Christian Education Program: Course Descriptions
Bachelor of Christian education
CE 401 – Philosophy of Christian Education
Christian education must be grounded in and governed by the Word of God. In this course the student will learn how to establish Christ-centered education in a humanistic educational world. Today’s educators seem largely ignorant of the divine standards for education. Our present-day secular schools and colleges have become almost entirely humanistic in curricula and methodology. Unfortunately, this is also true of many religious schools. In this course you will learn to develop a thoroughly Biblical approach to education in the world today.
CE 403 – History of Christian Education
“A history of Christian education must not be confused with a record of the achievements of the Sunday School. The discipline has advanced well beyond that state, and today’s sophisticated students fully understand that no proper concept of the history and philosophy of Christian education can be gained without seeing all the ramifications, implications, and influences that have affected it from pre-Christian times to the present.” This course will study the history of education from Biblical times working upward through history to arrive at the present – and beyond, raising questions and issues for the future.
CE 405 – Worldview Immersion
Biblical worldview is the central key to accomplishing the mission and vision of Christian education. Worldview can be described as the lens through which one sees and interprets the world around them, and through this vision of reality one makes choices and takes action, putting worldview into practical application. Christian education seeks to produce graduates with a strong Biblical worldview that applies Biblical principles and faith to every area of life. This course seeks to train and empower prospective teachers to accomplish this task. Students will discover:
CE 407 – Education as Discipleship
Christian education does not exist to merely provide a Christian alternative to secular education. While curriculum is taught from a Christian perspective and a Biblical worldview, the Christian school ought to see itself as an extension of the home and the local church. Thus, Christian education participates in the process of “training up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). It is not only the intellect and physical skills that need to be developed in a student, but the whole person including the student’s moral character and conduct. This course will help teachers understand their pastoral role in the classroom, provide insight on bringing discipleship principles into every class and discussion, and communicate the importance of shaping the desires and character of students.
CE 409 – Spiritual Formation of the Teacher
This statement is true: “you cannot give what you do not have.” Christian educators are tasked with developing more than just the academic abilities of a student, but also their spiritual character. To succeed in this task, Christian educators must first have this character formed in themselves. This course will seek to lead the prospective teacher in the cultivation of growth in godliness, according to the definition provided by the late Jerry Bridges: “devotion to God resulting in a life that is pleasing to Him.” The prospective teacher will also walk through different ways in which they can apply the Fruit of their growth in the classroom.
CE 411 – Teaching Methods and Classroom Management
This course will address various practical classroom methods and practices, including lesson planning, teaching methods, classroom discipline, organization, communication, using technology resources, making assessments, and evaluation best practices.
CE 413 – Developmental Psychology and Exceptionality
This course will cover basic principles of psychology, particularly with relation to children and youth and implications for their education. Currently used methodologies will be analyzed and evaluated for the effectiveness and cohesiveness with a Biblical worldview and ethical framework. Best practices which are built upon Biblical principles will be discussed. Issues and best practices related to exceptional students, those with learning disabilities and other medical diagnoses, will also be addressed.
CE 415/CE417 – Guided Study I and II: Subject Area Concentration (optional)
MBCIU advisors and administrators may partner with both the student and target school (if possible) to develop customized guided courses that focus on teaching methods and strategies for specific subject area or curriculum. These custom courses are not intended to provide subject area knowledge, but best teaching practices for the effective dissemination of curriculum and content while also immersing the curriculum in a Biblical worldview with practical spiritual application.
CE 490/CE491 – Teaching Practicums
When and where opportunities are available, students may receive credit (up to six credits) for in-classroom teaching experience while enrolled in the program. This can be awarded for already-completed work experience, or it may be part of the student’s bachelor program as a work-study opportunity. Guidelines and expectations will be developed by MBCIU in coordination with the partner primary/secondary school.
Christian education must be grounded in and governed by the Word of God. In this course the student will learn how to establish Christ-centered education in a humanistic educational world. Today’s educators seem largely ignorant of the divine standards for education. Our present-day secular schools and colleges have become almost entirely humanistic in curricula and methodology. Unfortunately, this is also true of many religious schools. In this course you will learn to develop a thoroughly Biblical approach to education in the world today.
