word. He and Kris completed training called Prayer Resolution in 2018, followed by CCEF training through the School of Biblical Counseling in 2025. His hope and prayer is that, along with the guidance of pastors and mentors, God would use this training to encourage Christ-centered conversations with men who seek God’s direction for their life.
Kris Bortnem
Kris Bortnem grew up in SD and has been married to Ron for 54 years. She finds joy in her roles as wife, mom, grandma, sister, and friend. Kris has been a stay at home mom, piano teacher, and bank teller before attending SDSU and SMSU, using her degrees to enjoy 21 years as an elementary music educator in Marshall. Kris is now retired but blessed to be “refired” to serve God and others in new ways! She is passionate about building Christian community and encouraging one another in their faith journey and in their relationships. Kris has been a mentor, and small group and Bible Study leader. She has participated in music ministries and is trained in Prayer Resolution. Recently, Kris completed Biblical Counseling courses, learning how to support and walk side by side with people in the sin and suffering that we all struggle with. She desires to create a safe place to explore the truths of scripture with women through loving, humble listening, and prayer that the Word would grow deep in our hearts, change us, and transform us!
