Sattler’s Biblical Certificate Option offers nine months of Biblical studies along with the relational discipleship and academic excellence that is part of every Sattler student’s experience. For this post, we interviewed a number of current Biblical certificate students to get their perspective on why they chose this option and what they like about it.

Biblical certificate studies include introductory Greek, Christian apologetics, evangelism, Biblical texts, and historical theology. Students have the choice of one elective along with seven required courses. They are welcomed into all student activities and are required to take part in Sattler’s mentorship program. If students reach the end of the year and decide they want to continue at Sattler, they can transfer their college credits to one of our four-year degree programs.

The certificate option is a great choice for anyone who wants to experience Sattler’s Biblical teaching but finds themselves unable to commit to four years in Boston. Busy pastors and missionaries in need of a refreshing and challenging sabbatical, as well as newly married couples or young people uncertain of whether to pursue a bachelor’s degree may find this option the perfect fit.

Here’s what our certificate students had to say about it.

Why They Chose It

• It wasn’t a four year commitment, especially since I didn’t know what was going to be in my future with having children. (from a married student)
• It looked like the best way to get a maximum amount of value from the spiritual and biblical classes that Sattler offered.
• It gave me the opportunity to experience student life at Sattler without having as long a commitment, plus still having the option to work for my degree.
• For me, it’s more of a way to take a step back and give myself a year to evaluate where I am church-wise, and too, with Sattler College being in Boston, to create opportunity to learn evangelism.
• When I realized they had the certificate option…it made it easier to take the step of coming rather than feeling like I had to commit to four years right away.
• When I started considering Sattler, I thought it was nice that what I learned would be useful [not only in ministry or mission work but] in a lot of different settings.

What They Love About It

• I learned important study skills, and my knowledge of the Bible and the Christian faith grew exponentially.
• It not only gave me a deep understanding of the Bible, but it also gave me a desire to know more.
• [I’ve realized] what a special and valuable opportunity it is to take the Bible classes we’re taking from the [quality of] professors we’re taking them from.
• I feel like I have a better understanding of the whole story of the Bible with the Old and New Testament…It just opened my eyes to a much more powerful story than I realized was there.
• [I’ve appreciated] the focus on the Scriptures along with historical Christianity.
• [My classes have] already answered core questions that came up for me in ministry, questions like, “How do we know we have the right books in our canon?” and “How do we know that the Scripture we have in the canon is inspired?”
• Being able to surround myself with other students who think differently than I do and being able to learn from them.
• It’s a matter of strengthening my own faith and being a more bold evangelist.
• Being able to explain Christianity in better ways and having a better understanding of church history.
• One thing I’ve really appreciated is that this semester we’ve learned how to take a passage and really dissect it and pull it apart, to put aside our presuppositions and allow the text to speak for itself.
• Journey group has been really great.
• One of the highlights of my semester has been prayer groups. I’ve found them really inspiring and really encouraging.
• What I think is really important as a Biblical studies student is being able to communicate what we’re learning to those around us. [I’ve found the expository writing and oral communications classes to be] really helpful in describing the truth I am learning and being able to explain it better.
• I really enjoy the Sattler community. The discipleship and the Christian community is definitely a highlight.

How They Will Use It

• Our goal [as a married couple] is to work in ministry with people in the city. We needed more knowledge of the Bible to be as effective as we wanted to be.
• One thing I’ve thought a lot about is the amount of benefit my potential children and family in future generations will get through me investing in this discipline.
• I’m really excited to go back to our community and apply the tools we learned in a Bible study.
• [What I’ve learned] will help me be more knowledgeable when I talk to people in our community, [where there are] a lot of different religious backgrounds.
• [My classes will] help me have more of a spiritual grounding when I go to secular college.
• Going forward, I will be more confident in my understanding of Scripture and be able to apply that in more practical ways.
• It will be really helpful in just being able to sit down and study with unbelievers.
• It’s a great basis to start off of. It shakes things up in my own life. I think some of these things are things I’ll be thinking about my entire life in one way or another, or continually searching the Scriptures for.

Challenges They’ve Experienced

• There’s a ton of reading, which is good. You’re able to get a broad view of different topics but it definitely takes a lot of mental stamina to be able to process everything and be able to internalize it.
• It’s a lot of Bible all at once and so it’s kinda a lot to process. There’s a lot of reading that goes with that so that’s been a little bit difficult to wrap my head around.

A Final Recommendation

• If anyone would ever think of coming, even for a year, I would highly recommend it!