Ephesians
Join Ray Templeton in the Fireside Room for a survey of the book of Ephesians. In their society of different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds Paul encourages unity and that all people are equal recipients of God’s grace through Christ.
1 & 2 Kings
Join Dave Baumgartner in the Adult 1 classroom for a study of of these Books. 1,2, Kings provides a cautionary story of God’s people, prone to wander and go their own way. A handful of Kings try to bring God’s people back to Him. But sin comes with a price, rejecting God’s ways leads to exile. The God who condemned idolatry in the Old Testament, centuries ago, still expects His people to walk in holiness today.
Women – Elijah
Old Testament heroes are best known for their most celebrated moments: Moses dividing the Red Sea; David slaying Goliath; Gideon routing an insurmountable army; Joshua marching around the defiant walls of Jericho. And Elijah—calling down fire on Mount Carmel.
Blinded by the remarkable narratives of our biblical heroes, we can forget they each had a backstory—months and years of development, even difficulty, which fortified their spiritual muscle and prepared them for the tasks that made their lives unforgettable.
Every serious believer longs to summon up the kind of boldness and faith that can stand firm on Mount Carmel and pray down heaven into impossible situations. Yet few are willing to go through the process required to get them there. Strength of faith, character, and boldness can only be shaped in the hidden fires of silence, sameness, solitude, and adversity. Those who patiently wait on God in the darkness emerge with their holy loyalty cemented, their courage emblazoned, and their confident belief in Him set afire.”