Introduction

The Certificate in Theology is designed to be flexible, allowing students to study individually or in a group and at their own pace, completing an assessment at the end of the term which is credited towards their certificate. Equip Gospel Ministries (Equip) recommends study in groups and provides groups and teachers to help students get the most out of the course. The materials used for the Certificate in Theology are part of a well-established distance learning course from Moore Theological College in Sydney that is used throughout the world.

Start with Bible Overview!

Bible Overview is the first subject in the Certificate in Theology course. It provides an overview of the entire Bible, plus helpful hints on how to understand its main themes. Check out the intro clip below.

Quick Links

Course Delivery

Academic Requirements

Cost Per Module

Bible Software

Course Structure

Modules

Upcoming Courses

Host a course

Course Delivery

(Disclaimer: Equip-MBS courses are only able to accept those who are currently residing in Malaysia (regardless of nationality). A Malaysian citizen currently living in another country will not be able to register for this course either.)

Anyone (age 15 and above) who wishes to study and understand God’s word better are welcome to enrol in the course. We do recommend that full-time students and employed individuals should only take one module per term in order to learn effectively.

Every student has their own learning style and Equip seeks to support students through the following methods:

On-site classes
Most students learn best attending a class physically. Classes are run in different host churches throughout Malaysia. Please note that students are not permitted to audit classes.

Intensive classes
Occasionally, Equip offers intensive classes over two weekends, e.g. Friday 8pm-10pm, and Saturday 9am-4pm. These intensive classes can also be credited as one unit (if exams are sat). An additional RM 20 will be charged for lunch fee.

Online virtual classes
Currently available for students to attend virtual classes online. Online classes are the temporary replacement for the on-site classes. Classes are divided into groups as according to the different host churches/centres. Students are able to have interactions, and discussions with the teacher and other students.

Self-study
All Certificate modules are also available through self-study. Apart from the textbook, students have access to many online resources such as quizzes, worksheets, videos and audio through our Online Learning System. This allow students to learn effectively, even if they are unable to commit to attending an on-site or online virtual class. These online materials are also available to on-site and online virtual class students.

There are four terms each year for self-study:

Term 1	15th January to 30th March
Term 2	15th May to 31st July
Term 3	15th September to 30th November

Host a course

If you are interested in hosting a course in your church, we require a minimum of 15 people to commit to attending the course. If you can fulfill that number, please fill out the form here to express your interest.

Academic Requirements

There are no prior academic requirements however students should be aware that the course is roughly of ‘A’ level standard and proficiency in spoken and written English is required.

Students should be prepared to spend about five hours each week studying the subject.

It is recommended that students spend approximately five hours a week per module (including two hours class time).

If you have any concerns over your ability to undertake a module please do contact us for more information on additional study support.

Cost Per Module

Each module costs RM 380. However, Equip offers a subsidised fee inclusive of exam fees:
Normal – RM 160 per module
Concession – RM 110 per module

Concession rates are meant for students, ministry workers, pensioners, or unemployed folks. If you are a working adult, please pay the normal rate.

Re-enrolment rate is applicable if you have done the module previously. Please note that you will not receive a new textbook.

Full-time Christian workers and those undergoing financial difficulty should contact us for information on further concessions or financial aid. For financial please download and fill in the scholarship form before contacting us.

Bible Software

Having good research tools is an excellent aid to the thorough study of God’s word. One of the best Bible Software Packages on the market is Logos Bible Software. Check out the available discounted package for Equip students!

Graduation

Information about graduation procedures may be found here.

Read Testimonials from some of our graduates here.

Course Structure

Main Awards	Points required
Equip-MBS Certificate of Theology	Total 18 points
Equip-MBS Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC)	6 points
Equip-MBS Intermediate Theological Certificate (ITC)	6 points
Equip-MBS Certificate in Theology (Th.C)	6 points

To fulfill the requirements for the certificate, students need to complete 6 modules each in the Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced Levels respectively. After 6 modules at the Preliminary Level, the student will receive a Preliminary Certificate in Theology. After completing any other 6 the student will receive an Intermediate Certificate in Theology and after completing another 6 the student will be awarded the Certificate in Theology from Equip.

Modules

Please find below a list of modules required for each level of the Equip Certificate in Theology. Students must register for ‘Bible Overview’ before proceeding to other modules.

Please note that not all modules are on offer each term.

