Russell Haffner
I am pleased you have decided to enroll in the school to learn more about God and His word. Learning new things is always exciting but sometimes it can be difficult. The school can be challenging, but I hope you never doubt your ability to accomplish your goals. I recently read an article which gave several suggestions to help students succeed in their studies. I hope this advice will benefit you as you continue your endeavor to better understand the Bible.
The first suggestion is to see the possibilities. For many of you it is your dream to have a comprehensive Bible education. You have a strong desire to know God's truth and His will for your life. Your choice to learn God's word is wise and will greatly benefit you in the future. You have probably chosen to do this because you love God and want to serve Him better. This decision will produce the best life now and a better life in the future.
The second suggestion is to realize that success requires hard work, dedication and sacrifice. There is an old adage which says, "Nothing worthwhile is easy." Through your perseverance you will demonstrate your desire to learn. You should understand learning always requires hard work, but it will be easier if you allow your love for God to motivate you. If you follow your heart the work will not seem as difficult. Simply make your Bible education a top priority in your devoted service to God.
The third suggestion is don't defeat yourself. As you continue through the courses there may be moments when you think you can't do it. This feeling often comes with difficult challenges, but don't let your doubts defeat you. Sometimes it helps to just focus on giving your best effort. Don't give up before you have even given yourself a fair chance to succeed. If you continue steadfast in your efforts, always striving to do your best, you will be successful.
The fourth suggestion is to undertake a reasonable workload. Please don't get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the material. The school is designed to be adapted to your own schedule. The lessons are always here for you to use in the manner that best fits you and your life. It would be a mistake to rush through the lessons. Your goal should be learning, not finishing the courses quickly. If it takes you longer to understand the material your time is well spent. The courses are studied at-your-own-pace and do not have any official start time, end time or duration. You can take as long as you need to complete the work. There are also no limits on how many times you can access the courses as you view and study them.
I hope these four suggestions will encourage you as you continue your studies.
- See the possibilities.
- Realize that success requires hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
- Don't defeat yourself.
- Undertake a reasonable workload.
I want you to reach your objective to have a better understanding of the Bible. Please, never doubt your ability to succeed. Let Philippians 4:13 be your life's rallying cry: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Perhaps you have enrolled in the school but have yet to start your first course. Beginning your studies is easy to do. Once you login to your account simply choose the course you would like to study from the "Course Schedule" option located on the blue menu bar of the school website. The "Course Schedule" reflects the designated order that Formal Students must follow. Informal and Auditing Students are recommended, but not required, to follow this schedule.
Once you have selected the course you would like to study you need to register for the course by clicking the "Register" button located on the course page. When this is done, you will have full online access to the course. You can begin watching the videos immediately by clicking the "Lesson 1" link. From each lesson page you will be able to view a 30-40 minute video lesson presentation.
If you are a Formal or Informal Student you will not only see tabs on the course page for Description and Syllabus, but also for Tests, Course Notes (for some courses) and Course Books (for textbooks published by WVBS). Click on the appropriate tab and the document will be displayed. These materials are provided to Formal and Informal Students completely free online. If you desire printed pages, there is a "Print" button located to the upper-right of the displayed document where you can print personal copies.
You may register and begin viewing the courses at any time. There is no official start time for any of the courses. They are always available - 24/7. Why not start your lessons today?