CE 403 – History of Christian Education
“A history of Christian education must not be confused with a record of the achievements of the Sunday School. The discipline has advanced well beyond that state, and today’s sophisticated students fully understand that no proper concept of the history and philosophy of Christian education can be gained without seeing all the ramifications, implications, and influences that have affected it from pre-Christian times to the present.” This course will study the history of education from Biblical times working upward through history to arrive at the present – and beyond, raising questions and issues for the future.
CE 405 – Worldview Immersion
Biblical worldview is the central key to accomplishing the mission and vision of Christian education. Worldview can be described as the lens through which one sees and interprets the world around them, and through this vision of reality one makes choices and takes action, putting worldview into practical application. Christian education seeks to produce graduates with a strong Biblical worldview that applies Biblical principles and faith to every area of life. This course seeks to train and empower prospective teachers to accomplish this task. Students will discover:
- What a worldview is, how it develops, and why it is a lifelong process.
- How worldview affect every aspect of one’s life.
- Ways to continually develop one’s Biblical worldview.
- And authentic approach to achieving the Biblical worldview mission of Christian education.
- The differing results of integration versus immersion.
- How to transform the classroom into an immersive, Biblical worldview environment.
CE 407 – Education as Discipleship
Christian education does not exist to merely provide a Christian alternative to secular education. While curriculum is taught from a Christian perspective and a Biblical worldview, the Christian school ought to see itself as an extension of the home and the local church. Thus, Christian education participates in the process of “training up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). It is not only the intellect and physical skills that need to be developed in a student, but the whole person including the student’s moral character and conduct. This course will help teachers understand their pastoral role in the classroom, provide insight on bringing discipleship principles into every class and discussion, and communicate the importance of shaping the desires and character of students.
CE 409 – Spiritual Formation of the Teacher
This statement is true: “you cannot give what you do not have.” Christian educators are tasked with developing more than just the academic abilities of a student, but also their spiritual character. To succeed in this task, Christian educators must first have this character formed in themselves. This course will seek to lead the prospective teacher in the cultivation of growth in godliness, according to the definition provided by the late Jerry Bridges: “devotion to God resulting in a life that is pleasing to Him.” The prospective teacher will also walk through different ways in which they can apply the Fruit of their growth in the classroom.
CE 411 – Teaching Methods and Classroom Management
This course will address various practical classroom methods and practices, including lesson planning, teaching methods, classroom discipline, organization, communication, using technology resources, making assessments, and evaluation best practices.
CE 413 – Developmental Psychology and Exceptionality
This course will cover basic principles of psychology, particularly with relation to children and youth and implications for their education. Currently used methodologies will be analyzed and evaluated for the effectiveness and cohesiveness with a Biblical worldview and ethical framework. Best practices which are built upon Biblical principles will be discussed. Issues and best practices related to exceptional students, those with learning disabilities and other medical diagnoses, will also be addressed.
CE 415/CE417 – Guided Study I and II: Subject Area Concentration (optional)
MBCIU advisors and administrators may partner with both the student and target school (if possible) to develop customized guided courses that focus on teaching methods and strategies for specific subject area or curriculum. These custom courses are not intended to provide subject area knowledge, but best teaching practices for the effective dissemination of curriculum and content while also immersing the curriculum in a Biblical worldview with practical spiritual application.
CE 490/CE491 – Teaching Practicums
When and where opportunities are available, students may receive credit (up to six credits) for in-classroom teaching experience while enrolled in the program. This can be awarded for already-completed work experience, or it may be part of the student’s bachelor program as a work-study opportunity. Guidelines and expectations will be developed by MBCIU in coordination with the partner primary/secondary school.
Master of Christian Education
Master of Christian Education – Foundation – Course Descriptions
CE 502 – Toward a Philosophy of Christian Education
Rather than dictate a philosophy of Christian education, this course walks students through a study designed to provide perspective and foundational insights for the development of a philosophy of education and the evaluation of existing philosophies of education. The purpose is not to propose something “new” or “better” but to consider a philosophy of education within a framework that considers worldview, ethics (objective values), and desire.
