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The International Online Adventist Bible School
(IOABS)

The mission of the International Online Adventist Bible School (IOABS) is to deepen, among Adventist believers, the knowledge of the teachings of the Bible and to strengthen the foundations of Biblical theology.

Commissioned by the Spalding Foundation for Theological Education (SF), the IOABS is being organised and operate by a work-team, with well experienced members in theological education.

The Spalding Foundation (founded in 2001) is committed to the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As in its constitution, the Foundation has as one of its principal objectives the organisation of further-education courses and conferences.

The Foundation is named after Arthur Whitefield Spalding (1877-1953), who was an Adventist educator, author and editor. Throughout his life, he was the head of a number of Adventist educational institutions, including the Emmanuel Missionary College (1903-1906), The Bethel Academy (1907-1909), etc.

The objectives of the IOABS courses

The basic motivation for launching the course is our conviction that all Adventist believers of today need, and should be helped to acquire, a sound and systematic knowledge of the teachings of the Bible. Thus, we believe, the cause of the evangelism is indirectly promoted, too. The task of evangelism is the responsibility of the churches and believers living in different countries. It is they who know the spiritual needs of those around them and are able to meet these needs accordingly.

We commend this course to all Adventist believers, whatever branch of Adventism they may subscribe to.

In the course studies we rely on the Sola Scriptura principle with the Bible as our sure foundation. At the same time we often refer to Ellen G. White’s Bible commentaries. To demonstrate particular processes and trends of the relevant period, we make use of statements by secular authors as well.

The Bible studies prepared by the IOABS also pay attention to the religious and intellectual attitudes of the world around: they reveal the message of God’s Word against this background to point to its timeliness or to the urge of the signs of the times. Surely the Advent movement has the most important and most intensive period of witnessing what faces us.

We attach two articles to the present introduction. „Different trends of Christianity in today’s world” is about the necessity for Biblical theology to become audible in the world. „Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” stresses the necessity for the Advent people to become awake to their mission. The purpose of the IOAB course is best expressed by the thoughts dealt with in these articles.

It is the fulfilment of these prophecies that we would like to promote by all possible means:

„The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. …The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it…. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? …The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” (Isaiah 40:3-8)

„And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established; … and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:1-3)

„So mightly grew the word of God and prevailed.” (Acts 19:20)

Course-units

   I. The source of the true knowledge of God. - Study (1): The Bible: the Word of God
   II. The everlasting gospel. - Study (2): Biblical Ethics and Biblical Anthropology); -

      Study (3): Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Son of Man; - Study (4): Jesus’ death,
      his resurrection and ascension, his intercessory and judicial ministry, his second
      coming, everlasting life on the newly-created earth

   III. Preparation for the conclusion of history. - Study (5): The Coming Conflict; Study (6): The Three Angels’ Messages; Study (7): The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ: exegesis of the Book of Revelation
   IV. Training for the personal witnessing of the ministry. - Study (8):„Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”; Evangelism: its principles and practice.

The studies, - some of them follows the ‘question and answer’ structure of Sabbath-school lessons - are introduced by an essay. The units should be studied preferably in the order listed; but it is possible to study them individually in any order.

The first study is currently accessible on the internet in Hungarian and in English; while the others will be made available in turn as soon as the English translation work is completed. Besides these languages, we intend to present the complete series (8 studies) and we are working on the translation of the study material in German, French and Spanish.

Course participation – opportunities and methods

Each study-unit includes a worksheet with questions to test the student’s comprehension of the material. Students can send their answers to the IOABS team for assessment. Students’ individual questions and comments on the course material are also welcome, and our members will likewise endeavour to respond to these within no more than 2 weeks. For communication students should use the e-mail address of the organising secretary:

office@adventistbibleschool.com

course participation is available to all, but for assessment and response is necessary to register. Requested data: full name, e-mail address, residence address.

Complementing the remote-study course component, we plan to hold consultations and Bible conferences from time to time, depending on the speed of advance of the construction of the Spalding Educational Centre in Biatorbágy, Hungary, the building to house these meetings.

The course materials can be accessed and downloaded free of charge. Donations towards our building costs and those of translation work are most welcome. Payments should be made to the Spalding Foundation. Please indicate the intended purpose of payment.

The Foundation’s bank details are as follows:

Name: Spalding Teológiai Képzésért Alapítvány

Account no. (IBAN): HU94 1040 0171 0170 0703 0000 0000

Swift code: OKHBHUHB

(K&H Bank Rt., H-1051 Budapest, Vigadó tér 1, Hungary)



Budapest, November 1, 2009

Dr. Susan Vankó (Hungary)
Leader of the IOABS work-team

Torben Nybo (Denmark)
Supporter of the IOABS

Ibolya Vígh (Hungary)
Organising secretary