FREE ONLINE SEMINARY: Course of Study, Phase 3

NOTE: Phase 3 is still partly under construction, but I wanted to make this available since it has been a year since Phases 1 and 2 were made available.

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in Phase 3, you will:

• start building an understanding of systematic theology,
• survey the New Testament, completing an overview of the Bible,
• look closely at the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke,
• learn how the Gospel began to spread through the world as seen in Acts,
• take a brief look at the apostolic fathers, their contemporaries and their disciples,
• gain an understanding of the formation of the canon of Scripture,
• be encouraged to be an intercessor for others,
• continue to build on your knowledge of New Testament Greek, and 
• keep working on your major project.

1. SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
*ONLINE CLASS: "Systematic Theology" by Wayne Grudem. Do the first half of this class for this phase and the last half for Phase 4.

*MEMORY VERSES: Don't forget to make note of verses used in the lectures to memorize as you work through this class.
*READING: Choose from the following:

*Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem. Cheaper at Ebay. FREE at Internet Archive. (Make sure you get the complete book and not one of the partial editions. The revised edition was published in December 2020, and if you can afford it, you should get that. If not, the first edition will be fine and will save you a lot of money.

*Old Paths: Being Plain Statements of Some of the Weightier Matters of Christianity by J.C. Ryle. FREE at Internet Archive and here. FREE audio here (or Librivox app). One of the great preachers and Christian thinkers of the 19th Century. In this book, he confronts the liberal "Christian" movement (whose heirs today often call themselves "progressive Christians") that was beginning to have great influence and would sadly soon take over the mainline denominations. See a brief biography of Ryle here with links to much more (including an audio biography).

*Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof. (Kindle only $2). Hard copies cheaper at eBay. FREE at Biblical Training's Online Library. A classic reformed work on systematic theology. Theologian Wayne Grudem (whose systematic theology is considered by many to be the best today) has called Berkhof's Systematic Theology "a great treasure-house of information and analysis....probably the most useful one-volume systematic theology available from any theological perspective." (as quoted in the Wikipedia article on Berkhof)

*Introduction to Dogmatic Theology by E.A. Litton. FREE at Hathi Trust. A systematic theology by a 19th Century Anglican that has recently been republished and received a lot of positive reception.

*ASSIGNMENT: Choose an issue of theology has focused your heart on God or helped you greatly in your understanding and create an essay, blog article, sermon, devotional, or YouTube....or perhaps write a hymn.


2. NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY
*ONLINE CLASS: New Testament Survey: Part 1 (Gospels) by Dr. Robert Stein
*ONLINE CLASS: New Testament Survey: Part 2 (Acts to Revelation) by Dr. Robert Stein

*MEMORY VERSES: Choose memory verses from your reading of the New Testament.
*READING: Read the entire New Testament in coordination with the classes.
*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Keep a notebook or document for writing a brief summary of each book of the New Testament following the class related to that book.
*OPTIONAL READING (but highly recommended as a resource that you can turn to again and again): An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo. Or find it cheaper at Ebay or Addall.
*Also, don't forget that you can find many more FREE resources here: "Bible & Theology Reference Works Online: Massive Selection + My Recommendations"




3. GOSPEL OF LUKE

*INTRODUCTION TO THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS:

*Video: "What Are the Synoptic Gospels and Where Do They Come From?" (9 minutes)

*Article: "Why Four Gospels?" by David Alan Black

*Article: "The So-Called Synoptic Problem" by Brad Cooper. There is a short article followed by lots of resources if you want to study this issue further.

*ONLINE COURSE: "The Gospel of Luke from the Outside In" by Dr. D.A. Carson

*MEMORY VERSES: Choose verses to memorize as you are reading through Luke.
*READING: 

*Read or listen to the Gospel of Luke once. Then read through it again in conjunction with the online course above.

*CHOOSE A  COMMENTARY BELOW TO FOLLOW THE ONLINE COURSE:

*Expository Thoughts on Luke by J.C. Ryle. (After clicking on the link to the FREE PDF version, scroll down in the PDF file to find "Expository Thoughts on Luke.") If you want a commentary that will fill your mind with wisdom, application and fire, this is it. Also FREE in audio in 2 volumes: Volume 1 & Volume 2....or on the Librivox app. FREE PDF at Internet Archive: Volume 1 and Volume 2. Paperback and FREE Kindle version at Amazon. 

*Luke (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series) by Darrell Bock. An excellent and relatively concise, non-technical commentary.

*The Expositor's Greek Testament (General Editor, Nicoll W. Robertson): Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke by A.B. Bruce: Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels & Commentary on Luke. This is a classic commentary and one of the best older technical commentaries for exegesis of the Greek. But you will have to have some knowledge of Greek to make good use of this. Also available in Kindle format for $2.99. Also online here.

**If you have the money to spend (and there are cheap copies of the first one), check out these excellent commentaries:

*The NIV Application Commentary: Luke by Darrel Bock. An excellent non-technical commentary by one of the greatest living authorities on Luke. Also at Ebay.

*Luke (IVP Commentary series) by Darrel Bock. Also at Ebay.

*Luke (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Darrel Bock. An incredible 2-volume technical commentary. My personal favorite. Also on Ebay and Addall.

*Also, don't forget that you can find many more FREE resources here: "Bible & Theology Reference Works Online: Massive Selection + My Recommendations"

*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Suggested Options: Create a Bible study with questions and answers for teaching a class through Luke, a theme from Luke or a passage from Luke. Write a sermon based on a passage in Luke. Write a blog devotional or even a series of devotionals based on Luke. Write a paper answering a question that  you have concerning the Gospel of Luke.


