Faith Bible Institute — 3-year core curriculum and electives

Ministries · Faith Bible Institute

Through the Bible

Faith Bible Institute

A through-the-Bible course for every Christian. Classes meet once a week.

About this ministry

Faith Bible Institute

Faith Bible Institute (FBI) is a through-the-Bible course for every Christian. Founded in 1985 by Dr. John T. Yates and hosted in local churches, it is a three-year journey through the whole Bible. More than 78,000 students have been trained through FBI in churches across the United States and around the world.

What you will study

Students study every book in the order the events happened, usually verse by verse, and work through the major doctrines of the faith.

When we meet

  • Sundays 1:30–4:30 PM
  • Tuesdays 9:00 AM–noon
  • Tuesdays 5:30–8:30 PM

How class works

  • Classes meet only once a week for about three hours.
  • Each meeting covers three courses: Old Testament, New Testament, and Theology.
  • Teaching is video-based, with student workbooks, charts, maps, and visuals, plus group discussion in the room.
  • The full course is six semesters of 17 or 18 weeks each (36 college-level credit hours).
  • New students may join at the start of any semester and finish the cycle over three years.
  • Optional electives, such as creation, prophecy, angels, archaeology, and biblical worldview, are offered at other times.
  • The curriculum is Bible-centered and taught from the King James Version. Workbooks are included; bring your own Bible.

Why we offer Faith Bible Institute

Cathedral offers Faith Bible Institute because the Lord commands His people to know His Word, not only to hear it.

  • “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
  • “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
  • “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
  • “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another.” (Colossians 3:16)
  • “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Peter 2:2)

A Christian who can rightly divide the Word is steadier in doctrine, stronger in witness, and better able to comfort others. That is why this class is on our calendar.

Who this class is for

Faith Bible Institute is a college-level Bible course for every Christian—parents, Sunday School teachers, new believers, and anyone preparing to serve. No high school diploma is required. High-school students may dual-enroll if they are at least 14 and within three years of graduation. You may take the tests for a diploma, or audit the class and still finish with a certificate.

How you finish

FBI awards a Bible College Diploma to students who complete homework, attend class, and pass the tests in Old Testament, New Testament, and Theology across all six semesters (36 credit hours). A Certificate of Completion is for students who attend and finish the homework without taking tests. A Letter of Recognition is for faithful attendance. An Advanced Diploma adds six credit hours of electives.

The 3-Year Core Curriculum

A chronological journey through the entire Bible — Old Testament, New Testament, and Theology — completed over six semesters. Students may enter at any semester and complete the full cycle.

Old Testament New Testament Theology
1

The Beginning

Bible 101 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Beginning & the Hebrew Fathers

From creation to the patriarchs — Genesis traces God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, while Job wrestles with suffering and the sovereignty of God.

Genesis & Job

Bible 201 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

Life of Christ I

A panoramic introduction to the four Gospels, following the birth, early ministry, and growing impact of Jesus Christ through the eyes of four eyewitnesses.

Begins Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

Theology 201 · Theology

Dr. John T. Yates

Doctrines of God & the Bible

Examines the nature and attributes of God alongside the inspiration, authority, and reliability of Scripture — the foundation on which everything else in the curriculum rests.

Foundational theology

2

Exodus & Early Church

Bible 102 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Exodus & The Promised Land

From slavery in Egypt to the conquest of Canaan — covers Moses, the giving of the Law at Sinai, the Tabernacle, and Joshua's faithful leadership into the land God promised.

Exodus – Joshua

Bible 202 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

Life of Christ II

Completes the four Gospels with the final year of Jesus' ministry — the Triumphal Entry, the Upper Room, Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.

Completes Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

Bible 222 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Book of Acts

Luke's account of the birth and rapid expansion of the early church — from Pentecost in Jerusalem to the spread of the Gospel across the Roman world through Paul and Peter.

History of the early church

3

Judges, Wisdom Literature, & New Testament Epistles I

Bible 103 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Judges & the Single Kingdom of Israel

From the chaotic cycle of the Judges to the united monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon — tracing Israel's longing for a king and God's faithfulness despite repeated failure.

Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 1 Kings 1–11, 2 Chronicles 1–9

Bible 123 · Old Testament 2

Dr. John T. Yates

Hebrew Wisdom Literature

Psalms give voice to the full range of human emotion before God; Proverbs offers wisdom for daily life; Ecclesiastes confronts vanity apart from God; Song of Solomon celebrates covenant love.

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Solomon

Bible 213 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

New Testament Epistles I

Paul's foundational letters — from the practical wisdom of James and Galatians to the theological masterpiece of Romans — a passionate defense of the Gospel of grace for daily life.

James, Galatians, 1–2 Thessalonians & Romans

4

Divided Kingdom & Salvation

Bible 114 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Separate Kingdoms of Israel & Judah

After Solomon, the kingdom divides and decline begins — a sobering study of Israel's and Judah's kings, the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, and the first writing prophets calling the nation back to God.

Completes 1–2 Kings & 2 Chronicles, Obadiah, Joel, Jonah & Amos

Bible 214 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

New Testament Epistles II

Paul's letters to Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, and Philippi — covering spiritual gifts, the mystery of the church as Christ's body, and the famous letter of joy written from a Roman prison.

1–2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon & Philippians

Theology 214 · Theology

Dr. John T. Yates

Doctrine of Salvation

A thorough study of how sinful people are made right with a holy God — covering election, the atonement, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification from Genesis to glory.

Theology: soteriology

5

Prophets & the Holy Spirit

Bible 115 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Decline & Fall of Israel & Judah

The great writing prophets take center stage — Isaiah's sweeping vision of the Messiah, Jeremiah's heartbroken warnings to Jerusalem, and the minor prophets' urgent calls to repentance as Assyria and Babylon advance.

Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah & Lamentations

Bible 215 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

New Testament Epistles III

Paul's pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus on church leadership, Hebrews' case for Christ's supremacy over the Old Testament, and Peter and Jude's calls to stand firm under false teaching and suffering.

1–2 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, 1–2 Peter & Jude

Theology 215 · Theology

Dr. John T. Yates

Doctrines of the Holy Spirit, Satan & Man

Examines three practically vital and widely misunderstood subjects — the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the real nature and limits of Satan's power, and what it means to be made in the image of God.

Pneumatology, angelology & anthropology

6

Exile, Restoration & Revelation

Bible 106 · Old Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

The Exile & the Restoration of Israel

Ezekiel and Daniel speak God's word into the Babylonian exile; Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther lead the nation's return. The post-exilic prophets close the Old Testament with anticipation of the coming Messiah.

Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi

Bible 216 · New Testament

Dr. John T. Yates

New Testament Epistles IV

John's three epistles call the church to love, truth, and discernment; Revelation unveils the glorified Christ and the ultimate triumph of God — completing the grand narrative that began in Genesis.

1–3 John & Revelation

Theology 216 · Theology

Dr. John T. Yates

Doctrines of Christ & Sin

Christology examines the full humanity and divinity of Jesus and the eternal significance of the incarnation. Hamartiology explores the nature and consequences of sin — and why Christ is the only sufficient answer.

Christology & hamartiology

Ready to enroll

Use Contact us below to enroll, ask about workbooks, or find out which semester is in session now.

New students may join through the second class of a semester. Fall and spring carry the core courses; electives are often offered at other times.

Bible games

Faith Bible Institute students can use these Bible games to review between classes. Open Choose a game for Bible Trivia, Guess that Hymn, and more.

Pictures

Life in this ministry.

A few pictures from life together.

Leaders

The people who serve here.

Want to serve with this ministry? Contact us below and we will connect with you.

Contact us

We’ll get back to you.

You can also email cathedralmbc@gmail.com.

Calendar & events

When we meet, and what’s coming.

Weekly classes are listed first. Enrollment, new semesters, and other dates are on the calendar below.

SunWeekly

Sunday class

1:30–4:30 PM

TueWeekly

Tuesday morning

9:00 AM–noon

TueWeekly

Tuesday evening

5:30–8:30 PM

CalBelow

Special events

Please see the calendar below for enrollment night, new semester dates, and other upcoming dates.