Bethel Church Feeds« More Do’s and Don’ts–for Leading a Study | Main | Leadership Lesson: The 7-Habits for Leaders »
The Jan Term Teachers Speak Out
By Paul | December 28, 2007
Bethel’s next big emphasis for helping the congregation pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus is the Jan Term classes that begin the week of January 6. We e-mailed a couple teachers to build anticipation for these 4-week growth experiences in early 2008.
From GROW group leader, Brad Johnson:
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term?
Know pain, know gain. I was asked by Dave Hilliard late last summer if I would be willing to teach one of the classes for Jan Term, we tossed around a few ideas, and this was the topic that he thought would be a good one to offer. Dave paired up John Tixier and I to team teach it, and I’m glad to be be working with John on this.
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
Well, you’ll probably need to come to the class to get all of them, but one of the simple concepts that I’d like to see folks come away with is that pain and suffering are a common experience we all face; there are multiple causes, some self-inflicted, some from others. We’ll talk about how to respond to different types of pain that we encounter in our life. We also want to emphasize on how to experience God in the midst of trials. One of the common issues we face in the center of the storm is the question of God’s goodness. We want to address that, and how to build our faith ahead of time. We also tend to shun suffering and are easily intimidated by it. We’ll discuss a more Biblical perspective on suffering, and how not to fear it.
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus?
Faith is tested through suffering, and times of trial can deepen our faith. Most all of our heros from scripture (Joseph, Daniel, Elijah, etc.) are admired for their response to hardship. In the end times, the church will experience great persecution. We need to prepare our hearts now for the Lord’s return, and for the hardships that we might encounter as a prelude to His return.
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
I think Jan Term is a very good idea. It provides an alternate means of interacting with scripture in a deeper context, and in a more studied approach than is typically provided in a mid to large group setting at Bethel. It has the benefit of providing opportunities to meet and fellowship with other believers in the body that we might not necessarily meet. And, it provides training opportunities for those in a teaching role to serve others in the body. I think its a great opportunity on several levels.
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare?
John and I desire to be effective in sharing from God’s word on this delicate topic. We’ll be sharing some of our personal testimonies, but in many ways, we feel ill-equipped to address this topic in light of some of the hardships that we have seen others in the body weather. Please pray for us that the Holy Spirit would anoint our time in the word together and illuminate each heart with His truth and love. Personally, there are some significant responsibilities for me at work this January involving writing up reports and generating new proposals to fund future work. I would request God’s blessing and provision both vocationally and spiritually. Thanks!
From Growth and Healing Director, Joseph Christopherson:
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term?
ANSWER: I am teaching “Searching the Unsearchable/ Comprehending the Unfathonable.”
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
ANSWER: (1) Don’t be afraid of (shy away from) God’s mysteries; (2) We don’t have to feel inadequate when we are unable to explain mysteries like the “Trinity,” or “why bad things happen to good people,” or “providence.”
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus?
ANSWER: Class participants will be encouraged to “step-up” and take responsibility for digging into the Word and listening to the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10) in order to better understand His “unsearchable and unfathomable ways…” (Romans 11:33).
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
ANSWER: I believe the intensity, focus and deliberate approach to Jan Term will be an awesome experience and purposeful for the edification (I Corinthians 14:4, 26) of Bethel’s people. Teaching environments “rock!”
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare?
ANSWER: As you pray for me ask the Lord to give me clarity, brevity, sincerity & certainty.
From former missions deacon, Wayne Pelly:
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term?
I am teaching “Culture Shock: Encountering Jesus in His World.” I volunteered to teach this class because the Lord has helped me to see some exciting connections between the cross-cultural dimension of missions, the cross-cultural study of the Scriptures, and the counter-cultural way in which we are to live in our culture.
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
The incarnation occurred in a culture very different from modern America, but very similar to much of the rest of the world today, so approaching the Bible cross-culturally will help us see both its message and our world more clearly.
We can draw strength from the earliest followers of Jesus, who chose to follow Him in a culture where the cost was much greater than it is for most of us now.
In a culture preoccupied with boundaries of purity and defilement, Jesus demonstrated a radical new concept holiness by freely crossing those boundaries to reach out to others. This has significant implications for our attitudes and actions toward others.
