The Master of Arts in Biblical Studies equips students to develop exegetical and hermeneutical skills in interpreting Christian Scriptures, broaden awareness of issues in biblical interpretation, understand the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Old and New Testaments, demonstrate skills for biblical research, communicate God’s Word effectively to build up the church, and engage contemporary issues for faithful witness to Christ.
Target Audience
This program is suitable for students who are seeking to be trained as Bible teachers in the local church or Bible school. It will provide a foundation to prepare students for further graduate studies in Biblical Studies or various ministries in a church or para-church setting.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
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FOUNDATION COURSES FOR MASTER BIBLICAL STUDIES
Thesis
Non -thesis
TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS
62 units
62 units
CORE COURSES:
44
44
General
38
28 units Foundation courses
06 units Common Core courses
04 units Iron Sharpening Group
38
28 units Foundation courses
06 units Common Core courses
04 units Iron Sharpening Group
This course introduces the principles and skills of developing curricula for a specific educational context such as formal education, church trainings, marketplace seminars, and other multi-session teaching settings. Students learn an educational process of designing training programs for a specific context that includes audience analysis, identifying needs, setting outcome-based objectives, developing sessions, and making a syllabus. In addition, students learn adult education principles and practices and are exposed to multiple teaching opportunities using achievement-based objectives, effective lecture techniques, active learning, in-class tasks, graphic organizers, and handouts. (3-lecture units-course; 3 hours per week)
This course sharpens students’ critical theological skills through application of theological method to a variety of social, ethical, and ecclesiological concerns. Students gain familiarity with the contours of significant contemporary issues (e.g. LBGTQ + issues, poverty, the impact of internet and social media), and bring a variety of theological resources together in order to foster thoughtful Christian witness and discipleship in today’s world. (3-lecture units-course; 3 hours per week)
This course equips the students with the laboratory environment to train, contextualize and experience spiritual multiplication through a weekly off-campus, team-based field work. The course is the students’ platform to apply the learnings from the courses they are taking and reflect these in light of disciple-making, God’s faithfulness and their heart condition.
The Iron-Sharpening Group (ISG) is an intentional community designed for students to participate in and experience spiritual transformation. Spiritual formation involves God reaching deeply into the spirit of each individual to accomplish His divine work. “The more we become like Christ in the way we live in relationship with people individually and corporately, the more those people will see the light of the glory of Christ in us and will be thereby transformed.” (Averbeck, 2008) The Apostle Paul summarizes well the process of spiritual transformation, “Rather speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up into Him who is the head, into Christ. From whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)
