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Overview of The Christian Life Series

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 3 months ago
 
LESSON 1 - OVERVIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SERIES
 
 
VISION
 
          The Church must have as its vision the goal of reaching this present generation for Jesus Christ.  The command of Jesus in the Great Commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), clearly state that imperative obligation of the Church.  Jesus further explains our obligation in Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” The writer of Acts again repeats the task that all believers face: “…and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8)
 
 
          The vision and goal of the Church is both clear and overwhelming.  But how can we accomplish this task? God has given us some tremendous tools that we can use, but the only real answer can be found in the divinely inspired principles laid down in the Word of God.
 
PHILOSOPHY
 
         
In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul related to Timothy a spiritual concept that we must incorporate into our thinking as we seek to fulfill the command of Jesus by reaching the world around us. To paraphrase Paul’s words to Timothy…, teach others what you have learned from my teaching, in order that they in turn will become teachers of others
 
Jesus also says in Matthew 28:19 that we are to “Go and make disciples (learners).”  If we are to make ‘learners’, then doesn’t that mean we are to become teachers?
          Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have  seen or let them slip from your heart as long as  you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9
God is concerned about the future generations. Psalm 78:1-6 says:
O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old – what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. (NIV)
Psalm 145:4 similarly says: "One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts" (KJV).
          When does a student become a teacher? As soon as a person is born again, he should begin to teach his family and his friends the simple basic truths of God’s love and forgiveness.  Whenever we experience something beautiful or hear good news, we generally want to share it with others; in other words, we want to teach what we have learned.
 
 
WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE?
 
         
          No doubt you have heard of tremendous crusades or events, where thousands of people attend.  You may have even thought to yourself how wonderful it would be to be able to share Jesus with that many people at one time. Many of the evangelists that coordinate such events are blessed to have some a wonderful opportunity.
 
          But let me paint a scenario for you. Suppose I said to you that I want to give you some money, but you have to choose one of the two options to receive it:
 
 
OPTION A: Give you $1000 cash right now
 
OPTION B: Give you ONE CENT today, then TWO CENTS tomorrow, then FOUR CENTS the next day, doubling like that for thirty-one days.
 
 
Which option would you choose?
 
If you are like most, you would choose the $1000. After all, what is $1000 compared to ONE CENT.  However, if you do the math, that ONE CENT doubled for just thirty-one days adds up to quite a bit.  Do you know how much?
 
The same principle applies with our sharing the Gospel.  Sure it would be wonderful to have stadiums filled, but God knew what He was doing when He said, “Go and make disciples.”  (Matthew 28:19)
 
 
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
 
          Over the course of twelve lessons, we will look at some basic principles of Christian life.  Don’t worry…you won’t be alone. You will have other students working along with you. You will also have the instructor working with you and answering questions along the way. The idea is that we are learning together!
 
          You will only need two textbooks:  this course, and your Bible. At the completion of each lesson, you will receive the following lesson.  You will be encouraged to read the Scriptures and prepare for that upcoming lesson.  You will also have access to additional notes and resources online at www.WikiBibleProject.org/IBF
 
          At the end of each lesson, you will receive a set of questions that you will fill out and return to your instructor at the beginning of the next lesson. The instructor will review the responses to insure that the ‘disciples’ have an understanding of the lesson.  Once again, don’t worry: the questions are all open book; you can consult with other students, and even the instructor!  The only way to fail is by NOT TRYING!
 
          Some of the principles we will be looking at include:
 
  • The Authority of the Scriptures
  • One True God
  • Basics of Salvation
  • And others
 
          When we have finished the course, you will receive a “Certificate of Completion”.  This will show that you have an understanding of basic Biblical concepts.  You will then be able to teach THIS COURSE to others! You will also be qualified for IBF’s Christian Worker Series, preparing students for leadership roles in ministry.
 

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