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To establish your church as an ExCeLL site, contact:
Danny Lewis, Director
Texas Bible College- ExCell
952 FM 1004 E.
Call, TX 75933
Phone: 409.423.6754
409.656.7875
Email:
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The Program
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The Purpose
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For many ministers and laypersons the dream of attending a distant Bible college is only that – a dream. ExCeLL offers an unprecedented opportunity for training and study of the Word right in the local church. A twelve-course curriculum has been prepared which will equal one full year of studies at Texas Bible College. This will meet the requirement stipulated in Article VII, Section 2, Paragraph 9 (UPCI Manual) for local ministerial license in the UPCI. The program is not limited to ministers, however, and laypeople who desire this level of learning are welcome to enroll. Even new converts have found that it provides a sound doctrinal foundation. Students earn Texas Bible College credit hours just as if they were enrolled at the campus in Lufkin.
Classes convene one night per week for a period of eleven weeks in the Spring and Fall. They normally begin at 7:00 p.m. and end by 10:00 p.m. Two courses are taught each night with approximately one hour and twenty minutes devoted to each with a break in between. Instruction is provided by the local pastor and/or his ministerial staff – able “word handler” (II Corinthians 4:2; II Timothy 2:15) who are “apt to teach” (I Timothy 3:2). A certificate will be awarded for the successful completion of each course, and a transcript will be available on permanent file. Each site is encouraged to have a graduation service for those who finish the ExCell curriculum. |
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God's people, whether ministry or laity, must be prepared for the challenges presented to us by our society and times. The vision of ExCeLL is to equip the church to accomplish this task. Paul expressed our goal well: “To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, 13 NIV).
The Cost
Costs have been kept low in order to give everyone an opportunity to participate. For each eleven-week trimester in which two courses are offered, the tuition is only $195, including manuals and course materials. Textbooks, when required, are additional.
How do we get started?
If you would like to host an ExCeLL site at your church, introduce the idea to your congregation. See how many would be interested in enrolling in the TBC courses. If you have several who would, and you feel the program will fit into your church schedule, contact us. You will receive the necessary materials to guide you into the process. It is really very simple to operate an ExCeLL site. No cost is involved for the church or for the instructors' manuals. The only cost is what the students pay in tuition. |
The Curriculum (with hours earned)
Doctrine I (4 hours) - This course focuses on the Godhead and the Person of Jesus Christ. What kind of being is God? How can we prove He exists? How does He relate to men? What is Christian monotheism? Brief historical highlights of the Oneness doctrine from Pentecost until the present.
Old Testament Survey (4 hours) - This course is a general overview of the Old Testament with emphasis on its structure, content, and continuity in its historical and geographical setting.
Doctrine II (4 hours) - This course covers the doctrine of Man, and the doctrines of Hell, Heaven and Salvation.
Hermeneutics (3 hours) - Hermeneutics is the science and methods of biblical interpretation - how to study the Bible and understand what is being conveyed; how to put it in the proper context.
Doctrine III (4 hours) - This is a continuation of major Bible doctrines, including Angels, Demons, the Church, Church Government, and Communion.
Wisdom Literature (3 hours) - Centering on the practical teaching and principles set forth in the Book of Proverbs, this course is built around the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Christians sometimes fail because the simple principles of everyday life are not employed to insure spiritual victory.
Keys to Spiritual Success (4 hours) - This study is designed to develop a Bible-centered lifestyle empowered by the Spirit. It deals with a variety of topics including The Power of Truth, Spiritual Leadership, The Power of Prayer, Building a Powerful Family Unit, Biblical Principles for Financial Management, and others.
Gifts of the Spirit (3 hours) - An in-depth look at the 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters of I Corinthians, identifying and describing each of the nine spiritual gifts mentioned in these chapters.
Life and Times of Christ (3 hours) - This course opens up the Four Gospels to reveal the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Pastoral Epistles (5 hours) - This course provides a cursory overview of the writings of the apostles to the churches of that era. The authors, the form, the message, and the relevance of the epistles for today's church are highlighted.
History of Western Civilization (Church History - 4 hours) - This course traces the history of the church from Pentecost to the present, showing how the church endured and survived throughout the ages, holding faith with a pure conscience.
Christian Ethics (3 hours) - How do Christians apply the principles of Scripture to the difficult subjects facing the contemporary church - War, abortion, euthanasia, moral relativism, and bio-ethics? These and other topics are explored. A special section on Ministerial Ethics is included for ministerial students.
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