Welcome, My name is Dr. Paula Garner. I believe you are reading this because you are being prompted by the Holy Spirit to confirm your thoughts about why you should enroll in this institution. So let me welcome you to Zoe Bible Institute of which I am the founder and President. I started on this journey over 35 years ago when I found myself uncertain about my place in eternity. Prior to this time in my life, as a child I grew up in church; made to go every Sunday. When I look back to those times it appeared to be a forced march from my grandparents but now, I can see that I could never know what I was never introduced to.
My guardians were the catalyst to position me where God desired, so he could reveal Himself to me. I was always a rule follower, so I learned to be obedient through the obligations that were set forth in the church covenant, i.e. to attend church regularly, pay tithes, take communion and become involved in some capacity. I did all that out of obligation as opposed to through a relationship with Jesus. I knew the words of the hymns and through scripture that Jesus was my friend, but I was never told in my formative years how to engage with him or that he even wanted to talk to me. I saw that it appeared that the expectation of my life with Him was based on me following the rules. So, I went to prayer meeting which was mostly not prayer at all but a testimony time that the seniors’ members took up.
As I grew, I had more experiences where I leaned to my own understanding living how I wanted and yet at the same time never missed church on Sundays. I was nothing more than a church going heathen. Then one day, I had moved to another state for my job and went to a church service where at the end of the service the pastor asked, if you died tonight, would you be confident that you would be in heaven? I slipped up my hand, sitting on the back row of the church and cried because I was not sure. I felt that I was following the rules, coming to church every Sunday despite my heathen ways but when that question was asked my inner man awakened and said are you sure.
That is when I began to question what I knew. Did I know what it meant to be saved? Did I know where I was saved from? Or did I only understand that I was not going to hell? Because I could not answer those questions, I concluded that I had knowledge but no understanding. As I dug deeper, I realized that there were many words spoken in church that I did not understand, i.e. redemption, sanctification, righteousness, and a full understanding of salvation. I only saw salvation is what I needed to get to heaven and that was it. From my imperfect understanding all I had to do after receiving Jesus was to do the best I could to live right. The sum of that turning point in my life was that I only knew what I heard and not what I studied.
So, I began to study, as I did not think I, nor anyone else should be ignorant and call myself a citizen of the kingdom of God. I needed to get understanding. The only next step for me was to go to Seminary so I could get understanding. I enrolled in Northern Baptist Seminary in Lombard, IL where after 10 classes I found that I had more questions than answers. I found it more theoretical than practical. Keep in mind this is how God was working in me. I did not want to leave there having spent so much time without something to show for it, so I achieved a certificate of Biblical Studies.
I knew I was not done with my studies as I had not received what I was after, so I applied to an online Bible College out of Jacksonville, FL named Zoe University where I completed my master’s in theology. Still not feeling complete I enrolled in another School in Jacksonville, FL, Word Bible College where I received my Doctorate. Through my attendance of all those schools, I felt I received the foundation I was searching for, and I let the Holy Spirit fill in the gaps.
Pursuant to graduation, I have held many leadership roles that provided me with practical application and opportunities to preach and teach. I am a certified Life and Spiritual Coach as well as a Client Advocate at Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center. I consider myself a lifelong student.
Long story short, I find fulfillment in learning and teaching as I know there are more people out there other than me who were not getting understanding and not fulfilling the command to study to show themselves approved unto God… Let us help you get there as this where Zoe Bible Institute was birthed from. Out of my passion, it is my desire to help guide others to greater understanding of the world God created, His purposes for its creation and His plan for mankind to ensure we will all come to the unity of the faith. I’m praying that God will lead you in your journey and path of study which will push you into the purpose and destiny that has been established for you by Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.
