Saul's Conversion

Ryan Lowery

Acts 26:14

Saul was a Jewish leader who harshly persecuted Christians. In his encounter with Jesus, it is obvious that his passion to persecute the church was fueled by an emotional rebellion against the evidence. Once he saw the truth of Christ, he immediately chose to live out the implications for his life. Ananias was also willing to take a step of faith toward Saul despite his fears.

The Father's Treasure

Jim Leffel

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Is money spiritually neutral? We look at warnings of having your heart serve wealth in this life, and guidance on areas including anxiety and faith. We look at aspects of what spiritual rewards and treasures God has given us, how to put God first, and his people as the true treasure of the master that we serve.

The Resurrection

Conrad Hilario

1 Corinthians 15:14-19

The resurrection of Christ is foundational to our faith. It is the final authority of Christ's plan to forgive the sins of humanity. The apostle Paul says if the resurrection didn't occur, our faith is useless. The eye witness accounts to Jesus' resurrection, the presence of women, and historical references are all examples of evidence for the resurrection. There are many proposed alternate explanations for the resurrection; each one is found to be inadequate. Christ has risen and is worthy of our faith.

A Model Church

Doug Patch

Revelation 3:7-13

John's letter to the church of Philadelphia is one of encouragement and promise. Christ's recognizes their focus and faithfulness to His Word and their intent on sharing the gospel with others. Christ rewards their faith with four promises: 1) access to God and more opportunities to share their faith, 2) vindication from people who mock them, 3) protection in difficulties, and 4) "complete and lasting security" in His Kingdom! The dynamic between trust in God and His provisions is expanded upon, emphasizing the importance of meditating on Scripture.

Standing Firm Against Legalism

Ryan Lowery

Philippians 3:1-16

Paul warns the Philippian church about legalism, a works based approach to drawing close to God. Legalism has negative effects on Christians, including being contagious to others and destroying our intimacy with God. Paul looks back on his own life to warn them of these dangers and encourage the Philippian believers to stand firm in their new identity in Christ and operate under God's grace to grow with Him.

Introduction to Philippians

Ryan Lowery

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

Paul's letter to the Philippian church was written around 62 AD while Paul was under house arrest. Paul had received the Philippians' donation and heard about their suffering. Throughout the letter, Paul encouraged the church to persevere and view their suffering in light of what God is doing and exhort them to not give up. We can still choose to rejoice amidst difficult circumstances.

Testing World Views

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

World views, or the belief systems people hold about the world and humanity, can be vastly diverse. As believers in Christ and seekers of truth, we are called to test world views and help walk others through this process to determine views that may be illogical. The belief system should be coherent, consistent, adequate, and fruitful or "livable." As we look at some of the main belief systems of our world today, we can analyze their truth statements through this lens and assess if they make rational sense.

Has Science Buried God?

John Lennox

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University explains several important points in the great debate against science and God. One essential reality is that there is no divide between science and God. One can reasonably believe in both, as science in fact points toward God. Science, based in logic and reasoning and the belief that it can be understood in a rational way, actually is born from a belief in a God who has created the world and its laws of nature. As we become confident in this reality, we can sharpen our minds to critique some of these misconceptions so prevalent in our culture.

The Real Jesus (Part 2)

Jenny Hale

Matthew 11:4-6

As a continuation of a previous workshop discussing who the historical person of Jesus was, this second discussion explores whether Jesus really did perform miracles. First, we must determine whether what we read about Jesus and his miracles in the Bible are truly what the original authors wrote. Second, we must ask if Jesus really did perform miracles, and if so, why. Finally, the discussion expands outward to reflect on the supernatural universe that God has created and the possibility of divine intervention into our physical world.