syllabus
 
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Class Descriptions:
 
HebrewsThe book of Hebrews is a case study in a number of areas.  Foremost is the temptation to bow to cultural pressure in the face of adversity.  We will also see the glory of God’s plan, the full display of His character through the life of His Son, and the necessity of remaining true to our faith in the finished work of Jesus.
 
GenesisGenesis is the book of beginnings. The beginning of creation started with a holy God whose words spoke the universe into existence. The beginning of God’s relationship to humanity is highlighted in the faith of Abraham. The book of Genesis tracks the history that leads up to the beginning of the Israelite nation as they find themselves enslaved in Egypt. This is an incredibly important study and will be an exciting class.
 
Living Free – Jesus came to proclaim freedom to a lost world (Luke 4:19; John 8:31-32).  The essence of salvation is freedom.  Freedom is not a separate component of the gospel message; rather, it is the very heart of it.  “Living Free” is the study of:
     * the meaning and fullness of salvation
     * the fact that Christ has an original design, calling, and destiny for you
     * generational and contemporary strongholds in the believer’s life, and Christ’s power to tear them down
     * the simplicity of genuine repentance
     * our position and authority in Christ
 
Living Free II – In this course, the students will study the importance of applying the principles of the Living Free Course. Special emphasis will be placed upon:
     *the benefits & blessings of restoration ministry
     *developing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s revelation regarding life situations, strongholds, & warfare
     *the blessing of intercessory ministry
 
You and Your Bible
This class seeks to answer the questions: 1) “Why can we trust in our Bible as being God’s Word?” 2) “How do we come to this conclusion?” 3) “What is theology and why does it matter to us?”  We will consider the abundant evidence that leads us to conclude: *that our Bible provides for us the truths that reveal to us the person and character of our great God *that the truths of the Bible are the means and measure by which we should live our lives.
 
You and Your God –  
The Bible tells us that what is written in its pages, and the cosmos God created, declares His glory and tells of His nature. In this course, we will search the scriptures and seek to understand God’s self-revelation in them.
 
You and Your Salvation
This course investigates the revelation of God’s grace regarding the wonder of our salvation through
Christ. We will study relevant material relating to the necessity, nature, application, effects, and extent
of the atonement provided through Christ’s sacrifice. 
 
You and the Person of Christ
This will be a practical study of Christ, His person, His work, and His return.
 
You and the Holy Spirit – This class will be a biblical study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Concerning the person of the Holy Spirit, we will explore the biblical revelation of His deity and personal attributes. In the course of studying His work, we will investigate the progressive biblical revelation of His work throughout creation and in the Old Testament. We will continue this study, researching His work throughout the life of Christ, the church age, the Tribulation period, and the Millennial reign of Christ. 
 
You and the Church – The church is to be the most evident means of God’s revelation of His miraculous provision upon the earth after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and, therefore, our understanding of its role on earth becomes crucial. During this class, we will discuss the biblical evidence regarding:
     *the universal & local expression of the church
     *its purpose during this age
     *the biblical revelation regarding its polity, offices, and gifting
     *the ordinances of the church
     *its biblical distinctives
A special focus of this class will be the urban aspect of the New Testament revelation of church’s growth and spread.
 
You and the Return of ChristThis course will be an interactive study on the return of Jesus Christ.  While emphasis will be placed on the pre-millennial return and pre-tribulation rapture of the church, other approaches to these elements will be discussed. Daniel prophesy tells us that the understanding of the end of time would be “sealed” until that time (Daniel 12:3).  As we grow closer to the return of our Lord, this course becomes of vast importance because it addresses historical events in the light of their relationship to biblical prophecy.
 
You and the Issue of Sin This is a study of what the Bible tells us about ourselves as humans and the effects of the fall of Adam.
 
You and the Angelic Realm (Angelology & Spiritual Warfare) – Angels are created spirit beings and are found in 34 books of the Bible. These beings are both elect and fallen and are revealed to be involved in the affairs of men. This course will explore the biblical revelation of these unique beings and their involvement in conflict known as spiritual warfare.
 
