Today's Wisdom

Friday, May 11, 2012

TOS Review: Judah Bible Curriculum

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As I continue my journey with the crew, I am in total awe of the products available to homeschoolers today that I have not even ever heard of!  We are finishing up our 4th year of homeschool and the products just keep coming.  


Today's review is the Judah Bible Curriculum (JBC) and was a complete unknown curriculum to me.  We received the download version, 8 + hours of audio lecture files, and a sample student notebook to review.  The first quote I saw as I opened my file to browse was this...


"I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the great gates of Hell unless they diligently labor to explain the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth.  I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount.  Every institution in which men are not unceasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt."   -Martin Luther


Whoa...that in itself was a lot to take in but as I examine those schools around me who do not engrave the Scriptures in the hearts of youth - I see the corruption so clearly!  That is what this curriculum is all about.  It is not a textbook bible curriculum.  The purpose of the Judah Bible Curriculum is to make Bible Literacy the hallmark of the new generation of Christians. It is designed to help you teach your student how to study and research the Bible, extract true understanding from it, and apply Biblical principles to his or her own life and character.


God commands us to "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15  There is only one way to do that and that is by studying His Word.  


JBC teaches you how to use the Bible as your textbook.  How many times have you used a devotional or other book instead of the Bible itself as your main Bible curriculum?  If your like me, the answer to the question is - a lot!  JBC helps you break the curriculum dependence and educate yourself using your Bible. 


Here is what makes JBC different from other Bible curriculum (from the website)...

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The Judah Bible Curriculum is a "Principle Approach" Bible curriculum.  What is the "Principle Approach" was my first question and this is what I found from this website.


The Principle Approach is a way of teaching and learning that puts the Word of God at the heart of every subject and teaches the student how to think and learn. The philosophy and method include these three distinct characteristics:
  • Teaches students to reason Biblically for themselves, producing excellent Christian scholarship
  • Nurtures individual self-government in each student, causing him to take responsibility for his own education and growth
  • Sets all learning in the context of God’s hand moving in providential history—His Story
  • Upholds the teacher and parent as a living textbook, the essential mentor, example and mediator of learning to the student
 JBC's distinctives are the following:
  • The BIBLE is the textbook. The student studies and learns the Bible.
  • The student learns God's purpose in history, studying the hand of God in the lives of men and nations through the Bible.
  • The student develops his reasoning ability, helping him to apply Biblical principles personally.
  • The curriculum helps you shift from rote learning to Biblical reasoning.
  • The student learns the relationship between the sovereignty of God and the personal responsibility of the individual.
  • The student learns the relationship between individual character and national liberty.
JBC divides the Bible into the 5 themes.  These themes are chronological and describe what is happening governmentally through the Bible as follows:


  • Theme 1. Creation 
  • Theme 2. The Plan of Redemption Begins
  • Theme 3. Kingdom of Israel
  • Theme 4. Kingdom of God
  • Theme 5. Early Church
You will learn and teach the Old Testament the first semester and the New Testament the second semester. The Old Testament emphasis is on Theme II with the Israelites' deliverance from bondage, the giving of the Law, and God being their King.

The New Testament emphasizes the establishment (in the Gospels) and beginning expansion (in Acts and the Epistles) of Jesus' internal Kingdom in the hearts of individuals.



Each week as you complete your assignment, you will fill out Key Sheets (see the Key Individual Sheet sample below).


In each time period you will study a few of the key individuals, key events, key institutions, and key documents for each Theme and document these on your Key Sheets.  These sheets will then be placed in a Bible Notebook.  Weekly, you will put one or two items (or more) into this notebook, describing the Weekly Theme Focus. These can be title pages, time lines, maps, illustrations from commentaries, writing exercises, essays, and especially key sheets. (A sample notebook is included with your purchase to help you gain some ideas on where to start.)

My absolute favorite part of this curriculum was the access to a teacher walk-through section.  Although, it is left entirely up to you and your family to research and find all of this research information, the teacher walk-through gives you a step by step guide to how you can do that.

I must warn you though that this is not an open your book and go type of curriculum.  There is also not an answer key. You will not find fill in the blank questions in this curriculum.  You will find samples with answers but the answers are left for you to find for yourself.

This curriculum is designed to by used over and over again in grades K-12.  It is the only Bible curriculum you will need for your entire family.  


Total $44.00.
You get:
1) Judah Bible Curriculum K-12 Manual, e-book format to download;
2) Elementary Notebook Ideas booklet to view online or download;
3) Eight-lecture Teacher Training Seminar. listen online or download.
(40% discount for online delivery!)
Total $74.00.
Allow 7 days for delivery.
You get:
1) Judah Bible Curriculum K-12 Manual;
2) Elementary Notebook Ideas booklet;
3) Eight-lecture Teacher Training Seminar on CDs.

To Order by Phone or Mail
To order by phone or mail:
217-344-5672
Judah Bible Curriculum
P.O. Box 122
Urbana, Illinois, 61803.



Don't forget to check out what my fellow crewmates thought about Judah Bible Curriculum .

**Disclaimer: As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, I was received a free online download of this curriculum to review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation.


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