Course Syllabus
Welcome to BIB101b Distinctives of
Biblical Living, Part II!
If you are unfamiliar with Canvas, please take a moment after reviewing the syllabus to read through the Canvas Orientation.
Overview |
Course Work |
Resources & Policies |
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Meet Your Professor
Dr. Joe Keller (facilitator & lecturer)
Joe Keller joined The Master's College in 1996, where he currently serves as the Vice President of Student Life and teaches in the Biblical Counseling Department. He completed his undergraduate degree at The Master's College, his Master of Divinity degree at The Master’s Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree at Westminster Theological Seminary. In addition to hanging out with college students, Joe enjoys reading theology, being outdoors, and laughing with his wife Heidi and their four children.
Contact Information
Email: jkeller@masters.edu
Degrees
M. Div. The Master's Seminary
D. Min. Westminster Seminary
Course Description & Objectives
Course Description
BIB101b Distinctives of Biblical Living, Part II: The education at The Master’s College is committed to helping all students develop a comprehensive biblical worldview, to grow in their biblical thinking and living. We have imbedded strategic opportunities for our students to develop spiritually within our traditional undergraduate experience and desire to give similar opportunity within our online degrees. Throughout our students’ online program they will take four one-unit courses entitled Distinctives of Biblical Living (I-IV). These courses are designed to help students comprehend, reflect, and apply through their own spiritual development according to four main biblical principles. These principles are Divine Authority, Heart Transformation, Sanctifying Relationships, and Gospel Witness. Each course is designed to promote these biblical principles of spiritual growth through practical expressions in the students’ lives that complement their online educational experience. We recognize that no formal program can create genuine spiritual growth, but we are confident these courses give every student the opportunity to biblically develop lives that give glory to our Master.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, the student will be able to:
- Define the interrelated biblical principles of Divine Authority and how those are demonstrated in everyday Christian life.
- Apply the Distinctive of Divine Authority through practical exercises and reflecting upon the student’s experience and application.
- Promote the student’s ongoing spiritual development through the evaluation of related material and chapel messages.
Textbooks
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all course materials, including textbooks are obtained by the first week of the course. Students are responsible for completing assigned reading and submitting assignments according to the syllabus. Extensions are not granted for reasons which include not having access to course textbooks. Texts may be purchased through online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.
The Master's College students trust The Master's College Book Store for new and used textbooks. At The Master's College Book Store you'll get the exact textbooks selected by your instructors at the most competitive prices guaranteed. Visit The Master’s College Online Bookstore to buy or rent your textbooks online.
For more information, see Student Handbook § 3.03
Required Textbooks
The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer (ISBN: 1578988519)
Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson (ISBN: 0851515215)
Love or Die, Alexander Strauch (ISBN: 093608328X)
Grading
Grade Breakdown
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Grade Item |
Point Value |
% of Total Grade |
| Lecture/Chapel Responses | 240 |
24% |
| Journaling Assignments | 360 |
36% |
| Book Reviews | 360 |
36% |
| Verse Quiz/Local Church Commitment | 40 | 4% |
| Total | 1000 points | 100% |
Grade Scale
| A | 94-100% |
| A- | 90-93% |
| B+ | 87-89% |
| B | 84-86% |
| B- | 80-83% |
| C+ | 77-79% |
| C | 74-76% |
| C- | 70-73% |
| D+ | 67-69% |
| D | 64-66% |
| D- | 60-63% |
| F | 59 or below |
Module Schedule
Module = Week (e.g. Module 1 = Week 1; Module 2 = Week 2, etc.)
