Self-Study Bible Course

In the mid-20th century, Bob Dylan stood at a crossroads that would define his career. He had mastered the folk tradition, becoming its most visible and celebrated voice. But inside him, a new sound was emerging—electric, amplified, and raw. When he plugged in his guitar at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, the crowd booed. He was accused of betrayal, of abandoning his roots. Dylan was building upon his foundation, synthesizing his past with a future only he could hear. It was an act of profound self-knowledge, a choice to follow the authentic voice he heard within, even when it contradicted the expectations of the entire world. This kind of conviction comes from a deep, unshakable understanding of one’s own foundational principles.

That same search for an unshakeable, internal foundation drove the life and work of Derek Prince. He was a scholar of logic and philosophy at Cambridge University, trained to deconstruct arguments and find the root of any truth. His intellectual journey led him to a personal encounter with the Bible that was so transformative, it reordered his entire life. Prince realized that for many, the Bible felt as inaccessible as a foreign language, its core principles obscured. He dedicated the next five decades to changing that, applying his scholar's mind to create a clear, logical, and systematic way for anyone to understand its foundational truths for themselves. This course was born from Prince's own journey—from intellectual skepticism to profound conviction—and his desire to give others the tools to build their own unshakeable foundation.

Module 1: The Foundation of Authority

The course begins with a radical proposition. In an age of relativism, it asserts that one book stands apart. The Bible is presented as the divinely inspired and authoritative Word of God. This is the operational premise for the entire study. The course builds the case by showing how Jesus himself treated the Old Testament Scriptures. He accepted them without question, based all his teachings on them, and spent his life fulfilling their prophecies. The logic is straightforward: if Jesus is the model, then his view of Scripture should be our starting point.

This leads to a critical discipline. You must learn to study the Bible methodically and actively. The book is designed as a workbook, requiring you to read questions, search for the referenced scriptures, and write down answers in your own words. It's a process of active engagement designed to build mental and spiritual muscles. Prince compares it to digging for treasure. It can be hard work, causing mental "aches and blisters." But the effort develops inner stamina. The goal is to build a habit: only accept spiritual things if they can be proven from the text.

From this foundation, the course introduces a powerful practice. Scripture memory is treated as a vital spiritual discipline. It's about loading your mind with spiritual resources. Each study requires learning key verses by heart. The book even provides scripture memory cards for review during spare moments. The author argues that memorized scripture becomes spiritual food for your soul. It provides guidance in moments of uncertainty. It offers strength against opposition. And it becomes "seed to sow" when sharing your experience with others. It's a way to internalize the book's principles so they are available on demand.