CE 503 – Christian School Administration, Leadership, and Mentoring
Students will study various articles and book excerpts that deal with the practical business of administrating a Christian school, but also the importance and practice of spiritual leadership and teacher mentoring needed from those in administration and leadership roles.
CE 505/CE 507 – Principles and Practices in Education I and II
Taken in two parts, Principles and Practices in Education discusses the basics of a healthy Christian education program, then goes beyond, discussing how to develop a fresh, innovative Christian education program that will revitalize the school, with implications for the church and home as well. Some of the many biblically grounded topics include:
CE 509 – Biblical Foundations of Christian Education
A study of the philosophy, vision, purpose, and administration of Christian education focused on the instructions and implications of Old and New Testament Scripture, through the lens of Jesus’ command to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”
DM 805 – Spiritual Development of the Pastor, Church, and Community
The overall objective of this course is to create a life-management strategy founded on biblical principles and focused on a central life purpose that will guide each person to be an effective steward of his or her God-given priorities and responsibilities. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would:
• Review and summarize God’s purpose for the church in this age and write a unifying philosophy-of-life statement to be used as a guide in setting goals and building a personal management system.
• Develop an understanding of the priorities and responsibilities that God set forth for the proper functioning of His household, and our individual households, and how this proper functioning contributes to the building of His church.
• Set lifelong goals and build and implement a priorities management system out of the "house order" instructions of the Pastoral Epistles.
Master of Christian Education – Discipline – Overview
All of the courses for the Discipline segment of the master’s program are derived from a series of books by noted theologian and author Vern S. Poythress. His books take a look at academic disciplines that have been largely dominated by secular scholars and institutions. Each book not only discusses the disciplines with a Biblical, God-centered approach, but also how only from a Biblical worldview can these disciplines be properly understood and applied in everyday life. More than this, the student will see how things taken for granted in disciplines such as mathematics or science, point to (and teach of) the Creator and principles of Scripture. If one goal of education in the classroom is worldview immersion, then this series is invaluable in helping teachers not only better understand an academic specialty, but confidently teach the subject fully immersed in a Biblical worldview in a way that is practical and applicable to life.
Master of Christian Education – Theology – Course Descriptions
CE 501 – Church Administration and Leadership for the Church
A course designed to develop leadership potential in students and to give them a familiarity with the various elements of the administrative process, including: goal setting and achieving, organization, delegation, human relations, group dynamics, supervision, and the training of other leaders. Though the principles are universal, the focus of the course is the local church. Examples in the lives of Moses, Nehemiah, Jesus and Paul and others will be studied in relation to leadership qualities, challenges and competencies and development. Biblical texts will also be studied in relation to standards for leadership, how spiritual gifts align with how one leads, and how Biblical leadership differs from other styles of leadership.
MT 504 – Evangelism and the Local Church
This course is unique in several ways. It is a training tool to equip Christian leaders to train other Christians for evangelistic outreach. This material also challenges and inspires leaders to personally reach their fullest potential. We will study how to bring family and friends into a relationship with Jesus in a relaxed, relational way. An emphasis is placed on learning to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction and empowerment in the evangelism process, while allowing Christians to discover their individual gifts.
This training assumes the initial setting for most evangelism takes place outside of a church environment in the typical places where non-Christians live, work, and socialize. The object of this course is to help ministry leaders equip Christians for more effective relational evangelism by utilizing a three-dimensional approach to share the gospel:
• WORD: Participants will learn how to share a simple Gospel message.
• POWER: Participants will learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction and empowerment.
• LIFESTYLE: Participants will learn how to live a lifestyle that draws people to Christ.
NT 502 – The Pastoral Epistles
The overall objective of this course is to bring leadership back to the center of the local church in a way that will empower churches to participate in the expansion of the Gospel with the same vision and effectiveness as the first church at Antioch. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course will do the following:
• Develop a basic understanding of leadership in the early Church with all of its complexities, focusing specifically on the work of ministers of the Gospel and that of elders and deacons and how their work is complementary in nature.
