A River Runs Through Them

School of Biblical Studies

(SBS)

What is the SBS?

The School of Biblical Studies (SBS) is a nine month intensive Bible study course offered within YWAM that takes students through the entirety of the Bible five times following an inductive approach of observation, interpretation, and application. It is a fantastic means of familiarizing oneself with the content of the Bible and the character of God displayed throughout. Both Caleb and Kelsey have been students in SBS, and Kelsey staffed this school from 2021-2023 in Montana.

SBS International has a very helpful website with Bible study resources available to all. If you are interested in studying a particular book, this website is a great resource you can utilize. Kelsey would also LOVE to talk with you personally about its historical context, structure, themes, etc. if that would be a blessing to you!

SBS Resources

SBS International

Student Spotlight

Check out Jasmine’s testimony of how SBS helped her confidently know the truth of who God is for herself. Jasmine is now serving on a Bible translation team in Asia!

Kelsey’s 2022-23 Lectures

One aspect of Kelsey’s role in staffing SBS is teaching various books of the Bible. Below you will find main ideas, reasons written, key verses, and short video overviews of each of the books she has taught this year. May these big picture overviews give you confidence to dive into the details!

Psalms

Main Idea: God is faithful, merciful, and entirely worthy of worship.
Reason Written: Psalms was designed to be the prayer book of God’s people as they strive to be faithful to the commands of the Torah, hoping and waiting for Him to establish His kingdom in the world (Bible Project).
Key Verse: “I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips” (Ps 34:1).

Psalms Overview Video

“The Psalms come together as this beautiful compilation of the nature and character of God; an instruction book for what it looks like to call out to him, praising him for exactly who he is.”

-Student Reflection upon Studying the Psalms

Leviticus

Reason Written
- Leviticus was written to communicate to the Israelites, unholy people, how to go about being holy so that they could fellowship with a holy God.
Main Idea
- God is holy, and for His people to dwell in His presence they must be holy as well.
Key Verse
- “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine” (Lev 20:26).

Leviticus Overview Video

Song of Solomon

Main Idea: exclusive, intimate love between a man and his wife is a good gift from God, and there is a right time and place to pursue such love.

Reason Written: These poems were written to God’s people to honor and celebrate His gift of romantic, sexual love within the context of an exclusive marriage relationship.
Key Verse: “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised” (SoS 8:6-7).

Song of Solomon Overview Video

Obadiah

Main Idea: God will bring total destruction upon Edom, leaving no remnant (Ob 1:9), because of their opposition to His people (Ob 1:12).

Reason Written: Obadiah was written to pronounce judgment upon the nation of Edom and to inspire hope in the people of Israel regarding their restoration and deliverance from exile (Ob 1:20).

Key Verse: “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.”

Obadiah Overview Video

Habakkuk

Reason Written: Habakkuk was written to encourage readers to live by faith regardless of the circumstances they were living in (Hab 2:4). It communicates God’s perspective in the midst of times when evil abounds (Hab 1:5) so that His followers can remain faithful to Him (Hab 2:4).

Main Idea: God is sovereign in all circumstances, even those in which evil seems to be triumphing in the world. He will judge sin (Hab 1:6).

Key Verse: “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (2:4)

Habakkuk Overview Video