LIVE, Focused, Online Study Program:
Personal Ministry Skills in a context of Responsible Biblical Text study
For all Christian adults
who want to improve personal ministry skills;
including also
ministers, teachers, church leaders, small group leaders, and more.
Two Main Study Paths
Effective Ministry Training Series: Understanding the Art of Conversation in Caring Relationships
Six courses (40 hrs) help you improve your personal ministry skills.
- Understanding the Self and How it Communicates
- Understanding the Communication Process in Relationships
- Understanding the Relational Nature of Conversation
- Skills for Mastering the Art of Relational Conversation
- Understanding Behavior in the Context of Life Span Development
- Referring Others When Professional Help Is Needed
Certificate of attendance & completion is offered for this series.
Ongoing Biblical Text Seminar: Understanding and implementing the Art of Biblical Conversation
Choose one or both tracks:
- English Text Track (Weekly live seminar on a biblical book or topic; 600 hours of recorded classes)
- Greek Text Track (Choose your own level: learn Greek from scratch, Greek for sermon prep, or master skill.)
See videos below.
(1) Our approach is structured around LIVE, online, weekly seminars, as if around a table.
(2) This is supported by a 24/7 email-based discussion group.
(3) All past courses are available by recording.
(4) You get as much personal attention as you want.
And (5) there is no "Tuition monster" in the room. We simply ask for a nominal monthly membership fee.
We Don't Offer
a Traditional Degree Path
If you need a biblical studies or ministry degree as a requirement for professional or personal reasons, an accredited university is the path to take. Depending on the program, one might find good teachers, classes, and fellow students.
The "T" word: Tuition is the monster in the room.
Continuing support after the class might be lacking. (E.g., students who take a year or two of Greek have forgotten most of it within a year.)
Location might be an issue. Some courses might be available online.
Personal attention might be lacking in large classes.
Watering down biblical-text offerings has become commonplace in many universities, diminishing the amount and the quality to appeal to a wider cache of students.
Our Philosophy
All Bible study approaches and ministry applications to life situations should be responsible, contextual, and conversational. Avid Bible readers, teachers, preachers, and other church leaders should engage in high quality study methods and approaches. Although college degrees can be extremely beneficial, high quality Bible study is not limited to college classrooms, degrees, or high tuitions.
"Why I came to IABC!"
Lee Patmore
IABC Board Member
Teacher/Shepherd/Preacher
My concern is that the church today, having long grown weary of wrangling over Biblical texts, has become fearful of a deep engagement with the very texts designed to give her life.
The church is in desperate need of a responsible model for how to engage with and be shaped by Biblical texts. IABC provides that for me.
Twila Higginbottom
IABC Board Member
Bible Teacher
I came to IABC (then CWP) to engage in responsible, contextual Bible study and conversations for the purpose of being transformed into the likeness of Christ in a community of Christ.
It seems to me that many Christ followers are increasingly of the mind that Bible study is not relevant or too hard to do. It's easier to have someone else tell us what to think—through tradition or doctrine or authoritative stance. We often don't believe the Lord will engage us in our sacred writings. IABC is just the place for that type of engagement: both with the Lord, and with with each other.
Gary D. Collier
IABC
Director
Personally, I want a more serious engagement with biblical texts than most churches offer.
I want study partners who energetically advocate responsible, contextual, and conversational biblical text study, not only for personal reasons, but also for the health and growth of Christians and churches in the 21st century.
The world has changed.
Training in biblical text has changed
Time
You know your own best time. The notion of an 8 AM class three days a week is out of the question.
Location
Why move, fight traffic, or, wear out your car, when you can sit down in your own home.
Cost
College programs have gone through the roof in costs. Even auditing a class can be prohibitive.
Our Current Live Seminars +
Weekly Seminar
English-Text
A respectful & jaw-dropping
look at what biblical texts
claim about each term.
Weekly Seminar
Greek-Text
Our Team is working through
the Greek text of 1Thessalonians, incl. grammar, vocab & more
Coming
This Fall--2024
Effective Ministry Training Series begins. Dr. James Savage will begin this 40 hour series.
What People Are Saying
"Nothing comparable to this exciting innovative
program!"
"Having a cup of coffee with the authors of the NT" is both an exciting and appealing way to conceive of what is a unique encounter with the text of the NT. Gary Collier, the moving force behind the program, is an extremely gifted Bible scholar and at the same time an especially exciting and effective teacher. Those who participate in this program will not only receive the very best instruction but will find practical resources for their spiritual life and their daily walk. I know of nothing comparable to this exciting innovative program and I am happy to recommend it with the highest enthusiasm.
Professor Donald A. Hagner, Ph.D.,
George Eldon Ladd Professor of New Testament,
Fuller Theological Seminary
"First-class content
in high-definition quality!"
[The following note was sent, unsolicited, to our study group
by Lee, a longtime member of the group, during the year-long study topic
"The Apocalyptic Context of the Bible."]
I was unable to attend LIVE on Sunday, so I just now finished watching the recording. I’m grateful that our sessions are recorded for us and are available in our online Virtual Commentary. The recording is first class in terms of technology. Those who have not been with us from the beginning (2012) are likely not aware of how much work/time/money has been put into the process of developing such high quality video recordings. I am very pleased that IABC has invested so heavily in this area. Watching the video is almost like being there in person. There were a number of times in watching the recording when I just about started to type something in the chat box 😊.
Not only that, the class content bears witness to the same level of investment. It’s nice to start getting a sense of how the journey we have taken thus far in the study of the roots of Apocalyptic concepts through the literature of ancient Mesopotamia and the like will bear fruit in our contemplation of Biblical texts.
Lee Patmore
Preacher, Shepherd Team, Student of the Word
Saskatchewan, Canada
Keep scrolling down for more.
More about IABC
Our Primary Focus
Our primary focus is the pursuit of responsible and contextual biblical-text study which seeks to apply academically sound approaches to everyday, real-life settings. Our ultimate goal is to achieve and teach conversational biblical text interactions that bring all readers closer to God, to his longing for us, and to his people.
Our Study Partners
Our study partners come from all walks of life. PhD's, MD's, college degrees, no degrees---highly motivated Bible readers, all. Women and men from all adult ages, they live in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. Those attracted to what we offer have the following traits:
- although respectful of traditional readings, they all want to think critically about the Bible and Biblical texts.
- they are, or want to become, independent Bible thinkers.
- they might be independent Bible students, or they might be small-group leaders, ministry leaders, teachers, preachers, pastors, elders, deacons, or missionaries.
Led by . . .
Under the leadership of Gary D. Collier (Ph.D. biblical studies), IABC communally developed the PROBE approach for reading biblical texts conversationally. Collier taught biblical languages and literature at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA., Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO., and Martin University, Indianapolis, IN., before founding in 2004 what is now IABC. A full academic bio will open in a new window here.
Power-Reading the Bible!
Get serious, get more.
Click Here for a few pictures from our
our 2023 Live Event
Click image for more info.