• Rediscover the Antioch tradition of the Early Church, which lasted over five centuries, and design a model for how to build this tradition back into our churches, as we seek to have similar impact globally for the expansion of the Gospel in the 21st century.
• Design an effective multi-level leadership development strategy for our churches, which is truly built upon the foundation of the New Testament, and which will carry the Antioch vision of turning the world upside down.
NT 504 – The Gospels/Life of Christ
This course is designed to situate the Gospels in their historical context as well as in their canonical context – how they fit into and with the other writings of the New Testament, as delivered to the churches. This is critical because their historical and canonical context has been almost completely lost in Western theology and traditions, and their intention has been almost completely ignored by massive, modern-day, Western parachurch discipleship organizations. Specifically, the student studying this course would:
• Develop an understanding of when the Gospels were written and how they fit into both the historical and canonical context, and why that is important.
• Determine the intent of each Gospel writer in relation to how they each sought to solidify their kerygmatic communities.
• Develop a conviction for discipleship of how the Gospels should be studied by our church communities in light of how they were initially unfolded to the early church.
• Design a discipleship training model incorporating the leading ideas and new understanding developed through this course
NT 508 – New Testament Survey: The Epistles and Revelation
The overall objective of this course is to determine the fundamental biblical principles for growing and strengthening (establishing) a church to maturity and developing a strategy for implementing the biblical forms and functions of a church necessary for making and keeping it strong. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would:
• Develop a biblical understanding of Paul’s concept of establishing local churches, while discerning the difference between what Paul understood to be normative for all churches in every culture and generation and what he intended to be merely cultural for his time and situation.
• Develop a biblical understanding of how the church fits into the overall plan and eternal purposes of God.
• Develop a biblical understanding of the philosophy of what is to drive the ministry of the church and the guidelines (i.e. “house order”) by which each local church is to abide.
• Bring all of this biblical understanding together into a contemporary model for establishing local churches in the twenty-first century, including general procedures consistent with Paul’s establishing model and normative “house order instructions.”
OT 509 – The Christian and Old Testament Theology
Imagine listening to the conversation that Jesus had with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus just after the resurrection. What did He say to them? Why is it key that all Christians listen to that conversation? Jesus opened the minds of His disciples to the truth about His death and resurrection. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the Scriptures. In another conversation with His disciples before His resurrection, Jesus said how everything He had taught them about Himself that was in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms needed to be fulfilled. In other words, He opened their minds to understand the Old Testament Scriptures.
In this study, we are going to walk along with Jesus. You will enter into the same conversation. You will know what Jesus told these disciples that opened their entire understanding of the Scriptures. You will discover the key to understanding the Scriptures, as explained by Jesus Himself.
What will this do for you? You will understand the Story of the Bible – the entire plan of God for the world. Not only will you understand the plan itself and how it explains all of history and even man’s purpose, but it will lead you to an understanding of how your life fits into that plan.
How do we know the Story as told and unfolded is accurate? We follow a very simple process that follows the process of Jesus and His disciples. We start on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus set the storyline, walking His disciples through the Scriptures – the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. We recreate the Story by how the Apostles told and defended it, beginning with Peter’s five sermons in Acts. From their use of the Scriptures, we recreate the key passages they used again and again to tell the Story.
We invite you to join us, with Jesus, on the road to Emmaus. We invite you into a process that will open your mind to understand the Scriptures, to understanding God’s plan for building His Church and His kingdom, to understanding the meaning and purpose of your life, and to laying foundations for being a true, lifelong follower of Jesus.
We will examine the following areas:
• The Storyline
• Understanding the Scriptures
• The Overall Plan
• The Nation of Israel
• The Davidic Covenant
• The Kingdom Arrives
• The Kingdom Launched
• The Church as Christ’s Grand Strategy
• The Kingdom Fully Realized
PT 501 – Christian Ethics
The overall objective of this course is to understand the biblical idea of qualified leadership and to determine the fundamental biblical guidelines for character formation in leaders and in the household of God. Specifically, this means that each person studying this course would:
• Develop a conviction as to the reason for and the benefit of mature character as motivation for pursuing these character qualities personally, as a family, and as a church.