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus?
An important dimension of our relationship with Jesus is expressed by Him in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” As we contrast our culture with the one Jesus lived in, we will see His life and teachings, as well as the gospel, with new clarity, and we will see our own multi-cultural world, and our mission in it, with new insight.
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
I think it is great to take a mid-year break to be exposed to some new concepts through these classes, and to make some new connections with other attendees in the process. This should be a great opportunity to re-charge.
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare?
Steve and Cheri Bobrowski are teaming with me to prepare for and present this class. Pray for wisdom and insight for all three of us as we complete our research, and for unity of minds and hearts as we meet together to finalize our lesson plans.
From John Stone, Director of Student Ministries
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term? I am teaching the Thrill of Repentance.
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
Some truths that will be presented:
Repentance is hard, but so worth it (you could even say it is THRILLING).
Having the commands of Christ and obeying them brings a deeper relationship with Jesus.
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus? Obedience to the commands of Christ brings about a deeper relationship with Jesus. When commands are disobeyed, relationship suffers, and the cure to relationship restoration is repentance.
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
I think Jan Term is a good idea for groups and individuals to have a concentrated dose of truth each week (and even homework during the week to keep our minds fixed on the truth throughout the week). I love that it starts out the new year and we can use the “fresh start” to launch into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare?
Please pray that I will have a repentant heart as I teach. I am a bit concerned that this could become simply a head exercise, and I want to make sure the heart is there behind it! Pray for protection for me and my family as I prepare to share.
From Dave Stone,
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term? I’m team teaching with Kelli Templeton the class “How do you relate to the invisible, resurrected, 2000-year old, Jewish God-man?” I agreed to teach it because shortly before I was asked to teach it, the Lord had prompted me to look for teaching opportunities.
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
We are called to walk by faith, not by sight. Combine that truth with Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the certainty of things not seen.” We are called to walk with the assurance that we will be resurrected to everlasting life, to walk with the certainty that we have been redeemed. Hope of resurrection and certainty of redemption are two of the most powerful weapons we have in our war against sin.
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus? Foundational to all relationships is trust (especially our relationship with God!). I will point people toward a deeper relationship with Jesus by showing them practical ways to trust God.
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
I love that we are making JanTerm a priority. In our age of multi-tasking it is difficult to focus. JanTerm will help us focus on our Thematic Goal: pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus.
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare? Pray that I would walk by faith and not by sight. Pray that God will use JanTerm to glorify Himself.
From Robin Gunion,
1. What class are you teaching and why did you agree to teach it for Jan Term?
Know How You Grow. I agreed b/c the class leader was desperately scraping the bottom of the barrel for a co-teacher and I mistakenly felt sorry for him at the time. j/k!!! I agree with the truths presented in the book and appreciate how the authors point to God and Scripture throughout, making sense, practically-speaking.
2. What are a few truths that you will be presenting that, if implemented, would GROW your participants toward life transformation?
That we, as believers, often view spiritual growth and practical growth or real life separately…and that’s how we tend to live. But looking deeper, you will see that they are connected. Our growing is all spiritual growth.
If implemented, the believer’s faith and trust in God should grow. And obedience, as well, which is no small thing.
3. In conjunction with #2, how will your class specifically point people to Bethel’s thematic goal of us all pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus?
We can point people to the goal as we reason with them re: our fallen condition and who the Lord truly is, as well as His desire and power and work to reconcile us to Himself. In a way, we will be exposing some of our pre-conceived notions and tendencies, etc., and illuminating truths from Scripture.
4. Why do you personally think it’s a good idea for Bethel to offer Jan Term this year for its small groups and other individuals (generally and at this point in the year)?
Fresh idea. Also, a fun way to connect different mixtures of body parts together, not to mention GROWING and doing LIFE together. Yep, should be exciting.
5. How can we be praying for you as you prepare?
Thank you, I will be so grateful for your prayers: that I would focus better as I prepare (distractions minimized, etc.) and that the Lord would protect me from fiery darts from the enemy. Also, that the Holy Spirit would fill me and keep my emotions in check. That my teaching time/speech/presentations would be clear and concise. That my gaze would be on the Lord and His promises, protection, and purpose.
Topics: Inspire |
Comments are closed.