Counseling Conference brings people to Lafayette for the week

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - More than a thousand people from all over the country and the world will be making their way to the city of Lafayette for the week.

When it first began in 1985, the biblical counseling conference in Lafayette had 48 people attend. This year's Faith Church biblical counseling training conference will bring more than a thousand people to the greater Lafayette area.

Faith Church Senior Pastor Steve Viars said people will be coming from all over the United States and world.

"It's an opportunity for us to get together with 1,700 men and women from around the country and from 20 foreign countries," said Viars.

Viars said at the conference attendees will learn and improve their skills in using the Bible to counsel hurting people. He said he hopes people will take these skills back to their home state or country.

"We'll have discussions about how to help people who are struggling with anger, or worry, or fear, or depression, marriage problems, challenges in raising their children," said Viars.

Joel and Anna Vaneaton traveled all the way from Johnson City, Tennessee to attend the conference. They said are trying to start a counseling training program, like the one at Faith Church, at their church back home.

"The kinds of things that we bring back from here give us the resources there to be able to make this happen here as well," said Joel Vaneaton.

The conference started Sunday afternoon and will end Friday.

Pastor Viars said he is excited for how many people will be attending this year's conference. He said it is the largest turnout the conference has ever had.