About

Word By Heart started formally in YWAM in 2013. Since then, over 120 schools have been run in 38 locations in 25 nations in all continents. Meet the co-founders below as well as find answers to FAQS.

Our Story

Paul Childers

Co-Founder, WBH Global Leader

Paul is a global mission leader and speaker with YWAM, having ministered in over 100 countries. He holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from the University of the Nations and has authored five books that have sold more than 150,000 copies. He lives in Kailua Kona with his wife Susi and three children.

In 1993, at the age of 18, Paul learnt the Book of Revelation by heart and performed it with his family in churches in New Zealand and the USA.

In 2009, he felt called to learn the entire New Testament by heart and started by learning the Gospel of Mark. In 2010, Paul partnered with Bruce Kuhn, who introduced him to a new method of learning the Bible word for word.

Together, they pioneered the first Word By Heart 3-month school at the University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii in 2013. Since then, the school has been offered in 38 locations across 25 nations on every continent except Antarctica.

Bruce Kuhn

Co-Founder, WBH Master Teacher

Bruce Kuhn played on Boardway in Les Miserables. His career includes Shakespeare and several years in Repertory Theatre.

He has toured to Australia and Hungary, and with the National Tours of Chess and The Cotton Patch Gospel. He received his MFA at the University of Washington, Seattle, and later studied with Uta Hagen in New York City. He now tours the globe with five one-person shows including The Gospel of Luke, Tales of Tolstoy and the Gospel of Mark (in Dutch).

He taught an early version of Word by Heart (called “Truthtelling by Story”) at several seminaries, including Regent College (Canada), Oxford University (Wycliffe Hall, UK), as well as with the International Fellowship of Students (IFES) in nine countries. He was on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) for three years, and has performed at many Christian conferences and churches over the years.He now lives in the Netherlands with his wife Hetty, a landscape painter, where they miss their two adult children.

Questions

How can I book Bruce to perform his one-man shows?

Bruce takes bookings through his email brucekuhn@gmail.com. Please discuss logistical details directly with Bruce.

How can I book Paul to speak?

Paul is passionate to speak about Word By Heart as well as preaching and teaching. He also shares various books of the Bible, especially The Gospel of John and The Book of Revelation. Contact Paul directly at paulchilders@wordbyheart.org.

Are all classes in-person only?

The strong preference of Word By Heart is to have in-person classes. The full effect of the methodology is felt when people are with others in community. However, since the outbreak of COVID, some of our schools have incorporated online learning, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Are all Word By Heart schools the same around the world?

The content of the school is the same, and each school leader has gone through a similar development process. However, Word By Heart is not centrally managed. There is no governmental or financial structure that links the schools, as each course runs under its own registration through its local YWAM base.

University of the Nations’ credit is recognized by many other tertiary providers and the Global Accreditation Association. However it is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.

Why is there such a difference in cost?

The large variance in cost is due to the variation of economies between countries as different as Hawaii is to Paraguay. Although the quality of tuition will be about the same, the living conditions will vary considerably.

Are there scholarships?

There are scholarships. Most of our schools have scholarships for A, B, and C category nations. If people come from a developing country, they will be changed less.. However, not everyone coming from a developing economy will need financial assistance. Often the sponsoring campus will have their own way of applying for these scholarships.

Do I need a visa?

This varies from country to country. Please check and see what visa you need (if any) for your country of choice. As this is a 3-month school, often 90-day visa waiver programs suffice. Please check with your campus for any specifics.

Are there prerequisites to do this course?

If you are taking this course within YWAM, please note that Word By Heart is a bachelor-level course of the College of Christian Ministries (CHR207 or CHR217). The usual prerequisite for a bachelor-level course in YWAM/University of the Nations is a Discipleship Training School (DTS, DSP211). However, Word By Heart is famously hospitable and welcomes guests! Please contact the course leader of your school of interest to take a seminar portion of the course.

What can I do with this course?

Word By Heart (Genesis-Revelation) CHR207 carries core curriculum weight within the University of the Nations. You can use it for Bible Core Course credit. In addition, as the training grows around the world, communities desire to have Word By Heart alumni share the Word, speak, or teach seminars. In addition, various WBH schools are developing outreach components to the lecture phase of their programs.