December 21st lesson Special seasonal segment: the connection between difficulties, faith, salvation — and that wonderful baby in the manger.
**I originally intended to jump right into the Christmas story, but I’ve had a growing sense in my spirit that I need to cover a passage in 1 Peter. **
1 Peter 1:3-10
Click here for complete lesson
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
ANGELS AMONG US — special segment
Special seasonal segment: Angels Among Us: Exploring how God speaks and works through angels.
click here for class worksheet and material
click here for class worksheet and material
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
PART III: Understanding HOW and WHY God spoke in the past
This week we will explore how God spoke in the past by investigating the first few chapters of Genesis. How did God to speak to the first man? Why did He speak each time He spoke? What happened to our line of communication with God after sin damaged the world?
Click here for worksheet…
Click here for worksheet…
Monday, November 24, 2008
A WALK IN THE WOODS
A story by Jennifer Rainey Walters
November 14, 1994
[Jennifer shared with me this beautiful story she wrote some years ago. I thought it would be great to share it with the class as well.]
One day a man was walking down a long quiet road. He wasn’t sure where he was going or how to get back home, until he saw woods ahead. He thought to himself whether he should keep walking along the road or take a chance and go through the woods. Even though he thought he should stay on the road, it would be getting dark soon, he decided he would go through the woods hoping it would be a short-cut.
Read more…
November 14, 1994
[Jennifer shared with me this beautiful story she wrote some years ago. I thought it would be great to share it with the class as well.]
One day a man was walking down a long quiet road. He wasn’t sure where he was going or how to get back home, until he saw woods ahead. He thought to himself whether he should keep walking along the road or take a chance and go through the woods. Even though he thought he should stay on the road, it would be getting dark soon, he decided he would go through the woods hoping it would be a short-cut.
Read more…
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sunday November 23, classroom change
Dear friends, our class will be meeting upstairs with Greg Crawford's Bible 101 class on November 23rd. The Bible 101 class is upstairs in Room 203.
Directions to Room 203: Take the stairs next to the elevator. When you come out of the stairs, take a right. Turn right into the hallway just past the church library. That hallway intersects wit another. Stay to the right until it dead ends. Room 203 is on the left.
See you week after next — Dennis
Directions to Room 203: Take the stairs next to the elevator. When you come out of the stairs, take a right. Turn right into the hallway just past the church library. That hallway intersects wit another. Stay to the right until it dead ends. Room 203 is on the left.
See you week after next — Dennis
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Hearing the voice of God: sessions 1 & 2
Exploring the various ways God speaks/communicates with us and how we can discern and hear His voice
Opening questions for class discussion:
1. Do you think God still speaks today?
2. Have you ever heard God speak? How? How do you know it was God?
3. If you believe God still speaks, how does He do it? How often? Why dies He do it?
Watch first half of Pastor Dr. Mark Becton testimony video GOD SPOKE (Grove Ave. Bapt.)
Read testimony here
Watch video here (if you have a PC and Windows Media Player)
Class discussion:
1. What do you think was God’s main purpose in speaking?
_______________________________________________
Session 2
Recap of session 1
Watch last half of Pastor Mark Becton video
Lessons learned by Pastor Mark Becton when God spoke:
A. God reveals Himself through _________________, not _________________.
B. God’s truth and way are ___________, ______________ and ____________.
C. Satan is a ________________.
D. _______________ is still the key.
E. _______________ the story and leave the ______________________ to God.
Opening questions for class discussion:
1. Do you think God still speaks today?
2. Have you ever heard God speak? How? How do you know it was God?
3. If you believe God still speaks, how does He do it? How often? Why dies He do it?
Watch first half of Pastor Dr. Mark Becton testimony video GOD SPOKE (Grove Ave. Bapt.)
Read testimony here
Watch video here (if you have a PC and Windows Media Player)
Class discussion:
1. What do you think was God’s main purpose in speaking?
_______________________________________________
Session 2
Recap of session 1
Watch last half of Pastor Mark Becton video
Lessons learned by Pastor Mark Becton when God spoke:
A. God reveals Himself through _________________, not _________________.
B. God’s truth and way are ___________, ______________ and ____________.
C. Satan is a ________________.
D. _______________ is still the key.
E. _______________ the story and leave the ______________________ to God.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD series
This week we will begin exploring the various ways God speaks/communicates with us and how we can discern and hear His voice. You won't want to miss it!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
What is a disciple's mission? Part II
Class discussion
Q. What’s your confidence-level in being a witness for Christ? Why?
John 4:1-42 Story of the Samaritan woman
(Key verses: 28-30; 39-42)
Q. How much training did the woman have in witnessing to others about Christ?
Q. How effective was she despite that fact?
Q. What can we learn from that?
OUR part:
Pastor Travis Collins conveys in his book Directionally Challenged, “What is God’s will for my life?” is the wrong question. The right question is, “What is my place in God’s mission to the world?”
