Overview of Biblical Theology
In many ways, this module is one of the most important we run. It has been put together, and will be taught, by Grant Earley, one of our cohort of Adjunct Lecturers and someone with considerable experience in this field.
The study of biblical theology is not an end in itself. It is rather a tool for understanding better the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Biblical theology helps us see the big picture, appreciate the themes that hold the Bible together, understand how the story develops, see how the promises of the Old Testament, sometimes expressed through covenants, are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as witnessed in the New Testament, and appreciate how the Old Testament provides patterns or types that explain later developments in the story. The study of biblical theology is about understanding how each part of the Bible contributes in a distinctive way to the overarching story of the Bible and how an awareness of this story informs our understanding of each part of the Bible. When this is achieved, biblical theology is strongly Christ-centered.
John Brand, our Academic Dean, says, “I wish this sort of course had been available to me when I started out in ministry.”
Topics include:
- Foundations of and approaches to biblical theology
- The New Testament use of the Old Testament
- Covenant as backbone
- The Kingdom of God
- The People of God
- The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ
- The Temple and the New Creation
- Christians and Old Testament promises
- Preaching and teaching biblical theology
The course will run on Wednesday afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00pm and will be held on zoom, so that wherever you live you will be able to take part. And if, for any reason, you can’t join the zoom class live, by registering you will have access to the recordings and any notes provided. The course starts on Wednesday 15th April and specific dates for the whole course will be provided.
The cost is £200 (assessments) or £150 (auditing). Registration is essential and can be done here
If you have any questions or want more information, please email info@edinburghbiblecollege.co.uk
Pastoral Theology
In the third section of this year-long module, which is aimed at anyone in a church leadership role, whether it be as a pastor / elder or deacon, we will be looking at some of the very practical responsibilities involved in ministry.
Subjects such as:
- pastoral and hospital visitation
- ministering to the dying and conducting funerals
- ministering to the elderly and those with dementia and their carers
- discipling
- leadership development
- leading public worship
- etc etc etc
The sessions will be led by our own Academic Dean, John Brand, and others who, like John, bring many years of experience and wisdom to the subjects taught.
The class will be held on 10 Monday evenings, from 7.15am – 9.15pm, starting on April 13th, and will be held on zoom, so that wherever you live you will be able to take part. And if, for any reason, you can’t join the zoom class live, by registering you will have access to the recordings and any notes provided.
The cost is £200 (assessments) or £150 (auditing). Registration is essential and can be done here
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
World Religions and Cults
Around 85% of the world’s population is religious. With a multitude of religious belief and practice, what makes Christianity unique? In this module we will examine some of the major religions and cults in our society today. After a brief introduction to each group, we will take a look at their core beliefs, comparing and contrasting them to the beliefs of biblical Christianity. Finally, we will consider how we might engage members of these groups with the gospel.
The class will be held on 10 Wednesday mornings, from 11.00am – 1.00pm, starting on April 15th, and will be held on zoom, so that wherever you live you will be able to take part. And if, for any reason, you can’t join the zoom class live, by registering you will have access to the recordings and any notes provided.
The cost is £200 (assessments) or £150 (auditing). Registration is essential and can be done here
You can download a Module Description here
Course Tutor: Pastor Tony Brown
Evangelism Course
We are really delighted to post details of our exciting Evangelism module that runs after Easter. We have lined up a very strong team of gifted and experienced speakers to share their wisdom on different aspects and types of evangelism and this is something we are sure you won’t want to miss out on.
April 14 What is the Gospel? (John Brand, EBC Academic Dean)
April 21 Children’s Evangelism (Simon Snodgrass, CEF)
April 28 Personal Evangelism (Michael Ots, Evangelist)
May 5 Christianity Explored (Rico Tice, CE Ministries)
May 12 Jesus the Evangelist (John MacKinnon, Minister and Evangelist)
May 26 Open Air Preaching and Evangelism (Vinny Commons, Evangelist)
June 2 One-to-One Evangelism (John MacKinnon, Minister and Evangelist)
June 9 God, The First Evangelist (Glen Scrivener, Evangelist)
June 16 Preaching Evangelistically (Sandy Roger, Minister and Evangelist)
June 23 Evangelism That Understands Today’s Culture (Martin Povey, Evangelist)
The course will run on 10 Tuesday mornings between 11.00am and 1.00pm and if, for any reason, you can’t join the zoom class live, by registering you will have access to the recordings and any notes provided.
