1 Peter: Keep Hope Alive(5 Lessons) Richard F. Wilson •• This study of First Peter focuses on keeping hope alive in the face of pressures and circumstances that could possibly extinguish it completely, or worse, turn authentic faith into a pale replica of the real thing.
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Approaching a Missional Mindset(4 Lessons) Bo Prosser •• The World isn’t the same as it once was. We must be the church in a new place, in unimagined ways, and with a wider range of people. Engage your small group with the radical and refreshing challenge of developing a “missional lifestyle.”
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Baptist Freedom: Celebrating Our Baptist Heritage(5 Lessons) Walter B. Shurden with C. Douglass Weaver •• What makes a Baptist a Baptist? Of course, the ultimate answer is simple: membership in a local Baptist church. But there are all kinds of Baptist churches! What are the spiritual and theological marks of a Baptist? What is the shape and the feel of Baptist Christianity?
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Challenges of the Christian Life(5 Lessons) Carol Davis Younger •• The way of the cross is difficult, and taking Jesus seriously means looking honestly at how we fall short of God’s best hopes for us and seeing how much we need God’s grace. For all of us there are times when we need to remember that Christ is our saving grace and recommit ourselves to the journey of faith, rediscovering, again and again, the life-giving purpose described in the book of Ephesians.
Christ is Born!(5 Lessons) Lawanda Smith •• Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, Advent is a time when we can find hope. Much like today, people in the 1st century church faced struggles. Examining the Gospel of Matthew, Smith covers "Waiting for Christ," "Preparing for Christ," "Expecting Christ," "Announcing Christ," and "The Arrival of Christ."
Christians and Hunger (4 Lessons) Mark Wilson •• These sessions challenge us to apply gospel lenses and holy imagination to what literally gives us energy to live: food. With God’s grace, we have the opportunity to imagine communities where tables are large and all are fed.
The Church on a Mission(4 Lessons) Barbara & Gary Baldridge •• What does it mean to be a church on a mission? The lesson of Acts 1:8 is that we must simultaneously carry out Christ’s mandate at home, in our region, in places that have been our blind spots, and around the world.
Colossians: Living the Faith Faithfully(4 Lessons) David Cassady •• Paul’s letter to the Colossians begins with a high-minded philosophical defense of the faith, but concludes with a collection of extremely practical advice for living by faith. This study addresses the questions many Christians face today, helping them apply Paul’s practical advice in their own lives.
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Easter Confessions (5 Lessons) David M. May •• Easter confession is often found on many different lips in the Gospel of John. When we listen carefully, those ancient confessions still echo into this new millennium.
Embracing the Word of God (4 Lessons) Robert N. Nash, Jr. •• We live during a time of transition in Christian history. Basic assumptions about the truth of the Christian faith are being questioned, not only by nonbelievers, but by Christians themselves. First John offers a starting point for understanding of what it means to “be” Christian.
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Facing Life's Challenges (4 Lessons) Charles E. Poole •• This study explores four significant challenges common to most persons of faith: the challenge of new light, the challenge of time’s limit, the challenge of living with mystery, and the challenge of authentic spirituality. Although these issues are neither simple nor easy to ponder, Poole effectively leads us in confronting these challenges.
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Galatians: Freedom in Christ (5 Lessons) Mark Olson •• Paul wrote with fiery passion, as you will notice from the opening paragraphs of this letter to the Galatians. But his language reveals that he was writing about a crucially important issue—the very nature of salvation in Christ.
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How Does the Church Decide? (4 Lessons) James Dant •• An array of decisions draw energy and time from church members. These decisions may be theological, such as mode of baptism, aesthetic, such as the color of the sanctuary carpet, or functional, such as the selection of a new minister. This study will consider how the church has made its decisions in the past to help guide our descisions today.
A Holy and Surprising Birth (5 Lessons) Rick Jordan •• Christmas begins here--discover these five love stories and renew your appreciation of God's laborious effort to birth our salvation.
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Is God Calling? (5 Lessons) Bo Prosser •• Witness the varying forms of God's call, the variety of people called, and the variety of responses. Perhaps God's call to you will become clearer.
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James: Gaining True Wisdom (5 Lessons) Chris Caldwell •• If we’ll be honest with God and ourselves as we study what James says, we can make great strides toward wisdom and a living faith.
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Moses: From the Burning Bush to the Promised Land (4 Lessons) Bill Hill •• We would do well to trace the life of Moses so we might discover how his life changed, both personally and as Israel’s leader, as he learned what it meant to love God with all his heart, soul, and strength.
The Matriarchs (5 Lessons) Susan M. Pigott •• The matriarchs of Genesis offer their lives as testimonies of faith, perseverance, and audacity. But they also teach us what not to do. And nearly all of the matriarchs have something to teach us about suffering.
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Old Testament Promises to God (4 Lessons) Tony Cartledge •• Some individuals may feel that our promises couldn’t possibly mean anything to God. Perhaps the real question is this: under what circumstances should or do we make such promises? The Old Testament contains several examples of people making promises to God, using the unique form of a biblical “vow.”
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The Prayer Life of Jesus (5 Lessons) Raymond Bailey •• The study of Jesus’ prayer life can deepen our own prayer practices. These five sessions examine the importance of prayer at various stages of Jesus’ life and ministry. He made no important decisions without consulting God.
Proverbs for Living (4 Lessons) Mark McElroy •• Those who know the Lord enjoy a sense of purpose, a sense of place, and the experience of grace.
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Seeking Holiness in the Sermon on the Mount (4 Lessons) Robert Scott Nash •• The Sermon on the Mount has long been recognized as the pinnacle of Jesus’ teaching. But with this importance in mind, it’s easy to think of Jesus’ teachings as lofty and idealistic, offering little guidance for everyday life. Perhaps Jesus’ sermon allows us to see beyond ourselves, beyond our own failures and shortcomings--revealing God’s intention for our lives.
Spiritual Disciplines: Obligation or Opportunity? (5 Lessons) Jeanie Miley •• The spiritual disciplines help deepen a believer’s faith and increases his or her intimacy with Christ. In this study, we take a deeper look at some of the disciplines and consider their practice as a response to God’s love.
Stewardship: A Way of Living (4 Lessons) Michael McCullar •• Great News! Stewardship is not about money! At least not just about money. Certainly, stewardship relates to money, and, yes, we need to tithe. However, stewardship branches out into multiple areas of life. Properly practiced, this act of service can lead to peace and purpose in living.
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The Ten Commandments (5 Lessons) Brett Younger •• When the Ten Commandments are in the news, it is usually because a judge or teacher has hung them up on the walls. The Ten Commandments do not need to be posted or even preached nearly so much as they need to be practiced and viewed as life-giving, joyful affirmations of a better way of life.
