Top 10 Bible Study Courses: Free and Paid

Bible study is an examination of the Bible. The type of analysis depends entirely on the reader and their reason for studying the Bible. People choose Bible reading because it contains various genres and purposes that enlighten someone’s soul. Bible is recorded as the most-read book in history. There are a variety of ways to study the Bible. The most followed methods of studying are- 

• The Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer (S.O.A.P) – focuses on understanding God’s word in a simple, efficient, and easily reproducible manner. Because of such a method, individuals can be educated in God’s word for themselves. The most important aspect of this tool is that it allows us to improve our ability to hear God’s voice.
• Historical method- The Bible features sixty-six books that can be regarded as historical narratives, though some may question their truth. A historian or any individual can read the Bible for historical information. 
• By-book method- This method involves studying and analyzing the contents present and drawing a conclusion about the book’s purpose or reading the Bible several times to obtain general impressions of the ideas and purpose without intricate attention to detail. 
• By-topic method- This method looks up words related to any topical study on prayer. After you’ve found these topics, study them and collect all the prayer teachings you can discover.

Do you need assistance deciding on the best online bible study course and method? Don’t worry; we’ve produced a list of the finest bible study courses, complete with duration, skill, syllabus, and certificate programs.

1. Biblical Training

• Duration: 10 hours.
• Offered by: Denver Seminary (via Biblical Training.org). 
• Certificate offered: No 

This introductory course will introduce you to Dr. Craig Blomberg, a well-known educator, author, and Biblical scholar. It will provide a foundation program geared to expand your biblical knowledge and offer a complete and unified introduction to the New Testament’s context. You will investigate the interaction between first-century Jews and Gentiles and the impact of the Greek and Roman Empires on the social and political scene of the time. The course will dissect the New Testament canon and text, demonstrating similarities and contrasts across the four Gospels. The course’s second part will summarise the Book of Acts and analyze the essential topics in the writings of the Apostles Paul, James, and Peter.

2. The Story Of Scriptures

• Duration: 13 weeks.
• Certificate offered: Yes

The course at Dallas Theological Seminary gives a general overview of the Bible’s primary plot and significant concepts. You’ll learn about the structure of the Bible, how the English language influences our comprehension of it, and each verse’s central point. Consequently, you’ll have a bird’s-eye view of scripture, allowing you to understand better the interrelated tale found in the Bible’s numerous pages.

3. Theology & Culture

This seminary-level course analyses the relationship between theology and culture. It focuses on the connections between business, art, sports, and politics. This course, appropriate for anybody, especially those in pastoral ministry, tries to encourage you to reconsider God’s relationship with culture. Many multimedia resources are available, including video lectures, discussion forums, and scheduled reading assignments. The purpose of the course is to help you consider how you should interact with culture and alter it in ways that are pleasing to God.

4. A Guide To Bible Study Methods

• Duration: 5 hours.
• Offered by: Bethel Seminary (via Biblical Training.org).
• Certificate offered: Paid certification available

This course will walk you through the stages required to become an extraordinary Bible student. It helps you develop the skills necessary to assess the meaning of a biblical chapter and apply the scripture to your life. Hermeneutics (the standards of biblical interpretation) and bible study approaches and practices are covered. You will learn how to understand a passage in the context in which it was written. To identify the genre of the book, get a bird’s-eye view of its topic organization, write a thesis to describe its objective and relevance, and look for secondary sources to validate and expand your thoughts. Finally, you will discover how to evaluate grammar, significant phrases, and topics.

5. Making Biblical Decisions

• Duration: Self-paced course 
• Offered by: Third Mill Institute
• Certificate offered: Yes

The course is led by Dr. John Frame, an author, seminary professor, and Christian philosopher. It focuses on Christian morality and understanding biblical and theological concepts that should guide ethical decision-making. Throughout the course, you will investigate the moral framework of the Bible and determine how to apply it using biblical answers. The course will look at how societal ethics align with God and His Word and what the Bible teaches about how individuals should behave. The learning package will include ten video lessons, additional audio, and supplementary reading. There will be study aids, questionnaires, online quizzes, journaling, and optional extra content.

6. The Master Series

• Duration: Self-paced
• Offered by: World Bible School
• Certificate offered: Yes

The World Bible School (WBS) provides a ‘Master Series’ of modular courses to walk new Christians through a thorough explanation of the Christian faith. The work breakdown structure includes chapter-style exams after each segment to reinforce your learning based on chapter-based reading and your written replies. Learning takes place at your speed, and the school provides a study aid’ to help you with the queries as you progress through the topic.

7. A Journey through Western Christianity from Persecuted Faith to Global Religion (200-1650)

• Duration: 46- hours.
• Offered by: Yale Divinity School
• Certificate offered: Paid certificate

This online course from Yale University will walk you through the history of Western Christianity. You will look at St. Augustine’s immortal words, the ingenuity of the Celtic monks who created the illuminated Book of Kells, and the poetry of St. John of the Cross.

You’ll conclude your journey by learning about the history of the Catholic Church.

8. 52 Major Stories of the Bible

• Duration: 30 hours.
• Offered by: Biblical training

Dr. Bill Mounce, the creator of BiblicalTraining, created the course. The 52 Major Stories of the Bible. It is a free online bible course with certifications; it is an excellent course for individuals whose profession includes educating youngsters about God through bible tales. This course is beneficial if you want to understand more about the values underlying the bible stories you adore. You can enroll in this course if you comprehend English, Hindi, or Swahili. The system has 52 lectures with audio and slides, which will take 30 hours to finish.

9. The Bible’s Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future

• Duration: 20 hours.
• Offered by: Biblical training

The course explores how biblical authors responded to the loss by pursuing a demotic agenda that placed the community at the center, working through vivid biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts and relying on an array of comparable comparisons. The biblical authors’ purpose was to build a country, and they attempted to do this through a shared narrative that included stories and songs, wisdom and rules. Without question, this collection of works ranks among humanity’s most outstanding achievements. Unlike the ancient civilizations of the Near East, which concentrated their energy and resources in stone structures that might be destroyed by invading armies, the biblical authors left a literary heritage that has been actively studied until today.

10. New Testament Survey

• Duration: 180 days
• Offered by: Christian Leaders Institute (CLI).
• Certificate provided: Yes

The institute offers a wide range of free courses, certificates, diplomas, degrees, and Minister Qualifications. However, before commencing the New Testament study, you must finish a brief session outlining CLI fundamentals. The course is designed to give you a complete grasp of the Bible’s structure. Consequently, you’ll read the New Testament while studying various materials, including audio, video, and article resources.

Conclusion

These were the top Bible courses, classes, tutorials, training programs, and certifications found online. We wish you luck in selecting a course that will help you achieve your learning objectives. Any courses on this list can help you better understand the Bible and how people relate to religion. Please spread the word if you love it. As you deepen your faith and start your study of the Bible, we wish you peace and happiness!