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MODULE 1: Introduction to the Course |
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Overview |
Syllabus |
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Reading |
The Pursuit of God |
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Lectures |
Lecture: Introduction |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Local Church Commitment |
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Exams |
Lecture Response |
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MODULE 2: |
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Reading |
The Pursuit of God |
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Lectures |
Lifestyle of Worship |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
none |
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Exams |
Lecture Response Memory Verse Quiz |
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MODULE 3: |
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Reading |
The Pursuit of God |
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Lectures |
The Nature of Worship: Dr. John MacArthur |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Sanctifying the Common Journal Due |
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Exams |
Chapel Response |
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MODULE 4: |
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Reading |
Doctrine of Repentance |
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Lectures |
Lecture: Posture of Repentance |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
The Pursuit of God Book Review Due |
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Exams |
Lecture Response |
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MODULE 5: |
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Reading |
Doctrine of Repentance |
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Lectures |
A Lifestyle of Repentance: Dr. Kent Dresdow |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Psalm 51 Journal Due |
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Exams |
Chapel Response |
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MODULE 6: |
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Reading |
Love or Die |
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Lectures |
Continuum of Love |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Doctrine of Repentance Book Review Due |
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Exams |
Lecture Response |
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MODULE 7: |
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Reading |
Love or Die |
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Lectures |
True Biblical Love for One Another: Dr. Abner Chou |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Love God, Love People Journal Due |
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Exams |
Chapel Response |
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MODULE 8: Course Review |
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Reading |
Love or Die |
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Lectures |
Class Review |
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Discussions |
none |
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Assignments |
Love or Die Book Review Due |
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Exams |
Lecture Response |
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Café |
Student Opinion Survey (Self-Service) |
Assignments
All written assignments must be formatted according to the following style guidelines:
- 12 pt., Times New Roman font.
- Double-spaced.
- One-inch margins.
- The student's name and box number should be in the top right corner of the paper.
- Assignment name should be center justified, and underlined.
If the written assignment is not submitted according to the aforementioned guidelines the assignment will receive a grade of no credit.
Lecture/Chapel Response
Upon the completion of a Lecture or Chapel Message each student is required to complete a response worksheet on Canvas that week. The response will include the answers to the following questions.
- Did you listen to 100% of the content?
- What are three key observations from the content?
- What are three areas of personal application?
Local Church Commitment
Spiritual development is cultivated within the context of the Local Church. Each student will be required to complete a commitment worksheet on Canvas on the following:
- Name and address of the Local Church they are attending
- Identify if they are a member of that church
- What ministries and/or fellowship groups they attend in addition to the main corporate worship service.
The responses will be graded on a credit/no credit scale.
Scripture Memorization Quiz
Each student will be required to memorize and recite the following passages of scripture from the English Standard Version:
- I Corinthians 10:31
- I John 1:8-9
- Mathew 22:37-40
The Scripture verses should be recited to someone in their Local Church in preparation for the quiz on Canvas.
The quiz will be composed of the following:
- Whom did you recite your verses to? What is your relationship with them? How many words did you miss?
- Fill-in-the-blank sections of select Scripture passages for completion.
Journal Assignments
Journaling is an excellent catalyst to connect personal experiences with the thoughts of the heart. This self-reflective craft not only allows you to clarify your thoughts and reflect on what God is teaching you, but it also allows you a written record in the future to look back on how God worked in your life during your college years.
Each student will be required to honestly compose a typed journal entry reacting and reflecting upon their participation in the assignment. The journal should be no longer than four pages and no shorter than one full page. Follow the assignment style guidelines. The journal will be graded on a credit/no credit scale. If the paper is less than a full page with only a one inch margin on every side, the student will automatically receive no credit for the assignment.
- Sanctifying the Common: Identify up to three ordinary expressions in your life (washing the dishes, work meetings, playing with your kids etc.) and reflect upon how those activities can be an expression of true worship from the heart. Seek to put into practice your insights. Journal on your experience and your conclusions.
- Psalm 51: Read and reflect upon Psalm 51. What aspects of true repentance were most notable to you? Are there areas of your life that need to be repented of? What does an everyday posture of repentance look like practically in your life? Journal your response.
- Love God, Love People: Consider one expression of God’s Love to you and how that love can be expressed to your family and members of your local church. Practice at least two practical expressions of your love in this area, and journal on your experience and conclusions.
Book Reviews
Each Book Review must be composed according to the following categories:
- Summary of the main points/principles of the material (400 words)
- Three annotated quotations that highlight the most meaningful statements of the material.(300 Words)
- Commentary on concepts difficult to understand and/or areas for increased personal understanding and study.(200 words)
- Commentary on areas of personal application (200 words) Students should clearly organize and subtitle each of the four categories of the book report. If the content from each of the four sections scattered throughout will result in a lower grade.
