Believe it or not, there are a ton of free courses available if you are interested in learning more about theology, perfect for helping you to grow your understanding without spending a fortune on college.
What are free theology courses? Free theology courses are an opportunity to expand your knowledge of a variety of theological concepts without having to pay for the course material. They are available in various places and can be extremely helpful for personal growth in areas of interest.
These resources will point you towards a wealth of information to dive into regarding theology and other practical Christian courses. Several different denominations are represented here, however, most of the resources recognize unity in the body of Christ above denominational differences.
1) Bethany Global University
Courses Available: 10
Through Bethany Global University, you can take a variety of free, unaccredited courses to help you become part of the process of fulfilling the Great Commission. Courses are taught by various staff and faculty at the university.
Several courses currently available include How to Hear the Voice of God to Discern Your Calling, How to Prepare and Preach a Sermon, How To Share the Gospel, and The Power of Prayer in Missions, among others.
Click here to learn more.
2) Dallas Theological Seminary
Courses Available: 17
Dallas Theological Seminary has been teaching the truth of Scripture for the past 90 years and is continuing to try and train others all over the world through their free, online courses. Courses are taught predominantly by various professors at the seminary.
Ten of the seventeen courses focus on examining a specific book of the Bible while others focus on other related topics. Some books of the Bible covered in these courses include 1 Corinthians, James, Daniel, Acts, and Hebrews.
There are also other courses on related topics including Names and Attributes of God, Understanding God’s Covenants, The Life of Christ, and the Story of Scripture among others.
Click here to learn more.
3) The Gospel Coalition
Courses Available: 267
The Gospel Coalition is an organization dedicated to providing resources for people and churches to learn more about a multitude of topics related to Christianity.
With over 200 free courses, this is a great resource for learning about all sorts of theological topics in addition to other Christian concepts or questions.
The courses tend to fall within nine subject areas, Christian Foundations, Church History, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, New Testament, Pastoral Theology, Bible Doctrines, Practical Theology, and Public theology.
There are also a variety of sub topics within each of these broader sections. For example, within the main section of Pastoral Theology, there are subsections with courses on Ecclesiology, Church Planting & Missiology, Ordinances, Ministry Practice, Corporate Worship, Preaching, Counseling, and Urban Ministry.
Click here to learn more.
4) Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Courses Available: 11
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Wake Forest, North Carolina is committed to teaching students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.
Whether you are enrolled or not, they are providing opportunities to equip people for that mission now through their free courses.
They have a variety of courses available including An Overview of the New Testament, Evangelism in the Local Church, and Christian Theology among others.
They also have one course available in Spanish, Leyendo E Interpretando la Biblia.
Click here to learn more.
5) Our Daily Bread University
Courses Available: 170+
Our Daily Bread University exists to provide free courses to help Christians around the world grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.
Whatever level you are at, beginner or advanced, Our Daily Bread University has courses that will meet you at your level and push you to the next level.
Their courses largely come from twelve basic subject areas, Christian Apologetics, Christian Counseling, Church History, Hermeneutics, Ministry Leadership, Old Testament, New Testament, Spiritual Formation, Systematic Theology, Urban Youth, World Missions, Worldview, and Ethics.
Click here to learn more.
6) Biblical Training
Courses Available: 130
Biblical training has gathered together professors from seminaries and universities all over the country to develop a wealth of free courses. Their mission is to provide the resources that are needed to better equip the Church.
They have a variety of difficulty levels for their courses so wherever you are on your journey, there is a course for you.
There are a variety of theology courses available among others such as A Guide to Christian Theology, Advanced Worldview Analysis, and Church History.
They have a series of introductory and essentials classes on different world religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and African traditional religions.
They also have a variety of courses in other languages including Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Swahili, and Hindi.
Click here to learn more.
7) Covenant Theological Seminary
Courses Available: 45
Covenant Theological Seminary’s goal is to equip for ministry and they have already equipped thousands over the years. You can be one of them by registering for one of their many free courses.
Then you will better be able to reach your own community with the Gospel and grow your own understanding as well.
There are a ton of great courses through this resource including The Disciplines of Grace, The Book of Revelation, God’s World Mission, and Disability Ministry. There is also a course available in Spanish, La Adoracion Cristiana.
Click here to learn more.
8) Denver Seminary
Courses Available: 2
Denver Seminary has a team of great staff and faculty working to prepare all who hunger to deepen their understanding of the Bible.
Their hard work has also brought you two free courses to help you in this mission so that you can better understand Jesus’ parables and the overarching story of the Bible.
There are two great courses available to you. The first, Unlocking the Parables of Jesus, teaches how to approach and interpret the various parables that Jesus used to teach throughout his ministry and analyzes many of them as part of the course as well.
The second, What’s that Book About Understanding the Big Story of the Bible, is essentially about the big picture view of the Bible. In this course, you will grow to understand the overarching story of the Bible and how that applies to you in your life.
Click here to learn more.
9) Hope International Univeristy
Courses Available: 15+
Hope International University’s mission is to prepare people for ministry, both in their community and around the world. One way they have expanded this mission is through free courses available through Apple Podcasts.
Here they have recorded tons of lectures for various courses and chapel sessions.
There are various courses on worldviews, books of the Bible, and worship. All available for free through Apple Podcasts.
Click here to learn more.
10) Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary, a school with campuses in Jackson, Orlando, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and New York City working to prepare the Church to reach out into their communities and around the world, serving and loving others.
This resource doesn’t specifically have full courses however it does have a large library of recorded lectures, book recommendations, interviews, and other beneficial learning material.
Some recent lectures available to listen to include Fragmentation and Wholeness in Mosaic Eschatology, Preaching in Cross-Cultural Contexts, and Diversity in Jesus’ Body.
Click here to learn more.
Free courses are a great way to expand your understanding without having to pay for college. They help prepare you further for ministry because no matter what your job is or what your situation is, we are all called to make disciples. So take advantage of every opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission wherever you are.