• Gain a clear understanding into the character qualities required of mature leaders and of mature men and women within the church and how these qualities relate to the roles and functions of men and women within the church.
• Perform personal evaluations and design plans for developing and/or strengthening character qualities, which would enhance overall growth and character development.
• Be able to help other leaders and/or members of the church design a plan for long-term spiritual growth and character development, as they pursue their responsibilities within the church community.
PT 504 – Christian Worldview
The overall objective of this course is to build a contemporary didache – an early church manual to establish believers in the essentials of the apostles’ teaching. This contemporary didache must be founded solidly upon the faith delivered by the apostles; seasoned by the historical effort of the church; and be eminently relevant to our present cultural situations. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would do the following:
• Gain an understanding of the preaching (kerygma) and the teaching (didache) of the apostles – the core doctrines – and their importance to the churches of every generation, summarizing the doctrines in statement form, which will be used as a foundation for all contemporary theological formulations.
• Write a modern kerygma/didache type doctrinal statement that can be used by churches as a guide for establishing believers in their faith, for doing theology as a community of believers, and for aiding all believers in beginning their own practical theology for everyday life.
• Gain an appreciation for the historical effort of the church as it has sought, through the centuries to provide the church of its generation with a relevant understanding and defense of the faith delivered by the apostles.
• Lay out a strategy for establishing everyone in a local church in both the Gospel (kerygma) and the essential teaching of the Apostles (the didache), as well as understand how a “First Principles” curriculum can grow out of the didache.
CE 502 – Toward a Philosophy of Christian Education
Rather than dictate a philosophy of Christian education, this course walks students through a study designed to provide perspective and foundational insights for the development of a philosophy of education and the evaluation of existing philosophies of education. The purpose is not to propose something “new” or “better” but to consider a philosophy of education within a framework that considers worldview, ethics (objective values), and desire.
CE 503 – Christian School Administration, Leadership, and Mentoring
Students will study various articles and book excerpts that deal with the practical business of administrating a Christian school, but also the importance and practice of spiritual leadership and teacher mentoring needed from those in administration and leadership roles.
CE 505/CE 507 – Principles and Practices in Education I and II
Taken in two parts, Principles and Practices in Education discusses the basics of a healthy Christian education program, then goes beyond, discussing how to develop a fresh, innovative Christian education program that will revitalize the school, with implications for the church and home as well. Some of the many biblically grounded topics include:
- Defining Biblical education.
- Effective lesson planning.
- The functions of an education board.
- Effective staff development, equipping, and training.
- Jesus and His teaching message.
- How to effectively minister to adults, teenagers, and young children.
- Managing a classroom effectively.
- Choosing and developing good leaders.
CE 509 – Biblical Foundations of Christian Education
A study of the philosophy, vision, purpose, and administration of Christian education focused on the instructions and implications of Old and New Testament Scripture, through the lens of Jesus’ command to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”
DM 805 – Spiritual Development of the Pastor, Church, and Community
The overall objective of this course is to create a life-management strategy founded on biblical principles and focused on a central life purpose that will guide each person to be an effective steward of his or her God-given priorities and responsibilities. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would:
• Review and summarize God’s purpose for the church in this age and write a unifying philosophy-of-life statement to be used as a guide in setting goals and building a personal management system.
• Develop an understanding of the priorities and responsibilities that God set forth for the proper functioning of His household, and our individual households, and how this proper functioning contributes to the building of His church.
• Set lifelong goals and build and implement a priorities management system out of the "house order" instructions of the Pastoral Epistles.
