Core Values

Why Internet Biblical Seminary?

IBS provides discipleship training for a way of life; it's personal, credible, and strategic.

"Then Jesus came up and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" - Matthew 28:18-20

In Matthew 28:18-20 we read about Jesus' charge to His committed followers: "Go and make disciples ... teaching them how to obey everything I have commanded you." Often the element of teaching is misplaced or overlooked. After someone has accepted Christ as his Savior and been baptized in the faith, there remains work to be done for this believer. We are called to come alongside and instruct those who are young in the faith, so they will then be able to live out the gospel set before them. They must be equipped to share the gospel and to disciple others, too. Both baptizing and training disciples were set out to be a way of life. IBS exists to assist you in making discipleship training "a way of life."

How can the Internet Biblical Seminary help you make discipleship training a way of life?

IBS is for people training people; it's worthwhile, and it makes the most of resources.

Personal: IBS is for people training people.

1. Total-person education: Involving knowledge, ministry skills, and one's character » IBS believes that training for ministry should involve knowledge, ministry skills, and one's character (know, be, do) — the whole person. Discipleship training is part of Jesus' commission (Matt. 28:18-20).
2. Relational mentoring: Repeat training visits with key facilitators/teachers » The best way to build disciples is through personal relationship and contact. Jesus demonstrated this with His twelve disciples. For this reason, IBS is committed to relational mentoring through regular sessions, either online or in person.
3. Church-based training: In the context of the life of the local church and personal sphere of influence » Whenever possible, IBS seeks to train students in the context of the life of their local churches and the students' own spheres of influence. This context builds greater accountability for applying learned biblical principles and creates an atmosphere for greater personal growth.

Credible: IBS is worthwhile.

4. Quality courses: Contextually adapted, first-year university level, transferable, lay training Bible curriculum » IBS believes that training systems must be culturally appropriate and culturally credible in order to effectively fulfill the task of Christian leadership development in any given region of the world. That is why IBS sets up language teams to evaluate each lesson for culturally relevant applications, and that is why IBS provides a first-year university level, Bible-based curriculum program for certification.
5. Interactive study: Seminar approach to learning which involves probing questions, reasoning, and critical thinking » IBS believes that adults learn best by means of a Socratic teaching method. This approach allows the students to become more active in learning and improve their critical thinking skills. Socratic teaching uses a variety of questions in various formats that cause students to think deeply and critically on their own, eventually arriving at the correct response. Interacting with each question (e.g., matching, discussion, multiple choice) allows students to retain more than they would if they were simply reading and answering a list of questions.

Strategic: IBS makes the most of resources.

6. Transferable curriculum: Training independent of the expense and presence of a resident "expert" » IBS is committed to training lay people and pastors through a transferable curriculum. IBS courses are not dependent on the expense and presence of a resident "expert." Course content is taught in such a way that students can emulate the IBS facilitator/teacher. Course content can be understood from the context of one's own cultural background and language. This leads to rapid multiplication of discipleship — making it easier for individuals to share the information they have learned with people of their own cultures.
7. Multiplying reach: A few can train many, leading to several generations of multiplication » IBS believes training should result in the church growing and reproducing. All IBS training is based upon the Apostle Paul's formal declaration for multiplication of ministry through four generations: Paul, Timothy, "faithful people," and "others as well" (2 Tim. 2:2). At the end of a course, the students must believe that they can do what our facilitators/teachers did. If they do not, then we only have addition, not multiplication. For students to achieve this confidence, they receive discipleship training through self-contained IBS courses — with no additional information coming from the facilitator/teacher.

"And what you have heard me say . . . entrust to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well." - 2 Timothy 2:2

These seven core values represent the personal heartbeat behind using and further developing the Internet Biblical Seminary. For more details, explore "About IBS."

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