Discussions
Discussion forums are an important part of online learning. Though you may feel apprehensive about participating (this is completely normal), you will soon find it to be an engaging and interesting part of the course! You'll find that not only does your knowledge and understanding of the course content deepen, but you will develop and grow in your faith at the same time.
Regular participation is required, and counts towards your participation points/grade.
Guidelines for posting to Discussions:
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Use a subject line that relates to your post; this will help create interest and focus for the discussion.
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Write clearly and with expression. Communicating online requires careful and concise writing, but also allows your personality to come through! Though humor is effective and at times relevant in discussion, be sure to avoid sarcasm, which does not translate well in the online environment. REMEMBER: other students cannot see your expression when you post, so they do not always have a context for it and may misunderstand your meaning.
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Be supportive, considerate and constructive when replying to your classmates. Do not use jargon, slang or inappropriate language. No “U” for you; keep your “LOL” to yourself!
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If you disagree with a classmate please respond in a respectful and tactful manner. Any posts deemed inappropriate by the professor will be removed from the discussion board.
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Keep your post focused on the topic, relating any class readings and materials from the current module in your post (as applicable).
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Proofread and review your response before hitting the submit button! You have one hour to edit your response before it is posted, then, it cannot be modified or removed except by the instructor.
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Participate regularly. Improve your learning by being an active and engaged student. Successful students follow and participate in the assigned discussion throughout the module, logging on consistently each week while reading and participating in forums as assigned in the module.
For more information, read this article on Netiquette.
Research Resources
Turabian Formatting
Click on the following to see information on the subject:
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Formatting footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography: Citation Guide
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Inserting page numbers into your paper:
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For Microsoft Word 1997-2003: Turabian_and_Word_97-2003.pdf
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For Microsoft Word 2007-present: Turabian_and_Word_2007.pdf
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Writing Resources
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University of Purdue's writing lab, OWL: For help with writing of papers, assignments and academic papers please visit this comprehensive site.
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Book Review Explanation: For further information about writing a book review from OWL, Purdue's Online Writing Lab.
Powell Library at The Master's College
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Search the library’s Online Catalog to find materials supporting all areas of study offered at The Master’s College.
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More information about Powell Library’s hours and online learning services can be found at the TMC Library page
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The library provides many tools for locating resources and information you may need for your course work. Here is a listing of our LibGuides.
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We have found two tutorials to be particularly helpful:
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Boolean Logic Applied to Online Searching: Boolean.ppt
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Citation Searching: Citation_Searching.ppt
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- If you want to check out a book through TMC Powell Library that is not currently available in the system, please see the Interlibrary Loan page for more information.
- Library to Student Lending Service (L2S): Online Program Students who need books or articles but cannot get them through a local library may request the item through the Robert L. Powell Library under the following conditions:
- The student resides within the contiguous United States. All others please contact Janet Tillman (Miss T.) directly, jtillman@masters.edu.
- If and only if, the needed book(s) or article(s) cannot be obtained through the student’s own local library.
- If and only if, the Powell Library has the book(s) or article(s) within its own collection.
- The Powell Library will pay to send L2S books to the student (delivery address only; no PO Boxes)
- The student will pay to send the L2S books back to the Powell Library (use USPS Media Mail)
- Loan period is six weeks. This includes estimated time for delivery there and back again.
- Articles will be emailed and may be kept by the student.
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You may also contact our research librarian, Janet Tillman if you have any questions about research and/or resources for coursework and assignments at jtillman@masters.edu.
For more information, see Student Handbook § 6.02
TMC Online Policies
Closed Note Academic Dishonesty Policy
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Closed note means you may not access any outside materials, websites, books, or other outside resources, (including using electronic devices such as cell phones, e-tablets, etc.) while taking an exam.
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The following rule applies to both open and closed book/note exams: Upon completion, you are not permitted to discuss or record the exam questions or exam content with any individual(s). If these guidelines are not followed, you will be in violation of Masters College ‘Academic Dishonesty Policy’ which will result in the exam graded as a 0%. Any subsequent documented offense of academic dishonesty (regardless of whether it occurs in the same or any other course taken by the student at the College) will result in automatic failure of the course and expulsion from the College for a minimum of one academic year.
