The primary purpose of BibleStudyCourses.org is to proclaim the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ to the unbeliever with the intention that he might meet the Savior as He offers Himself to us in the Scriptures and that he might put his faith in Him and become His disciple.

BibleStudyCourses.org is a new website that provides in-depth studies of 16 different books of the Bible from both the Old and New Testaments.

Each study offered on BibleStudyCourses.org contains an Introduction with a discussion of authorship and audience, significant themes, potential controversies and disputes, and other relevant information regarding the particular book of the Bible. A bibliography of cited books and resources is listed at the conclusion of each Introduction. The studies themselves go through each book with reproductions of the Biblical text, basic questions and answers, and a more detailed study available as a PDF.

What Is the Origin of BibleStudyCourses.org?

Bible Study Courses.org is the realization of over three decades of work and study by the Rev. Donald F. Ritsman. Rev. Ritsman studied at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, where he earned a Masters of Divinity degree (1973) and a Masters of Theology degree in New Testament studies (1980.) During his 18 years as a pastor in Presbyterian churches he studied and preached through the books of the Bible included on this site.

The origin of BibleStudyCourses.org dates back to 1997, while Rev. Ritsman was still in the pastorate. At that time he was invited to teach a Bible exposition course at the Missionary Training Institute in Seoul, South Korea. Rev. Ritsman had always wanted to provide sound biblical resource materials for Christian workers who either did not have opportunity for much formal theological training or who would find themselves ministering in regions of the world where they would have very limited access to any biblical resources.

Not long after his return from his initial ministry at the Missionary Training Institute (MTI), Rev. Ritsman felt the Lord calling him to leave the pastorate in order to devote himself to service at MTI. It was during this time of teaching that the course material that would compose the content of BibleStudyCourses.org took shape. The Bible courses taught by Rev. Ritsman at MTI were well received by the Korean students preparing for overseas missionary service. They welcomed the courses as a useful resource for their own edification and for their preaching and teaching ministries, requesting CD copies of the courses to take along with them. Eventually some of the courses were published in book form for the students’ use in class.

By the winter of 2006 all the course work for all 16 books of the Bible offered on BibleStudyCourses.org was completed. Thereupon, Rev. Ritsman sent a copy of the courses to an old seminary friend, Dr. Richard B. Ramsay. Dr. Ramsay had served as a missionary to Chile under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church in America, and was now ministering to Latin and South America from a base in Miami, Florida.

Dr. Ramsay was convinced that the coursework offered by Rev. Ritsman was a useful Bible resource and requested Rev. Ritsman to re-construct the courses for use in the ministry of Miami International Seminary. Miami International Seminary (MINTS) offers Bible and theological training through their study centers worldwide, in addition to offering on-line courses through their website.

Since the courses Rev. Ritsman designed were intended for a more general audience, and not only for students engaged in advanced theological studies, it was decided to also construct another website to host the courses. Thus, BibleStudyCourses.org was born.

Something Unique

We believe that BibleStudyCourses.org has something unique to offer. First, the Bible courses offered on this site are truly free. Users are not asked to sign up for anything, buy anything or donate to any ministry. They are merely being offered a free biblical resource. As our Lord Jesus instructed His disciples, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8b.)

Second, what is offered on this website are in-depth studies of the Scriptures that have been carefully researched by an author who holds masters degrees in theology and divinity, as well as 30 years experience in preaching and teaching. The effort has been made to provide both scholarly as well as devotional biblical resources for a broad spectrum of users.

What Is the Objective and Purpose of BibleStudyCourses.org?

The objective of BibleStudyCourses.org is to present the Word of God in a way that is accurate, clear, and applicable. Rev. Ritsman has studied the text in its original language, as well as consulting the commentaries and research of other scholars, in the effort to provide insight into the Scriptures offered on this website.

The objective of this website is not merely to gain an accurate and in-depth understanding of the Scripture text, but also to communicate that understanding to the reader in a way that is clear and applicable. Rev. Ritsman has prayerfully sought to explain his exposition of Scripture in a way that is understandable to the average person who may be biblically illiterate, while at the same time offering biblical instruction and insight that will be edifying to the seasoned student of the Scriptures.

The purpose of BibleStudyCourses.org is three-fold. First, it seeks to proclaim the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ to the unbeliever with the intention that he might meet the Savior as He offers Himself to us in the Scriptures and that he might put his faith in Him and become His disciple. The topical studies on “The Person and Work of Christ” and “Salvation” are especially intended to achieve this purpose.

BibleStudyCourses.org is also intended to assist the Christian in his divine calling to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18.) BibleStudyCourses.org seeks to achieve this purpose by offering thorough studies of complete books of Scripture, being convinced that the more a believer is exposed to “the whole counsel of God” the more the Holy Spirit will use the Word for his edification and transformation into the likeness of Christ.

In addition to the studies of entire books of Scripture, BibleStudyCourses.org also offers a variety of topical studies that are relevant to the life of the Christian, such as “Anger,” “Christian Fellowship,” and “The Christian Worldview.”

The third purpose of BibleStudyCourses.org is to provide a teaching tool that can be used by Christian workers (evangelists, native pastors, or Bible Study leaders) in their ministries of the Word. Each of the lessons featured in BibleStudyCourses.org begins with the theme of the biblical passage under consideration stated clearly and in a way that is applicable to those receiving the teaching.

The lessons are then presented in outline form, so that the main points and sub-points may be easily delineated. Also, almost every other Scripture passage to which reference is made is embedded in the lesson at the point where the reference is made. The intention is that the Scriptures may be searched and compared with ease, especially by those who may find themselves in situations where they have limited or even no other access to the Scriptures.

Links:

http://biblestudycourses.org/

http://www.miamiinternationalseminary.com/

http://www.mints.edu/