Deepening Your Faith Truth: The Word of God and How to Study It. Instructor: Dr. Walt Russell, Professor of Bible Exposition, Talbot Seminary

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1 ONLINE COURSE SYLLABUS Deepening Your Faith Truth: The Word of God and How to Study It Instructor: Dr. Walt Russell, Professor of Bible Exposition, Talbot Seminary Course Description This course will equip the student to read, interpret, and apply the Bible. Students will be exposed to basic reading and grammar skills, as well as matters of historical-cultural contexts, word studies, genre and literary analysis, and how to properly apply the original meaning of Scripture to contemporary issues that Christians face today. Ultimately, the student will leave with an introductory knowledge of how to rightly divide God s Word so that he or she may rightly live and preach God s Word to both the church and the world. Course Outcomes By the end of this course you will have... Acquired the essential skills to read, interpret, and apply the Bible on your own so that you may rightly divide the Word of truth. Developed Bible reading habits that will deepen your devotional reading of God s Word. A firm understanding of how and why to choose a good Bible translation. Gained the understanding necessary to read the Bible with greater insight and understanding. Learned to consider and explore the historical-cultural, literary, and contemporary contexts of the Bible. Formed a basic knowledge of Old Testament and New Testament genres. Acquired an introductory knowledge of inspiration, inerrancy, and canon. Required Texts Certificate Track Holy Bible. New King James Version, New American Standard Version, or the English Standard Version. Russell, Walt. Playing with Fire: How the Bible Ignites Change in Your Soul. Colorado Springs. NavPress, Thompson, David L. Bible Study That Works, Revised Edition. Anderson, Ind. Francis Asbury Press, Certificate Track with Honors Holy Bible. New King James Version, New American Standard Version, or the English Standard Version. Interpreting and Applying the Bible. Third Edition. Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan, Interpreting and Applying the Bible. Workbook. Third Edition. Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan, Interpreting and Applying the Bible. Study Guide. Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan,

2 Course Requirements (Estimated 2.5 Hour Time Commitment per Week) 1. Online Attendance You are expected to be faithful to your calling as a student through preparation and by watching each class in its entirety. For each class taken online (four total), you must take the Online Class Quiz. Quizes are graded as Complete or Incomplete. To receive a complete, you must get a 70 percent or higher. 2. Required Reading You are expected to complete the assigned reading prior to each class. (See Course and Reading Schedule for the required reading to be completed prior to each class.) Partial credit is awarded for reading completed after the corresponding class. This means you must have all the required reading for class one prior to watching class one online. 3. Assignments Students in the Certificate Track will have one typed assignment found in pages of Bible Study That Works. This will be due on the date of the Course Comprehension Exam. Students in the Certificate Track with Honors will be required to complete the workbook questions assigned in Grasping God s Word. Partial credit is awarded for assignments completed after the corresponding due date. 4. Course Comprehension Exam (Certificate Track) Certificate Track Attendees will take a Course Comprehension Exam that will help the student evaluate their comprehension of the required reading, writing assignments, and the class teachings. The Course Comprehension Exam will consist of questions covering the course lectures, required reading (a study list of terms and concepts will be made available prior to the exam), writing assignments, and pertinent Scriptures. You will take the exam on campus in the Loft on the assigned date for the quarter for which you are registered Grade Point Average Students in the Certificate Track are required to achieve a grade of no less than 70% in each quarter of Deepening Your Faith, with an accumulative GPA of 2.0. Students in the Certificate Track with Honors are required to achieve a grade of no less than 80% in each quarter of Deepening Your Faith, with an accumulative GPA of 3.0. Grading In order to assess your progress and comprehension in the subject of this course, we will supply you with a grade in the class. The grade is provided to help you learn where you excel and where you need to improve. Grades are not a measure of spirituality. Grades are a measuring tool for personal growth and to provide a form of accountability to your faithfulness to the task. Your grade will not be published or shared with others. A grade of 70 % or higher is required for credit toward the Certificate Track. A grade of Grading for this quarter will be based on reading, attendance, assignments, and the Course Comprehension Exam: Attendance/Online Class Quiz: 12% Reading: 16% Written Assignments: 2% Course Comprehension Exam: 50% Total: 100% 2

