ΟΜΙΛΕΙΝ helps Greek Teachers gain fluency in Koine Greek and learn to teach communicatively. They then go on to revolutionize their own courses!

Listen to what they have to say about our courses and teachers…

DR. DAVID ( Δαυίδης ) MILLER

Associate Professor of New Testament & Early Judaism, Briercrest (Canada)

Jordash is one of the finest Greek teachers I know. I first experienced Jordash’s teaching in 2012 when he served as one of the instructors at a Greek fluency workshop designed to help Greek teachers move towards a communicative approach to language teaching. I then participated in a series of weekly online Greek study sessions with Jordash, formally in 2014-2015, and more informally in 2018-2019. Most recently, I used resources developed by Jordash in a college-level introductory Greek course. Both online and in person, Jordash is an inspiring, enthusiastic, and encouraging teacher, and an exemplary practitioner of a communicative approach to teaching Greek. Jordash has an excellent oral command of the language, and is able to converse freely in Koiné Greek and to explain difficult concepts and vocabulary clearly without leaving the language. 

Michelle ( Μαριάμ ) GRAVES, MA

Teacher, Trinity Classical School (USA)

I’m Michelle Graves, a Latin, Greek, Bible, and humanities teacher at Trinity Classical School in Houston, Texas. I took a beginning week-long immersion course with Jordash through the Biblical Language Center in the summer of 2011 at Fresno State in California. Over the next four years I took several intermediate classes taught by Jordash that met online weekly for interactive teaching.

All the courses were taught exclusively in Greek. Jordash taught with energy, warmth, and humor. His physical antics when teaching in person I remember clearly, for example, his scenario for teaching the words for bodily evacuation. (I can easily recall the Greek words too!) The immersion course was without question the most exciting educational experience of my life. Talking about Jesus, as well as everyday things, in the very language of scripture appealed all at once to my heart, soul, and mind.

Inspired by Jordash and others, I have enjoyed teaching Greek communicatively to middle and high school students. I recommend his courses to teachers and learners who desire to connect with the living Word in Greek.

Dr. MICHAEL ( Μιχαήλ ) SMITH

Professor of New Testament Greek, Academic Dean, Asia Lutheran Seminary (Hong Kong)

…[Jordash] proved to be an effective teacher by using varied methodology, by making sure that students “got it” before moving on to something new, and by his positive disposition. Jordash’s enthusiasm for Greek is infectious. (I’ve always had a habit of telling my Greek students that Greek is fun, but Jordash proves Greek is fun.) The video materials and written exercises we used in between our online sessions served well in reinforcing what we learned. 

I took this course as an introduction to the communicative approach, planning to use the approach in my (new) position at Asia Lutheran Seminary (ALS). We have been using the communicative approach to teaching Greek (and Hebrew) at ALS for a number of years, and it has proven to be an effective approach. I previously taught Greek for 16 years using a traditional approach to teaching Greek (lots of charts and memorization), and the communicative approach is a better way to introduce students to Greek. The course with Jordash in Summer 2018 was a great introduction to this learning approach… Jordash is a superb teacher using this approach and I highly recommend him.

JASON ( Ἰάσων ) WEAVER, MA

Greek Instructor, Ethnos360 (USA)

I have been teaching Greek for 16 years, 10 years of which I have used a living language approach. When I knew I wanted to make the change and start teaching Greek as a “real” language, I decided to go to Israel and take a Greek course where I could learn this approach.  So in 2009 I took my first “living” Greek course with Jordash as one of my main teachers. It was an amazing experience! So much so that I returned the next year for another course. I have continued to learn from Jordash through various online courses and informal times together on the internet.

This method of learning Greek has much to commend itself over traditional methods of learning and teaching Greek. I originally studied Greek using the standard method of grammar instruction and translation of passages into English. Afterwards I went on to use that same method in teaching the language for a period of 5 years. Speaking the language and learning to think in it without resorting to translation really makes the language come alive and drives the learning much deeper. 

