Whether the questions come from those outside our faith, those within our faith, or even ourselves, it is guaranteed that at some point in our faith life we will be asked questions about the theological concepts of our faith. And we don't need to be theological scholars to understand these concepts. Using these studies, participants will even be able to tackle questions like: Who is God? What happens when we sin? and Why should we pray?
This is a serious study pack for serious reflection, but the rewards of using this pack with a group far exceeds any concerns over tackling such large questions. The eight weeks of study include the breakdown of studies below.
Who Is God? (2 sessions). Theology means thinking about God. Christians have done this through the centuries and created a number of models for thinking about God. But which model is best? Is only one true? What does the Bible say? Session 1 begins with the Bible and sorts through a number of concepts such as atheism and agnosticism. Session 2 compares and contrasts models, determining which are more or less helpful for developing our concept of God.
Who Is the Antichrist? (1 session). This one-session study explores the three biblical texts that use the term and then how it has been used by Christians throughout history.
Satan: Can the Devil Make You Do It? (1 session). Can Satan compel a person to do anything? Is Satan behind every evil act? What hope does a human being have in an encounter with Satan? One may even wonder, does Satan really exist?
What Happens When We Sin? (2 sessions). The first session examines what is going on with us when we engage in sinful activity, especially violent activity. Just what about our disposition toward daily life leads us to gossip, steal, go to war, murder, or crucify? The second session encourages the reader to trust God and sin less, always remembering the umbrella of grace under which we all live.
Is There Life after Death? (1 session). Just what does the Christian faith teach us about life beyond death? The world's philosophies and religions offer a variety of options for us to believe: natural death as the end, immortality of the soul, reincarnation, resurrection of the body, and others. Which of these options best expresses what the Bible says? In this lesson we will survey these various answers and compare them with the central New Testament teaching, namely, resurrection of the dead.
Why Pray? (1 session). If God already knows what we need, why do we need to pray?