ELECTIVES

One of the most important questions that people have ever asked is, “Who is Jesus?” What better way to get at the very heart of that than by looking at his words? In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven distinct statements that reveal who he is and what that means for us.  Join us as we spend time investigating Jesus’ very words as we go through the Gospel of John.

What does it mean to be a Christian? We craft a lot of ideas about what we should and shouldn’t be doing. As a result, Christianity becomes a beast of a burden. Come find out that the Gospel isn’t just meh. It is the best thing that could ever happen to you.

We spend most of our days pursuing peace, pleasure & fun. In and of themselves, those aren't always bad things. God gives us pleasures and joys throughout our day-to-day lives, but he also gives us suffering. No one in their right mind would ask God to give them more pain and affliction, but it is often the primary avenue God uses to make us more like his Son, Jesus. In this class, we will consider why we suffer and how we can strive to live faithfully in the midst of a broken and hurting world.

We all want to feel safe, welcomed, and loved. We want to belong and live with freedom and joy. But let’s be honest — the world can be a pretty confusing and lonely place. Sometimes it’s downright scary and just completely overwhelming! We don’t know who to trust, what to do, or how to find anything that looks like purpose and peace. So what do we do? Where do we go? During this elective, we’ll look at the real insecurity we all experience in a fallen, sin-cursed world. We’ll also look long and hard at Jesus Christ — the Savior who gives us full, lasting confidence in the chaos.

From "God is great, God is good" to "Our Father in heaven," prayer is an important part of our lives as Christians. In this elective, we will look at how the Bible describes prayer, what it means to enter the presence of God through prayer, and why it is safe to bring our whole selves – our sadness, joy, disappointments, hopes, and fears – to the Lord. Is there a right or wrong way to pray? The Bible gives us many types of prayer, including prayers of thanksgiving, confession, supplication, and more.  We can pray using scripted prayers passed down through the generations, and we can also just talk to God. We will examine the importance of creating a life of prayer and explore ways to practice it daily. If God is sovereign, then why do we pray? Can we change God's mind when we ask for things? Join us as we take a look at why prayer matters, how it draws us closer to the heart of Jesus, and how it changes us.