0Frequently Asked Questions
Click on one of the topics below to view a list of questions or sub-topics to choose from.
Policies
Q. Can electronic resources be returned?
A. Please order carefully, because electronic resources cannot be returned.
Q. What is your return policy for non-electronic products?
A. Customers may return products for up to 30 days after receipt. Returns will incur a 15% restocking fee (minus shipping charges). Returns after 30 days will not be accepted. Pack items carefully so that they are not damaged in shipment. BCS Press will not issue credit for items that are damaged. UPS shipping is suggested. Electronic copies cannot be returned.
When returning binders, please remove the lesson content from the three-ring binder and wrap it with plastic wrap. Pack Teacher's Kit contents back into the box the product arrived in, and then package the Teacher Kit boxes into a larger box for shipping.
If return requires more than one box mark boxes 1 of__, 2 of ____, etc. and include a copy of the original packing list in each package. Please include a note stating the reason for the return. For questions about your return, please call 1-612-455-3402, or email bcspress@bcsmn.org.
Return to:
BCS Press
c/o ViaTech
5200 Philadelphia Way, Suite L
Lanham, MD 20706
301.306.6953
License Policies
Q. When is it OK for me to send electronically distributed resources to someone else?
A. By design, the resources can be sent to another individual within your organization to use in compliance with the number of licenses/copies you have purchased. Electronic resources cannot be shared with other churches, organizations, or individuals.
Q. Can we make a copy of...?
A. Instructor’s Guides, Discussion Leader’s Guides or Teacher’s Kits (printed or electronic) are to be purchased for each Instructor and Discussion Leader. Student Workbooks (printed or electronic) are to be purchased for each student. However, copies of individual workbook lessons may be made for visitors.
Electronic License Compliance
Q. How many copies of the electronic files can I print or distribute?
A. You can print or use one copy per license purchased. Student workbooks can only be used or distributed once. If the Instructor’s Guide has been purchased by a church or ministry, they can reuse it as they would other curriculum, provided only one instructor is teaching with it at once. If an instructor is using curriculum that is licensed to the church or ministry, he should delete the electronic field from his computer and either return the paper copy to the curriculum administrator or destroy it once the course concludes. If you have further questions about this policy, please call us at 612-455-3420.
Q. Do I need to buy extra licenses for people who visit the class?
A. You may make copies of individual lessons for visitors. However, if they begin coming regularly, you will need to buy them a license. It is up to your discretion to determine when a visitor becomes a regular attendee.
Q. How will BCS Press enforce compliance of electronically distributed resources?
A. We view our customers as partners, and in our partnership we trust that you will use our resources according to the license agreement. We hope we have struck the appropriate balance of trust and prudence. By “prudence”, we mean that before you download an electronic resource, our system will insert the license information (name of the organization, city, state/province, country) into the first page of the resource as well as into the footer of each electronic copy purchased. This will serve as a helpful accountability tool that our customers can use, and a reminder of when the license was purchased. BCS Press is passionate about spreading our vision, not about making a profit. This is why we are a non-profit ministry—and all of our revenue goes right back into the ministry for operating expenses and resource development. We feel honored to have conscientious customers, and we wholeheartedly believe that “the Lord will supply every need of ours (and yours) according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Q. What if I don't use all of my Electronic Student Workbooks in one semester?
A. Electronic Student Workbook licenses are active until used by a student for the duration of one curriculum cycle. If you purchase 25 licenses and only have 20 students, 5 licenses remain active and may be used in future years.
License Compliance Examples
Electronic Student Workbooks
Q. How many licenses do I need if my church has 14 students in a class?
A. You should purchase 14 Electronic Student Workbook licenses.
Q. What if my church has purchased 12 Electronic Workbook licenses for the 12 students in a class, but after two weeks the class grows to 16 students?
A. You should purchase four additional Electronic Student Workbook licenses.
Q. What if I purchase 15 Electronic Student Workbook licenses (anticipating growth from the eight students I currently have), but at the end of the course I only have 12 regular students?