The cost is £20 for each individual session but £180 if you register for the whole series.
Registration is essential and can be done here
Preachers on Preaching: David Randall (sr)
John Brand’s latest interview in his series of Preachers on Preaching is David Randall (sr), a retired Presbyterian Minister, who ministered in Macduff Parish Church in Aberdeenshire from 1971 to 2010, where he preached through the whole Bible.
Church Workers’ Conference Update
Here’s an update from John Brand about the South Sudanese Church Workers’ Conference in September:
Plans are beginning to take more shape for the South Sudanese Church Workers’ Conference in September. Thank you for your prayers and to those who have already given. The plan is now to bring 50 delegates together from South Sudan and Uganda, and the total cost for the five days of conference – including accommodation and food – will be £5,000, to which my own travel costs etc will add another £1000.
So, if 100 churches or individuals contributed £50 each, that would pay for the 50 delegates. Or you could sponsor one delegate for the cost of £100. Could you help us reach that target? We’ve already got finance for 3 delegates, so there’s only 47 to go! You can give here or on my Go Fund Me page.
Thank you!
Scottish Bible Podcast
Last week, John Brand, our Academic Dean, had the joyous privilege of been interviewed by Ewan (sr) and Ewan (jr) Gurr who host the wonderful Scottish Bible Podcast. If you are not familiar with this great ministry, we warmly commend it to you and encourage you to support it. John was asked to contribute one of their monthly reflections, looking at Leviticus.
EBC Goes To Africa!
As Principal of EBC I was truly overjoyed to hear of the invitation that has been extended by the leaders of the Africa Inland Church in South Sudan (AIC-SS) to our former Principal and current Academic Dean, John Brand, to lead the upcoming Church Workers’ Conference from Monday 7 – Friday 11 September. What an amazing opportunity to glorify God so far from home!
As current Principal I would like to whole-heartedly endorse this venture and ask people to please pray for John as he begins to make preparations for this exciting venture. Of course a trip like this is not free, nor are the running costs for the conference itself, so please would you prayerfully consider sponsoring John as he seeks to carry out the Lord’s work and fulfil the ministry opportunity the Lord has set before him? I will l leave John to tell you in his own words how people might support him. Thank you for taking the time to read this and to prayerfully consider if the Lord would have you support this work. In His love always,
John writes, “Those familiar with my ministry will be well aware of my involvement with the Sudanese and South Sudanese churches since my visit to Khartoum in 2001 which was truly life-changing. Over the next 9 years I visited both Khartoum and Juba on an almost annual basis and set up a charity, which is now closed, Friends of Sudan, (which became Friends of South Sudan, following the secession of the south and the formation of the world’s (still) youngest country in 2011), providing financial and training support to churches and Christian schools in both the north and the south. (You can read more here.) Over the years, I have kept in close touch with a number of church leaders and individual believers and have had the great privilege of mentoring some of them from a distance. One Christian in Juba is currently studying with Edinburgh Bible College thanks to the accessibility afforded by zoom.
I am somewhat daunted by the prospect since I am now in my early 70s and not my mid 50s as at the time of my last visit, but my heart rejoiced when I received the invitation. The believers in South Sudan are among the very choicest in all the earth and I can say of them, as David said, “As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3)
One challenge, for which I would appreciate much prayer, is financial, since I no longer have access to charity funds as previously. I am planning to do a sponsored marathon walk in the summer to raise funds, and am also setting up a crowdfunding option, trusting the Lord that he will supply according to his riches in glory. We are looking at around £3,000 in all to help with the costs of the conference itself. Your support would be a great kingdom investment. I have now set up a Go Fund Me page where you can donate and we will, in due course, make you aware of other ways in which you could support this initiative.
Thank you for your service to the saints.”