Questions & Answers
On this page you will find answers to many of the questions you might have about our FREE Classes. Please look here first! Do not contact CIB unless you are familiar with this page. More information is provided than is applicable at present. It is simply provided for the future.
Who We Are, What, & Why
Is there an actual location where these classes are being offered?
Yes! The course work is developed and used at Charnock Institute of the Bible, and used on the mission field with White Stone Missions, who uses the curriculum to plant Bible Colleges on the mission field.
Who is developing these courses?
Courses are developed by the staff at Charnock Institute of the Bible. Some of the textbooks are written by our staff and, therefore, copyrighted. In many cases, the course work is the same as what is being used in our regular classes.
Why are some of these classes being offered for free online?
We have a desire to make a quality Biblical education available to anyone in the world with Internet access. Many people simply do not have funds for or access to a Quality Biblical Education. Although others have tried with good intentions, a handful of sermons is not a true Biblical education. We desire that you be able to translate the Bible for yourself! We desire you to read the entire works of the Early Church Writings up to A.D. 325 for yourself! Too many world views simply lack the education needed to correct them. We desire for you to know the entire Bible and the entire works of the Early Church for yourself. Inductive education is true education. As we have time and funds the entire curriculum will appear online.
Can I help support this Online project financially?
Yes! Simply click on RADIO and go to the DONATE Button and designate your gift to this project. Or you can donate with White Stone Missions in providing these courses around the world free of charge.
Before Going Any Further
Who may take these courses?
Anyone who wants to and who has signed or agreed to the Student Conduct Pledge. However, under select circumstances (see Missions & Missionaries) your conversion and Biblical character will be an issue. You will need to manifest genuine Biblical character and be a genuine follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ to begin to interact with CIB staff.
What if I am a poor reader?
Then these classes may not be for you. They are available, but classes are not designed for poor readers.
Where can I find answers to my course questions?
The Student Lounge (Coming) is the place for registered students to discuss course work. Here you may find CIB Staff actually participating in your discussions.
Church Learning Centers, Missions & Student Testing Credibility
If you wish to actually entertain the possibility of real college credit for your work in the future, you will need to have your testing done in front of a credible Proctor. This can be a credible Pastor, license Librarian, Missionary, Teacher, etc. This person will need to sign off that they in fact watched you take your tests and kept records of which tests they monitored. Your Church may wish to open a Center for Biblical Studies or College and use this site for the instruction. Simply appoint an official Proctor for testing. Upon completion, your own Center for Biblical Studies may grant any Certificates. So also, a Center for Biblical Studies may offer discussion groups, study groups, etc, which will increase the value of the course. A Church Pastor or Instructor may increase the value of some courses by addressing them in a classroom. See your Church Leaders for a possible Center for Biblical Studies in your Church or town.
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Question Categories below are in Alphabetical order. Simply scan down to find the category under which your question might be listed. For further question please go to the Student Lounge.
Accreditation
Are these classes accredited?
Charnock Institute of the Bible offers no accreditation in any form for these courses. Accreditation has little or nothing to do with actual education. It rather deals with an institutions finances, goals, facilities, staff, etc. to make it eligible for public money. The quality of the course work does not come into play. Many institutions may grant credit if they believe that the course work was creditably offered, accomplished, and monitored. If this will be an issue with you for trying to obtain credit for your work, please contact the institution you might wish to transfer credits to BEFORE you go further.
Will I receive credit for the classes I complete; and if so will the credits transfer?
Charnock Institute of the Bible does not offer credit for its online free courses; but credit values will be assigned to each course. Educational Institutions decide for themselves what kind of credits, and for what kind of course-work, they will accept. You are free to present the course-work to any College or Institute of Higher Learning for their evaluation. Portfolio Assessment is very real! Don’t hesitate to challenge courses, present a Portfolio of your work, meet with a professor to evaluate any additional needs.
Will Charnock Institute of the Bible accept the work accomplished here at their actual Campus?
You are free to register with Charnock Institute of the Bible and challenge courses with real professors.
Contacting Us
May I contact you with questions?
