Free Online Courses from Our Daily Bread Christian University

Watch and then read:

our interview with Evan Morgan, president of Our Daily Bread Christian University (ODBCU), to learn more about the many opportunities available through this online school and then peruse their course offerings shared on our GProLearning site today.

Access courses here via our Learning Paths on GProLearning:

Interview below:

How is Our Daily Bread connected with ChristianUniversity.org?

Our ministry was founded in February 1998 as a subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in the USA, with the mission of reaching students worldwide with affordable and accessible Christian learning opportunities. We became a subsidiary of Our Daily Bread Ministries (formerly RBC Ministries), publishers of the Our Daily Bread devotional, in October 2002 and began offering Christian training at no cost to the student.  Our desire is to use our courses to extend the spiritual growth and formation of all of our devotional readers and also provide needed training for pastors and church leaders globally through our catalog of 160 courses, all available without cost or obligation.

What led you to work in theological studies? And to becoming president of ChristianUniversity.org?

Prior to my time at this ministry I served as the chief financial officer at Denver Seminary, where I received my theological training. I was concerned with the increasing cost of theological education for our students and began to research how we might utilize technology to lower the cost of training. That led me to form a company and develop a database of course materials from leading scholars and make them available globally at little or no cost. My research led me to Our Daily Bread Ministries, who shared this passion for low-cost, global training. I later moved the database to Our Daily Bread Ministries under the name ChristianUniversity.org. We now have an active staff serving the needs of our global learners and have been blessed to see our enrollments grow each year. To date we have trained over 300,000 students, and we add over 25,000 new students each year.

Christian University team

Tell us more about one of your courses: the BASICS Series:

The BASICS series is designed for those with little biblical and theological background and for pastors and church leaders who have been called to pastor or lead in a local context. Though the series is called “basic,” it is quite comprehensive. The eight courses in this series are designed by Sid Buzzell, PhD, our academic dean, who has taught at a number of seminaries and specializes in content design and learning outcomes. Dr. Buzzell includes a Listening Guide with each lecture that allows further interaction with the content so that the student can not only comprehend but also apply the teaching. In addition, each course in the series includes a step-by-step Leader Guide, making it an ideal solution for adult education or small group settings. The series can be accessed at this webpage.

How can the BASICS series benefit the pastoral leaders and pastoral trainers in the GProCommission network?

We desire to be an additional free resource for pastors and trainers in the GProCommunity. To that end, we have secured leading scholars and communicators in their respective disciplines and captured their teaching in multiple digital formats. This allows for delivery not only over the Internet in audio, video or text format, but also over developing digital technologies. Our 160-course database, developed over the past twenty years, includes not only courses in our Basics series, but also Intermediate and Advanced-level courses. Many of our courses are also available in multiple languages.

How much does it cost?

We have a commitment to offer our courses and materials free of charge. For those who want to have their work validated and receive a Certificate of Completion, there is a small charge for that service.

Is it available other than online?

This series is also available on flash drives, smart phone connection, and solar-powered audio players. Our desire is to see the series used in a local context and adapted as needed, although there is a fee to purchase these units.

Can you share one recent praise report/testimony from a pastor who went through the BASICS series?

Pastor Eddy and his wife Josephine, Kenya

Growing up in western Kenya, Eddy considered his family religious, but he was disowned after accepting Christ at the age of 14. By the grace of God, he became involved in ministry through a local church by assisting his pastor in all areas of the church, including cleaning, evangelism, security, home fellowships and visitation. Eventually, he began serving in youth ministry and helped plant churches all over Africa. His commitment to the Lord and following God’s call was strong, but his biblical knowledge and training were quite weak.

After 25 years serving under his pastor, Eddy felt called to leave that church and begin a new one in his shantytown. While this new church began to grow and flourish, Eddy struggled to find training that would help equip him for the road ahead. The universities in Kenya were too costly and inaccessible. Fortunately, he found online courses through Our Daily Bread Christian University. As a result of his training, Eddy says, “I am able to see the Bible in a new way; with ease I now read the Bible with totally new understanding.”

Through the education he received, Eddy has a new confidence in his calling, feels better equipped to continue spreading God’s Word, and has fostered a church body and community who are committed to serving the Lord together.   

What are your thoughts on the divide between those pastors formally and non-formally trained? Does ChristianUniversity.org see the Basics series and other courses you offer as a bridge builder?

We have a strong commitment to support not only those seeking formal training at Christian universities and seminaries, but also those who, for a variety of reasons, but often financial, wish to study on their own. We are not an accredited university, and we see it as our role to come alongside colleges and seminaries to expand their course offerings and also to expose the broader Christian leadership community to our course database. We have invested many years and significant expense to make these courses available and now pray for a fruitful harvest of learners around the globe!

How can someone from the GProCommunity proceed to learn more about ChristianUniversity.org and the programs you offer?

Please contact us through our Contact Form at our Website at ChristianUniversity.org We also include a live chat feature on the site to answer any other questions.