4. ACTS 

(I recommend that you complete the course on the GOSPEL OF LUKE above first.)

*Timeline for Acts by Brad Cooper
*ONLINE COURSE: "23 Lectures on Acts" by Dr. Craig Keener

*MEMORY VERSES: Choose verses to memorize as you are reading through Acts.
*READING: 

*Read or listen to Acts once. Then read through it again in conjunction with the online course above.

*CHOOSE A  COMMENTARY BELOW TO FOLLOW THE ONLINE COURSE: 

*A Commentary on Acts of Apostles by J. W. McGarvey. A classic. Also here. Several cheap editions on Kindle.

*The Expositor's Greek Testament (General Editor, Nicoll W. Robertson), Volume 2: Commentary on Acts. This is a classic commentary and one of the best older technical commentaries for exegesis of the Greek. But you will have to have some knowledge of Greek to make good use of this. Also available in Kindle format for $5.98. Also online here.

**If you have the money to spend (and there are cheap copies of the first one), check out these excellent commentaries:

*Acts (New International Commentary on the New Testament) by F.F. Bruce. An excellent non-technical commentary by one of the greatest New Testament scholars of the past century. Also at Ebay and Amazon.

*Acts (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Darrel Bock. An excellent technical commentary. Also on Ebay and Amazon.

*Also, don't forget that you can find many more FREE resources here: "Bible & Theology Reference Works Online: Massive Selection + My Recommendations"

*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Suggested Options: Create a Bible study with questions and answers for teaching a class through Acts, a theme from Acts or a passage from Acts. Write a sermon based on a passage in Acts. Write a blog devotional or even a series of devotionals based on Acts. Write a paper answering a question that  you have concerning Acts.


5. WHO ARE THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS?
*ARTICLE: "Who Are The Apostolic Fathers?" by Brad Cooper
*LECTURE: "Apostolic Fathers" by Dr. Ryan Reeves (28 minutes)
*READING: Read or listen to the Apostolic Fathers for yourself using The Apostolic Fathers (2nd Edition) by Lightfoot, Joseph Barber and J.R. Harmer. Edited by Michael W. Holmes. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989. A standard collection of the writings of the apostolic fathers with introductions and commentary. An older edition of this work is in the public domain and is available for FREE! many places. You can find both the text and MP3 audio files FREE! to download here (click on the book icon next to the title you want).  Also available FREE! in ebook here. It may be read online or downloaded as a PDF. A nice online version is also available FREE here.

*ASSIGNMENT: Create an essay, blog article or YouTube explaining the importance of the apostolic fathers or focusing in on just one of them that you find most intriguing.


6. APOLOGETICS: THE BIBLICAL CANON
*MEMORY VERSES: Choose verses from the resources below.
*LECTURE: "How we got the Old Testament Canon" by Mike Winger (49 minutes)
*DIALOGUE: "James White & Michael Kruger on the Biblical Canon" (60 minutes)
*ONLINE COURSE: "The Origins of the New Testament Canon" by Michael J. Kruger (4 sessions)
*"The New Testament Canon: Human Invention Or Divine Gift?" by Brad Cooper
*READING: The Historic Evidence of The Authorship and Transmission of the Books of the New Testament by Samuel Prideux Tregelles. (London: Samuel Bagster & Sons, 1881). Available for FREE at Internet Archive.
*OPTIONAL READING (but both highly recommended): 
*Canon Revisited by Michael J. Kruger
*The Heresy of Orthodoxy by Michael J. Kruger

*ASSIGNMENT: Create a paper, blog article, YouTube video or class explaining why we can have confidence that the books of the New Testament are the books that God wanted us to have.


7. PRAYER & INTERCESSION
*SERMON: "
*MEMORY VERSE: Choose verses from the resources below.
*READING:  

*Power Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds. Paperback version is cheaper on eBay. And FREE here in ebook and audio. "Power through Prayer has been called one of the truly great masterpieces on the theme of prayer." The complete collection of E.M. Bounds on prayer: The Complete Collection of E. M. Bounds on Prayer. FREE here.

*Article: "The Proof Of The Living God As Found In The Prayer Life Of George Müller Of Bristol" by A.T. Pierson. FREE! Optionally read Pierson's biography of Muller. (Free Kindle book). Also FREE at Internet Archive. Also FREE in audiobook (or Librivox app)

*JOURNAL: Continue your daily prayer journal. Make the entries as long or as brief as you want. Write down prayer requests, answers to prayer, thanksgiving and worship, etc.  If you have nothing to write down, then simply make note of that.


8. NEW TESTAMENT GREEK

*READING: A Manual Grammar of The Greek New Testament by H.E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey
*Choose from the FREE resources at my blog page here. I will try to find more advanced FREE resources to post there.

9. MAJOR PROJECT
*By now you should be starting to gain a firm grasp on your subject--perhaps even having gained a certain level of expertise (depending on many factors). 
*Do more reading in this area. Search for courses or videos related to tis area. Continue working on your project.

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THOUGHTS FOR YOUR JOURNEY

FREE ONLINE SEMINARY: Course of Study, Phase 2

Phase 2 will build on Phase 1 and you will:

• learn about the attributes of God, 
• get an overview of the Old Testament, 
• go deeper in learning sound principles for interpreting Scripture, 
• make worship an integral part of your prayer life, 
• get a handle on a basic cumulative case for the Christian faith,
• learn some practical tactics for having good conversations with unbelievers,
• finish your first year of New Testament Greek, and
• continue work on your major project.