* Same module completed previously will only be counted once towards a credit.

Preliminary Theological Certificate	Intermediate Theological Certificate	Advanced Theological Certificate
Bible Overview	Promise to Fulfilment	Early Church history
Doctrine 1	Early Church history	Reformation Church History
New Testament 1	Reformation Church History	Doctrine 3
Ephesians	Christian Worship	Apologetics
Old Testament 1	Prayer Book	Christian Ethics
One of the following:	New Testament 2	New Testament 3
Promise to Fulfilment	Romans	New Testament 4
Christian Worship	Old Testament 2	The Gospel According to John
	Doctrine 2	Old Testament 3
		Old Testament 4
		Historical Theology

Preliminary Level (6 subjects to complete)

* Compulsory to complete for Certificate

*BT111 Foundation: Bible Overview (Pre-requisite)

An overview of the entire Bible, plus helpful hints on how to understand its main themes.

Syllabus
1. The Book of Books
2. Interpreting the Bible
3. From creation to new creation
4. Israel and God’s purposes
5. The promised land and God’s good purposes writings
6. The Kingdom of David & God’s purpose
7. God’s purpose renewed
8. Jesus the fulfiller of God’s purpose
9. The Gospel for the nations
10. Awaiting the fulfilment – The Apostles’

*CT101 Doctrine 1

We explore the Bible’s teaching about God – how we get to know him, what he is like, what he has done for us.

Syllabus
1. The Gospel of God
2. Knowing God
3. Sources for the knowledge of God
4. The Bible as the Word of God
5. The God we know (1)
6. The God we know (2): the Trinity
7. The God who creates
8. The God who saves
9. The God who rules history
10. The God who renews

*NT111 New Testament 1

Exploring God’s purposes in sending Christ. Getting to know Jesus through the Gospel of Mark.

Syllabus
1. The gospel and the Gospels
2. Prepare the way for the Lord
3. The Kingdom of God is near
4. Jesus spoke to them in parables
5. Jesus cares for the perishing
6. Responding to Jesus
7. Following Jesus on the ‘way’
8. Jesus comes to Jerusalem
9. The Coming of the Son of Man
10. The King and his Kingdom

*NT112 Ephesians

This letter teaches us that we can only understand the present by relating it to what God has done in the past, and therefore to his intentions for the future. Ephesians presents a big picture, with cosmic dimensions, of God and his world for us to take in.

Syllabus
1. Why write to the Ephesians
2. The big picture of God’s salvation
3. The Christian and the Church
4. The mystery in focus
5. The new humanity: in church
6. The new humanity: the old self and the new self
7. The new humanity: out of darkness into light
8. The new humanity: living by God’s wisdom
9. The new humanity: living in the overlap of the ages
10. To sum up all things in Christ

*OT111 Old Testament 1

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy together. What do they teach? What holds them together.

Syllabus
1. Creation and God’s purposes
2. Rebellion and judgement
3. The patriarchs
4. The book of Exodus
5. The redemption of Israel
6. Israel at Sinai
7. The sacrificial system
8. The book of Numbers
9. The book of Deuteronomy
10. Major ideas in Deuteronomy

BT121 Promise to Fulfilment (optional)

This module is designed to help students interpret the Bible and so is particularly useful for those who are involved in any teaching ministry.

Syllabus
1. Biblical Theology
2. Jesus and the Old Testament
3. Abraham and the Children of Promise 1
4. Abraham and the Children of Promise 2
5. Exodus and God’s Redemption 1
6. Exodus and God’s Redemption 2
7. The King of God’s Kingdom
8. The Covenant of Grace
9. The Gospel for the Nations
10. The Eternal Inheritance

CW111 Christian Worship (optional)

What is the biblical meaning of ‘worship’? How will that meaning be expressed?

Syllabus
1. Worship in the Old Testament
2. Worship under the New Covenant
3. Why the early Christians met together
4. The Lord’s Supper
5. The Development of Liturgies
6. Continental Reformation Liturgies
7. British Reformation Liturgies
8. Modern Liturgies
9. Hearing God’s Word
10. Singing Together

Intermediate Level (6 subjects to complete)

* Same module completed previously will only be counted once towards a credit.

BT121 Promise to Fulfilment

This module is designed to help students interpret the Bible and so is particularly useful for those who are involved in any teaching ministry.

CW111 Christian Worship

What is the biblical meaning of ‘worship’? How will that meaning be expressed?

