First Principles Class

Sis. Sharron Hill-Wilson

Our classes will be character studies as they relate to overcoming adversity, trials and the difficult times we all encounter. Our thoughts will focus on how the choices we make in the valleys of life can lead to tremendous personal and spiritual growth over time. The bible is full of examples of believers who were tested. Many of them initially failed those tests. But those that endured and kept at it were handsomely rewarded for their efforts. We will look at four such studies over the course of the week, those being: Samson, Hosea, Esther and Peter. On our concluding day, we will take a look at the character of Christ and the general topic of overcoming spiritual adversity with God as our guide and lighthouse.

The Sacrifices of God

Bro. Gerald Sankey

Yahweh instituted an elaborate system of sacrifice with the nation of Israel during the time of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. This system of sacrifice was specifically and meticulously set forth as the means of acceptable approach and fellowship with Yahweh, their creator (and ours). We propose to review the six (6) altar sacrifices and their antitypical fulfillment in Jesus, the Christ; and, to emphasize that there is an identification with these altar sacrifices that the believer today, must conform to, to approach unto and maintain fellowship with the Father and His Son.

To whom God is Salvation

Bro. Lou Locklear

Outside of one reference in the New Testament we find nothing recorded of the prophet Elisha except in 2 Kings and there in relatively few chapters. His ministry was long by comparison to other prophets. He ministered during the reign of at least 4 kings of Israel for a total of about 60 years. We particularly note that no other prophet performed as many miracles as Elisha except for our Lord. Why do we not find more about this prophet of God? We will examine the character of this man whose name signifies "El is Salvation", consider some of his many miracles and the lessons they taught. We also want to look at some of those he came in contact with during his ministry; most of whom are nameless.

The Teachings of Jesus: A Light That Shined Before Men

Bro. David Pinkston

The writer to the Hebrews tells us: 'God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.' This week we will study the teachings of his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will begin by examining the purpose of the parables to determine why he chose to teach in this manner. We will then review a few of the parables of Christ to try and understand the spiritual concepts contained in these wonderful stories. We will also discuss the importance that Jesus places on the need for Sound Doctrine in order to truly develop the qualities of our Heavenly Father, along with his instructions regarding the need for spiritual balance. Applying these lessons from Jesus to our lives will prevent us from making the same mistakes as the Pharisees did in their zeal to be the spiritual leaders of their time. Most importantly, we will attempt to identify throughout the week the characteristics of our Heavenly Father that his beloved Son manifested to us so perfectly so that we may learn to be more like Him, if we are those that truly have the "eyes to see and the ears to hear." It is to this group of people that the teachings of Jesus will have such power as to transform them from the ways of the flesh into the image and likeness of our Heavenly Father and to allow them to walk as Children of Light.

Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus

Bro. Bill Tucker

The goal of this class is to explore the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, with particular emphasis on his interactions with others. Each of us attempts to develop and manifest the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22- 25) in our lives, but sometimes, perhaps even often, we wonder precisely how to accomplish that in our challenging daily lives. Certainly, the first and great commandment must be our primary concern, and our obedience to that commandment will regulate our prayer, our private study, our meditation, etc. Nevertheless, much of the rest of our life is spent interacting with others and those interactions are often far from ideal, despite our "best efforts." Does the fault always lie with others (and not us)? Probably not.
     Our focus will be to examine the interactions of Christ with a wide variety of people, from family members and disciples, to Pharisees, publicans, rulers, sinners, the bereaved, the deranged, the curious, the disinterested etc. and see what we can learn from the Master. Some lessons are obvious, some are subtle, some are debatable and some are just worthy of more thought, but in every case, looking at the Master's Life should bring us closer to him.

Chaos in Corinth: A Case Study of an Ecclesia in Crisis

Bro. Alan Ghent

The ecclesia in Corinth was beset with all manner of problems -- personal, moral, doctrinal and organizational. These issues are not unique to the first century. As long as ecclesias are made up of fallible men and women, there are going to be difficulties. All too often we can become discouraged or disheartened in the face of ecclesial conflict. This class will consider several themes from Paul's two letters addressing issues that are just as relevant today. Corinth is a case study of an ecclesia in crisis. How did they deal with these troubles? What can we learn from their success and failure? It is our hope that by considering Paul's counsel regarding the difficulties that beset these Corinthian brethren, we might gain from their experience and become better equipped to deal with our own ecclesial challenges. Like the believers in Corinth, God has promised us that we have been given everything we need to sustain our faith until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Elements of God's Design in the Things He Has Purposed

Bro. James Farrar

The focus of this study will be on things which show that the world has been created with divine purpose. Among the topics to be considered are:

1. How divine design can be recognized
2. The difference between adaptation and design
3. The uniqueness of human beings in comparison to other living things
4. How to answer the argument that the design is flawed
5. The relation of time to God's design
6. The impact of Noah's Flood on the earth past and present
7. The improbable history of the Jewish people

In this class, we will consider evidence for believing the natural world bears witness to God's design and is not the outcome of an undirected natural process. While this consideration will require examining extra-Biblical evidence, an effort will be made to integrate things in the natural world with things that have been revealed. The objective of the class is to contribute to the confirmation of our faith in the Christadelphian expectation concerning the future of the world.