1. A BROADER LOOK AT THEOLOGY
*ONLINE CLASS: "A Guide to Christian Beliefs" by Dr. I. Howard Marshall
*ARTICLE: "15 Amazing Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter"
*MEMORY VERSES: From the online course immediately below, choose one verse to memorize for each of the attributes of God.
*ONLINE COURSE: "The Attributes of God." 
*READING: For each section of this course, a section of Jen Wilkin's book None Like Him is assigned. This book is very reasonably priced, but you may alternatively choose to use the links for "additional resources" which will take you to the appropriate sections of books (some of them classics), which you can read online for FREE.

OPTIONAL READING: 

*Knowing God by J.I. Packer. (Available in Kindle and audiobook) Cheaper at Ebay. This is a classic and "named by Christianity Today as one of the top fifty books that have shaped evangelicals,..."

*The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. (Very cheap on Kindle). Paperback cheaper at Ebay. FREE PDF version. This another great classic.

2. OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY
*SERIES OF SHORT VIDEOS: 
*"The Old Testament in 8 minutes" at the Intelligents YouTube channel
*"Overview: Genesis Ch. 1-11" by the Bible Project (8 minutes)
*"Overview: Genesis Ch. 12-50" by the Bible Project (8 minutes)
*Note about the Bible Project: You may want to watch the rest of their videos giving overviews of the books of the Bible. The videos are excellent and do a great job of laying out the narrative of the Bible as the story of God's plan of salvation. This is an important perspective and central to understanding the Bible; however, the authors have a very lop-sided view of the nature of Scripture that fails to understand (even undermines) other dimensions of God's revelation in Scripture--so use discernment.
*"An Overview of Old Testament History | A Timeline of Biblical Events" by Mario Escobedo (21 minutes). Begins with Moses in the book of Exodus.
*ARTICLE: Chronology of the Old Testament
*READ through the Old Testament in sync with the online class below and take notes.
*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Keep a notebook or document in which you write a brief summary for each book of the Old Testament. If you can sum it up in a sentence or two, all the better.
*ONLINE CLASS: "Old Testament Survey" by Dr. Douglas Stuart
*PROJECT: Create a timeline of the Old Testament. You can choose to do it on a large sheet of paper or posterboard....or a blank wall in your house or your church....or using an online timeline creator like TimeGraphics (which I have been using lately and really like). Or if you want a real fun challenge, try constructing one in 3-D and making a video of it. There are a seemingly endless number of ways of constructing one. Here are several examples for you to use as resources for information and examples of different ways to construct a timeline:

• Perspectives on ancient chronology and the Old Testament—part 1
• The Old Testament in 8 minutes. Link to download timeline.
• Timeline of the Bible [Whiteboard Bible Study]
• A Chronological Map from the Creation to the Fourth Century A.D. at Blue Letter Bible
• Bible Hub
• Adams Synchronological Chart or Map of History. Zoomable image.
• Timeline Of Major Old Testaments Periods
• Rose Publishing has excellent charts and timelines and some are FREE (including one of the Old Testament, which can be found a little way down the page at this link).
• Floyd Nolen Jones' Timelines and Chronology. His Old Testament Timeline.
• Let's Make a Bible Timeline! (PDF)
• 55 Free Bible Chronology and Timelines by Steven Rudd
• Bible Chronology of the Old Testament by Matt Slick at CARM
• Bible Timelines for Children
• Old Testament Timelines at Swartzentrover.com
• FREE BOOK: Chronology of the Old Testament: A Return to the Basics by Floyd Nolen Jones.
• More resources for Old Testament Chronology

*Recommended Resources: 
*Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by C.F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch. A 19th Century commentary but still the best commentary covering the whole Old Testament. Find it cheaper on Ebay. FREE at Step Bible or Internet Archive.
*A Survey of Old Testament Introduction by Gleason Archer. Possibly cheaper on Ebay or Addall.
*Also, don't forget that you can find many more FREE resources here: "Bible & Theology Reference Works Online: Massive Selection + My Recommendations"

3. BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION
*MEMORY VERSES: Psalm 119:33-34
*ONLINE COURSE: "Biblical Hermeneutics" with Dr. Robert Stein. 
*BOOKS: The first book is an easier read and the second much longer and more in depth. You may want to only read one of these or both.
*God-Centered Biblical Interpretation by Vern Sheridan Poythress. FREE here.
*Biblical hermeneutics: A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments by Milton S. Terry. Free at Internet Archive.
*Resources for further study and research: "Biblical Interpretation: Resources"


4. PRAYER & WORSHIP
*SERMON: "Pray and Be Alone With God" by Paul Washer
*DAILY DEVOTIONAL: "Praying the Names and Attributes of God." Begin your prayer time by praising God for who he is and asking for a greater glimpse of glory. This is a 30-day exercise.
*READING: After finishing the 30-day exercise above, begin to pray through the Psalms. One each day (or part of a psalm). That is read the Psalms as your prayer and then respond further by worshiping God in what has been revealed to you.
*MEMORY VERSES: As you are praying through the Psalms, choose verses to memorize that most move you to worship.
*READING: The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. FREE at Project Gutenberg.
*OPTIONAL READING: 
*The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. Cheaper at Ebay and Addall.
*The Purpose of Man: Designed to Worship by A.W. Tozer. Cheaper at Ebay. 
*How to Worship Jesus Christ: Experiencing His Manifest Presence Daily by Joseph S. Carroll. Cheaper at Ebay.

*JOURNAL: Continue your daily prayer journal. Make the entries as long or as brief as you want. Write down prayer requests, answers to prayer, thanksgiving and worship, etc.

5. APOLOGETICS: A CUMULATIVE CASE
*"How to Have Confidence in Christ That Changes the World (Apologetics 101: A Cumulative Case)" by Brad Cooper
*MEMORY VERSES: Luke 1:1-4; Mark 12:28-31 
*OPTIONAL READING: If you want to dig in deeper, there are resource links related to each class (at the page linked to above).