CH121 Early Church History

Early Church History takes a look at the life of the church (its struggles, persecution, and consolidation) through the first five centuries AD.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to Early Church History
2. Apostles and ‘Apostolic Fathers’
3. Challengers and Champions: Heresies in the first centuries
4. Christian Life: 2nd and 3rd centuries
5. The Hour of Trial: Persecutions of the Early Church
6. A New Era: Accepted and Respected
7. Trinitarian Controversies
8. Men and Women of East and West
9. The Road to Chalcedon: Christological Controversies
10. Popes, Monks and Missionaries

CH122 Reformation Church History

The Reformation was the time when the gospel was rediscovered. Learn how Christians found the freedom that Christ brings.

Syllabus
1. The medieval Background
2. Martin Luther
3. Lay Reformation in the cities
4. The radical Reformation
5. John Calvin & international Calvinism
6. The papal Reformation
7. The monarchical Reformation in England
8. Liturgical Reformation & Marion Counter Reformation
9. Elizabethan England & international
10. Scotland and Presbyterianism

CW121 Prayer Book

A historical and theological exploration of why and how Anglicans meet together.

Syllabus 1. What really is worship?
2. Why gather together?
3. The Lord’s Supper
4. The first English Prayer Book
5. The second English Prayer Book
6. The Prayer Book from 1552 to 1662
7. Modern Anglican Prayer Books
8. Morning and Evening Prayer
9. Baptism and Confirmation
10. Occasional services

NT121 New Testament 2

We trace how the risen and ascended Christ continues to achieve his gospel purposes through the events of the book of Acts.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles
2. The beginning of the church
3. The Church and the Jewish authorities
4. The Church begins to expand
5. The beginnings of the Gentile mission
6. The mission to Asia Minor and its repercussions
7. Paul’s missionary campaign in Macedonia & Achaia
8. Paul’s missionary campaign in Asia Minor
9. Paul’s arrest and imprisonment Part 1
10. Paul’s arrest and imprisonment Part 2

NT122 Romans

Romans opens up the central truths of the gospel. This book has changed many lives. Some of these lives have changed history. A detailed walk through the book of Romans in this module.

Syllabus
1. The background of the letter
2. Why we need the gospel
3. How God meets our need
4. The fruit of justification
5. The Christian and sin
6. The Christian and God’s law
7. Life in the Spirit
8. The problem of Israel’s unbelief
9. Jews and Gentiles in the plan of God
10. Love in action

OT121 Old Testament 2

This unit considers the Former Prophets from Joshua to 2 Kings.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to the former prophets
2. The book of Joshua
3. The book of Judges
4. 1 Samuel 1–12 Samuel and the beginnings of the monarchy
5. 1 Samuel 13-31
6. 2 Samuel
7. 1 Kings 1-11
8. 1 Kings 12—2 Kings 17 Israel and Judah
9. 1 Kings 17—2 Kings 13
10. 2 Kings 18-25

CT121 Doctrine 2

Who is Jesus Christ? What is the nature of sin? How did Christ’s death deal with sin?

Syllabus

1. Adam: Man of Dust
2. Adam: Man in Sin
3. Christ: The Man from Heaven
4. Christ Crucified
5. Christ Exalted
6. The Spirit of God
7. The Call of God
8. Turning to God
9. The Justice of God
10. God’s Choice

Advanced Level (6 subjects to complete)

* Same module completed previously under Intermediate Level will only be counted once.

CH121 Early Church History

Early Church History takes a look at the life of the church (its struggles, persecution, and consolidation) through the first five centuries AD.

CH122 Reformation Church History

The Reformation was the time when the gospel was rediscovered. Learn how Christians found the freedom that Christ brings.

CT131 Doctrine 3

The Church. What it is and what does it do in the purposes of God? Attention is paid to Christian worship, baptism and the Lord’s supper.

Syllabus
1. The Church (1): The Nature of the Church
2. The Church (2): God’s Calling of the Church
3. The Church (3): The Fellowship of the Church
4. The Church (4): The Continuity of the Church
5. The Church (5): The Church & Denominations
6. Christian Worship
7. The Lord’s Supper
8. Baptism
9. The Ministry
10. False Ministries

ET131 Apologetics

How do we answer people’s questions about Christianity? This unit presents guidelines on how to develop a reasoned biblical approach.

