Distance Learning Bible Bachelors

By Mike Durning Wed, 04/07/2010 - 5:27pm
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Mike Durning
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Dear friends,

I am pre-screening some schools for a young man in our church. He desires to study for the ministry. Please give me recommendations on the following:

* Christian College or University (either Fundamentalist or Conservative Evangelical in alignment)
*.4 year Bachelors degree by distance learning in Bible/Pastoral Studies
* Quality education
* Able to take Federal Student Aid funds such as Pell Grants
* Preferably with class/interaction via internet

Your input is appreciated.
So far, I’ve found 4, but I know nothing about the quality of their programs, and one of them was hideously expensive.

Mike D

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Wed, 04/07/2010 - 8:39pm
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Mike Durning
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Anyone?

Anyone?

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Sat, 04/10/2010 - 2:04am
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iKuyper
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Which 4 have you found? I'm

Which 4 have you found? I'm interested to know how they manage to have Bachelor's program via Distance.

Not a 4 year program but:

Boyce College (Southern Seminary) offers an Associate of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies
http://www.boycecollege.com/academics/online-education/

College at Southeastern (Southeastern Seminary) offers an Associate of Divinity
http://www.sebts.edu/college/academics/associates/default.aspx

Bachelor's

Liberty University has a Bacherlor of Science in Religion
http://www.luonline.com/index.cfm?PID=14377

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Mon, 04/12/2010 - 10:18am
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Mike Durning
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4 schools?

I don’t remember at what point I posted and had 4, but here’s the history.

My initial search found BJU, Northland, Clearwater, BBC Clark’s Summit, Moody, & Liberty that I thought would serve, though I had strong reservations about a few on that list.

Since then, I discovered that BJU & Moody don’t accept Pell Grants (I thought that had changed with accreditation at BJU).
I found that Clearwater was far more expensive than some others for online learning, which would mean this student’s Pell Grant would not go as far in paying for his education.
Northland’s program, they say, is not designed to pursue an education straight through without substantial time on campus.

This leaves Liberty and BBC Clark’s Summit on the list. I have a hard time with Liberty due to political activism and a few other things. I am investigating BBC now more thoroughly. I know that where they were 20 years ago I would be OK with today, but I don’t know much about what they’re like now.

On the other hand, since this young man will be here studying under our church’s tutelage, the equation is changed somewhat. It’s not as though we are sending him off to study somewhere without guidance. I have less fear of him being influenced by certain negative IFBx tendencies at some schools, or by evangelical trendiness at others, with us to consult with him as the semesters roll by.

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Mon, 04/12/2010 - 11:57am
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RickyHorton
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PBC

Have you looked at Piedmont Baptist College? I believe their Bachelor's can be done online. I've taken some masters level classes online with them and it is certainly not a gimme diploma! However, most of it is a lot of reading and writing while the only interaction with other students and professors is via email, message boards, some live chats, and even some meetings via Skype. It may be a better fit than what you have looked at already.

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Mon, 04/12/2010 - 7:36pm
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Mike Durning
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RickyHorton wrote: Have you
RickyHorton wrote:

Have you looked at Piedmont Baptist College? I believe their Bachelor's can be done online. I've taken some masters level classes online with them and it is certainly not a gimme diploma! However, most of it is a lot of reading and writing while the only interaction with other students and professors is via email, message boards, some live chats, and even some meetings via Skype. It may be a better fit than what you have looked at already.

Well, we've hit a snag, Ricky. All the other schools we have looked at EXCEPT Piedmont are not offering Greek or Hebrew in undergraduate online studies. At least among those that take Pell Grants. This young man from our church is extremely dedicated to serious Bible study, and is already teaching himself Greek.

The result is that Piedmont now moves to the front of the list -- except I don't know much about it.

Can you tell me:
1). Would you consider them IFBx (Hard-line Fundamentalist Baptist)?
2). Are they KJVO, or even approaching it? While they say nothing about KJVO on their website, there are a number of ministries I know with Piedmont trained guys that are TR only and thus KJVdedicated.
3). Other information.

BTW, I recoil in horror that any institution would offer a BS or BA in Bible without some Biblical language background. Just doesn't seem right.

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Tue, 04/13/2010 - 1:24am
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iKuyper
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If I could do my academic

If I could do my academic career over again, I would have majored in something else other than Bible; maybe English, History, Philosophy, or even something Professional (nursing, engineering, etc.) and then head in to seminary after. Has he considered that?

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Tue, 04/13/2010 - 7:40am
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RickyHorton
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Response
Mike Durning wrote:

Can you tell me:
1). Would you consider them IFBx (Hard-line Fundamentalist Baptist)?
2). Are they KJVO, or even approaching it? While they say nothing about KJVO on their website, there are a number of ministries I know with Piedmont trained guys that are TR only and thus KJVdedicated.
3). Other information.

Let me preface this by saying that I haven't been on the campus at all when I was taking classes. So all I can tell you is what I know via the distance education.

1) No, they are very balanced.
2) No. They do use the KJV in the classes so everyone will be using the same translation. However, I had one course where we were to let the professor know what version we were memorizing from. I've also quoted from the ESV in many of my papers.
3) If he is looking for a classroom type teaching via distance education, Piedmont is not for him. Like I said before, it is a lot of reading and writing. I learn much better that way than in a classroom environment.

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Tue, 04/13/2010 - 9:20am
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Mike Durning
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Yes.
iKuyper wrote:

If I could do my academic career over again, I would have majored in something else other than Bible; maybe English, History, Philosophy, or even something Professional (nursing, engineering, etc.) and then head in to seminary after. Has he considered that?

Yes, it has been discussed, and is a possibility.

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