Our part individually should in some way involve His mission to reach a lost world, by…
praying and/or giving, and/or going or whatever the Lord puts on your heart to do that supports His main mission. Each true disciple should play some role in the Great Commission.
Core lesson: The disciples mission is to have some part in “making disciples of all the nations.”
Fact: that will not happen unless our hearts are aligned with God’s. It may be that many of us here simply do not care about the lost. Or at least our actions, our involvement in Christ’ mission, might reveal that. Let's ask God to shape our hearts to reflect His.
• Watch Eric Reese testimony on video: Braving Bullets: Into the favelas
After prayer about the above lesson, write down in your notebook what you believe your role is in Christ’s mission of “making disciples of the nations.”
Q. What’s your confidence-level in being a witness for Christ? Why?
John 4:1-42 Story of the Samaritan woman
(Key verses: 28-30; 39-42)
Q. How much training did the woman have in witnessing to others about Christ?
Q. How effective was she despite that fact?
Q. What can we learn from that?
OUR part:
Pastor Travis Collins conveys in his book Directionally Challenged, “What is God’s will for my life?” is the wrong question. The right question is, “What is my place in God’s mission to the world?”
Our part individually should in some way involve His mission to reach a lost world, by…
praying and/or giving, and/or going or whatever the Lord puts on your heart to do that supports His main mission. Each true disciple should play some role in the Great Commission.
Core lesson: The disciples mission is to have some part in “making disciples of all the nations.”
Fact: that will not happen unless our hearts are aligned with God’s. It may be that many of us here simply do not care about the lost. Or at least our actions, our involvement in Christ’ mission, might reveal that. Let's ask God to shape our hearts to reflect His.
• Watch Eric Reese testimony on video: Braving Bullets: Into the favelas
After prayer about the above lesson, write down in your notebook what you believe your role is in Christ’s mission of “making disciples of the nations.”
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Worksheet for: What is the disciple’s mission?
(Part 1)
• Watch Acts:1-8_promo video
1. Who is Christ and what was His main mission?
READ each verse then answer
• Luke 1:30-35
• Luke 2:10-11
• Matthew 1:20-23
• John 1:29
• John 3:16
• 2 Corinthians 5:18
He is Savior; God’s Son; God with us; Lord.
His Main Mission: To establish His kingdom and preach the Good News of the Kingdom — that salvation is available for all humanity that has been alienated from the life of God because of sin — through faith in the Son of God and His finished work on the cross = reconciling us to Himself — bring us back into relationship with God.
Q. What’s our part? What’s our mission?
• Matthew 28:18
Make disciples of ALL the nations — all people groups
• Acts 1:8 [Jesus said]
Be witnesses: Make disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, all over the world
• Watch Acts:1-8_promo video
1. Who is Christ and what was His main mission?
READ each verse then answer
• Luke 1:30-35
• Luke 2:10-11
• Matthew 1:20-23
• John 1:29
• John 3:16
• 2 Corinthians 5:18
He is Savior; God’s Son; God with us; Lord.
His Main Mission: To establish His kingdom and preach the Good News of the Kingdom — that salvation is available for all humanity that has been alienated from the life of God because of sin — through faith in the Son of God and His finished work on the cross = reconciling us to Himself — bring us back into relationship with God.
Q. What’s our part? What’s our mission?
• Matthew 28:18
Make disciples of ALL the nations — all people groups
• Acts 1:8 [Jesus said]
Be witnesses: Make disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, all over the world
Saturday, October 25, 2008
LOOK what I found!
Last week at work I found a discarded magazine I had never heard of, but it got my attention. It's "Campus Life's IGNITE your faith magazine." I nearly laughed aloud because it is nearly the same name as our class! Oh, well. Nothing new under the sun, right?
Here's the link in case you want to check out their website.
Here's the link in case you want to check out their website.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
BEING A DISCPLE part II
Worksheet for: Being a disciple of Christ Part II: Is being a disciple optional for the believer?
