Distance Learning Program

Statement of Faith

God
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

 

The Bible
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

 

The Human Condition
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

 

Jesus Christ
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel’s promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

 

The Work of Christ
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

 

The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

 

The Church
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

 

Christian Living
8. We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

 

Christ’s Return
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

 

Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

Download the EFCA Statement of Faith PDF

Facts

 

Basic Facts about Russia / Trinity Video Seminary

  • Religious freedoms are steadily shrinking in Russia, especially for the Protestant church.
  • Hundreds of Bible colleges in Russia have opened and closed since 1994.
  • Trinity Bible College / Trinity Video Seminary is one of a few that still remain open.
  • Distance Learning creates a way for Biblical education to be available to all who desire.
  • Distance Learning is a modern example of what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:9 – “Even though I am in chains, God’s Word is not in chains!”
  • More than 50 courses have been recorded, 19 courses along with 6 seminars, special DVD’s and conferences are in distribution (as of February 2009).  11 more will be ready for distribution very soon.
  • Over 300 students (as of February 2009) are enrolled in Distance Learning courses, with hundreds other studying the material without the benefit of enrollment.
  • Students are studying from all over Russia, the Ukraine, the former Soviet Republics, Europe, Australia, Israel and the U.S.
  • We anticipate that 20% of students will be studying for credit toward Certificate of Completion, Bachelor’s of Practical Ministry, and Master’s degrees; the remaining 80% will be studying for life transformation, which will also lead to transformation of churches!
  • It costs approximately $12,000 to cover the expense of developing one Bachelor’s level course and $7,000 to develop a shorter Seminar.
  • The long term goal of Distance Learning is to have a course on every book of the Bible.
  • Several universities are requesting the “Marriage and Family” series and are planning to offer it in their curriculum!
  • A university in Russia is interested in the “Basic Christianity” lecture and plans to use it as an example of “perfect translation skills”!

 

 

Courses available as of February 2009:

(Courses taught in Russian unless otherwise noted)

Contemporary Cults in Russia – Part 1
Dmitri Rozet from the Center for Apologetic Research in St. Petersburg, Russia

Contemporary Cults in Russia – Part 2
Pavel Stolyarov from the Center for Apologetic Research in St. Petersburg, Russia

Ethics – Part 1
Dr. John Feinberg, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Epistles of Apostle Paul
Oleg Shevkun, Master’s of Divinity from Dallas Theological Seminary

Epistle to Romans
Oleg Shevkun, Master’s of Divinity from Dallas Theological Seminary

History of New Testament Times – Part 1
Mel Loucks, Professor at International Theological Seminary, Los Angeles
(English/ Russian translation)

Marriage & Family – “The Weather at Home” (for husbands and wives)  and
Marriage & Family – “1+1= Love” (dating) and
Marriage & Family – “Lessons for Parents”
Mikihail & Nadezhda Telopov, Faculty at Russia State University and hosts of a Christian radio “call in” program in Moscow

Theology of Church Fathers and
Church History (“Patriarchs”)and
Russian Church History (“Predecessors of Evangelical Movement in Russia”)
Marina Karetnikova, PhD in Church History /
Professor at St. Petersburg Christian University

Biblical View of Doctrine of Divine Healing
Sasha Spichak, Master of Arts in Theology from TCM International in Austria

Synoptic Gospels
Yriy Goryachev, Master’s of Divinity from Irpen Bible Seminary, Ukraine and
Vladimir Dadabaev, Master’s of Divinity from Irpen Bible Seminary, Ukraine

Systematic Apologetics
Sergey Golovin, PhD in Natural Geophysics / MA in Theology from TCM International in Austria

Bible Study Methods (Hermeneutics)
Bruce Dick, Masters of Divinity, EFCA Pastor, Devil’s Lake, ND
(English/Russian translation)

Book of Revelation
Jon MacKinney, Pastor, Chandler Bible Church, Chandler, AZ
(English/Russian translation)

Eschatology
Terry Schoenfeldt, Masters of Divinity, EFCA Pastor, St. Louis, MO
(English/Russian translation)

Book of Psalms
Vladamir Popov, Masters of Divinity and author of history books of the Evangelical Russian Church, Professor in Tambov, Russia 

Old Testament Survey
Rev. Paul Henry, Graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary
(English/Russian translation)

Minor Prophets
Dave Smith, Master’s of Divinity, EFCA Pastor, San Antonio, TX
(English/Russian translation)

Essentials in Evangelism – Part 1
Lois McNeill – TVS founder with 35 years of teaching and training in evangelism
(English/Russian translation)

 

Special DVD’s:

Basic Christianity – A Gospel presentation for the secular mind
Lois McNeill  - TVS founder with 35 years of teaching and training in evangelism
(English/Russian translation) - Approximately 2-½ hours

Sacrifice of Praise – Faith & Life Stories Series
Lois McNeill  - TVS founder with 35 years of teaching and training in evangelism
(English/Russian translation) - Approximately 30 minutes

 

Seminars:

Power of Forgiveness
Dr. James McNeill, PhD in Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Pastor, Founder of Trinity Equipping Center / Trinity Bible College, Russia
(English/Russian translation)

Evangelism in Orthodox Culture
Michael Ivanov, Masters in History from Moscow State University and Master’s in Divinity from Moscow Baptist University

 

Conferences:

Apologetics
Grace Church, Conducted by Moscow Baptist Seminary

 

 

Courses Nearly Completed (as of February 2009):

(Courses taught in Russian unless otherwise noted)

Church History (Reformation) (80%)
Marina Karetnikova, PhD in Church History /
Professor at St. Petersburg Christian University

World Religions (80%)
Allen Tunberg, Th.M. in Old Testament and PhD. of Missiology
(English/Russian translation)

Ethics – Part 2 (80%)
Dr. John Feinberg, Professor of Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

History of the Evangelical Movement in Russia (80%)
Vladamir Popov, Masters of Divinity and author of history books of the Evangelical Russian Church, Professor in Tambov, Russia

Introduction to Homiletics (70%)
Vladamir Popov, Masters of Divinity and author of history books of the Evangelical Russian Church, Professor in Tambov, Russia

History of New Testament Times – Part 2 (90%)
Mel Loucks, Professor at International Theological Seminary, Los Angeles
(English/ Russian translation)

Gospel of John (50%)
Ronnie Stevens, Master’s of Theology, Missionary in Budapest, Hungary

Child of Evangelism – Seminar (50%)

 

Videotaped / Need to be Edited

(Courses taught in Russian unless otherwise noted)

The Problem of Suffering and Evil
Dr. John Feinberg, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Christian Doctrine
Dr. Graham Cole,  Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
Pastor David Martin, Hershey, PA
(English/Russian translation)

Incarnational/Level 3 Proclaimational Evangelism - Part 2
Lois McNeill – TVS founder with 35 years of teaching and training in evangelism
(English/Russian translation)

 

            *** and many more!