"Defenders” Class

Z

Zera

Member
Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am an elder at my Church (http://nbcfamily.ca/ - yes, the website needs updating) and am very concerned about current trends in North America an Europe of young adults loosing faith in Christ. As a father of two children I am happy that I had the privilege to lead both of them to Christ and I want to do all that is in my abilities to avoid them becoming part of the 70% that fall away during high school and college time. I am convinced that having a really clear understanding of key Biblical concepts and having rational reasons for why they are unshakeable truths will be key in reverting the current evil trend.

Starting tomorrow, I will be teaching a new Sunday school class at my church that will run for many months and will address exactly these issues. (See class summary below.)

If there is interest, then I would be willing to teach the class also on the CGA TeamSpeak server.

Moderator's note: You can find more information on the CGA TeamSpeak Server, including the server address and where to download the TeamSpeak client, here.

I propose Sundays, 10pm-11pm est as class time. The class will be in a format that allows for all participants to be involved and get their questions answered.
And we would start tomorrow night, so that what I prepare for my church I can also share here.

Please respond and indicate if you would like to see this class started and if you would join regularly.

In His service,
Zera / (Ingmar)

PS: the class summary:

“Defenders” Class Summary

”Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect” 1 Peter 3:15 HCSB

Three Class Purposes

  1. To train Christians to understand, articulate, and defend basic Christian truths
  2. To reach out with the Gospel to those who have not yet come to know Christ, always being ready to give a defense to anyone who should ask for a reason for our hope.
  3. To be a heart-warming fellowship of mutual encouragement and care.

Teaching Content
  • Christian Doctrine
    … what the church believes and teaches​
  • Apologetics
    … to provide rational reasons for the truth of Christianity’s claims​

Outline
1. Foundations of Christian Doctrine & Apologetics (What it is, Why to study it)
2. Doctrine of Revelation (Authority, General & Special Revelation, Biblical Inerrancy, Bible Canonicity)
3. Doctrine of God (Knowing God, Self-Existing, Eternal, Omnipresent, Immutable, Immaterial, Omniscient, Holy, Loving)
4. Existence of God (Leibnitz argument from Contingency, Kalam Cosmological Argument, Teleological Argument from Fine-tuning, Moral Argument from Absolute Moral Values, Ontological Argument, Properly Basic Belief, Problem of Suffering)
5. Doctrine of the Trinity (One God, Three persons: Father Son Holy Spirit, History of Explanations, Possible Model)
6. Doctrine of Christ (Deity and Humanity of Christ, History of Explanations, Possible Model)
7. Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Deity, Personhood, Role in Salvation, Ministry to believers)
8. Doctrine of Creation (6 Days and/or not, Evolution and/or not, Reasons from Physics + Chemistry + Biology)
9. Doctrine of Man (Made in God’s Image, Where we come from, Why are we here, Where we go when we die)
10. Doctrine of Salvation (How Jesus’s death can be a substitute payment for our own guilt penalty)
11. Doctrine of the Church (The role of believers as the body of Christ)
12. Doctrine of the Last Things (Jesus Second Coming, Resurrection of the Saints, the New Heaven and Earth)

Resources
http://www.reasonablefaith.org Christian Doctrine and Apologetics in general
http://www.reasonablefaith.org/defenders-2-podcast Outlines, Podcasts and transcripts of most class material
http://www.reasonablefaith.org/defenders-1-podcast Outlines and Podcasts of most class material
http://creation.com/ Creation and Evolution
http://www.studylight.org/ Tons of Bible Translations, 10 in parallel, commentaries, articles, news
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Zera said:
I am an elder at my Church (http://nbcfamily.ca/ - yes, the website needs updating) and am very concerned about current trends in North America an Europe of young adults loosing faith in Christ. As a father of two children I am happy that I had the privilege to lead both of them to Christ and I want to do all that is in my abilities to avoid them becoming part of the 70% that fall away during high school and college time. I am convinced that having a really clear understanding of key Biblical concepts and having rational reasons for why they are unshakeable truths will be key in reverting the current evil trend.
Click to expand...

If you really want to get a handle on what is going on with young people leaving the church, I'd highly recommend taking a look at, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith. It is an interesting read.
 
