VIVA College Lite offers a flexible, auditing-only option for those who wish to engage with the rich educational content of VIVA College without the commitment of earning credits. This program allows students to attend classes and participate in lectures from Portland Bible College courses, gaining valuable knowledge in theology and ministry. While VIVA College Lite students are not eligible for immersive activities such as "The Quiet Place," practicums, or mission trips, they still benefit from the transformative teaching and community environment. VIVA College Lite is perfect for individuals seeking spiritual growth and biblical education at their own pace, without the pressures of a full-time program.
VIVA College Lite provides an enriching biblical education through its auditing program, including two comprehensive survey courses. The Old Testament Survey is offered in the Fall semester, featuring 29 lectures for a fee of $200 for audit (no credit) or $450 for credit. Classes are held on Wednesdays from 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM. Similarly, the New Testament Survey is available in the Spring semester, also comprising 29 lectures for $200 for audit (no credit) or $450 for credit, with sessions on Wednesdays from 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM. These courses provide an in-depth understanding of the historical settings, thematic content, and special contributions of each book in the Old and New Testaments, making them an excellent choice for those seeking to deepen their biblical knowledge.
Lite students at VIVA College must have gone through the following courses at VIVA Church: NEXT STEPS, Growth Track 01 and Growth Track 02.
For the year of 2024-2025, Old Testament Survey (29 Lectures) will be offered in the fall semester and New Testament Survey (29 Lectures) in the spring semester. The class will take place on Wednesdays 7:00pm - 9:15pm.
Our Code of Honour outlines our community standards for all VIVA College students. Its goal is to eliminate distraction and call students to a higher level of purity and consecration as they dedicate a year to the Lord. We believe that Jesus is calling students to slow down and simplify their lives around what really matters so that they can live life to its greatest potential. VIVA College students make the following pledge of agreement to the Code of Honour:
Intimacy:
I pledge to deepen my relationship with God and make knowing Him my first priority. I understand this involves developing a consistent daily devotional life of prayer, worship, & Bible reading.
Character:
I pledge to let God shape my character & transform me into His image. I will take note of God's word and apply it to my life. I will not be passive about areas of weakness in my character rather, I will seek God and work to change those weaknesses. I understand this involves VIVA pastors, leaders, & staff speaking into my life when necessary.
Authority:
I pledge to come under the authority & covering of VIVA Church and its leaders.
Study:
I pledge to study to show myself approved & grow in my knowledge of the Word of God. I will attend classes with a thankful attitude. I will do my assignments & turn them in on time.
Stewardship:
I pledge to be responsible in the area of my finances and all my financial commitments including, obedience in tithes, offerings and payment of VIVA College fees. I understand that leadership at VIVA are givers, specifically tithers & I am a leader in training.
Health:
I pledge to maintain my body as God's temple and practice sound eating, sleeping, and exercise habits. I will go to bed at a reasonable hour on a consistent basis.
Faithfulness:
I pledge to be prompt & faithful in my attendance at all prayer times, class times, serving times, & services. I understand the PBC Attendance & Absence Policy and will honour it. I will be early or on time when serving and will serve with a thankful attitude. I will communicate with my leaders if there is a reason outside of my control that I will not be able to make it to any prayer time, class time, or service time. I will attend at least one Sunday service even if I am not on the schedule.
Purity:
I pledge to avoid immoral or illegal activities that engage in any behaviour that is contrary to biblical conduct & ethics. I am a follower of Christ and a leader in training therefore I should conduct myself in a manner that would not shame me, the church, or Christ. I understand that there is a zero-tolerance policy for smoking, drinking, drugs, & fornication (including "making out"). I will not visit nightclubs or bars during the VIVA College year unless it is for an organized outreach. I will not give the appearance of evil by sleeping over at the home of a friend of the opposite sex. If I have a problem with lust or pornography I will seek help & accountability from my pastors or leaders.
Fellowship:
I pledge to be an encouragement to all students and build solid relationships with others. I will not allow myself to be an instrument of strife or division. I will do my best to maintain positive, Christ-centred friendships with other students.
Leadership:
I pledge to develop my leadership skills by taking initiative, both verbally & practically. I will lead by example. I will be faithful to my ministry commitments.
Excellence:
I pledge to communicate a spirit of excellence in my speech, conduct, appearance, and attitude.
Focus: (does not apply to VC Lite students)
I pledge to remain focused on God & VIVA College, not allowing work or (the idea of) a dating relationship to distract me from God's purposes for me during my VIVA College year. I understand that dating is not allowed during the VIVA College year (September - June) except for those who are currently involved in a long-standing committed relationship (approx. 6 months prior to start date). If you are currently dating another student at VIVA College there is to be no outward display of affection (hand-holding, kissing, etc.) during weekday classes or Sunday serving time.