Syllabus
1. The Christian Apologist
2. Varieties of approach
3. Faith and reason
4. Concepts of truth
5. Arguing for the existence of God
6. Intellectual barriers to faith: traditional questions
7. Intellectual barriers to faith: alternative world views
8. Intellectual barriers to faith: Christian doctrines
9. Personal barriers to faith
10. Apologetics in action

ET132 Christian Ethics

The course as a whole concentrates on the foundations of the Bible, Doctrine and Church History. Our primary aim is to equip people for ministry by exploring the great story of God’s faithfulness written for us in the Bible and grasping its meaning for all of life. In our experience, this course can help make an impact on your Church that will continue to shape its ministry and witness well into the future.

Syllabus

Study 1 An Introduction to Ethics
Study 2 Using the Bible in Ethics
Study 3 Doing Normative Christian Ethics
Study 4 The Unity of Christian Ethics – The Mutual Love Ethic
Study 5 The Unity of Christian Ethics – Five Things that Matter
Study 6 Ethical Passages – The Sermon on the Plain (Lk 6:17-49)
Study 7 Ethical Issues – Relationships and Sexuality
Study 8 Ethical Issues – Relationships and Society
Study 9 Ethical Issues – Ethics at the Extremes of Life
Study 10 Ethical Issues – Making Disciples of all Nations

NT131 New Testament 3

Paul and his ministry. Investigating the problems he faced, the gospel he preached and the letters he wrote.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to Paul’s Letters
2. Paul and the Gospel
3. The Defence of the Gospel of grace
4. The Nature of Christian Freedom
5. Paul the Pastor
6. Problems at Corinth
7. The Apostolic Ministry
8. Philippians and Ephesians
9. Fullness of Life in Christ
10. The Pastoral Epistles

NT141 New Testament 4

An overview of the non-Pauline letters, with an in-depth look at Hebrews and how to understand Revelation.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to Hebrews
2. Hebrews 1-4
3. Hebrews 5-10
4. Hebrews 10:19-13:25
5. The Epistle of James
6. 1 Peter 1-2
7. 1 Peter 3-5
8. Jude and 2 Peter
9. Revelation 1-3
10. Revelation 4-22

* New Testament 4 is available as a paper-based unit only, not available online.

NT142 The Gospel According to John

This study of John focuses solely on John’s Gospel, drawing out what is distinctive about the Gospel both in terms of content and style.

Syllabus
1. The Word of God becomes flesh (John 1)
2. From Cana to Cana
3. Deciding about Jesus (John 5-6)
4. The light of the world (John 7-9)
5. My sheep hear my voice (John 10-12)
6. Abide in me (John 13:1-15:17)
7. In that day (John 15:18-17:26)
8. In my place condemned he stood (John 18:1-19:42)
9. Resurrection (John 20:1-21:23)
10. A fourth Gospel

OT131 Old Testament 3

This unit focuses on the Latter prophets from Isaiah through to the Minor prophets.

Syllabus 1. The prophets in historical and canonical context
2. The prophets in theological context
3. Overview of Isaiah
4. Isaiah 1-39
5. Isaiah 40-66
6. Jeremiah
7. Ezekiel
8. The Twelve (1): Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah
9. The Twelve (2): Nahum, Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah
10. The Twelve (3): Haggai, Malachi, Zechariah

OT141 Old Testament 4

The focus of this unit is in the ‘Writings’ with a particular look at the nature of wisdom literature in the Old Testament.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to the Writings
2. The Psalms: an overview
3. Selected Psalms
4. Wisdom in Israel
5. The book of Proverbs
6. The Song of Songs and Ruth
7. The book of Job
8. Ecclesiastes and Lamentations
9. Apocalyptic in Israel
10. Daniel, Esther and the Apocrypha

HT101 Historical Theology

A comprehensive study of the historical development of some of the central doctrines of the Christian faith.

Syllabus
Study 1 Ignatius, and Grace and Liberty
Study 2 Justin Martyr, and the Doctrine of God
Study 3 Irenaeus, and Salvation
Study 4 Athanasius, and the Incarnation
Study 5 Augustine, and the Doctrine of Man
Study 6 Anselm, and the Atonement
Study 7 Luther, and Grace and Faith
Study 8 Calvin, and the Christian World View
Study 9 The Nineteenth Century Liberals
Study 10 Twentieth Century Theology