Winter 2012 Disciple to Maturity Classes

We are delighted to offer classes so that the believer might advance both in depth and breadth of their knowledge and understanding of Biblical truths. Classes are offered every Wednesday night from 7:00pm to approximately 8:15pm. Winter Quarter classes start january 4, 2012. Even though most of our classes are continuations from last quarter, you are still welcome to join the class and will find teaching that will be helpful.

New Class

The Life Ready Woman — Joan Miller (Room 205)

God has designed a mission and a plan for each woman’s life. And He wants them to discover it.  This nine week class helps women discover God's road map for finding balance, peace, and delight in this crazy contemporary life.  Provided in a DVD format speaker, author, wife, and mother Shaunti Feldhahn describes God's plan and purposes for women. She then hones in on the practical implications for each individual--exploring her heart, her relationships, her specific challenges, and the unique gifts and personality God has crafted in each woman.
 
Workbooks are provided for $15 each which gives tools to interact with, apply, and personalize series concepts. IF the cost is prohibitive, please contact the church office. This study series is designed to help you see the difference between “doing it all” and doing what matters.

Continuing Classes

Understanding the Big Picture — Pastor Phil Moser (Room 201)

Have you ever picked up the Bible and wondered if you would ever get to the place where you are really familiar with the whole book? By the time you complete this class, you will be able to find and recognize all the major events, important people, significant geographical locations, and the basic doctrines of the Scripture. Most importantly, you will be able to put all of the pieces together in chronological order. We will be using the tool Thirty Days to Understanding the Bible as our textbook. This is an excellent class for those new to the faith and a great review for those who have been studying the Bible for years. All are welcome! The class meets for two quarters with the Old Testament covered September 7 to December 14, and the New Testament covered January 4 through February 29.

Book of 1st Peter — Joe Kontz (Room 111)

Though a prevailing belief among believers is that our life is to be an idyllic oasis of material and circumstantial blessings from God, we find our personal reality to be quite different. We observe, in fact, that the life of the believer is often compounded by greater and deeper suffering than experienced by the world around us. Whether we encounter sickness, tragedy, the loss of a loved one, a rebellious child, or the loss of a career, our belief in Christ does not make us immune to the ordinary human sufferings of this life. Beyond these difficulties are the trials, persecution and sufferings that we experience because of our faith in Him. The feelings of isolation, rejection, and abandonment that accompany suffering can deeply impact our attitude toward God and others, and our heart may become hard to the Lord. How are we to respond in the midst of suffering? If we respond properly, will the suffering go away? Is it possible for me to live a life of hope, joy, obedience, and faith in the midst of intense suffering? Join us in a verse-by verse study of 1st Peter, as we learn to live a life of faith, obedience, hope, and joy in the midst of suffering.

The Joyful Life (a study of Philippians) — Pastor Hal Russell (Room 304)

Even a confirmed optimist is challenged these days to find positive news in any form of media reporting. Bad news seems to drive everything --and maybe that’s because it’s so much easier to find. Domestic violence, scandals, terrorism, war, and human suffering of every kind pull to dominate our thoughts with alarming consistency. And then, heaped on top of such dismal reports, are our own personal problems. As a result, the weight of all these negative circumstances is enough to make our shoulders droop, our hands drop and our eyes drip.

However, joy is available -- supernatural joy. This is what the book of Philippians is all about. It teaches us that God is working in our lives to accomplish His good purposes. So how can circumstances defeat us when the Lord is actively engaged in conforming us in His love? How can we give up when God promises that He won’t? How can we wring our hands in despair when God’s hands are shaping our lives? We will learn that true and lasting joy comes from being correctly related to Jesus Christ and also to our fellow believers. You’re all invited to study this book together and learn what it means to be content in any circumstance.

The Measure of a Man — Bill Hample (Pastor Phil’s Office)

Classics are just that -- timeless. They carry information that transcends the years and have traits that will live on beyond our generation. That’s what many have seen in this book by Dr. Gene Getz. The problem is that men are less like men than when the book was originally published. We have been feminized by the world and by mistaken ideas of Christianity. But we still need leaders within our churches. Our daughters still need to know what to expect out of Christian men. And men need to embrace biblical manhood. Jesus taught us how men should live. His meekness can never been seen as weakness, nor should ours. His strength was always in righteousness. He was a man’s man -- and God’s man.

Are you interested in taking a journey like this? Can you take the time? Maybe, like many men, you need to take the time. Dr. Getz’s book will be the guide, but the Scripture and current life experiences will be the format. This class is for all men -- young or old, with children or without. We will ask penetrating questions seeking truthful answers and relevant applications, and in the process determine to grow together while enhancing our faith, families, and fellowship.