A. You have three more Electronic Student Workbook licenses than you actually used. The three unused licenses can be used in following years.
Electronic Instructor's Guides
Q. What if my church owns a Electronic Instructor’s Guide and has three instructors who rotate teaching, once every three weeks?
A. Purchase two more Electronic Instructor’s Guide, one for each of the additional teachers.
Ordering/Purchasing
Q. Can I order by phone?
A. If you are buying hard copies, yes. Just call 651.455.3420.
If you would like to order electronic resources, you must order online so that you can download the licensed copies.
Q. Where can I find sample lessons?
A. Sample lessons can be downloaded on each individual curriculum page.
Downloading Electronic Resources
Q. How long does it take to download electronic resources?
A. It depends on the speed of your Internet connection and the size of the file (files vary between 1 and 10 MB). Most high-speed Internet connections (DSL/Cable) will download individual resources in a few minutes. A dial-up connection will take significantly longer and is not recommended for use with electronically distributed resources.
Q. How often do I have to download resources?
A. You will only have to download each file one time. After that file has been downloaded, you may print as many copies as you have license to use. For example, if you purchase 25 Electronic Workbook licenses, download the Electronic Workbook one time and then print 25 copies.
Q. Can you explain the process from order to download?
A. First, you add electronic resources to your “cart” online. You will then be prompted to agree or disagree with the license terms. If you agree with the license policy, you will continue to the checkout process. If you disagree, electronic resources will be removed from the cart. After purchasing electronic resources, you will be prompted to download the resources immediately.
Teaching a Class
Q. How long does it take for an instructor to prepare to teach this curriculum?
A. This will vary depending on your style and familiarity with the style and content of the curriculum lessons. In general, however, the time may range from two to four hours per lesson. The Instructor’s Guide is designed to greatly help the preparation and instruction of each class period.
Q. How much time is required for one class period?
A. While the amount of time needed is flexible, it would be difficult to cover the material in each lesson in less than 90 minutes. Note that the Public Square series courses are designed for 60 minute class periods.
Q. Does the homework required in some classes mean that the teacher will have to spend time grading assignments?
A. Most of the homework is covering topics that will be covered during the next class period, so the majority of it does not need to be graded. However, there may occasionally be assignments that are meant to be handed in to the instructor. They are not long, and should not require much, if any, time on the part of the teacher.
Q. Is homework necessary to the goal of the class, or is it possible to teach without requiring homework?
A. We believe that time spent by the student poring over scripture and the course content will produce a heartier knowledge of the content, and greater impact towards the goals of the courses, and therefore strongly recommend that students do the homework. However, you could potentially cover the material without requiring homework.
Using BCS Press Curriculum
Q. Where can I find sample lessons?
A. Sample lessons can be downloaded on each individual curriculum page. If no sample lesson is available for the course you are interested in, please email us at bcspress@bcsmn.org.
Q. Why does BCS Press offer workbooks for students?
A. Workbooks are a valuable tool for students to work through and study between class sessions. This allows for the students to complete daily homework prior to class discussion times. Workbooks also provide students with a lasting record of biblical truth. It is our hope that these workbooks will provide a reference that students can come back to over time.
Q. Which courses are best for those with little or no theological education?
A. Our hope is that any student who diligently spends the listed time completing weekly homework will be able to glean much from the curricula. However, it is true that some courses better lend themselves to beginners. For those who will be faithful with their study, we suggest beginning with the Foundation Series, especially Mining God's Word. The shorter courses in the Public Square series are also a good introduction for those who may not yet have their interest in theology piqued.
Q. Is there a fixed sequence to BCSPress curricula?
A. No, there is no prescribed sequencing to our curricula, but rather a somewhat hierarchical arrangement of courses. Their structure can be seen on our Curricula page.