6. APOLOGETICS: TACTICS
"A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions" with GREG KOUKL
*ONLINE COURSE: Session 1  Session 2   Session 3  Session 4
*READING: Faith Has Its Reasons by Kenneth Boa and Rob M. Bowman, Jr. Read for FREE! online here.
*MEMORY VERSE: 1 Peter 3:15-16
*OPTIONAL READING (but HIGHLY recommended): 

*Tactics by Greg Koukl (available in Audiobook).

*Fool's Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion by Os Guinness. (Audiobook available). Cheaper at Ebay.

*Recommended Viewing: "Suitable For Framing | Full Episode | Columbo" (If you don't know who Columbo is, this will be a great introduction. And if you do, consider this a needed refresher. :) )

7. NEW TESTAMENT GREEK
If you chose "Option 2" during Phase 1, complete the rest of that class:
*ONLINE CLASS OPTIONS FOR OPTION #2: 
*A: Mastering New Testament Greek by Ted Hildebrandt: This is an amazing page filled with every resource imaginable for learning Greek....and it's all FREE (including the textbook)!
*B: Norlan De Groot has a 2-part Introduction to Biblical Greek that can be taken for FREE (see instructions at the top of the page linked to) and you can get the textbook for FREE also: New Testament Greek for Beginners by Gresham Machen. Might find it cheaper at Ebay or Addall. FREE here or here. Charts for the various declension charts can be found beginning on p.225. So you can take this course completely FREE. 
*C: Biblical Greek by Dr. Bill Mounce: The class is FREE but the textbook costs money.
*D: More FREE CLASS options that use David Alan Black's textbook: Learn to Read New Testament Greek, which you might find cheaper (about $8 including shipping right now) at Ebay or Addall. "Daily Dose of Greek" by Dr. Rob Plummer is surely the best of these.


*ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: "Learning New Testament Greek: Resources" You will find lots of FREE resources here to help you along.

8. MAJOR PROJECT
*Continue working on your major project. 
*If you feel stuck, ask for feedback in our private Facebook group about what the next step in this process should be.

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THOUGHTS FOR YOUR JOURNEY
You've come a long way already. When you finish this phase, you will be one third of the way through this course of study. Take a moment to think about how much you have learned and grown in these first two phases. Give God praise for what he is doing in you and ask for the wisdom, strength and endurance to finish.

LINK TO PHASE 3

FREE ONLINE SEMINARY: Course of Study, Phase 1

Welcome to "Free Online Seminary." I'm excited that you have decided to check it out!

WHAT THE FREE ONLINE SEMINARY IS NOT
This is not an accredited program. You will not receive a certificate or degree of any kind. If you are needing to pursue some kind of accredited degree, this is probably not for you--although it may provide excellent preparation before entering such a degree program.

WHAT THE FREE ONLINE SEMINARY IS
This is a completely FREE systematic course of study that is comparable to a Bible college or seminary degree. My aim in designing this course of study is to provide a curriculum that will lead those who follow it to a deep and robust understanding of the Bible, theology, apologetics, church history, ministry and the Christian life so that we will be well prepared to serve Christ in the Church.

The benefit of this Free Online Seminary is that I am creating a systematic use of some of the best FREE resources available on the internet (including FREE classes, textbooks and many other resources) plus suggested writing assignments, etc. to process and reinforce what is being learned. Everything necessary to complete this course of study (including the textbooks) can be found for free online. (There will be some optional recommendations that do cost money.) This course of study is being formed with the conviction that the Bible is "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16) and is therefore infallible and true in everything that it says. 

The Church needs leaders and it is important for the Church to have leaders who have taken the study of the Word of God seriously and who can lead and teach with a depth of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. For centuries now, the Church has largely attempted to meet that need through formal education in a Bible college or seminary. Of course, that has not always been the Church's approach nor has that approach always been effective. At any rate, we live in a time in which this type of education has become far too expensive for many. Fortunately, we also live in a time in which there are alternative options that are absolutely free to those who make use of them.

Starting with this page, I am striving to put together a course of study that would be comparable to the kind of education that one might gain at a Bible college or seminary. And I am building this course of study on resources that can be found for free on the internet. I will be recommending resources that do cost money, but these will be optional. My goal is to use only free resources as the core (including the textbooks). 

Also, you will find that I include a lot of reading and memorization of Scripture. I think that this is fundamental. Memorizing key verses is minimal preparation for ministry, in my opinion. And I would encourage you to memorize entire chapters and even books, as you are able. Having a solid knowledge of what the Scriptures actually teach (and not just what people say that they teach) is foundational to doing ministry with integrity.

This page is just the start. Phases 1 & 2 are complete. There will be 6 phases when completed. When I finish those phases, I will add a link to the next phase at the bottom of this page. Each phase is roughly equal to a semester. But feel free to go at your own pace. Finish a phase faster than 4 months or take 6 months or longer. The pace is up to you. 

You can find the Outline of the Curriculum (all 6 phases) here.

And of course, although I label some things as "optional," everything is optional. Use your own discretion to adapt this course of study for yourself. But I encourage you not to make those decisions too lightly and rob yourself of foundational learning that will make you a better disciple and leader in the future.


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PREPARATION BEFORE YOU START....

(A) FIND A MENTOR:
Find a mentor who can guide you. Someone who is spiritually mature and has a deep knowledge and understanding of God's Word. Someone you can ask questions and dialogue with. Someone who will keep you accountable. It might be your pastor. It might be someone you have met online. But find a solid Bible-believing believer who will agree to be there for you through this course of study.