Q. Can a person believe in Christ (be saved), and not be a disciple? Let’s investigate:
Matthew 7:17-27
Q. According to these verses, is it possible for someone to absolutely believe they are saved (entering heaven when they die), and yet not be?
____________________________________________________________________
Q. Is it possible to be involved in spiritual work, even having/claiming miracles, and not be saved? ________________________________________________________
Q. What is the main characteristic of a true believer, one who will enter heaven?
_____________________________________________________________________
John 14:21-24
Q. If we love Jesus, what is the natural outpouring of that? _____________________
John 15:1-8
Q. According to Jesus here in John 15, what is another characteristic of a disciple?
_____________________________________________________________________
** We are not talking about sinless perfection. That is not possible.
James 2:14-26
• James’ point is that true faith, real faith, naturally produces results in your life — it shows up in what you say and what you do, and what you think.
Analogy of a cross-country runner that shows up, is suited up, but never runs.
Point: we can show up to church every week, carry a Bible, look Christian, sound Christian, go to church events, even get involved to a degree in church stuff… but if we have never put our unqualified YES! on the table before Jesus, we are just playing church.
Core lesson: A true Christian/disciple bears fruit — real faith has natural outpourings of good things that Jesus is producing through you.
View video "Seize Your Divine Moment" and contemplate the role of the Christian that put his "YES!" on the table, and was used of God.
Q. Can a person believe in Christ (be saved), and not be a disciple? Let’s investigate:
Matthew 7:17-27
Q. According to these verses, is it possible for someone to absolutely believe they are saved (entering heaven when they die), and yet not be?
____________________________________________________________________
Q. Is it possible to be involved in spiritual work, even having/claiming miracles, and not be saved? ________________________________________________________
Q. What is the main characteristic of a true believer, one who will enter heaven?
_____________________________________________________________________
John 14:21-24
Q. If we love Jesus, what is the natural outpouring of that? _____________________
John 15:1-8
Q. According to Jesus here in John 15, what is another characteristic of a disciple?
_____________________________________________________________________
** We are not talking about sinless perfection. That is not possible.
James 2:14-26
• James’ point is that true faith, real faith, naturally produces results in your life — it shows up in what you say and what you do, and what you think.
Analogy of a cross-country runner that shows up, is suited up, but never runs.
Point: we can show up to church every week, carry a Bible, look Christian, sound Christian, go to church events, even get involved to a degree in church stuff… but if we have never put our unqualified YES! on the table before Jesus, we are just playing church.
Core lesson: A true Christian/disciple bears fruit — real faith has natural outpourings of good things that Jesus is producing through you.
View video "Seize Your Divine Moment" and contemplate the role of the Christian that put his "YES!" on the table, and was used of God.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Being a disciple of Christ — worksheet
Worksheet for: Being a disciple of Christ: exploring what being a true disciple is and how that impacts our spiritual habits
Watch Timothy Abraham’s video for homework, posted below.
His testimony in text form: http://web-ministries.org/testimony/abraham.html
Q. What did it cost Timothy to follow Christ?
Q. WHO IS CHRIST? And WHY IS HE WORTHY OF FOLLOWING?
Q. What do you think being a disciple of Christ means?
Q. What does the Bible have to say about being a disciple? Let’s explore:
The original word used in the Bible for “DISCIPLE” is the Greek word mathētēs.
It is defined simply as: a learner, pupil, disciple.
Luke 9:23-26
(All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted)
• A disciple must deny himself.
• A disciple must “take up his cross daily”
• A disciple must follow Jesus
Luke 9:57-62
• A disciple must be willing to sacrifice the comforts of home or even a place to call “home.”
• A disciple must be willing to put their relationship with Christ first, even over family.
• A disciple must be willing to make God’s kingdom work a priority.
Luke 14:25-33
Q. Is Jesus really asking us to hate our loves ones? WHAT is He saying?
Q. What is Jesus’ point about counting the cost?
Q. What IS the cost? Everything
Read John 8:31
Q. What other notable characteristic do disciples have?
Q. Why do you think Jesus made this point?
Q. What do you think the result was of the difficulty of following Christ in His day?
Core lesson:
1. Put your YES on the table, withholding nothing from God.
2. If you are unwilling to do so, He says you cannot be His disciple. That’s the simple, somewhat painful, very radical conclusion.
Watch Timothy Abraham’s video for homework, posted below.
