Adult Classes

Sunday- Life Stages

 

The Sermon on the Mount (Begins March 21)

The world into which Jesus came and spoke may not have been as dissimilar from our world as we might imagine. Though the political and economic climate was different, it was still a world where it was easier to define life and religion by the externals. Into this world Jesus came speaking about another way of living - a way that seemed counter to the culture of the day. The Sermon on the Mount defines God’s people by differentiating them from those around them. Jesus describes a lifestyle that is the trademark of a Christian counterculture. Perhaps the theme of the Sermon could be “Do not be like them” (Mt 6:8). Jesus’ words are not intended as impossible demands that drive us to our knees, but rather, they begin in grace. God has entered this world and has offered His blessings. God has called His people into a new reality and a new way of thinking and living.

Practical Proverbs (Begins June 27)

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom and advice gathered by several sources over several centuries that attempts to do what every parent wants to do: equip the next generation to make good decisions and to be successful, wise, happy, and righteous.

This is not a study of the complete teachings of Proverbs, but rather a study of topics within the book that deal with Wisdom and Folly. We will consider what the writers have to say on such topics as: Trusting God, Honesty, Gossip, Friendship, Money, Anger, Quarreling, Marriage, Parents & Kids, Work, and Finding Balance & Contentment.

We will begin with an introductory session in the auditorium, with all adult classes present, to begin thinking about the purpose of these writings and their value in our lives today. All classes will study the same topic, with the exception of the New Beginnings class, which will be focusing on a special set of lessons called Marriage, Built to Last, designed to improve relationships with marriage.

Age

Class
SHIELD
(College-age & Young Professionals)		 Room 204
(Northwest Fellowship)
New Beginnings
(Young Couples)		 Room 201
(Southwest Fellowship)
FOCUS
(Families with Young Children)		 Fireside Room
ALIVE
(Families with Older Children)		 Room 203
(Northeast Fellowship)
Bible Boomers
(Families with Children Out of the Home)		 Room 202
(Southeast Fellowship)
Goodtimers
(Retired Members)		 Auditorium

 

Wednesday

Faith Lessons – That the World May Know
Facilitator – Sonny Banning

This will be our third summer with the popular Faith Series by Dr. Ray Vander Laan, who takes us to the very places where the Bible lessons occurred. This summer we will study three Faith Lessons: The Early Church, In the Dust of the Rabbi, and Walk as Jesus Walked.

Last summer we finished at Caesarea Philippi where Jesus proclaimed that the Gates of Hell (Hades) would not prevail against the church as it took the good news of Jesus Christ aggressively into the world. From there we moved to the Mount of Olives as Jesus gave his final commission to the disciples to become witnesses to revolutionary news: Jesus seated at God’s right hand as his Divine Son. Our last lesson was a stop in Sardis, a first century city in the Roman province of Asia Minor, and a city addressed by John in the book of Revelation. As we toured recent archaeological discoveries, we were confronted with the question, “Were these believers influencing their culture for Jesus, or were they becoming increasingly comfortable as part of that culture?” Although we did not come up with a definitive answer, we discovered a way to perhaps critique our own Christian witness in an increasingly secular culture.

This summer we will travel to Pergamum, one of the largest cities of wealth, architecture, and glory, yet John labeled Pergamum as the place “where Satan has his throne.” From there we will move to Ephesus and on to Laodicea in our quest to better understand how to be instruments of God to change our world.

According to the ancient Jewish proverb, we will “follow the rabbi (Jesus), drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.” We will discover how to follow Jesus as we walk with teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan through the breathtaking terrain of Israel and Turkey and explore what it really means to be a disciple.

We will walk through the land where Jesus and his disciples walked, learn how the culture and politics of the first century influenced the imagery and stories of the Bible, and see the text through the eyes of God’s chosen people. As disciples of Jesus, we will discover that following him demands a passion for the text and a complete devotion to Christian community. But there is more. A disciple is consumed with a passion to be like the Rabbi - Jesus.

Come and discover the passion of our early Christian brothers and sisters. Follow in their footprints as they loved the Messiah with all their heart, all their soul, and all their might—every moment of every day.

Auditorium