(B) JOIN A FACEBOOK GROUP:
Find a private Facebook group (or groups) that includes only Bible-believing Christians, so that you can interact and ask questions and learn in a safe environment. And make sure you answer any required questions when you request to join. Besides the group associated with this course of study, I highly recommend the two that follow, which are well moderated and filled with mature, wise and loving fellow believers who will encourage and guide you:

*Free Online Seminary: my Facebook group designed for those going through this course of study to interact and where you can ask me questions. I may also ask some other mature and knowledgeable believers to be a part. Anyone may follow this course of study, but to be a part of our private Facebook group, you must agree to our statement of faith.
*Reasoning for Christ run by my friend Jeff Gambill
*Apologetics Book Club run by my friend Rob Bowman, Jr.


(C) GET A STUDY BIBLE:
If you don't already own a good study Bible, I encourage you to buy the ESV Study Bible, NIV Study Bible, NIV Essentials Study Bible, The Apologetics Study Bible, or the ESV Global Study Bible (which is FREE for Kindle). A study Bible makes an excellent ready reference to guide you through as you are reading.



(D) BOOKMARK THESE BIBLE WEB SITES AND INSTALL THEIR APPS:
Install the YouVersion Bible app (for smartphone, tablet or PC). It is great for staying on track with a Bible reading program and you can use just about any version available to read or listen to the Bible all the way through. You can download the YouVersion app to your smartphone or tablet to use it anywhere (even without internet access).

Bookmark the Blue Letter Bible, STEP BIBLE (Scripture Tools for Every Person), and BibleGateway--my three favorite Bible web sites. Blue Letter Bible is my favorite Bible web site of the three. It has an amazing array of easily accessible tools for digging deeper into the Scriptures, including using the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross-reference system and quick access to the original Greek and Hebrew (word meanings and parsing--even for the Old Testament Septuagint). There are video tutorials for using the Blue Letter Bible available on their home page (which is where the link above will take you). And their app is excellent, also so be sure to go to Google Play or the Apple store and download their app. The STEP BIBLE is also a great site for doing Bible study and accessing the original languages (Hebrew Old Testament, Septuagint/Greek Old Testament, and Greek New Testament). And you can also use the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross reference system and commentaries. I highly recommend the Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament commentary and Robertson's Word Pictures for the New Testament. STEP BIBLE also has an app for your devices, though much more limited than the Blue Letter Bible app. Biblegateway is great for access to different versions and audio Bibles.

*Also, bookmark: "Bible & Theology Reference Works Online: Massive Selection + My Recommendations"


(E) DEVELOP A NOTE TAKING SYSTEM:
If you want to get the most out of your education both now and in the long term, you need to establish and develop an effective note taking system--so that you can effectively refer back to your notes in the future (both for review and for putting together future projects). Don't think of what your are doing in education as just a short-term goal that you are accomplishing so that you can say that you did it. Think of it as having a purpose in your life and ministry further on down the road. You might not see what that purpose is now, but you will later. In addition, the task of note taking and making it part of an organized system, will help you to process what you are learning. There are lots of effective ways of doing this, so find a system that works for you. I personally use Google Keep and a system of folders on my PC desktop (in addition to paper files for major projects I am working on). The links below will give you some suggestions to consider:

• "How to Nail Note-Taking in College"
• "How to Take Better Notes: The 6 Best Note-Taking Systems"
• "The Best Note-Taking Methods for College Students"
• "Timeless Note-Taking Systems for Students"

(F) A WORD ABOUT KINDLE & LIBRIVOX:
You do not have to have a Kindle to use Kindle books. You can download a Kindle app to your computer, tablet or smartphone and read Kindle books that way. And many Kindle books are FREE or very cheap.

Also, many of the FREE audiobooks and other audio files are available on Librivox, so you may want to download their app to your tablet or smartphone so you can access them there.


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COURSE OF STUDY, PHASE 1:
Phase 1 is intended to be preparatory and foundational to the rest of your course of study. Let's make sure you get started off with the right tools and goals to make the most of your educational experience.



1. BASIC THEOLOGY:
Who is Jesus?: God Incarnate
*The most fundamental Christian belief concerns who Jesus is. He is both fully God and fully human.

*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: As you are listening and reading through the assignments below, take notes and write a paper explaining why you believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
*INTRODUCTORY VIDEO: "Who Is Jesus?" (6 minutes)
*MEMORY VERSE: Read John 8:21-30 and memorize John 8:24

*READING: A series of Facebook postings by Robert Bowman, Jr. You will need to join the Facebook group that he runs: "Apologetics Book Club." Please make sure that you answer the questions when you apply to join the group. Also, make sure you read and study the passage referenced in each title before reading the Facebook post. This option has the great advantage of being able to interact with Rob about these posts and/or see others interact with him. Rob is a very gracious and wise servant of Christ and possibly the top scholar on this subject: 

