The Apostles’ Creed

There are many denominations, divisions and theological disputes in the modern church. But despite these types of disunity, there is a common core of belief that all faithful Christians have affirmed throughout history. And for almost two millennia, this core of belief has been summarized in the Apostles’ Creed. This series explains the history and use of the Apostles’ Creed, as well as the details and significance of each of its articles of faith. The Apostles’ Creed is the first series in the course Basic Christian Doctrine.

Series Goals
* Introduce viewers to the history and value of the Apostles’ Creed.
* Explain each of the doctrines listed in the Apostles’ Creed.
* Demonstrate the relevance of these doctrines to the modern church.

Building Biblical Theology

Faithful Christians have always recognized the importance of the progress of biblical history, especially as it relates to humanity’s fall into sin and to God’s redemptive work. The discipline of biblical theology arose as a means to study this progress in responsible ways. Much like systematic theology, biblical theology organizes theological ideas in ways that increase our understanding of Scripture. But whereas systematic theology organizes its ideas according to topics, biblical theology organizes its findings in historical periods or epochs. Used rightly, biblical theology is a powerful and helpful tool for interpreting and applying the Bible.

Building Biblical Theology is the third series in the course Introduction to Theological Studies.

Series Goals

* Explain the history and justification of biblical theology.
* Describe the method and uses of biblical theology

Building Systematic Theology

Throughout the history of the church, faithful Christians have used systematic theology to communicate the teachings of our faith. Systematics has proven to be a helpful tool for expressing ideas clearly, and for organizing them in ways that increase our understanding of Scripture. At times, this approach to theology has been misused, but when employed in submission to Scripture, systematic theology provides Christians with a reliable method for understanding and teaching biblical truth.

Building Systematic Theology is the second series in the course Introduction to Theological Studies.

Building Your Theology

Modern evangelical theology is flooded with conflicting viewpoints. Many of these disagreements arise between denominations, while others arise within denominations and individual churches. The apparent hopelessness of reaching theological unity has even led some Christians to deny the value of theology altogether.

With so many different ideas competing for our loyalty, how are followers of Jesus to determine what to believe? And how committed should we be to specific doctrines and traditions?

Building Your Theology is the first series in the course Introduction to Theological Studies.

Series Goals

* Discuss the foundations for Christian theology.
* Introduce the interconnected disciplines of biblical studies, theology, church history, and practical theology.
* Describe a responsible, scriptural method for developing theological convictions.

Father Abraham

Christians, Muslims and Jews all look to the patriarch Abraham as the father of their faiths, but these religions draw very different conclusions from his biography.

This series explores the account of Abraham’s life in Genesis from a distinctly Christian perspective in order to answer questions such as: What did these stories mean for those who first received them? And what do they mean for us today?

Father Abraham is the second series in the course The Pentateuch.

Series Goals

* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of Genesis 12–25
* Explain how Abraham’s life served as a model for Israel in Moses’ day.

He Gave Us Prophets

Prophecy is both exciting and frustrating. Most Christians are intrigued by biblical predictions, but at a loss when it comes to understanding them. Feeling overwhelmed by its complicated history and literature, we often disregard this part of the Bible. But God did not give us prophecy just so that we would ignore it. And prophecy is extremely valuable to us when we interpret it rightly. When we understand the prophets’ motivations and methods, we are better equipped to discover the significance of their words for today. He Gave Us Prophets is the first series in the course Biblical Hermeneutics.

Series Goals

* Explain the role of prophecy throughout the Bible.
* Survey the major genres and functions of biblical prophecy.
* Provide a biblical, responsible method for interpreting prophecy and applying it in the modern world.

The Book of Acts

The Book of Acts, also called “The Acts of the Apostles,” is the companion volume to the Gospel of Luke. It records the establishment of the early church under the leadership of the Apostles, and the activity and growth of the church during the middle of the first century.

In the modern church, Christians often turn to the book of Acts to explore questions related to the charismatic gifts, and to investigate different matters related to church government and authority. These concepts are certainly talked about in the Book of Acts. But what was Luke’s main point as he wrote this book? What big picture did he try to give readers as a context for understanding these secondary matters? What was the main thing he wanted his readers to learn and to do?

The Book of Acts is the second series in the course The Gospels & Acts.

Series Goals

* Introduce viewers to the background and primary message of the Book of Acts.
* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of the Book of Acts.

Kingdom, Covenants & Canon of the Old Testament

If someone asked, “What is the Old Testament about?” would you have an answer? Could you summarize the meaning of Job? And more fundamentally, could you explain why the Old Testament is relevant for Christians today? Unfortunately, many modern Christians lack a firm understanding of the basic content and meaning of the Old Testament. As a result, they are inadvertently attempting to live their Christian lives based only on the New Testament. Yet, Jesus and his apostles taught that the Old Testament is very important for Christians. As a matter of fact, when Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, he was referring primarily to the Old Testament. Kingdom, Covenants & Canon of the Old Testament is the first series in the course Bible Survey.

Series Goals

* Orient viewers to the overarching message of the Old Testament.
* Introduce the various genres of literature in the Hebrew Bible.
* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of each book.

Making Biblical Decisions

Christian morality has always been challenged and rejected by unbelievers. But today even many believers have lost their moral footing. Moreover, believers who want to live ethically are frequently confused by the complexities of ethical decisions.
Even so, with proper study of the Bible’s system of ethics, Christians can learn how to evaluate problems in ways that lead to biblical solutions.

Making Biblical Decisions, Part 1 is the first series in the course Christian Ethics.

Series Goals

* Describe the Bible’s system of morality in terms of ethical standards, goals and motives.
* Equip Christians to understand the biblical standards that apply to modern dilemmas.

Paul's Prison Epistles

As Christians we face many challenges to our faith. False teachings and worldviews assault our loyalty to Christ. Suffering tempts us to think that God is not in control, or that he does have our best interests at heart. And our relationships with other believers are often strained to the point that we doubt the value of the church. But Paul had responses to these types of difficulties — responses that he outlined in his letters from prison.

Paul’s Prison Epistles is the second series in the course The Pauline Epistles.

Series Goals

* Explain the details and circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment.
* Describe the ministry Paul conducted from prison.
* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon and Philippians.

The Primeval History

Genesis 1–11 contains some of the most familiar stories in the Bible. The creation week, Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, Noah’s ark, the Tower of Babel — Christians know these stories well. But how many believers know what Moses intended these stories to teach?
In its ancient context, this primeval history was not a simple historical record. Rather, it was a forceful argument condemning Egypt and encouraging Israel to follow Moses to the Promised Land.

The Primeval History is the first series in the course The Pentateuch.

Series Goals

* Orient students to Moses’ role as Israel’s leader.
* Explain the function of primeval narratives in the ancient Near East.
* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of Genesis 1–11.

The Heart of Paul's Theology

Paul passionately proclaimed the good news of individual salvation in Jesus Christ. But this wasn’t the heart of Paul’s gospel.
According to Paul, salvation is not primarily about individuals being saved from the wrath of God. Rather, the gospel is about the triumph of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. It is about God redeeming and recreating the heavens and the earth through Jesus Christ, and about our participation in that renewed world.

The Heart of Paul’s Theology is the first series in the course The Pauline Epistles.

Series Goals

* Orient students to Paul’s apostolic ministry.
* Describe Paul’s central message and worldview.
* Summarize the structure, content, original meaning and modern application of Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and 1 & 2 Corinthians.