The Days of Noah

Scott Risley

Matthew 24:37-39

Noah built an ark because God commanded him to do so. Noah and his family floated in the ark as the rest of humanity faded away. God used Noah and his family to rebuild humanity. Noah was faithful to God and he tried to warn the people of his time.

The Fall of Mankind

Conrad Hilario

Genesis 3:1-23

Adam and Eve chose to sin when tempted. Their fall resulted in psychological, and theological, sociological, an ecological alienation from themselves and humankind.

Facilitating Small Group Inductive Bible Study and Bible Memorization

Gary DeLashmutt

Genesis 3:1-23

Two practical ideas for small group study are simplified inductive study and bible memorization. All members can become confident and equipped to lead a small group Bible study through practicing this method. Members also become comfortable at handling the word of God on their own. Bible memorization also helps develop workers in the group. Members take turns sharing what verse they chose to memorize, how it was applicable, why, how memorizing it impacted them, and what helped them memorize the verse.\r\n

The Ways of Knowing - How the Bible Speaks to the Whole Person

Jim Leffel

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Knowledge comes in more than one form, as opposed to reductionistic thinking, which professes that knowledge only comes from a single source. But in fact, there are numerous ways of knowing as we see expressed throughout the Bible. There is propositional, personal, and practical knowing. Through these means, we can grow to learn who God is and how we can relate with Him.

Making the Bible Clear to Youth

Brad DuFault

Brian Runk

Ephesians 2:8-16

The Bible teaches that all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for a variety of things. Thus, it is imperative that we work to teach the Bible in a clear way to young people, without skipping over difficult subjects. We want to aim high with students and stretch their minds but also communicate in a relatable and engaging manner. During this workshop, we see an example of a Bible teaching for students and examine strategies that are helpful for making passages clear and impactful.

Is Jesus the Only Way of Salvation?

Eric Chabot

Romans 10:13-16

In a culture where many religions are not only present but tolerated and viewed as equally true, we must ensure we understand why we are called to share our faith. Jesus is clear that he is the only way to salvation, and out of concern for others and gratitude for our own salvation, we are called to share this with others. As we do this, we should consider our audience and start on their terms with their current beliefs. We also should balance the call for us to share with the reality of God's sovereignty and his general revelation. God is faithful to reveal himself to all people, but he gives each individual a choice to truth in him personally.

An Invitation to Covet

Dave Schutter

Psalms 19:1-14

Typically when we hear the word covet, we think of the envy of others and their possessions that God calls us to avoid. But Psalm 19 introduces a new way to think about coveting; it presents an invitation to covet God's Word, to cultivate a deep desire for it. From this psalm, we see that creation declares God's glory, crediting the glory to God and not itself. We also see that God speaks to us personally in His Word. His written word is truth and truth is simultaneously good because it has been spoken by God. God not only knows us personally, but He knows us in a redemptive sense, another truth presented in this psalm.

Enlarging your Heart through God's Word

Bev DeLashmutt

Psalms 119:32

Through the Psalmist we learn that while his condition is full of suffering, pain, and persecution he draws near to God through God's word. God wants to enlarge our hearts with His word. The outcome is determined by what we affirm, ask for, hope in, and obey. Pain, suffering, sin, and failure can shrink our hearts. A growing heart acknowledges circumstances but affirms God's truth. Live in the reality of pain and suffering but land on the reality of what God's word says about it.\r\n

The Death of Truth Revisted

Jim Leffel

Deuteronomy 8:3

The prophet Amos describes a terrible famine in the land due to injustice and idolatry, devastating many. But there is another famine, even more devastating, a famine of truth which starves the soul. Our postmodern culture today is amidst this famine, unwilling to accept facts and viewing truth as a social construct. As we examine the effects of this lack of truth alongside the recovery of truth in a Christian context, the need for God's Word becomes clear and profound.