FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ...

Where is THBI located?

Our offices are in Alma Arkansas which is in west-central Arkansas just 15 minutes east of Fort Smith Arkansas.

In 2011 True Hope Churches & Ministries began relocating and now has an office in Springfield, Missouri.  Our plans are that by mid-2012 all ministry services, including True Hope Bible Institute will be completely headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.  We will notify our students as well as publicly announce when all relocation is completed.

How can we contact you?

Our contact information, including our phone number can be found on our Contact Page.

Why are your phones answered by True Hope Churches & Ministries?

True Hope Bible Institute is a Ministry Division of and operated by True Hope Churches & Ministries so in order to maintain low operating costs, we are making use of what True Hope Churches & Ministries already has in place.

Is True Hope Bible Institute accredited?

Yes, we are fully accredited by the  World Wide Accreditation Commission of Christian Educational Institutions to learn more visit our Accreditation Page - click here.

Are you recognized by any state agency?

Yes, we are recognized by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education as a Christian College and as such we are classified as exempt from requirement to be licensed by the state department of education. You may read the ADHE letter of exemption for True Hope Bible Institute by clicking here.

Are your degrees legitimate?

Absolutely!  The State of Arkansas Department of Higher Education recognizes and authorizes THBI to offer and confer the degrees listed in our Student Catalog/Handbook. This authorization must be renewed every two years, our next application with ADHE is due in April, 2012. This is fully explained in our Student Catalog/Handbook.

Will I be an ordained minister when I earn my degree?

No.  Earning your degree is a separate matter entirely from being recognized as an ordained ministry leader.

Earning a degree only requires that you can demonstrate that you have mastered the knowledge and understanding of the required and elective courses for that degree.

Becoming ordained requires that you are first and foremost directed by God (have a divine calling) into a specific area of ministry leadership (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher); that you are spiritually mature and capable to fulfill the role and responsibilities of leadership; and not least of all that you meet the Biblical qualifications to be ordained.

Many ordained ministers have no Bible college degree at all and many saints who hold Bible College degrees are never ordained as ministry leaders!  The two concerns are very separate matters.

Why are your tuition costs so low compared to other Christian online or correspondence colleges?

First of all since we are not an academic or liberal arts college and we teach only Bible and ministry curricula, we do not have the expenses of presenting academic courses.

Secondly, we have no physical campus to maintain.

Thirdly, the majority of our staff costs are absorbed by our parent ministry, True Hope Churches & Ministries.

Do you offer discounts?

Not ordinarily. However if the spouse of a student desires to study in concert with the student, we offer a 50% discount if the course material is shared. Other students who may qualify for a discount are listed in the Student Catalog/Handbook.

Do you offer pay plans for tuition?

Yes! We offer affordable interest-free pay plans that are designed to work for almost any budget!

Our main concern is to help you with your Bible education so all pay plans are free of additional charges plus we do not conduct a credit check nor do we require that you sign a binding contract!

How does a student pay for books?

There are typically no book charges.  The Bible Study Library and other books that are required for your courses are included in your tuition so you have no further charges.

Supplemental and suggested reading/study materials are not included in tuition and if a student wishes to purchase these materials he/she may do so through our Bible Book Store.

How long does it take to earn a degree?

The student should be able to complete one entire Course Unit each month. The pace you work is however entirely up to you.

A Bachelor Degree could be completed in a year if the student applied his/her time and energy to do so! 

Can I Enroll for a Masters Degree if I have a non-Biblical Bachelors Degree?

An advanced degree from THBI requires that the student has a Bachelor Degree in Biblical or Ministry studies.

How can a person gain mastery of a subject if he/she has not laid the foundation for that subject?

Just as a Bachelors Degree in Theology will not qualify you to earn a Masters Degree in Mathematics neither will a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration qualify you to earn a Masters Degree in Ministry!

If I enroll in a "Complete Masters Degree Program" how many degrees will I receive?

Students who successfully complete the "Complete Masters Degree Program" will earn and receive certificates (diplomas) for both Bachelor Degree and Masters Degree. 

If I enroll in a "Complete Doctoral Degree Program" how many degrees will I receive?

Students who successfully complete the "Complete Doctoral Degree Program" will earn and receive certificates (diplomas) for the Bachelor Degree - Masters Degree and Doctoral Degree for a total of three degrees from one program. 

Can I transfer my credits from another college towards earning a THBI degree?

Transfers are considered on a case by case basis.

Some Bible Schools are not accredited by any professional agency and this requires that we be able to verify the quality of standards in the curriculum and study methods required by such a school.

If a Bible College claims to be accredited by an agency, if we can verify their accreditation we usually will allow transfer of some or all credits earned at that institution. However we are not required to accept such credits just as any other school is not required to accept THBI credits.

How are exams administered?

Course exams are open book and we encourage students to utilize their Bibles and course study materials during each test as accuracy of Scripture references affect the course test grades.

Will credits I earn at THBI be accepted by another Bible College if I desire to transfer?

We have no control over what another Bible College will or will not allow, accept or transfer. Each school is independent of each other and there are no legal requirements that schools must abide by in the matter of transferring degree credits.

Each Bible College has its own guidelines and criteria and if a student wishes to transfer, he or she must contact the school to which they want to transfer to

What are the enrollment periods for each semester?

There are no semesters with our format therefore you may enroll and begin your studies at any time of the year!