*"Biblical Christology #1. Monotheism and the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4)"
*"Biblical Christology #2. Monotheism and the Gods of Psalm 82"
*"Biblical Christology #3. David’s Lord in Psalm 110"
*"Biblical Christology #4. Wisdom in Proverbs 8"
*"Biblical Christology #5. The Wonder Child’s Name in Isaiah 9:6"
*"Biblical Christology #6. “One Like a Son of Man” in Daniel 7:13-14"
*"Biblical Christology #7. The Divine Son in Matthew 28:16-20"
*"Biblical Christology #8. Jesus Forgives and Heals in Mark 2:1-12"
*"Biblical Christology #9. Even the Son Does Not Know in Mark 13:32"
*"Biblical Christology #10. Jesus’ Divine Claim before the Sanhedrin in Mark 14:53-65"
*"Biblical Christology #11: The Divine Word in John 1:1-18"
*"Biblical Christology #12: Like Father, Like Son in John 5:17-23"
*"Biblical Christology #13: Jesus’ Divine “I Am” Statement in John 8:58"
*"Biblical Christology #14: Jesus and the Father Are One in John 10:27-39"
*"Biblical Christology #15: The Son Coming and Going in John 13:3 and 16:28"
*"Biblical Christology #16: Jesus’ Prayer to the Father in John 17:1-5"
*"Biblical Christology #17: Believing in the Divine Son in John 20:17-31"
*"Biblical Christology #18: The Risen Jesus Is Both Lord and Messiah in Acts 2:14-39"
*"Biblical Christology #19: Christ as God Over All in Romans 9:5"
*"Biblical Christology #20. Jesus as LORD in Romans 10:9-13"
*"Biblical Christology #21: One God, One Lord in 1 Corinthians 8:4-7"
*"Biblical Christology #22: The Father Sends the Son, Then the Spirit in Galatians 4:4-6"
*"Biblical Christology #23: Jesus Humbled Himself and Was Exalted in Philippians 2:3-11"
*"Biblical Christology #24: The Preeminence of the Beloved Son in Colossians 1:12-20"
*"Biblical Christology #25: Our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ in Titus 2:13"
*"Biblical Christology #26: The Son Superior to the Angels in Hebrews 1"
*"Biblical Christology #27: Regarding Christ the Lord as Holy in 1 Peter 3:10-15"
*"Biblical Christology #28: Jesus Christ as Our God and Savior in 2 Peter 1:1"
*"Biblical Christology #29: The Son is the True God and Eternal Life in 1 John 5:13-20"
*"Biblical Christology #30: Worthy Is the Lamb in Revelation 5:8-14" 

*OPTIONAL READING (highly recommended): Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ by Robert Bowman, Jr. and J. Ed Komoszewski. You may substitute this for the Facebook posts or do both.

*ONLINE CLASS: "The Trinity" by Dr. William Lane Craig (10 lectures, 30 to 43 minutes each)
*ARTICLE: Brief biography of Athanasius
*BOOK: On the Incarnation of the Word by St. Athanasius. Also available for free at Monergism.

What Is The Gospel?
*Perhaps the second most fundamental Christian belief concerns the nature of the Gospel. 
*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: As you are listening and reading through the assignments below, take notes and write a paper answering the question: "What is the Gospel?"
*INTRODUCTORY VIDEO: "What is the Gospel?" by John Piper (4 minutes)
*MEMORY VERSES: 
*Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 and memorize 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
*Read Galatians 1:6-10 and memorize the whole thing.

*MESSAGES FROM SOME OF THE BEST MODERN PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL:
*SERMON: "What is the Gospel?" by RC Sproul (44 minutes)
*SERMON: "What is the Gospel?" by Paul Washer (63 minutes)
*SERMON: "Hell's Best Kept Secret" by Ray Comfort (60 minutes)

*CLASSIC GOSPEL SERMONS FROM THE GREAT AWAKENING (1730-1760):
*Preparatory reading: "The First Great Awakening: Revival and the Birth of a Nation"
*"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards. Also FREE in audio or in this excellent video reenactment.
*ARTICLE: Brief biography of John Wesley
*"Free Grace" by John Wesley. Also FREE in audio. 
*"Awake, Thou That Sleepeth" by John Wesley. Also FREE in audio. 
*"The Scripture Way of Salvation" by John Wesley. Also FREE in audio. 
*"The Image of God" by John Wesley. Only available in FREE audio. 

*ARTICLE: Brief biography of Martin Luther
*BOOK: Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther. Also FREE in audio. Luther's commentary  on Galatians is one of the most important books in the history of the Church. It preserves the central Gospel message of the man who precipitated the Protestant Reformation. As the translator of this work says in his preface: "The importance of this Commentary on Galatians for the history of Protestantism is very great. It presents like no other of Luther's writings the central thought of Christianity, the justification of the sinner for the sake of Christ's merits alone."

And Luther's Commentary on the Romans is equally important. In fact, it was at Aldersgate while the preface to Luther's Commentary on Romans was being read that John Wesley experienced the Gospel in a way that changed his life and led him to be the foremost preacher in the Great Awakening--or has he recalls it, caused his "heart to be strangely warmed."

*FOR OPTIONAL READING/RESEARCH: "What Is The Gospel?": Resources


What Is The Bible?
It is also absolutely fundamental to understand what the Bible is. The Bible is God's Word. Through it God communicates to us who he is and what he wants for us and his world. What good is it to call Jesus Lord if you do not know what he commands? And how can you know who Jesus is and what the true Gospel is unless God reveals it to us in his Word? You can't. And those who think that they can are only fooling themselves. In the end, they do not obey Christ but their own wills or the wills of those that they idolize and put in Christ's place. And in the end, they re-make Jesus into their own image or the image of some other idol. 

There are those also who think that the red letters in the Bible have some special significance or that because these are the words Jesus spoke while on earth that they are more important. But this is also an error. If Jesus is God and the Bible is God's Word, then the whole Bible is the words of Jesus. Furthermore, if you really believe those red letters, then you must believe what Jesus said about the rest of the Bible. And Jesus was very clear about the absolute authority of both the Old and New Testaments. We will explore that more below.


*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: As you are listening and reading through the assignments below, take notes and write a paper answering the question: "What does it mean that the Bible is God's Word?"

