Chronological School of Biblical Studies
If you want to grow in your knowledge of the Word Of God, there is no better place than the CSBS in Honolulu!
The CSBS (based on the inductive study method) teaches students about the context, culture and history of each book of the Bible. After gaining an understanding of the historical context, students start to make observations and interpretations of the text based on the author’s original intent and the original readers (and hearers’) understanding.
Students have around 10 hours of lecture a week, which cover the historical and cultural background of the book being studied, as well as tackling difficult passages. These lectures are taught by a wide variety of Bible teachers, including Bible scholars, Old Testament archaeologists, New Testament historians, and leaders within YWAM – all of whom are passionate for seeing God’s Word brought to the nations.
The majority of this course is self study. Students typically spend forty (or more) hours per week individually studying the Scripture. Students also have the opportunity for field trips, community outreach, intercession and worship as a way to enhance their nine months of study. Our staff is committed to mentoring our students in their studies, as well as helping them process how to apply what they are learning in their everyday lives.
Outreach
The goal of the CSBS is to equip our students to study God’s Word for themselves and then help equip others to do the same. After the students complete nine months of intense study they have the opportunity to share with others the riches of God’s Word. An optional eight to twelve week outreach is offered to all CSBS students who want to practice what they have learned. Most of our CSBS outreaches go to Asia or the South Pacific and focus on teaching the Bible and inductive Bible study skills to new believers, churches, pastors, and anyone else wanting to grow in their knowledge of the Word.
Endorsements
“The Chronological School of Biblical Studies at Honolulu meets a critical need for the world-wide church today. While resources are available as never before, biblical literacy is declining as never before. The CSBS, directed as it is toward the global mission of the whole church, prepares missionaries, pastors and others with a thorough, detailed study of every book in the Bible. By training in the inductive method of study, it offers a methodology for the study and use of the Bible that can be used in any nation by any people, regardless of additional resources. Even in a Bible college or seminary, it is rare for any course of study to address every book of the Bible. Hence, the CSBS is all the more valuable for its comprehensive scope. In addition to the CSBS staff teachers, guest specialists lecture in areas of their own expertise, which broadens and deepens this study of the Bible. I highly recommend it!”
What I have said for many years is that CSBS is important and different in a couple of ways. Anybody can study the Bible in an academic setting, but what sets the CSBS apart are:
1. Care and thoroughness of contextual analysis with emphasis on the intent of the original author relative to the original reader.
2. A balanced emphasis on feeding both head and heart.
3. Using what they learn. CSBS students not only spend 9 months in intensive study of the Bible, but they seek to use what they have learned and take it to the nations. For me as a teacher, I have this immediate sense that students will be empowered, in a short time after I leave, to take what they have learned and use it to educate and inspire people in places and in languages I will never know. They are not just taking into the world their personal passions, enthusiasms and energies but, by the time they are done with CSBS, they are grounded in the Bible, and their experiences, enthusiasms and energies are informed and empowered by the written as well as the living Word of God. As a result, when I as a teacher spend a mere week or so with CSBS, I have a deep sense that I am doing something of great value, for in some small ways, the things I teach reach far more people than I will ever be able to.
When you put these three characteristics together, they are a potent combination, in my opinion.
Pre-Requisites
Completion of one of the following:
YWAM – DTS (Discipleship Training School & Field Assignment – IDS 701/702)
YWAM – CDTS (Crossroads Discipleship Training School – IDS 703/704)
Credits
36 semester-equivalent credits will be earned upon successful completion of the School of Biblical Studies (CCM 311/312/313). These credits may be applied to a University of the Nations degree program or transferred partially or fully to some other colleges and universities.
Upcoming Schools
Dates and Fees
Lecture Phase $11,300 total
- 1st quarter $4100
- 2nd quarter $3750
- 3rd quarter $3600
Optional outreach is approximately $2000 + airfare and visa to outreach location
Next school =>>>> Sept 18, 2017 – June 29, 2018
*** All students will be required to have health insurance for the lecture phase and purchase travel insurance for the outreach phase of all schools. If a student does not have health coverage they must purchase a travel / health package for both the lecture and outreach phases of the school. We recommend Talent Trust or similar.