VIVA College is affiliated with Portland Bible College (PBC), a Christian College and a ministry of Mannahouse located in Portland, Oregon, USA. PBC is committed to developing passionate leaders who know how to live in God’s presence and establish their lives on a clear set of biblical values that enable them to thrive in life and serve as influential leaders in their church and society. PBC is a student focused, higher education community – cultivating wisdom and leadership by integrating biblical foundation with Holy Spirit empowerment within a local church environment. VIVA College provides theology courses through PBC. Our VIVA College Professors are licensed through Portland Bible College to teach each course offered at VIVA College. Courses from PBC are transferable to Canada Christian College and other colleges in the USA (click here for the list).
Basic Doctrine: A systematic study of the essential elements of biblical doctrine, including the doctrines of revelation, inspiration, God, the Holy Spirit, angels, Satan and demonology, man, sin, Christ, the atonement, and Heaven and Hell.
Old Testament Survey: A survey of all the Old Testament books, emphasizing their historic settings and thematic content. Each book is highlighted for its special contribution to the rest of Scripture and its relationship to the other books.
New Testament Survey: A survey of all the New Testament books, emphasizing their historic settings and thematiccontent. Each book is highlighted for its special contribution to the rest of Scripture and its relationship to the other books.
Holy Spirit: This course will endeavour to bring a greater understanding and experience of the walk of a Christian believer in the spirit-filled life. Both theological as well as practical emphasis will be given.
Leading People: A study in the nature and practice of leadership as it applies to both individuals and groups. Emphasis will be placed on the call and preparation of a leader, the nature of leadership influence and understanding group dynamics.
Personal Evangelism: This course is designed to prepare the student in the use of God’s Word to effectively share the Gospel with others. Frequent objections are met with biblical answers. Suggestions for strengthening new converts are offered.
Church Life Practicum: This course consists of 30 hours of adviser directed areas of practical ministry and service opportunities intended to help strengthen and release spiritual gifting in the student.
School of Leaders are VIVA Church leadership courses taught by VIVA pastors, staff, leaders and sometimes even special guest speakers. Classes are subject to change yearly, but in past years courses have been Church Government, Spiritual Authority, The Blessed Life, Intro to Preaching, Roots of Character, Relationships, Marriage and Sexuality. VIVA College School of Leaders is available to full time students only.
A key component of the VIVA College experience is the practicum, where students gain immersive training and hands-on ministry experience in a specific area of ministry, all while earning academic credit. We strive to place each student in their desired ministry area, although placements are subject to availability and the current needs of the church. VIVA College Practicum is available to full time students only. Practicum areas include:
Worship: Students will gain practical, hands-on training, and learn how to develop weekly worship experiences in all of the ministries at VIVA.
Production: Students will experience all-team components of production (sound, lights, media) as it relates to weekend services, ministry gatherings, and special events.
Communication: Students will be given the opportunity to learn a variety of studio skillsets including photography, videography, social media and editing.
Kids: Students will learn how to create an environment for kids to discover who God is and unfold who God has called them to be. Students will learn about our curriculum development, team management and event planning.
Students: Students will be given the opportunity to participate in the student department with focus on junior youth, youth or young adults.
Operations: Students will have a chance to see the logistics of VIVA events, learn about the structure and systems of our databases, and learn the heart behind why we do what we do.
"The Quiet Place" is inspired by Jesus' example, who often retreated to quiet places for prayer and reflection. As stated in Luke 5:16, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." At VIVA College, we recognize the importance of following His footsteps by providing our students with a dedicated time and space to step away from their busy schedules and engage in focused prayer. "The Quiet Place" can take many forms, tailored to meet the diverse spiritual needs of our students. Sometimes it can look like solitary prayer, reflecting quietly and connecting with God on a personal level, or participating in dynamic group prayer and worship sessions where we seek God together. "The Quiet Place" is available to full time students only.
VIVA College offers a comprehensive full-time program with 17 transferable credits from Portland Bible College. This program includes a rich array of experiences such as participation in "The Quiet Place," School of Leaders, Practicum, discipleship and mentorship programs, as well as national and international mission trips. In contrast, VIVA College Lite offers 1 course per semester and is a for-audit (no credit) or for-credit program of Portland Bible College courses. Students enrolled in VIVA College Lite do not have access to these immersive activities and opportunities.
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