Master of Christian Education – Discipline – Overview
All of the courses for the Discipline segment of the master’s program are derived from a series of books by noted theologian and author Vern S. Poythress. His books take a look at academic disciplines that have been largely dominated by secular scholars and institutions. Each book not only discusses the disciplines with a Biblical, God-centered approach, but also how only from a Biblical worldview can these disciplines be properly understood and applied in everyday life. More than this, the student will see how things taken for granted in disciplines such as mathematics or science, point to (and teach of) the Creator and principles of Scripture. If one goal of education in the classroom is worldview immersion, then this series is invaluable in helping teachers not only better understand an academic specialty, but confidently teach the subject fully immersed in a Biblical worldview in a way that is practical and applicable to life.
Master of Christian Education – Theology – Course Descriptions
CE 501 – Church Administration and Leadership for the Church
A course designed to develop leadership potential in students and to give them a familiarity with the various elements of the administrative process, including: goal setting and achieving, organization, delegation, human relations, group dynamics, supervision, and the training of other leaders. Though the principles are universal, the focus of the course is the local church. Examples in the lives of Moses, Nehemiah, Jesus and Paul and others will be studied in relation to leadership qualities, challenges and competencies and development. Biblical texts will also be studied in relation to standards for leadership, how spiritual gifts align with how one leads, and how Biblical leadership differs from other styles of leadership.
MT 504 – Evangelism and the Local Church
This course is unique in several ways. It is a training tool to equip Christian leaders to train other Christians for evangelistic outreach. This material also challenges and inspires leaders to personally reach their fullest potential. We will study how to bring family and friends into a relationship with Jesus in a relaxed, relational way. An emphasis is placed on learning to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction and empowerment in the evangelism process, while allowing Christians to discover their individual gifts.
This training assumes the initial setting for most evangelism takes place outside of a church environment in the typical places where non-Christians live, work, and socialize. The object of this course is to help ministry leaders equip Christians for more effective relational evangelism by utilizing a three-dimensional approach to share the gospel:
• WORD: Participants will learn how to share a simple Gospel message.
• POWER: Participants will learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction and empowerment.
• LIFESTYLE: Participants will learn how to live a lifestyle that draws people to Christ.
NT 502 – The Pastoral Epistles
The overall objective of this course is to bring leadership back to the center of the local church in a way that will empower churches to participate in the expansion of the Gospel with the same vision and effectiveness as the first church at Antioch. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course will do the following:
• Develop a basic understanding of leadership in the early Church with all of its complexities, focusing specifically on the work of ministers of the Gospel and that of elders and deacons and how their work is complementary in nature.
• Rediscover the Antioch tradition of the Early Church, which lasted over five centuries, and design a model for how to build this tradition back into our churches, as we seek to have similar impact globally for the expansion of the Gospel in the 21st century.
• Design an effective multi-level leadership development strategy for our churches, which is truly built upon the foundation of the New Testament, and which will carry the Antioch vision of turning the world upside down.
NT 504 – The Gospels/Life of Christ
This course is designed to situate the Gospels in their historical context as well as in their canonical context – how they fit into and with the other writings of the New Testament, as delivered to the churches. This is critical because their historical and canonical context has been almost completely lost in Western theology and traditions, and their intention has been almost completely ignored by massive, modern-day, Western parachurch discipleship organizations. Specifically, the student studying this course would:
• Develop an understanding of when the Gospels were written and how they fit into both the historical and canonical context, and why that is important.
• Determine the intent of each Gospel writer in relation to how they each sought to solidify their kerygmatic communities.
• Develop a conviction for discipleship of how the Gospels should be studied by our church communities in light of how they were initially unfolded to the early church.
• Design a discipleship training model incorporating the leading ideas and new understanding developed through this course
NT 508 – New Testament Survey: The Epistles and Revelation
The overall objective of this course is to determine the fundamental biblical principles for growing and strengthening (establishing) a church to maturity and developing a strategy for implementing the biblical forms and functions of a church necessary for making and keeping it strong. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would:
• Develop a biblical understanding of Paul’s concept of establishing local churches, while discerning the difference between what Paul understood to be normative for all churches in every culture and generation and what he intended to be merely cultural for his time and situation.
