type_bible-course
The Classic Audio Bible Course
The MP3 audio files that can be downloaded from this page comprise Berenice Myers Shotwell’s Bible course Getting Better Acquainted with Your Bible. This is the classic Bible Course that Berenice M. Shotwell gave for many years; it is NOT her book read aloud (though the book is also called Getting Better Acquainted with Your Bible).

This is a unique presentation. You will hear Berenice M. Shotwell’s own voice giving the lessons. Her speaking is clear, well-paced and easy to understand. You will feel as though she is speaking to you personally.

20 Hours of Lessons
You can listen to 1/2 or 1 or 2 hours at a time, at your convenience. You can complete the entire course in the comfort of your home, by yourself or in the company of friends. Many students have listened to the course while driving to school or work. You can review and go over the material as often as you wish. The course will give you a greater knowledge of the Bible without the long research that would otherwise be required; it takes you through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, opening new avenues of thought for spiritual growth.

Ideal for Sunday School Teachers and Bible Study Groups
Many church and community groups have studied the text by gathering to listen to the audio files together. The accompanying outlines for study may be downloaded and printed for group use, or purchased through this website.

Four Lessons on the Old Testament
The first four lessons survey the books of the Bible, illuminate customs of ancient times, and trace events of historical and religious significance. Berenice Shotwell goes into detail on outstanding characters of the Old Testament and makes them come alive.

Six Lessons on the New Testament
The next group of lessons, six in number, begin with Jesus the Christ and his early life, and study his ministry. Passion Week is covered day by day to Jesus’ Ascension. This is followed by the Life and Journeys of the Apostle Paul and Paul’s Doctrinal Teachings. The final lesson reveals the upward unfoldment of the Book of Revelation.

Outline, Maps, and Chart Available
A study outline of 78 pages, including maps, is available for
purchase or download. This supplementary material provides a comprehensive foundation for future study. Students often find it helpful to follow the outline as they listen. Additional copies may be purchased or printed for other members in a study group. (Although the Audio Course states that the study materials are copyrighted, they may be printed for personal use. Note that the PDF has one blank page to keep the spreads in order in case you wish to print it double-sided.) Each copy sold by Shadwold Press also includes a poster-sized genealogical chart as a free bonus. (Though the chart is really too large to view onscreen, you can download a PDF of it here.)

A Note on Authenticity and Quality
As an audio classic, the Berenice Myers Shotwell Audio Bible Course contains occasional inconsistencies in sound quality and volume level. Like the swirl and texture of grain in a fine piece of wood, these minor flaws testify to the authenticity of the production. It is our belief that it would be a disservice to students to re-record this course in the voice of another speaker or to doctor it electronically to smooth out these inconsistencies. Nothing can match the spiritual altitude or the intensity of Berenice Myers Shotwell’s own delivery, which has thrilled and uplifted students in person or in recorded form for over eighty years.

How the Course Is Organized
The audio course also contains occasional references to the original cassette form in which it appeared. The numbering of these references corresponds to the numbering at the very end of the MP3 file name. For example, “Cassette One, Side A” refers to the MP3 file “01_bms_bible_course_1a.mp3”, and so on. The numbers at the beginning of the file names (01 in this example) are sorting numbers that help you play the files in the correct order, though it is possible to skip from one lesson to another if you prefer.

High-Speed Connection Required
These are large audio files; each one is about 80 MB in size. While it is possible to download them via a slow connection, we recommend that you use a high-speed connection to avoid frustration. Some browsers may begin to play the MP3 file when you click on the link, but it is best to download the files one by one, save them to your computer, and play them using audio software there. If you are not certain how to do this, try holding down the control key when you click on the audio link, or right-clicking. You will then see a contextual menu from which you may choose “Download Linked File” or something similar. You are also free to move the files to an audio device if you prefer to listen to them by that method. (Sorry, Shadwold Press cannot offer technical support in using the MP3 files.)

FREE DOWNLOAD VERSION OF BERENICE M. SHOTWELL’S AUDIO BIBLE STUDY COURSE
Lesson 1A:  Scope of Biblical History
(82.4 MB)
 
Lesson 1B:  Scope of Biblical History
(81.7 MB)
 
Lesson 2A: Outstanding Characters of the Old Testament
(81.7 MB)
 
Lesson 2B:  Outstanding Characters of the Old Testament
(82.1 MB)
 
Lesson 3A: Old Testament History
(81.2 MB)
 
Lesson 3B:  Old Testament History
(79.1 MB)
 
Lesson 4A:  Special Biblical Subjects
(82.6 MB)
 
Lesson 4B:  Special Biblical Subjects
(82.6 MB)
 
Lesson 5A:  Jesus the Christ, His Early Life
(83.9 MB)
 
Lesson 5B:  Jesus the Christ, His Early Life
(79.1 MB)
 
Lesson 6A:  Public Ministry of Jesus the Christ
(84.8 MB)
 
Lesson 6B:  Public Ministry of Jesus the Christ
(86.6 MB)
 
Lesson 7A:  From Passion Week to Jesus’ Ascension
(84.5 MB)
 
Lesson 7B:  From Passion Week to Jesus’ Ascension
(86.6 MB)
 
Lesson 8A:  Life and Journeys of the Apostle Paul
(84.1 MB)
 
Lesson 8B:  Life and Journeys of the Apostle Paul
(84.3 MB)
 
Lesson 9A:  Universality of Paul’s Doctrinal Teachings
(83 MB)
 
Lesson 9B:  Universality of Paul’s Doctrinal Teachings
(82.7 MB)
 
Lesson 10A:  A Study of the Book of Revelation
(83.7 MB)
 
Lesson 10B  A Study of the Book of Revelation
(86.6 MB)