In this online teacher training course, you will study some of the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. These are not mere lists ofdoctrines to memorize but are life-transforming skills that will help you grow in your relationship to Jesus Christ and increase your usefulness in His service. When we come to know God through His Word, we will grow in our love for Him, and our lives will be changed. Romans 12:1-2 commands us to be undergoing the process of transformation by the renewing of our minds. How does that happen? Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us that we are transformed as we behold the glory of the Lord. So, the purpose of studying theology is to behold the glory of the Lord more clearly, and this will transform us into the image of Christ.In this course you will learn about the nature of theology and how to “do theology” in every area of your life. You will learn the steps of the theological method and see the biblical support for the need to be concerned with your beliefs. You will study the difference between general and special revelation, and the reason why God gave both. You will also learn the distinction between inspiration and inerrancy, and the basics of how we got our Bible. In addition, you will study hermeneutics, the science and art of properly interpreting Scripture.The person of God, his names, attributes, and Triunity are critical elements of the Christian faith and are an important part of this study. You will also examine the deity and humanity of Christ, and how the two are united in the person of Jesus. Furthermore, this study looks at the preexistence and incarnation of Christ. You will consider the present and future work of Christ and what that means to you as a believer. Additionally, you will apply the methods of theology to other areas of study. The creation of man and his nature as human in the image of Godguide our understanding of the nature of the Fall and man’s subsequent condition. The creation and fall of angels are different in kind than that ofman but is closely related. The origin and nature of sin are intertwined with the whole study of man. The effects of sin lead us to the study ofsalvation—what it is, how it was obtained for us, how we obtain it, and the implications of salvation. The atonement (the satisfying of Gods wrath) will be given special consideration since it is at the heart of the Gospel. Also, justification, regeneration, and sanctification are terms that are not understood by many Christians yet should be truths in which a believer rejoices every day. A study of the person of the Holy Spirit will be addressed in order to emphasize His main role as Comforter during the Church Age untilJesus returns for His saints. We will examine the deity of the Spirit and His work in salvation, sanctification, and in conjunction with the Word of God. The Spirit plays a major role in the New Testament church, which is the pillar and ground of the truth and the instrument God is using to carry out His program in this age. Eschatology is the study of the end times and the consummation of God’s eternal plan. This topic generates more confusion than clarity in our day, and we will seek to shed light on it. An area of study not considered a part of systematic theology but nevertheless deeply theological is apologetics. Apologetics is thedefense of the Christian faith against other religions and unbelief. Mark Farnham is the Director of the Master of Arts in Apologetics at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. After serving as a pastor in his home state of Connecticut for seven years, he transitioned to college and seminary teaching twenty-five years ago. He has been married to his wife, Adrienne, for 36 years, and they have three children and almost a dozen grandchildren. He is a kidney transplant recipient (2010) and a cancer survivor (2020).He is also the founder and director of an apologetics training ministry called Apologetics for the Church. His book on apologetics, Every Believer Confident: Apologetics for the Ordinary Christian (P&R, 2025), helps ordinary Christians share their faith. His ethics book, Talking about Ethics: A Conversational Approach to Moral Dilemmas (Kregel, 2021), walks readers through fifteen important ethical issues of our day. His philosophy book, Talking About Worldviews: A Conversational Introduction to Thinking Philosophically (Kregel, 2026), teaches the basics of philosophy in a conversation between a Christian, an atheist, an existentialist, and a Buddhist.He received his PhD in Apologetics from Westminster Theological Seminary and his ThM in New Testament from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
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