For more information, see Student Handbook § 4.02
Grade Policy
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Professors keep record of all student grades for course assignments, participation, quizzes, exams and extra credit as assigned. Check the Gradebook in Canvas for your grades. Note the following:
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Quiz and exam grades scored by Canvas in some instances need to be adjusted by the professor to account for essay and/or short answer responses or in some rare instances discrepancies within the test itself.
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This also applies to Extra credit or additional assignments [as assigned].
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- The instructor might also adjust grades within the Canvas grade book calculated inaccurately.
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The official grade is recorded with the course instructor throughout the course. As a result, students will find their final and official grade for the course in Self-Service which is the same grade students will see on their transcript at course completion. This grade may be different from the grade which appears in Canvas for the reasons outlined above. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your professor.
Student Handbook § 3.06
Late Policy
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Late assignments (essays, papers, power point assignments etc.) will be subject to a 20% deduction on the first day an assignment is late and 10% each day thereafter unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor. If you know you will be offline the day an assignment is due, please make sure to post it early. Anytime you feel that you might be falling behind in the course, it is best to contact the instructor before you fall behind to discuss your situation. If you have an assignment completed by the deadline but are unable upload it through Canvas for technical reasons, send the assignment file to the instructor as an attachment via email to demonstrate that it was completed on time.
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Exams (both proctored and non-proctored) that are not completed by the due date are closed and not available for students to complete. Students will thus receive a ‘0’ on the exam. If you are unable to take the exam by the due date, please contact the instructor prior to the close date to discuss options.
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Assignments, exam, quiz and test due dates are outlined in the Course Schedule section of the syllabus. Due dates are usually Sunday evenings at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST).
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Discussion due dates for postings vary; the specific days are outlined in the Discussion Grading Rubric located within the syllabus section of the course. There are no extensions granted for late discussion postings regardless of circumstances.
In some instances there may be extensions granted for late recording of completed reading required for a given week, but this does not apply to the discussion/reflection aspect of the posting.
Student Handbook § 3.04.c
Course Add/Drop Policy
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Credit Enrollments: Online Courses dropped before the first week of the class has ended (before the second Monday) will receive a 100% refund. Courses dropped during the second week (before the third Monday) will receive a 75% refund. Courses dropped during the third week (before the fourth Monday) will receive a 50% refund. Courses dropped after the third week are not eligible to receive a refund. Students can withdraw from a course without a grade being recorded until the end of the sixth week, after which a grade will be awarded based on work submitted up to that point.
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Students can add and drop courses within the open Registration Period before courses begin. After the first day of class, students must submit a Petition to Add or Drop a Class form. If you are considering adjusting your schedule by adding or dropping, you must contact your Academic Counselor. For a list of academic counselors, see Student Handbook § 2.02c.
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Audit Enrollments: Audit students who withdraw from classes before course materials have been received are eligible for a full tuition refund. There are no tuition refunds for Audit Enrollments after they have received either access to their course home page or a DVD lecture set. You will need to contact your academic counselor to enroll you in the course at a later date. You will be charged full tuition to retake the GES/DS course(s).
Student Handbook § 2.02.c
End of Term: Course Availability & Late Assignment Submissions
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This course will be continuously available for your reference so that you can return to download any course documents, assignments or lectures that you were unable to save during the duration of the term in which the course was live. However, with the exception of students in an ongoing cohort, please note that any assignments submitted after the term concludes will not be accepted unless preapproved by the course facilitator (i.e. professor).
Student Handbook § 3.05
Student Audit Policy
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The Master’s College Online department extends enrollment of online courses to students not wishing to pursue course credit, but rather are interested in personal enrichment. Such applicants are classified as ‘audit’ students.
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Audit students enrolled in a course are able to access the course home page through the Learning Management platform, Canvas, for the duration of the course session. The course home page provides access to all course learning materials including video lectures, lecture notes, related handouts, the course syllabus and other course resources.
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Participation and Grading: Audit students can, and are encouraged to, participate in discussion forums, but are under no obligation to do so. Given that audit students do not receive grades, students are not required nor permitted to submit assignments or course work to the instructor for review or grading.