*What Jesus said about the Old Testament:
*READ Matthew 4:1-11
*Note that when confronting Satan, Jesus quotes the Old Testament every time as the authoritative and final word on the question at hand.
*ARTICLE: "What Was Jesus’ View of the Old Testament?" by Don Stewart

*What is the relation of the Old Testament to us today?:
*READ Acts 15; Colossians 2:16-17; and Hebrews 8:1-10:15
*Note that not all of the Old Testament applies directly to us today. Part of it related only to the Old Covenant and the Temple which were a shadow or pre-figuring type of Christ. Now that Christ has come, we look back to those things only to see how they were fulfilled in Christ. But there is no longer any need for sacrificing animals, etc. Also, much of the Old Testament was given only for the people of Israel to keep them set apart as a nation to preserve the line of the Messiah and to transmit the Scriptures. This does not make those parts any less God's Word, but we need to understand God's purposes in those parts of the Old Testament. And there are still important things for us to learn from them.

*What Jesus said about the New Testament:
*MEMORIZE Matthew 10:40 and Luke 10:16
*Note that Jesus makes similar statements in Matthew 10:14, 20; Mark 3:13-15; John 13:20; 14:26; 15:20; 17:18; 20:21.)
*READ John 14:24-26
*READ John 16:13-15
*Note that Jesus says: (1) If anyone listens to Jesus' apostles, they listen to him. If anyone rejects Jesus' apostles, they reject him. (2) The Holy Spirit would ensure that Jesus' apostles would be guided into all truth and be reminded of everything that Jesus said. Finally: note that the New Testament is the writings of the apostles or the records of their preaching by those who accompanied the apostles. In this way, Jesus confirms the absolute authority of the New Testament for those who follow him.

*MEMORY VERSE: Read Psalm 119 and choose a verse or verses to memorize.

*ARTICLE: Brief biography of B.B. Warfield *BOOK: The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible by B.B. Warfield
*SHORT VIDEO: "Understanding the Doctrine of Inerrancy" with Dr. D.A. Carson (9 min)
*LECTURE: "Subtle Ways to Abandon the Authority of Scripture" by D.A. Carson (40 minutes)
*SECONDARY WRITING ASSIGNMENT: What do you think about Dr. Carson's thoughts on inerrancy?




2. BIBLE OVERVIEW
The Bible is not just a hodge podge collection of books. It is one continuous story from the creation of the world and fall of man in Genesis to the coming of the promised Messiah in the Gospels to the second coming of the Messiah and the final restoration of all things in Revelation. And it's important to be able to see that and to have a firm grasp on it. It's not only a foundational starting point; I find it to be helpful to come back to this subject myself every few years.

*MEMORY VERSE: Read Luke 24:13-35 and memorize Luke 24:27.

*FREE ONLINE COURSE: "Bible Survey, A Big Screen Perspective" by Dr. Bert Downs

*REQUIRED READING:
*Article: "Reading the Bible in Light of the Whole Story" by Dr. Matt Harmon
*Books: 
*From Creation to the Cross by Albert H. Baylis. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996. Previously published by Multnomah Press (1986) under the title On the Way to Jesus. Highly recommended. This can be borrowed for FREE at Internet Archive (or you can buy it for $4 or so (including shipping) on Ebay.

*OPTIONAL READING:
*Seeing the Story of the Bible by Myer Pearlman. published in 1930 and republished in 2016, many consider this a classic; and it is a brief, easy read of 120 pages. (Not free, but you can find cheap copies on Ebay and Amazon.

*PROJECT: Give an account of the story line of the Bible. If you can put it all in one effective paragraph, that's great! If you feel led to write a blog article or something longer, that is great, also. Or maybe you want to make a video, paint a mural or write out a play to act it out. Use your imagination and think about what opportunities that you have to share your learning.

3. BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION BASICS
*LECTURE: Understanding Bible Translations, Parts 1 & 2 (41 minutes)
*SHORT VIDEO: "Why is Bible Translation so Difficult?" with D.A. Carson (8 minutes)
*ARTICLE: "Reading the Bible in Context" by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
*BOOKLET: Exegetical Fallacies: Common Mistakes Every Student of the Bible Must Avoid by William D. Barrick  (an 11 page ebook) FREE!
*MEMORY VERSES: 2 Peter 3:15-16
*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Write a summary of the most important things you have learned.

4. PRAYER
Prayer is foundational to the Christian life and to ministry; and yet in my experience, it receives very little emphasis in seminaries and colleges. In this course of study, it will be a continual emphasis and a discipline that you will be encouraged to build into your daily routine.
*MEMORY VERSE: Read and memorize Matthew 6:5-15.

*PREACHING ON PRAYER: "Wrestling in Prayer" by Kevin DeYoung (Week 1)
*LECTURES ON PRAYER: "Biblical Exposition of Prayer by Dr. James Rosscup" (14 lectures: I recommend one a week starting Week 2, listening to DeYoung's sermon in Week 1.) Dr. Rosscup has also written a 2500 page 4-volume work on prayer: An Exposition on Prayer, if one is interested in making the study of prayer a "Main Project" (see below).

*READING: "The Kneeling Christian" by an Unknown Christian. One of the truly great classics on prayer. Also available as a free audiobook. Alternatively, you can purchase this book for very little money on Amazon (currently free on Kindle) or Ebay.

*JOURNAL: Begin a daily prayer journal. Make the entries as long or as brief as you want. Write down prayer requests, answers to prayer, thanksgiving and worship, etc.

5. APOLOGETICS: WORLDVIEW BASICS
*INTRODUCTORY VIDEO: "What's Your Worldview?" (4 minutes)
*SHORT VIDEO: "What is a Worldview?" by Jeff Myers (6 minutes)
*SHORT VIDEO: "Understanding Patterns of Ideas" by Jeff Myers (8 minutes)

*SERIES OF 6 SHORT VIDEOS: "Biblical Christian Worldview"
*OPTIONAL READING: Understanding the Times by Jeff Myers and David A. Noebel (currently only $2 on Kindle).