The Student Lounge is the place to go for basic questions with other students. Unless there is a technical problem with the site, please use the following guide.
FIRST, SECOND, THIRD YEAR STUDENTS – May not contact us unless there is a technical problem or errors on the web-site. Please go to the Student Lounge and speak with other students.
FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS – Once you have completed the first three years and the Summer session for the fourth, you may begin to interact with us. If you have come this far you are a serious student. We will have (eventually) a contact person to handle requests for CIB Interaction.
Courses
How should I proceed?
There are two ways to proceed.
- Knowing God Program (Diploma in Biblical Studies) – This is the non-language path.
- Two through Four Year Path – For this path you will need to take the Summer Language Courses. Or you can proceed along the Knowing God Program and simply add a language.
How many classes do you recommend at once?
A full time student is normally 4-5 classes at CIB. You can take fewer if you need.
How long do I have to complete a course?
It is wise to take no more than 15 – 24 weeks to complete a course. You will begin to loose what you have learned, especially with languages. Keep moving is the issue here. More than six months and you may need to begin again.
May I contact the course instructors?
Not unless the web-page states that you can. Instructors have graciously given their time and materials. Please simply enjoy the course work. A professor may grant contact permission to course students under certain circumstances for contact. Please go to the Student Lounge for student contacts and in some cases Professor contacts.
Course Catalogue & Offerings
How do I know what courses are active and so can be taken?
On the Course Catalogue page you will find all courses which are available. They will eventually be color coded as follows:
Blue – The Course is active and may be taken immediately. All materials, outlines, texts, etc. are complete and available for the course.
Green – The Course is in the works, but the Testing and some Materials may not yet be complete. Materials are being organized and/or tests are being written. Once complete the Color will change to Blue. Target Date for the Course being offered may or may not be listed on the course page.
Black – The course is not yet being put together (though there may be materials on the Course page(s). Someone may in fact be putting materials on a page from time to time; but these are simply the materials to be organized at a future date.
Degrees & Certificates
Do I receive a Degree or Certificate when I am finished?
What you will receive is a CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. This is both for each course you complete and for the following:
1. Certificate of Completion for the DIPLOMA IN BIBLICAL STUDIES – This is the one year program for those wanting to prepare for the Christian life and not necessarily for full time ministry. This path is designed to prepare you to live out the Bible, do Youth Ministry, basic Biblical Instruction/Teaching, and do basic Missionary work.
2. Certificate of Completion for the ASSOCIATE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES – This Certificate of Completion is for the two year program and includes languages. This path is designed to prepare you for more involved ministry: Youth Ministry, Missions, etc.
3. Certificate of Completion for the BACHELOR OF DIVINITY – This Certificate of Completion is for the completion of the full four year program and including all language studies and translation of the entire Biblical text. This path is designed to prepare you to be a Pastor, Missionary or Bible Teacher.
Faculty, Professors & Instructors
A Professor’s information for a course is listed on the course page; along with Author Information, Permissions, Text-Copyrights, etc. Please do not contact these men or women without permission.
Languages
Why do I need Biblical Language Studies?
Only a person unfamiliar with the Biblical languages would ask this question (or believe they are not needed). No translation can bring out ALL that the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic contain. The Hebrew text actually has to be Westernized to get it into English; so many things have to yield their verbal garments for western clothing. You will never read the Bible the same once you have tasted the original springs.
Can I take the language courses without taking the other class offerings?
Yes. Simply begin with the language grammar and go from there. You can go as far in this area as you wish.
Will I translate the entire Bible?
Yes! If you complete all of the work! Though the correct technical term is glossing rather than translating. Glossing is selecting from the options of meanings available to you. However most people do not know or understand the the term “gloss,” so we use the word “translating” to begin with.
What languages will be offered?
Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin (Latin is for educational reasons).
Why is Latin important?
Latin is the language of education for many hundreds of years. In fact, almost all of your grammar terms are Latin. You will also need Latin to read many of the Early Church Fathers, Systematic Theologies, etc.
Why is Aramaic important?
There are 7 chapters in the Old Testament written in Latin and there are also a hand full of terms which have great importance in each of their contexts.
