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.
Open Classes Beginning Sunday, March 12th @ 8:30
Opening Assembly in Sanctuary each week, classrooms below the Sanctuary
Spring Class Schedule:
Room S-006 – Systematic Theology Part 1
Building a framework for knowing God and His creation
Teachers: Paul Thompson and Charles Uptain
12 weeks
Room S-004 – Old Testament Overview Part 1
A 30,000 ft. view of the books of the Old Testament
Teachers: Tim Gannon and Joseph Parden
12 weeks
Room S-005 – Christianity Explained
A healthy start to knowing and sharing my faith
Teachers: Don Mills and Sam Tarwater
6 weeks beginning March 12th
Room S-001 – How to Study the Bible
Learning to feed ourselves with the Word
Teachers: Jed Downs and Dave Lindey
6 weeks beginning April 23rd
Room S-003 – Meaningful Membership
Our required membership class
Teachers: multiple staff members and elders
4 weeks