What is the Living Word Bible Institute? We are a distance training center for Christians who desire a biblical education but do not have the time or resources to attend a college program (we are not a college and do not claim to be). What is the Goal of the Living Word Bible Institute? We are dedicated to the purpose of training and educating persons for Christian service. Jesus Christ is the center of all our objectives. Our Mission Statement says it all: We exist to educate, equip, and validate those pursuing a deeper knowledge of God and their relationship to Him. We accomplish these goals by providing relevant biblical studies to those engaged in a journey toward Christian maturity. What kind of studies does the Living Word Bible Institute offer? We offer correspondence studies at the certificate level. Most of our courses involve you, the provided study guide, and a Bible with some other basic resources -- such as a Bible Dictionary and Bible Handbook. We include the Theophilus Bible software program with each certificate course that will give you everything that you need. How difficult are the courses and how much time is involved? The basic procedure involves opening your Bible and finding the answers to the written study questions. The questions are designed to force you to understand the intent of the biblical author. Some study guides have True/False or Multiple Choice quizzes at the end of the lesson, but most simply ask you to search the text to find the answer. The Bible is our textbook. The studies are time-intensive and cannot be completed quickly. The idea is not to just "get it over with" but to allow the text to speak to you and equip you for ministry. What is included in the course materials? When you enroll you will be mailed CDs that contain all of the study guides necessary to complete your program along with the complete Bible Study Textbook commentary series (Over 20,000 pages of Commentary covering the entire Bible!). You need to complete 30 credits, but can take more for your own benefit if you desire. The courses are all written in Adobe Acrobat format so we have included a link to the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program in case you don't have it. We have also included the Theophilus Bible software program that will have all the tools you need for research. In other words, we supply everything you could possibly need (you will need to supply your own computer!). However, if you do not have access to a computer you can order a course through postal mail. Each course is $20.00 each if you choose to order them individually. Please send postal mail orders to Dr. Walter Swinson, 5810 Pemberton St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19143. How does the process work? We will e-mail an acknowledgement of your enrollment usually within 24 hours from the time you order and you will receive your CDs in the mail within 5 business days (if in the U.S.A.). Once you receive your materials you can start working on the class of your choice. We advise you to only work on one course at a time and to send it in as soon as it is completed. It is best if you write your answers in a word processing document and send it to us as an e-mail attachment for faster processing. That way you can keep your originals and save the cost of postage. Once you have earned 30 credits we will send you a quality certificate suitable for framing acknowledging the completion of your work. We will keep track of all your progress in our office and have a transcript of all your work. Is the Living Word Bible Institute an accredited college? No on both counts. We are not a college, we are a Bible Institute. However, courses that are taken can be transferred to our college, Christian Education Ministries and Training Programs for credit. What is the doctrinal position of Living Word Bible Institute? We are a conservative, evangelical institute. Our student body is interdenominational. Can I transfer in credits for advanced standing? No. We do not offer any advanced standing. Do you offer traditional residence classes? Our courses are only offered as distance education. How long does it take to complete a course? That is entirely up to the student. Most students complete a course every month or less. It can be done even faster if you are motivated and have the time. We do expect the entire program to be completed in a maximum of two years (most complete it in less time). What if I have other questions not addressed here? E-mail us at wswinson@temple.edu or wswinson@verizon.net We'll get back to you as soon as possible! When are the Certificates issued? We will send you your certificate within a week of the completion of your studies. What is the cost of tuition and fees? The cost of the entire program (including all fees, course materials, and certificate at the time of completion) is $125.00. If you enroll in both certificate programs at the same time you receive a 20% reduction, or $200.00 total for both Old Testament and New Testament programs. Your study guides are provided free of charge. The amount that you invest is for the administrative costs involved. This is the best Christian educational value you will find anywhere! How do I enroll in a Certificate Program? You can enroll in the Certificate Programs by clicking on the links below or by contacting Dr. Walter Swinson by postal mail, email, or telephone. Courses can be ordered individually.