I've previously mentioned that I've taken an online course through the Israel Institute for Biblical Studies. That course was The Jewish Background of the New Testament and, I have to say, it was great. The caliber of the instructors was first rate, the material was unlike anything I've been taught from other Christian colleges and seminaries, and it was all live so students could ask questions of the instructor or each other. My only complaint with the course is the instructors used the camera built into their laptops and the very average lighting in their home or office.

Every class took place at the same time, on the same days, every week just like a traditional college course. Unlike a traditional course, every class is recorded (thanks to the use of a WebEx derived platform to video conference instructor and class together). If you have to miss a class, you can log onto the web site and watch it later. You can even download the video, the instructors PowerPoint and any notes from that class to keep for posterity. This adds to the overall value of the class, since you can go back and review any time you like - even years later.

The primary professor for my class is a Messianic Christian who brought a lot of Judaism's insights into our study of the New Testament. I had experience with a couple other professors when they substituted for the class, and they were equally — if not even more — impressive with their knowledge and ability to communicate it. They all provided their email address so that we could ask follow-up questions that may not have occurred to us during the class. Perhaps even more importantly, they responded to emails within a reasonable time frame, offering not only their opinions but also sources to consult.

The courses they offer would be of value to anyone, from a new believer to a retired clergyman. I don't only recommend the program, I highly recommend it — but there are a couple caveats. First, it's not an accredited institution so don't think you can transfer these credits to another college, university or seminary. Second, like most all educational experiences, it is expensive. In regard to the first criticism, while not accredited they do offer certifications if you complete a series of courses and, as I've already mentioned, the content is unlike anything you're likely to find anywhere else. Regarding the second criticism, there are ways to save money. Paying up front instead of making payments can save you several hundred dollars. Also, if you look around on Facebook, you can find an offer to take their Hebrew language class for free.

As it turns out, my high regard for the class I took and the operations of its parent company, eTeacher Group, was reciprocated. They so like Think-Biblically.com they approached me with an offer of an affiliate program. I had to think about this for several months, since I'm opposed to adding advertising to this site. I don't want our readers' focus to be distracted by advertising. On the other hand, this institutions mission is one with Think-Biblically.com. In the end I decided to help them promote their classes and, in response, they will help Think-Biblically.com as well.

For this reason you will start seeing banner ads for this institution at the bottom of our pages (at the bottom so it isn't a distraction). If you are interested in checking them out or taking one of their courses, please click on the ad below. By clicking the ad they can track that you came from Think-Biblically.com and provide us with their support in return. If you decide to sign up for a class, please let them know we referred you.

As a final note, I want to be sure all our readers understand that Think-Biblically.com occasionally provides reviews of products we use and recommend resources we find valuable. This is the first time we have established a relationship with a company that is offering us something in return and we have disclosed that relationship clearly. In future reviews we will always do the same; if you don't see a disclosure it means that we are receiving no kickback, payment or other compensation. Honesty with our readers is important to us and not something we will compromise.