Q. How can I use these curricula in a home or Christian school setting?
A. The curricula can be adapted for use in a home or Christian school by studying each lesson more in depth. The lesson could be taught during one class period, and another class period could be devoted to discussion of the lesson and personal application.
Q. What types of ministries should use these curricula?
A. Our courses can be taught not only to adult lay education classes during the week, but also as 6 or 12 week Sunday School programs.
Q. Why are the Biblical Womanhood DVDs only available with the Teacher's Kit?
A. Those who are using this curriculum for small group or individual study will still benefit from the material found in the Teacher's and Discussion Leader Guides. Thus, to ensure that that those studying this material are as well prepared as possible, we include the DVDs only with the purchase of the Teacher's Kit.
Q. What is the difference between the two courses on gender roles?
A. Male and Female He Created them is part of the Public Square series, and is a course that is helpful for both men and women. Biblical Womanhood in a Postmodern Culture is a course designed specifically for women.
Using Electronic Resources
Q. What should I consider before deciding if electronic distribution is right for me?
A. Here are a few things you may want to consider (although the following list is not exhaustive):
Internet Connection – We recommend using a high-speed internet connection for the initial download and for distributing these resources to your teaching team.
Benefits - Each customer must weigh the value of electronic and printed resources and consider which benefits are most important.
Quality – Please consider the quality of BCS Press’s traditional printed resources in comparison to those resources printed on your printing equipment. Our professionally printed resources are designed to endure for many years. For example, our Guides and Workbooks are printed on heavy stock paper that will minimize tearing from the included 3-ring binders. In addition, instructors and students find the sturdy 3-ring binder helpful to store additional notes and materials as they study the courses.
Usage - In order to experience the full benefit of electronic resources, churches should use them differently than they would our traditional printed resources. For example, a church that prints each workbook page, and then uses a 3-hole punch to insert the lessons into a binder, will not receive much benefit from the new format and may even spend more money than if they had just bought the traditional printed workbooks. However, printing the workbook pages as weekly worksheets would be an example of receiving the benefit of electronic workbooks.
Licensing - Be sure to read the FAQ Licensing section on License Agreements and make sure that your church is willing and able to comply with the license agreements for each resource.
Q. What do we mean by electronic distribution, or electronic resources?
A. Electronic distribution refers to a new method of acquiring resources for teachers and leaders. This method uses licensed electronic copies of our resources which can be purchased and then downloaded from BCS Press’s website. These resources are printable PDF files, allowing the purchaser to send the documents to teachers and leaders via email.
Q. Can I use both electronic and printed resources?
A. Yes. Our electronic resources are designed to be an addition to the initial purchase of an Instructor’s Guide or Teacher’s Kit. Also, a church may prefer to use printed resources for those who do not have a high-speed internet connection (and might have a harder time downloading electronic files).
Q. Will I notice any quality difference between printed electronic resources and the traditional paper resources?
A. Please consider the quality of BCS Press' traditional printed resources in comparison to those resources printed on your printing equipment. Our professionally printed resources are designed to endure for many years.
Q. How would a church distribute Electronic Resources to instructors or students for whom they have purchased licenses?
A. The purchaser can send the resource as an email attachment, or burn it to a CD, or print and distribute it.
Q. How do I keep track of how many licenses my church has?
A. BCS Press is happy to assist you in keeping a record of how many licenses of each resource you’ve purchased. After logging into your account, go to the Download Center to print a report that will detail how many and when the licenses were ordered. We suggest that one person per church manage the administration of the licenses.
Q. What should churches do with the Electronic Instructor's Guide after the class concludes for the year?
A. This depends upon how the Electronic Instructor’s Guide has been used, and whether or not the instructor will be returning to teach the same curriculum again next year. Only one instructor can use the license at a time each year. If the instructor is returning, then he may keep the printed copy or electronic file and use it again. If a leader is not returning, then he should delete the electronic file from his computer and either return the paper copy to the curriculum administrator or destroy it. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1.612.455.3420 with more specific questions regarding this policy, or see the Licensing FAQs for more information.