Opening the Book
An article on the Biblical Studies program at Columbia.
by Andrea Ykema
“…We believe that studying the Bible for one, two or four years will make significant difference in your entire life regardless of whether you get a job or have a career that specifically relates to the Bible. We’re convinced that it will affect everything you do in your life – your theological perspective, your perspective on what it means to have a vocation in whatever you do, what it means as you raise your family – all of those things will be integrally affected by your study of the Bible.”
The Bible is a holistic book, speaking to the rudimentary composition of human nature. It addresses our personal emotions, our communal interactions, and our psychological thought. Ken Esau, Director of the Biblical Studies program here at Columbia, spoke sincerely about this understanding – that the Bible has implications far beyond mere religious convictions.
“I don’t think that Columbia is only about training people to be leaders in the church – we’re training people to be the front lines in the church… We need far more than simply pastors to have healthy churches. We need a whole bunch of people who know something about the Bible and something about what the church should look like.”
While every program at Columbia is hinged on core Biblical training, the Biblical Studies program allows students a more in-depth opportunity to observe the Bible, Christian theology, and the church while in a communal setting where dialogue and discussion are key elements of learning. Over a student’s four years in the Biblical Studies program, they will gain essential insights into the metanarrative of the Bible, as well as the theology behind it. And just this year, the program has been restructured in order to offer its BA students with greater clarity when they reach graduation.
The new Biblical Studies structure will be based on a three-track premise: Teaching, Church Ministry, or Community Development emphasis. The Teaching Emphasis will prepare its students for an easy transition to graduate studies at Seminary or a Christian University. As described by Ken Esau, “These students will be required to go deeper than others in the areas of Biblical languages. They will take one year of both Hebrew and Greek. In addition, they will be required to take a three week course in Israel learning about the geography of the land upon which most of the biblical story took place. The third part of the special emphasis involves doing an internship that will both test their teaching ability and calling, and also help prepare them for a possible career as a teacher in some context.”
The Church Ministry Emphasis is designed for students who have felt called to be involved in some type of church position, be it youth ministry or – at some point down the road – becoming a pastor. Ken Esau elaborated on this emphasis, “Overall, students in the Biblical Studies—Church Ministry Emphasis can take courses like Hebrew, Greek, and participate on the trip to Israel but these are not required components of their program. The internship for these students will intentionally involve a solid church based internship to both test their calling and giftedness, as well as prepare them for that sort of ministry after they graduate from Columbia.”
Finally, the Community Development Emphasis speaks to the deeply Biblical call to pursue peace and justice in the local and global community. “These students will be required to have a strong biblical foundation and then have the opportunity to select practical courses that relate to how the Bible can impact the issues prevalent in the newspaper (e.g., unemployment, housing, justice, etc.)… Students here will participate in a community based internship for the purpose of testing their calling and giftedness, as well as preparing them for this sort of ministry either locally or globally.”
Columbia has always understood that study of the Bible will benefit all who come to it with a mind and spirit ready to learn. The holistic practicality and the eternal gravity of God’s message through the Bible are powerful reasons to commit even a short season of life to academic Biblical study. As Ken Esau summed up, “Come and study the Bible and see what comes of it.” It will be valuable – that we can guarantee.
For more information on the Biblical Studies program at Columbia Bible College, please visit our website at http://www.columbiabc.edu/academics/bs.html.
