STS Rhode Island
Called to Counsel // STS 2025
On Thursday, April 10th, 2025, Small Town Summits will host a Summit at Cornerstone Church in Warwick, RI. Pastors and lay leaders from small places across Rhode Island will learn how to more effectively counsel others and how to encourage and equip our congregations to grow in offering wise counsel.
Called to Counsel
April 10th 2025
One of the tasks of small-town ministers is to learn how to more effectively counsel others, and to encourage and equip our congregations to grow in offering wise counsel. This year, our plenary sessions will highlight the importance of God’s Word and Christ’s church for personal transformation in the life of believers, together with a call (and practical equipping) for each believer, including pastors/elders, to grow in our ability to offer wise biblical counsel. Breakout sessions, and also a plenary panel discussion, will provide opportunities to get practical, go deep, and explore through questioning.
8.30 – 9am - Arrival and registration
9 – 10am - Welcome, Singing, STS and CCEF-NE Vision, Introductions
10 – 10:45am - Session #1: God’s Word, Christ’s Church: The Catalyst and Context for Transformation and group discussion (Dan Crichton)
10:45 – 11am - Coffee break
11am – Noon - Session #2: Counseling Applied - Growing as a Counselor and group discussion (Andy Engert)
Noon – 1pm - Lunch
1 – 2pm - Breakout sessions
2 – 2.15pm - Break
2.15 – 3pm - Session #3: Counseling Panel (Andy Engert, Seth Rambikur)
3 – 3.30pm - Prayer
In our first two main sessions, Dan Crichton and Andy Engert will speak to the content and context of biblical counseling and pursuing continued growth as biblical counselors. Our last main session will be a panel giving Summit participants opportunity to ask specific counseling questions for discussion among the panelists and fellow Summit attendees.
Dan is the pastor of Grace Bible Church in Cranston, RI. He's a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves on the Board of Directors for the Baptist Convention of New England. He and his wife Joy have three daughters and two sons.
Andy Engert is the Executive Director at CCEF New England. He received his Master of Arts in counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary and has completed numerous CCEF School of Biblical Counseling certificate courses in preparation for becoming a biblical counselor. He has a passion for supporting the church in New England and for helping people find real help in the Lord as they face the significant challenges of life. Andy and his wife, Christine, have three sons, and he also serves as the Music Director at Christ Redeemer Church in Hanover, NH.
Andy Engert
What might a counseling ministry look like within a small-town church? How would a church go about starting one? In this practical breakout session, guidance will be offered on starting (or strengthening) a counseling ministry in a local church. Various models of church-based counseling ministry will be considered, along with essential questions that should be addressed to establish formal and informal counseling within a congregation.
Andy Engert is the Executive Director at CCEF New England. He received his Master of Arts in counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary and has completed numerous CCEF School of Biblical Counseling certificate courses in preparation for becoming a biblical counselor. He has a passion for supporting the church in New England and for helping people find real help in the Lord as they face the significant challenges of life. Andy and his wife, Christine, have three sons, and he also serves as the Music Director at Christ Redeemer Church in Hanover, NH.
Seth Rambikur
Is the heart a key factor in your counsel and discipleship? Come take a biblical look at the heart - man's thoughts, desires, and choices - and how counsel that is biblical will begin there to see Christ's redemption applied to the common problems people face. Participants will interact over a true-to-life case study to see how sin originates in the heart, and must be overcome by faith there.
Seth Rambikur (MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is a Pastor Teacher at Exeter Chapel and a certified counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. He grew up in Rhode Island and became a follower of Christ at a young age, while attending Exeter Chapel. He and Lindsey were married in 2011, and have three children.
Joel and Jen Sedam
Christians counseling other Christians isn’t only about what we say or know, but who we are and how we show up for those we’re seeking to help. This requires knowledge of one’s self, with much humility and wisdom. This breakout session will include biblical reflection on the dynamics of the counseling relationship, pitfalls to avoid, and collaboration on how to know ourselves better so we can provide truly better help as we point people to Christ.
Joel and Jen Sedam are daily in the trenches of people work. Joel is the lead pastor at Mount Hope Church in Bristol, which they planted 9 years ago. In addition to being a pastor’s wife, Jen has worked as a professional counselor for over a decade. They count it an honor to walk alongside people in counseling and to sharpen one another in the process. Joel and Jen have been married for 18 years and have four children
Meet the Team
Dan is the pastor of Grace Bible Church in Cranston, RI. He's a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves on the Board of Directors for the Baptist Convention of New England. He and his wife Joy have three daughters and two sons.
Joel grew up in Westerly, RI. After graduating with a B.A. in Theology, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary. He has worked with InterVarsity Fellowship and has served on the pastoral staff at Grace Harbor Church in Providence. He and his wife Jen moved to Bristol in June of 2015, where they and their core team planted Mount Hope Church.