3 Certificate Track 1. The Certificate in Practical Theology. Upon completion of all the required coursework for all four quarters of Deepening Your Faith, Harvest will award each graduate with a Certificate in Practical Theology. This is a nonaccredited certificate and will not be eligible for transfer to other educational institutions. However, the certificate does testify to each graduate s hard work, faithfulness, and ability to see a task to its end. For those reasons, it bears great personal significance. 2. Requirements for Certificate in Practical Theology You will receive a Certificate in Practical Theology upon completing the following: Watched all of the classes for each quarter and received a Complete for each required class. Completed all the required reading and writing assignments for all four quarters of classes. Taken the Course Comprehension Exam for each of the four quarters. Written a three to five page Capstone Paper due after the fourth quarter of classes. Topics of the paper will be determined at a later date. Tentatively, you will have approximately one month after the end of the final quarter of Deepening Your Faith to turn in Capstone Papers. Achieved a minimum grade of 70% per quarter with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. While the above requirements may seem challenging, they assure that the certificate issued will hold legitimacy and be a true award to those who were faithful in their studies. Certificate Track with Honors 1. The Certificate in Practical Theology with Honors The Honors Program requires a more challenging and intensive regimen of reading, writing, test taking, and GPA requirements. Students who already have a basic grasp of the material to be covered or are willing to put in the extra effort required to complete the requirements are well suited for the Honors Program. 2. Requirements for Certificate in Practical Theology with Honors In addition to all of the requirements for the Certificate Track, those students who complete the entire Certificate Track with Honors will be awarded a certificate designated with honors. Students in the Honors Program must meet all Honors requirements and the following Grade Point Averages to qualify for Honors: Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.90 and Above) Magna Cum Laude (GPA between 3.75 and 3.89) Cum Laude (GPA between 3.50 and 3.74) Deepening Your Faith Honors (3.0 GPA) While the above requirements may seem challenging, they assure that the honors issued will hold legitimacy and be a true award to those who were faithful in their studies. GPA Calculator for Deepening Your Faith Percentage Earned Grade-Point Equivalent A A A Letter-Grade Equivalent 3

4 A A B B / B B B B B / B B B C / C C C C C C C C C- / D et cetera Computers and Other Electronic Devices You are permitted to use laptops, tablet-like devices, and smart phones during class for note taking and course related purposes only. Students who cause a distraction to the instructor and to fellow students by abusing this privilege will be asked not to bring said electronic devices. 4

5 Online Course and Reading Schedule for Certificate Track Class One: The Word and How to Read It o Playing with Fire, pp ; read Appendix 1 o Bible Study That Works, pp Class Two: Contexts: Now and Then o Playing with Fire, pp o Bible Study That Works, pp Class Three: Meaning and Application o Playing with Fire, pp o Bible Study That Works, pp Class Four: The Interpretive Journey o Playing with Fire, pp ; read Appendix 2 o Bible Study That Works, pp On-Campus Course Comprehension Exam (Bring a #2 Pencil): o Winter Quarter 2014 Test Date: February 23, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Spring Quarter 2014 Test Date: Sunday, June 1, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Summer Quarter 2014 Test Date: August 24, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Fall Quarter 2014 Test Date: Sunday, November 16, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft Bring the Following Completed Assignment on the Exam Date: Bible Study That Works, Online Course and Reading Schedule for Certificate Track with Honors Class One: The Word and How to Read It o Textbook: pp o Workbook: 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 3-1, 4-1, 5-2 Class Two: Contexts: Now and Then o Textbook: pp o Workbook: 6-1, 6-3, 8-1, 9-5 Class Three: Meaning and Application o Textbook: pp o Workbook: 10-1, 10-2, 12-2, 13-3 April 28, Class Four: The Interpretive Journey o Textbook: pp On-Campus Course Comprehension Exam (Bring a #2 Pencil): o Winter Quarter 2014 Test Date: February 23, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Spring Quarter 2014 Test Date: Sunday, June 1, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Summer Quarter 2014 Test Date: August 24, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft o Fall Quarter 2014 Test Date: Sunday, November 16, 2:00 P.M. 4:00 P.M., the Loft Bring the Following Completed Workbook Assignments on the Exam Date: 14-2, 16-1, 17-2, 18-1, 19-1, 20-1, 21-1, 22-1 NOTE: The pastoral staff reserves the right to revise the contents of this course syllabus and the requirements of the course as necessary. 5