You seem to have a good outline for tackling a huge undertaking. The topics and outline you provide should keep you busy for at least a year. I pray God guides you the whole way.

Personally, I've seen a lot of younger Christians fall away because they did not have good role models. When we tell our children to do one thing but we ourselves do something else we create confusion. Confusion will almost always lead to rebellion. Open communication and leading by example are two of the most important things we can give our children to help them stay founded in Christ when it comes their time to make the choice.
 
Abba San said:
If you really want to get a handle on what is going on with young people leaving the church, I'd highly recommend taking a look at, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith. It is an interesting read.
Click to expand...

I just read summaries of the book on Amazon. The book seems to center around six key reasons on why young people leave the church. Five of those six reasons I completely agree with and I plan to address directly in the class. ( Only the "overprotective" reason does not resonate with me and I should read that chapter to learn more about it. ) Overall David Kinnaman and I share the view of the problem, its causes and the solution to fixing it. So if you liked the book, you will like the class.
 
Wolfeman said:
You seem to have a good outline for tackling a huge undertaking. The topics and outline you provide should keep you busy for at least a year. I pray God guides you the whole way.

Personally, I've seen a lot of younger Christians fall away because they did not have good role models. When we tell our children to do one thing but we ourselves do something else we create confusion. Confusion will almost always lead to rebellion. Open communication and leading by example are two of the most important things we can give our children to help them stay founded in Christ when it comes their time to make the choice.
Click to expand...

Good points! The material has already been worked through by William Lane Craig over 3 years. I am not sure what pace we will take, but I find it impartant enough to really invest in it.

Within a Sunday school class in church or online it is hard to exercise being a role model. That part is better done in how we treat each other in the game, at work and at home. So clearly the class is not the complete solution, but an important building block.
 
Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I just returned from our church and am happy to report that the first instance of the "Defenders" class was well received. So now I am even more encouraged to teach it on the TeamSpeak server as well.

Who can setup a new channel titled "Defenders Class Sun 10pmET" ?
I realize that there is a time conflict with the current "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET". But after some prayer, sleep and consideration, I would still like to start the class today at the proposed 10pmET time. I do not want to "steal" any members of the current Bible study, so I am asking all current members to stay in that class even if they find the new class interesting. There are written transcripts and recordings of the material in my class, so at the current rate of 6 days per week, any current member can catch up with my class in a matter of two weeks when the current series of "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET" is completed in 3 months.

Looking forward to the first class tonight!
 
Zera said:
Who can setup a new channel titled "Defenders Class Sun 10pmET" ?
Click to expand...

Can someone please setup that channel?: "Defenders Class Sun 10pmET"

If it does not work out, i.e. the channel does not exist by 11pmET,
then we will have the class in the "LoE Bible Study" channel.
 
The first session went fine. Looking forward to next Sunday.

I did find out that the daily "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET" is only for 10 minutes (I assumed incorrectly 1h). For 10 minutes it should really be possible to avoid the collision. Out of all participants yesterday the preference was to actually move the class earlier. So starting next week we will begin at 9pmET.
 
Zera said:
Can someone please setup that channel?: "Defenders Class Sun 10pmET"
Click to expand...

The time changed, please instead setup with this channel name: "Defenders Class Sun 9pmET".

If it does not work out, i.e. the channel does not exist by 9pmET on Sunday,
then we will have the class in the "LoE Bible Study" channel
 
I created your channel for you Zera. I created it under the ToJ section, rather than the LoE sub-channels since this seams to be a broader invitation to all ToJ members rather than just LoE. I'm glad to hear it went well the first time, I'm a little upset I'm going to miss them. The time difference makes it about 2am here and I do love my sleep :p

Let me, or any of the other ToJ staff, know if you need anything else :)
 
I participate in a youth ministry on Sunday nights so it's unlikely that I will be able to participate.

The study looks very interesting. What group are you targeting? College/young adult, or high school or some other? The reason I ask is that the kids in our ministries wouldn't sit through that much of a detailed study. I'm curious about how effective yours will be and if our youth are representative of other churches.
 
Stc95 said:
I created your channel for you Zera.
Click to expand...
Great! