Organizations conducting evangelistic correspondence courses in Bible subjects, operated by various union or local conferences or missions and by broadcasting organizations; often promoted in connection with radio or television programs. The courses, which carry no school credit and are offered free of any obligation, are intended to lead the student to Christ through a study of the Bible. They are designed for various age levels and prepared in several degrees of difficulty. The majority are biblical courses, but there are also health courses and a special course for alcoholics. They are issued in many languages and in braille.
The largest of the schools in North America are those conducted in connection with radio and television programs. There are many Voice of Prophecy Bible Correspondence schools outside the North American Division and others connected with the various national broadcasts in other lands, or conducted without any broadcast at all, publicized by word of mouth or by newspaper or other advertising.
Many of these schools are conducted under the name Voice of Prophecy or the equivalent national name for the local broadcast or organization, some offering courses in many languages.
The first of these Bible correspondence schools originated in connection with a local radiobroadcast. In 1939 Dallas Youngs, pastor of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, church, needed a method of following up interests resulting from his broadcasts over station WRAK. Conceiving the idea of offering a free Bible correspondence course, he announced a 23-lesson course, for which he used an already available series of Bible lessons written by J. L. Shuler and published in loose-leaf form for use in evangelistic Bible classes conducted in churches. When this series proved successful as a correspondence course, another evangelist, A. E. Lickey, wrote a new set of correspondence lessons that became the Twentieth Century Bible Course; and the Voice of Prophecy broadcast began to issue its own correspondence courses, as did the telecast Faith for Today later ( see the articles on these two programs).
As Bible correspondence schools came to be operated by various conferences, the General Conference recommended in the Autumn Council of 1947 that the Home Missionary Department foster the organization and direction of the conference-operated Bible correspondence schools in the North American Division. In 1961 the securing of enrollments in regularly established Bible schools, the distribution of radio-TV logs, etc., was assigned to the Home Missionary Department on all levels in North America.
At the time of the 1954 General Conference session a total of 44 conference Bible schools were in operation in North America, resulting in many baptisms. In the preceding four years 6,682 students had been baptized.
By 1968 the responsibility for Bible correspondence schools in North America operated under the lay activities departments in local conferences and unions had been transferred to the Voice of Prophecy and Faith for Today. Some small schools have been operated in connection with local broadcasts such as those of Amazing Facts (Chesapeake Conference). The Church Ministries Department has the responsibility for securing enrollments in courses.
Beginning in 1970, the Voice of Prophecy and Faith for Today began revising their major courses. Specialized courses are offered such as health, nutrition, and youth. Revised and new courses maintain enrollments and results at a high level.
In Latin America, eastern Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific, Bible correspondence courses form an essential part of door-to-door evangelism. Laypersons act as letter carriers, taking the lessons to students and returning the test sheets for grading and offering spiritual help during their visits. Large graduations of students often have been a feature of follow-up of courses.