Understanding the Bible – The Lord tells us that man is to “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4) and that “heaven and earth will pass away, but not His word” (Matthew 24:35).  This class is designed to study the basic principles of biblical interpretation and application.  The emphasis of this class will be the historical and grammatical approach to interpretation.
 
History of the Church l & ll  This course is an overview of the history of the church from its inception to today. We will focus on the major divisions of church history: Apostolic, Roman, Medieval, Modern, and Postmodern, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each era.
 
Christian Ministry Observation I & II / Evangelism – Discipleship is founded on the principle of personal investment and the “hands on” learning of spiritual dynamics by the disciples (Luke 10: 1-20).  In these classes, the students will be involved in the personal application of the message, motive, and ministry of the gospel while serving in a variety of adult and youth-oriented urban outreaches.
 
Prayer Class – This course is designed to explore the many aspects of prayer as we see throughout the Bible. The goal is to gain a better understanding of prayer, the importance of a personal life and culture of prayer, and to apply it to our own personal area of ministry. Prayer will be explored from a very basic level, to a deeper look at the history of revivals, and personal application through intercessory prayer.
 
Spiritual Formation – This class is designed to study the practical and spiritual dynamics of pursuing the Christ-like life.  Students will explore the biblical principles relevant to appropriating the mind, spirituality, and victory provided for us through the Finished Work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Christian Leadership in the Marketplace – This course studies the principles and practices of applying Christian ethics in the secular workplace. Taught by Christian businessmen, this practical and biblical course is designed to initiate and mobilize leadership in the secular workplace.
 
Christian Ethics The purpose of this class will be to give a general overview of Christian ethics and the need for a Christian view of ethics in today’s damaged world. We will also see that the ultimate basis for ethics is the moral character of God, that our source of ethical standards is the Bible, and that the goal of ethics is to truly live for the glory of God. Part of our journey in this class will be learning how to know God’s will and factors to consider in making ethical decisions.
 
Old Testament Survey – An overview of the Old Testament from a historical, geographical, cultural, and theological viewpoint.  Special emphasis will be placed on the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan through His revealed covenants with the patriarch, His nation Israel, and the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
 
New Testament Survey – An overview of the New Testament Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation, highlighting the historical context, intention, and spiritual principles related to the author’s message.  Special emphasis will be placed upon key themes (doctrines), important theological concepts (i.e. faith-righteousness, reconciliation, atonement, etc.), and the historical setting of the recipients.
 
Revelation This course is different from any other on the Book of Revelation because it is persistently Christ-centered. While still addressing contemporary issues of eschatology and taking a good look at the future, this course focuses on the person and character of Jesus Christ and calls students to a relational response. A very practical course, the Revelation of Jesus Christ makes unique use of coloring and craft projects to help students visualize and analyze the dramatic visions of the Revelation.
 
21st Century Evangelism in the Urban Center – The course includes two very important elements. First, we are approaching this course from an urban perspective, seeking to identify the many relevant avenues through which we can reach the diverse community in which God has placed us. Second, we are seeking to engage this diverse community with a variety of tools that can be utilized to better reach the broadest scope of people. This class will be intentionally directed toward existing ministry opportunities. It will seek to engage the student in honest reflection regarding his/her responsibility for the culture in which we live, and seek to engage the student in ministry opportunities, expanding one’s appreciation for evangelism.
 
Elective Classes & Guest Speakers – Students will be presented with various classes throughout the course of the year on various biblical books and topics (Romans, Hebrews, Revelation, Church History, Relationships, Current Trends in Church Culture, Basic Study Tools for the Greek and Hebrew Language, and other courses as they are developed):
  • Greek Basics & Tools – A basic introduction to the biblical Greek language (koine) with an emphasis on the use of linguistic tools available to complement a more comprehensive study of the New Testament. 
  • Dispensational TheologyThis course is a Biblical study of the distinct ways in which God has worked with mankind throughout our history.  We will emphasize the distinct role of Israel as a nation, and the church as the Body & Bride of Christ.