Open Classes
All participating in Open Classes will meet in the ROC Downstairs prior to heading to class.
Sundays
September 8th – November 24th
Meaningful Membership (September 8,15,22)
Teachers: Don Mills, Dan Tankersley, and Charles UptainLocation: Parlor
Description: This required membership class introduces prospective members to 1) what we believe and teach, 2) how we function together as a church, and 3) our church covenant.
Systematic Theology 1
Teachers: Don Mills and Paul Thompson
Location: G-315
Description: This class puts Christian doctrine in logical order, helping you build a framework for knowing God and His creation.
How to Study the Bible / Fear of Man
Teachers: Charles Uptain and Dan Tankersley
Location: G-314
Description: In the first six weeks of this class, we will learn how to study and interpret the Bible as the Bible instructs. In the second six weeks, we will learn about fearing God rather than people.
Wednesdays
September 4th – November 20th
Old Testament 1
Teacher: Tommy Perry
Location: R-308
Description: This class offers a 30,000 ft. view of the books of the Old Testament.
Women’s Bible Study: Esther
Teachers: Jamie Perry, Becky Kite, and Krisan Smith
Location: R300-302
Description: Esther is a book about God fulfilling His promises through His providence in ordinary ways through godly and ungodly people. If you have ever struggled with the invisibility of God and are eager to see God’s hidden hand in the circumstances of your life, we invite you to join us for this study. Please sign up online (calvarydothan.com) so we can reserve a workbook for you and prepare for small groups.
Eschatology
Teacher: Paul Thompson
Location: Parlor
Few subjects have confounded, confused, and even divided the Church like that of the EndTimes. As a result, some have avoided studying the matter altogether. Others simply accept the view of whatever popular preacher or author they follow without study of their own.In this 12-week open class, we’ll learn the value of understanding eschatology, as it sheds lighton every other area of our theology.
FAQs
Why are we adding these classes? The elders are responsible for the teaching of the body, so we all grow up into maturity. (Ephesians 4) We believe open classes enhance our teaching ministry by giving us a venue to teach basic Christian subject matters in a systematic way versus just waiting on those subjects to surface in our expositional preaching and sermon based small group curriculum.
Why are we offering these on Sunday mornings at 8:30? We want to offer these classes when the largest number of our membership could participate. We also hope you will see the value in learning and interacting with members whom you might not know well because they are not in your small group.
Do I need to sign up beforehand? No, anyone who wants to participate can meet in the Sanctuary at 8:30 each Sunday. We will introduce the classes and teachers for that week, and all walk together to the classrooms below the Sanctuary.
Do the classes build on one another? The subjects will flow together, but every class meeting will standalone, and anyone could come any week and jump right in.
What is the format for the open classes? A normal class would include prayer, a moment for the class participants to greet one another and meet new people, a teaching time, a time for questions and/or discussion. This request for questions could be interspersed in the teaching time or come at the end depending on the teacher’s preference.
How can I participate and stay connected to my small group (life group)? We would suggest creativity, flexibility, and open discussion with your group. Here are a few suggestions, but this is surely not a complete list:
Bring some, or all, of your group with you to the class
Continue to connect outside of the 8:30 Sunday morning hour through text groups/phone calls/social events/meals together after church/sitting together in worship or midweek/eating at church before midweek together
Participate in the shorter classes (6-7 weeks long) and then go back to your group for a while
See if your group’s members that choose to participate in open classes want to get together some other time of the week to discuss the sermon and pray
When will we know what will be taught next? The elders are working to produce a schedule of classes. We hope to publish this in March. The schedule would lay out our expectations for the remainder of the year.