Saturday 24 September, was an especially joyful day for staff, teachers, students and their families as we took part in a celebration for the class of 2022 in the Riasc Centre in Swords.

But why go to Bible College? Sometimes people say to me that Bible College is unnecessary or even spiritually dangerous. I find such attitudes ill-informed because they show a lack of awareness of just how important and relevant good theological education is.

So let me offer ten reasons why every Christian should consider Bible College and why every church leadership team should be actively encouraging their church members to go. These reasons aren’t theoretical – they come from years of experience and from talking to lots of students.

Interested in Bible College? Hungry for some in-depth biblical training? Feeling a call from God to be better equipped to serve in your church? Maybe this describes you but there seems to be something getting in the way. If so, please get in touch, we’d love to chat with you. You might be surprised how many “obstacles" can be overcome!

Dr. Chris Wright (Global Ambassador for Langham Partnership) was with us in IBI in March. As well as speaking at a public event, we took the opportunity to ask Chris some questions.

March 17th, is the feast day of St. Patrick, a saint who is celebrated widely not just in Ireland but in many other countries around the world. It is a day of celebration that is marked by parades, bands, music, costumes, green lights, and alcohol. Yet behind all these celebrations is the story of …

On 11th January we hosted our first postgraduate seminar on Zoom where two of our Masters graduates each gave a 20-minute presentation of the findings from their dissertations. There was a question-and-answer time after each presentation.

What difference does Bible College actually make in the lives of students? Let me share three themes that I hope and work and pray to see develop in the lives of students who come to IBI.

In these isolating ‘grey’ pandemic days there have been few opportunities to come together with others simply to celebrate something. So Saturday 6 November was an especially joyful day for staff, teachers, students and their families as we took part in a double graduation for the classes of 2020 and 2021 in the Riasc Centre in Swords. There was much virtual hugging and conversation behind masks as people met each other again.

As Pastor of Dungarvan Christian Church as well as being a wife and mother, Lorita Hamer could not even consider studying at the Irish Bible Institute until the pandemic forced learning to be “On Zoom”. But after studying part time for her first year, she is determined to finish her degree in Applied Theology.

As a carpenter and farmer in Mayo, Richard Walker opted to take some time out to study for his BA in Applied Theology. He has just completed his second year studying at IBI.

Twenty-two year old Daniel Edewor has just completed his final assignment for a BA in Applied Theology with IBI. He is excited about how he can apply his studies as one of the team leading Expectation Church - a new CCI gathering established during lockdown.

CEF worker Helen Donaghy never imagined she would have time to study theology. But all that changed when IBI began offering first year students the opportunity to study “On Zoom” during lockdown.

As a full-time heating engineer, the father of young children and a leader in his local church, David Duignan does not have much time to spare. But he describes the one day a week he dedicates to studying part-time for a BA in Applied Theology as “invaluable”.

IBI LIVE means that from now on – long term, not just during the current restrictions - students on our university validated CERTIFICATE AND BA HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMMES will be able to study via a TWIN TRACK ACCESS.

May is shaping up to be a full month with finishing assignments and classes and a few events that are scheduled for the month. You can check these out below.

We are living in unusual and difficult times: there are a lot of restrictions and a lot of uncertainty. I want us to think about how we live in these days.

I have based this talk around a sentence that I have been thinking about in Psalm 62:

We face these days honestly together with God.

Christmas Carols at IBI

Each year at the end of term the staff and students get together to have a Christmas Carol Service. As with all events in this year of Covid we held it on Zoom.

We spent a wonderful evening on Zoom recently with supporters and friends of IBI hearing from students on how they are managing through this year to maintain impact in their ministries despite a global pandemic. Below is a short video of Joan Singleton interviewing Rachael Davison, MA student who lives in Europe.

A unique opportunity:come to IBI from where you are