His testimony in text form: http://web-ministries.org/testimony/abraham.html
Q. What did it cost Timothy to follow Christ?
Q. WHO IS CHRIST? And WHY IS HE WORTHY OF FOLLOWING?
Q. What do you think being a disciple of Christ means?
Q. What does the Bible have to say about being a disciple? Let’s explore:
The original word used in the Bible for “DISCIPLE” is the Greek word mathētēs.
It is defined simply as: a learner, pupil, disciple.
Luke 9:23-26
(All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted)
• A disciple must deny himself.
• A disciple must “take up his cross daily”
• A disciple must follow Jesus
Luke 9:57-62
• A disciple must be willing to sacrifice the comforts of home or even a place to call “home.”
• A disciple must be willing to put their relationship with Christ first, even over family.
• A disciple must be willing to make God’s kingdom work a priority.
Luke 14:25-33
Q. Is Jesus really asking us to hate our loves ones? WHAT is He saying?
Q. What is Jesus’ point about counting the cost?
Q. What IS the cost? Everything
Read John 8:31
Q. What other notable characteristic do disciples have?
Q. Why do you think Jesus made this point?
Q. What do you think the result was of the difficulty of following Christ in His day?
Core lesson:
1. Put your YES on the table, withholding nothing from God.
2. If you are unwilling to do so, He says you cannot be His disciple. That’s the simple, somewhat painful, very radical conclusion.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The cost of being a disciple
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Check out Timothy Abraham's touching story of converting from Islam to being a disciple of Christ. Part I
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Check out Timothy Abraham's touching story of converting from Islam to being a disciple of Christ. Part I
Sunday, September 28, 2008
New DU class Bible 201: IGNITED!
Igniting our walk with God and His mission through developing our spiritual habits
Vision: Our transformation, not just receiving information — to increasingly be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ, bearing fruit that will glorify and magnify His name — including a heart for the lost.
Strategy: Study God’s word; practice the lessons and principles of God’s word relative to spiritual habits; be exposed to testimonies that will inspire us. We plan to study on a subject for a few weeks, practice in class and during the week, then follow up with a class on what we have learned. Teaching style: interactive
Basic course outline: this is the first time around this class is being taught, so there will not be a firm timetable associated with it. Each topic listed below will probably be several weeks in duration. Our desire is to cover the developing course material in a manner that yields the best results, rather than adhere to an artificial schedule.
Class begins October 5, 2008
1. Course overview: our first class, we will focus on getting acquainted, talking about expectations, and discussing an overview of the class
2. Being a disciple of Christ: exploring what a true disciple is and how that impacts all we will study in this course
3. Bible study: Igniting a passion for God’s Word through effective Bible study practices and methods
4. How God speaks: exploring ways that God speaks and how we can tune into hearing His voice
5. Prayer (& fasting): Igniting a passion for effective, fervent prayer and occasional fasting
6. Worship: Igniting a passion for God in worship — corporate and private
7. Community: Igniting a passion for being purposefully connected with the people of God
8. Service: Igniting a passion for serving and ministering to God and others.
9. Faith: understanding and exercising this foundational component of the Christian life.
Vision: Our transformation, not just receiving information — to increasingly be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ, bearing fruit that will glorify and magnify His name — including a heart for the lost.
Strategy: Study God’s word; practice the lessons and principles of God’s word relative to spiritual habits; be exposed to testimonies that will inspire us. We plan to study on a subject for a few weeks, practice in class and during the week, then follow up with a class on what we have learned. Teaching style: interactive
Basic course outline: this is the first time around this class is being taught, so there will not be a firm timetable associated with it. Each topic listed below will probably be several weeks in duration. Our desire is to cover the developing course material in a manner that yields the best results, rather than adhere to an artificial schedule.
Class begins October 5, 2008
1. Course overview: our first class, we will focus on getting acquainted, talking about expectations, and discussing an overview of the class
2. Being a disciple of Christ: exploring what a true disciple is and how that impacts all we will study in this course
3. Bible study: Igniting a passion for God’s Word through effective Bible study practices and methods
4. How God speaks: exploring ways that God speaks and how we can tune into hearing His voice
5. Prayer (& fasting): Igniting a passion for effective, fervent prayer and occasional fasting
6. Worship: Igniting a passion for God in worship — corporate and private
7. Community: Igniting a passion for being purposefully connected with the people of God
8. Service: Igniting a passion for serving and ministering to God and others.
9. Faith: understanding and exercising this foundational component of the Christian life.
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