Jordash is one of the most enthusiastic and fun teachers I’ve ever had for any subject. The excitement he brings to the classroom (online or otherwise) facilitates better learning and even more importantly makes you want to keep learning. I can still remember certain Greek words that I learned in a single conversation with Jordash!

I have one final thing to say in recommending this course of study for you. Jordash loves the Lord Jesus and that comes through in vibrant color when he teaches Greek! It’s so refreshing to be reminded of why I want to learn Greek better when I’m in the middle of the struggle. He provides the “heart” behind the study to help keep the “brain” motivated.

REV. SEBASTIAN ( Σεβαστιανός ) CARNAZZO, PhD

Lecturer in Sacred Scripture and Biblical Languages, Graduate School of Theology of Christendom College (USA)

My name is Sebastian Carnazzo. I have a PhD in Biblical Studies and have been teaching graduate courses in Scripture and Biblical Languages for nearly twenty years. In the early part of my teaching career I realized there was a problem. Though I had studied biblical languages at the highest academic levels and began teaching these same languages in my first teaching post, I came to the realization very early on that, no matter how much I knew about these languages, I still didn’t feel like I really knew them. I always felt like I was, for lack of a better description, standing outside the language looking in. This was a very different feel from my knowledge of English, my native tongue. I knew I needed to learn the biblical languages in a different way so that I could be a more effective teacher and scholar.

I then learned that there was already a community of teachers working on solving this very problem. Among the leaders of this new movement was Jordash Kiffiak. I first met Jordash at a seminar that was intended to teach Greek teachers the living language method. Jordash was the primary presenter at that seminar. I was amazed at the ease he exhibited in speaking to us Greek teachers in biblical Greek. I was also amazed at how well he was able to pass on his skills and tools to us. He had a passion that was contagious!

With his tutelage and help I was able to incorporate the living language method in the classroom the very next semester. After that, I was hooked, and so were my students! That was over ten years ago. Today, I teach biblical Greek as a living language and my students love it and I love it. I can now read Biblical Greek texts from the inside! This is due to my continued study under Jordash, from whom I have had several courses since our first encounter. This is also why I am so excited to learn about ΟΜΙΛΕΙΝ, through which I have already taken one course and plan on taking as many as will be offered in the future!

Dr. BENJAMIN ( Παῦλος ) KANTOR

Founder of KoineGreek.com and Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge (UK)

In my view, Jordash is one of the best Koine Greek speakers in the world and an exceptional teacher. I first learned Greek as one of his students in 2011. Watching Jordash as a teacher gives one a sense of a mix of scholarly brilliance and humble and patient pedagogy. His example is worthy of imitation for those desiring to learn fluency in Koine Greek and for those desiring to teach Koine Greek communicatively.

Dr. A. PHILIP ( Φίλιππος ) BROWN II

Professor of Bible and Theology, Graduate Program Director, God's Bible School and College (USA)

By 2011, I had 15 years experience of teaching first and second year Greek from a grammar-translation approach. The students who learned from me did well in graduate Greek exegesis courses wherever they went.  Then I attended a communicative language training intensive with Biblical Language Center where Jordash Kiffiak was one of the primary instructors. His enthusiasm and vibrant imagination were matched with an excellent grasp of Koine Greek grammar and style. Following that intensive, I took several online courses with Jordash which featured interacting with NT texts in Koine through circling, parking, and TPRS. 

My progress in teaching Koine as a living language was greatly enriched through conversational interaction, observing Jordash's pedagogy, and feeling free to improvise as I emulated his methods. I again have students in graduate Greek exegesis who show greater aptitude to the nuances of syntax because they began their NT Greek studies with a communicative language approach. I owe a great deal to the BLC team and to Jordash in particular for his investment in me.

Teachers—we provide a wealth of learning materials for students. These rich workbooks and video resources will enhance your live instruction in the classroom, making your efforts teaching Greek as a living language a joy and an even greater success!