*SEMINAR: "Essentials of Worldview Analysis" by Dr. Ronald Nash 
*LECTURE SERIES: "The Universe Next Door" (Explores 7 major worldviews in 7 1-hour lectures. I recommend you listen to one a day so that you have time to contemplate each one and yet close enough together so that you can compare them.)
*OPTIONAL READING: The Universe Next Door by James W. Sire. A modern classic. There are lots of options including audio book on Amazon or you can find it for less than $4 (including shipping) on Ebay.
*RESOURCES (for optional study): "Cults & World Religions: Resources For Study"

*WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Write a brief paper describing your own worldview. Then interview three people asking them questions to find out what their worldview looks like. Try to interview people that you think may have different worldviews than your own. You may want to review the 2 short videos by Jeff Myers (above) to decide what questions to ask.



6. NEW TESTAMENT GREEK: Options
There are two options for learning New Testament Greek: (1) You can learn how to use various resources to access the Greek text of the New Testament. (2) You can learn how to read Greek. The second option is much more difficult, but also more rewarding. Consider prayerfully which path you should choose. But remember: you can always change your mind and take the other path later.

ONLINE CLASS OPTION #1: 
*Greek Tools for Bible Study by Bill Mounce


ONLINE CLASS OPTIONS FOR OPTION #2: 
*WATCH THIS VIDEO FIRST:
*"Learn biblical Greek FREE: The best resources (in 2020) and why they are NOT enough" at the Master New Testament Greek YouTube channel. Some excellent advice and encouragement to get you oriented before you get started.

*CHOOSE AN OPTION BELOW:
*Complete the first half of the class you choose below for Phase 1 and the last half for Phase 2.
*A: Mastering New Testament Greek by Ted Hildebrandt: This is an amazing page filled with every resource imaginable for learning Greek....and it's all FREE (including the textbook)!
*B: Norlan De Groot has a 2-part Introduction to Biblical Greek that can be taken for FREE (see instructions at the top of the page linked to) and you can get the textbook for FREE also: New Testament Greek for Beginners by Gresham Machen. Might find it cheaper at Ebay or Addall. FREE here or here. Charts for the various declension charts can be found beginning on p.225. So you can take this course completely FREE. 
*C: Biblical Greek by Dr. Bill Mounce: The class is FREE but the textbook costs money.
*D: More FREE CLASS options that use David Alan Black's textbook: Learn to Read New Testament Greek, which you might find cheaper (about $8 including shipping right now) at Ebay or Addall. "Daily Dose of Greek" by Dr. Rob Plummer is surely the best of these.

*ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: "Learning New Testament Greek: Resources" You will find lots of FREE resources here to help you along--including more online courses.



7. MAJOR PROJECT
Where is your passion for ministry? What concern for the Church or the world weighs on your heart? Or what area of study brings you the most joy or satisfaction? 

Find an area of study that you want to focus on for the next three to four years or longer and spend your time reading and researching to answer your questions and to confirm or disconfirm the ideas that you have about that area. Keep organized notes and build a small library of resources (both real books and electronic). Seek to become an expert in this area. And work towards putting together some kind of medium for sharing what you learn that will benefit the Church. 

Getting started: Map out a series of tasks to be completed over the next 3 years or so in the process of gaining a certain level of expertise in this area and completing your final project. And of course, be prepared to alter those plans along the way, as you see need.

Possible ideas for Phase 1: Put together a bibliography or list of resources for studying this subject. Do some interviews. Create a poll(s) to share in Facebook groups and/or your own timeline. Find a documentary or online lectures, etc. Read books and/or journal articles.

Possible ideas for your final project: Write a book or booklet. Journal articles. A documentary. A seminar or webinar. A series of YouTube videos. A series of sermons or lessons for a class. A curriculum. A website. Pray about it and let the Holy Spirit guide your imagination. Plant an organization designed to fulfill the purposes of your passion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THOUGHTS FOR YOUR JOURNEY
*Study Devotionally: Don't just complete the assignments to get them done. Continually ask God to teach you and lead you for his glory. See these assignments as opportunities to grow deeper and stronger in your faith and in your love for God. There is no hurry. There is not time limit for finishing any particular phase.

*Share Your Learning: Consider how you might share what you are learning. Perhaps start a blog and post your thoughts and perhaps your writing assignments or quotes from your reading there. Or maybe share via a YouTube channel or podcast. Or perhaps you are ready to begin teaching or preaching--though I caution you not to be too eager to do so, especially if you are a young believer. The Scripture warns us: "He [an overseer or elder/pastor of a church] must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6). And: "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1). So do not be too quick to take on that role. Do it prayerfully and humbly.

*Be a Good Berean: In Acts 17:11 Luke writes: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." In this course of study, I am intentionally exposing you to a wide spectrum of individuals from the Church. I do not agree with everything that they say....or anyone--not even myself! (Meaning that I have said things in the past that I later realized were not true!) So pray for discernment and examine everything in the light of Scripture. "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB)  The Bereans were considered by God to be of a more noble character because of it--and so will you.

*Your Feedback is Welcome!: I want this to be the best possible resource that it can be and welcome any feedback that you can give me to make this course of study better. Also, please do me the favor of reporting any broken links. Thanks!


RESOURCE PORTAL FOR RESEARCH
*BIBLE & THEOLOGY REFERENCE WORKS ONLINE: Massive Selection + My Recommendations


LINK TO PHASE 2