As followers of Jesus, we believe in the importance of knowing and understanding the Word of God on a deeper level, and that every individual have that opportunity to learn how to study, discover, and apply the truths of God’s Word to their own lives. The School of Biblical Studies (SBS) is a nine-month course in which students study all 66 books of the Bible. An inductive approach is taught, in which students observe what the text says and then let it shape their beliefs. During the school, students will be working, studying, and living in a close knit community of fellow students who are on the journey through the Bible together. They are given hands-on instruction in the principles of observation, interpretation, and application. They will survey each book and discover the big picture, while also digging into the details paragraph by paragraph. Emphasis is placed on understanding the cultural and historic background of each author and original reader of a book. The student will be interpreting Scripture with the mindset of the original reader, then they will take the timeless truths and apply them personally. Students will have opportunities to live out what they are learning; this is not a school of simply head knowledge, but also of practical application. SBS missionary members will meet weekly with the students to aid in their personal growth, understanding of Scripture, and application of the inductive method.
The SBS is offered in a series of three-month phases:
School of Biblical Studies I:
This phase begins with a three-week seminar teaching the principles of inductive Bible study. Books studied are the Synoptic Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline Epistles and the book of Hebrews.
School of Biblical Studies II:
In the second phase, students complete the New Testament books, and after an introductory seminar to the Old Testament, study from Genesis through Samuel.
School of Biblical Studies III:
The third phase of Bible Study completes the study of the Old Testament’s historical books, the Prophets and Wisdom Literature. A seminar precedes both the Prophets and Wisdom Literature, giving the students the skills necessary to study these parts of the Bible.
