Statement of Faith

About Us

We believe that God exists eternally in three Persons; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the righteous Father of the whole redeemed family in heaven and earth. The Son, Jesus Christ, is true God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a miraculous and sinless life, and as the infinite God-man took upon Himself the sins of all men, died in their place and satisfied God concerning their sins, was bodily resurrected, has ascended to the Father, as the great high priest of all believers and shall return in power and glory. The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and personally indwells believers to enlighten, particularly through the Scriptures, to comfort, and to empower to godliness.

We believe that the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are the inerrant Word of God, without content error as originally given. They reveal God’s will for the salvation of men and are the trustworthy authority for all Christian faith and life.

Man was created in the image of God. Through Adam’s disobedience mankind inherited a sinful nature, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death. Man is reborn and reconciled to God through the vicarious and sufficient blood atonement of Jesus Christ who personally bore man’s sin at Calvary, the just dying for the unjust. Those who receive Jesus Christ by faith as Savior and Lord are born again of the Holy Spirit unto eternal life and growth in godliness. The unjust continue eternally separated from God and incapable of holiness. All men will be bodily resurrected, the believing to eternal life and the unbelieving to judgment and eternal damnation.

Marriage, Gender & Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography, and attempting to change one’s biological sex or otherwise acting upon any disagreement with one’s biological sex) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling as part of the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the Center’s clients and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22.)

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.)

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28- 31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling.

FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Directors/Center’s Directors/Counseling Ministers is Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

Staff Values

BIBLICAL
Christ centered counseling in accordance to scriptural truth (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:19-21)

INTEGRITY
Adherence to moral and ethical principles with soundness of Christ like character (Job 31:6; Psalms 41:12)

LOVING
Compelled by Christ’ love for others (I Corinthians 13:4-8; Romans 13:9-10)

TRUSTWORTHY
Protected and accepted in a confidential environment (Proverbs 18:10; I Corinthians 13:6)

COMPETENT
Experienced and qualified staff committed to personal and professional development in the pursuit of excellence (II Timothy 2:15; Colossians 3:17)

COMPASSIONATE
Showing the love of Christ for those who are hurting with the desire to help (Philippians 2:1,5; Hebrews 5:2)

History

TCCC was founded in 1982 by a local group of Christian men and women who saw the need to establish a Christ centered counseling center. Dr. George Nickels served as the Director during those first years with the original Board consisting of six men, two of whom are still active in the overseeing and support of the Center.

Edward Martin came to the Center in 1984 as the Executive Director and served for 29 years until his retirement in July of 2013. Ed came to Tennessee from California bringing with him a great heart for ministry. At the time of his retirement he had seen over 3,300 clients and was a tremendous blessing to so many, whose lives had been transformed by the Holy Spirit through the ministry here. Because of his great evangelistic heart he leaves behind a legacy of love for the lost and wounded. It had been the privilege of many to labor along side him and glean nuggets from his many years of experience.

Tri-Cities Center for Christian Counseling is an non-denominational Biblical counseling ministry governed by a Board of Directors who are committed to a personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We are recognized by the IRS as a non-profit charitable organization. The State of Tennessee has chartered us as a Biblically-based counseling center, as opposed to a mental health provider. Though TCCC is not affiliated with a particular church or denomination, it’s staff is committed to serving the body of Christ. Each of our counselors are ordained and commissioned to the ministry of biblical counseling by their individual churches or the Ordination Council of TCCC.

Our office is located in the center of Historic downtown Kingsport at 225 Broad Street, Suite 2.

Based and rooted in the principles and authority of Scripture, our counseling style is unique for this area of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and areas beyond. Our ministry not only uses Bible truths to lead people to Christ, but also to see and experience Jesus Christ as Lord and their “power source” to restore their lives, marriages, and families! Thus, we encourage clients to learn Biblical truths and to apply them to the problems faced in their daily lives.

In order to help accommodate various working schedules we offer limited evening hours in addition to our regular daytime hours. Video Counseling is also available with Counselor approval. (Call for more information about days and times). Since our fees are on a sliding scale, additional funding through contributions is required to cover the 45% to 50% shortfall from the reduction of fees. All contributions are tax deductible and greatly appreciated.