• Develop a biblical understanding of how the church fits into the overall plan and eternal purposes of God.
• Develop a biblical understanding of the philosophy of what is to drive the ministry of the church and the guidelines (i.e. “house order”) by which each local church is to abide.
• Bring all of this biblical understanding together into a contemporary model for establishing local churches in the twenty-first century, including general procedures consistent with Paul’s establishing model and normative “house order instructions.”
OT 509 – The Christian and Old Testament Theology
Imagine listening to the conversation that Jesus had with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus just after the resurrection. What did He say to them? Why is it key that all Christians listen to that conversation? Jesus opened the minds of His disciples to the truth about His death and resurrection. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the Scriptures. In another conversation with His disciples before His resurrection, Jesus said how everything He had taught them about Himself that was in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms needed to be fulfilled. In other words, He opened their minds to understand the Old Testament Scriptures.
In this study, we are going to walk along with Jesus. You will enter into the same conversation. You will know what Jesus told these disciples that opened their entire understanding of the Scriptures. You will discover the key to understanding the Scriptures, as explained by Jesus Himself.
What will this do for you? You will understand the Story of the Bible – the entire plan of God for the world. Not only will you understand the plan itself and how it explains all of history and even man’s purpose, but it will lead you to an understanding of how your life fits into that plan.
How do we know the Story as told and unfolded is accurate? We follow a very simple process that follows the process of Jesus and His disciples. We start on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus set the storyline, walking His disciples through the Scriptures – the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. We recreate the Story by how the Apostles told and defended it, beginning with Peter’s five sermons in Acts. From their use of the Scriptures, we recreate the key passages they used again and again to tell the Story.
We invite you to join us, with Jesus, on the road to Emmaus. We invite you into a process that will open your mind to understand the Scriptures, to understanding God’s plan for building His Church and His kingdom, to understanding the meaning and purpose of your life, and to laying foundations for being a true, lifelong follower of Jesus.
We will examine the following areas:
• The Storyline
• Understanding the Scriptures
• The Overall Plan
• The Nation of Israel
• The Davidic Covenant
• The Kingdom Arrives
• The Kingdom Launched
• The Church as Christ’s Grand Strategy
• The Kingdom Fully Realized
PT 501 – Christian Ethics
The overall objective of this course is to understand the biblical idea of qualified leadership and to determine the fundamental biblical guidelines for character formation in leaders and in the household of God. Specifically, this means that each person studying this course would:
• Develop a conviction as to the reason for and the benefit of mature character as motivation for pursuing these character qualities personally, as a family, and as a church.
• Gain a clear understanding into the character qualities required of mature leaders and of mature men and women within the church and how these qualities relate to the roles and functions of men and women within the church.
• Perform personal evaluations and design plans for developing and/or strengthening character qualities, which would enhance overall growth and character development.
• Be able to help other leaders and/or members of the church design a plan for long-term spiritual growth and character development, as they pursue their responsibilities within the church community.
PT 504 – Christian Worldview
The overall objective of this course is to build a contemporary didache – an early church manual to establish believers in the essentials of the apostles’ teaching. This contemporary didache must be founded solidly upon the faith delivered by the apostles; seasoned by the historical effort of the church; and be eminently relevant to our present cultural situations. Specifically, this means that each person studying the course would do the following:
• Gain an understanding of the preaching (kerygma) and the teaching (didache) of the apostles – the core doctrines – and their importance to the churches of every generation, summarizing the doctrines in statement form, which will be used as a foundation for all contemporary theological formulations.
• Write a modern kerygma/didache type doctrinal statement that can be used by churches as a guide for establishing believers in their faith, for doing theology as a community of believers, and for aiding all believers in beginning their own practical theology for everyday life.
• Gain an appreciation for the historical effort of the church as it has sought, through the centuries to provide the church of its generation with a relevant understanding and defense of the faith delivered by the apostles.
• Lay out a strategy for establishing everyone in a local church in both the Gospel (kerygma) and the essential teaching of the Apostles (the didache), as well as understand how a “First Principles” curriculum can grow out of the didache.