How can you test my translation of the entire Bible?
We have our ways! First, you will have to be tested on the entire vocabulary of the Bible in your regular assignments. Second, you will have to sight-translate multiple passages in the testing itself. Third, you will need a proctor if you wish to have credibility. Like any other course where large amounts of reading are assigned, your honesty and integrity are important here. No professor can check it all. The STUDENT CONDUCT PLEDGE is for this reason.
Library (Virtual)
Here you will find all the texts available on the Virtual Campus. It will include links to Software you may need. Please obtain permission before downloading any software on a computer that is not your own.
Ministry
At Charnock Institute of the Bible ministry is required of all students when they enter. Several hours each week (including summers) in their first year and 5 – 10 hours weekly beginning in the second year. Ministry is simply required of all who followed Jesus Christ down dusty roads. Every one serves! If you are to have a credible Biblical education you must have a credible ministry of some kind. A servant who does not serve is a contradiction! A slave of Jesus Christ who does not actively serve Jesus Christ is a contradiction. Please make this a part of your education.
Missions & Missionaries
CIB works with White Stone Missions in various countries to establish Native Bible Colleges. We have Missionaries from various countries at our regular CIB Campus. If you wish to attend CIB in Payette, Idaho, we have special offerings available for Missionaries.
- If you have been on the Mission Field for at least 2 years in full time ministry (outside of the U.S.) and wish to attend CIB, we offer a 50% Tuition discount to you or your child.
- If you cannot attend, we may work with you in various other ways; including using the course work on this site and working with our professors. However, you must then proceed at the pace of the regular class as it is offered in regular session. Tuition is half the regular cost if you have at least 2 years on the Mission field (outside of the U.S.) as a full time Missionary. (Children of Missionaries must attend the Payette, Idaho campus).
Order of Study
Should I study courses in the order they are presented?
Yes! Particularly in the first year when classes following will be dependent upon what you have learned there. Some classes are needed up front when you begin so that following classes will be understood. The first semester will actually prepare you for the second semester. The first year will actually prepare you for the second year. After the first year, you will have more freedom to move between classes not necessarily in order.
Registration
Do I need to register to take classes?
Yes! However they are available now without registering until the site if ready. Once you have registered and signed, or agreed to, the STUDENT CONDUCT PLEDGE you can move around the Digital Campus at will.
What is the Student Conduct Pledge
This pledge is required at registration. It is the commitment of the student to manifest integrity in all that he does while registered with us. It is required before beginning courses.
Texts & Books
Where do I get the texts and books I will need?
All materials are provided, or linked to, on the page on which the course is found. Additionally, all textbooks will be found in the LIBRARY.
Are these materials copyrighted?
Yes! Any PUBLIC-DOMAIN works are free to copy and pass around as you desire. However, some materials and books are in fact copyrighted and used by permission. Please observe respect for the Ownership Laws of copyrighted materials. Simply purchase the books at a book store if you wish to have hard-copies of your own.
May I contact these authors?
Not unless the author makes it clear that he or she welcomes your interaction. This will be listed on the web page of a course.
Quality
Are these classes College Level Quality?
Yes! In fact CIB offers you a greater quality of education than is found in most Colleges or Seminaries. We have had men and women from other Colleges and Seminaries, with Masters and PhD degrees look at and take courses with us and tell us that they have never seen or even heard of a curriculum like this.
Why is the grading at least 80% for completion?
This is simply to maintain the quality. Many Colleges have lost their way in standards and quality. All education should be Higher-Education.
Support
Can I support CIB Online?
Absolutely. See our support page . . . and . . . Thank You!
Student Center
Here you may view your course work & grades.
Testing
How do I take a course test?
Each course is set out with a test offered over each set of materials studied. This may or may not include a Final Exam. Complete each section of study, then click on the Test Button for that section. When finished you will automatically receive your grade for each test, and for the Final Exam if there is one.
Thank you for reading the questions page. It will save you a lot of questioning. Please look back at this page when you forget. New questions & answers will appear from time to time as we decide to respond to new possible problems. Thanks for your understanding and patience.