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Copyright policy as it applies to Audit Students: Audit students are also required to adhere to The Master’s College Copyright policy which states that course materials and resources are for personal educational use only. Reproduction and/or distribution of course materials are restricted. Please refer to the copyright information section of the course e-book for further details.
Student Handbook § 3.08
Copyright Policy
- Please note that the copyrights for the course materials provided in this course, including the course videos, are owned by their creators. You are licensed to use these materials for your education, and for taking this course. All other rights are restricted—if you wish to reproduce any of these materials, please contact us.
Student Handbook § 4.07
TMC Policies
Academic Dishonesty Policy
It is the responsibility of the faculty member to pursue suspected incidents of academic dishonesty occurring within his/her courses. If a student is found to be guilty of cheating, plagiarism or another form of academic dishonesty, the faculty member is required to document the incident in writing and submit the report to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The first documented incident of academic dishonesty will result in the student failing the assignment or the course at the instructor’s discretion depending on the severity of the incident. Any subsequent documented offense of academic dishonesty by that student (regardless of whether it occurs in the same or any other course taken by the student at the College) will result in automatic failure of the course and expulsion of the student from the College for a minimum of one academic year.
Academic honor and Christian virtue in your studies is the result of placing your vocational and academic pursuits under the Lordship of Christ (2 Cor 10.5). It is the result of respecting and honoring the faculty and the institution as “one with authority” (1 Pet 2.13). It is the result of modeling academic excellence in one’s academic pursuits before a watching world (Matt 5.16).
For more information, see Student Handbook § 4.02.a
Disability Policy
The Master’s College is committed to practicing principles of equal opportunity and to provide educational programs and/or activities for all students based upon sovereign biblical principles. We are also committed to comply with provisions of various state and federal regulations, among them the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, regarding discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
To comply with these regulations we provide a variety of services to individuals with disabilities through the Office of Disability Services. Persons having questions about obtaining available services at TMC should contact Diana Castanzo at (661) 362-2269, or email her at dcastanzo@masters.edu.
Because regulations do not permit the College to inquire about existing or perceived disabilities, we invite individuals to identify a qualified disability and specifically request reasonable accommodations to assist them in meeting the requirements and expectations of one or more of their courses.
Student Handbook § 6.03
Help & Support
Should you have any course content related questions, please communicate directly with your professors via Canvas, TMC email, and phone. General information concerning OLP (Online Learning Program) matters not related to enrollment or academic counseling should be directed to the Administrative Assistant, Lindsay Mullin, at lmullin@masters.edu or 661-362-2671.
Should you need to get a hold of our offices on campus, office hours at the OLP office are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PST).
For more information, see Student Handbook § 1.02
Academic Help
- For questions about the course content, assignments, or grades please contact the course professor, Dr. Joe Keller, at jkeller@masters.edu.
Course Home Page Help
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For questions or help about the technical aspects of the course home page (e.g., the video lessons aren't working, links are missing or not working, etc.), please email onlinecoursehelp@masters.edu. You should receive a response within 24 hours.
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If you require immediate assistance, please contact one of the following TMC Online department team members:
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Jay Street, TMC Online Course Technician: jdstreet@masters.edu (661-362-2683)
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James McLaughlin, TMC Online Director: jmclaughlin@masters.edu (661-362-2672)
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Technical Support
- For technical support regarding your computer or access to your account on Self-Service, please contact The Master’s College IT department:
IT Service Desk
Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm – 661.362.2876 – servicesdesk@masters.com or helpdesk@masters.edu
For more information, see Student Handbook § 6.03
Canvas Help/Tutorials
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If you are new to Canvas, view the Canvas Student Quickstart Guide:
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You can get help with Canvas by clicking "Help" in the upper-right corner and "Search the Canvas Guides."
Canvas Log-in Help
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If you are unable to log onto Canvas, please contact onlinecoursehelp@masters.edu.
Administrative Questions
- For any administrative questions related to the course, such as adding or dropping online courses, proctoring administration, etc., please contact your Academic Counselor.
For more information, see Student Handbook § 2.02.c
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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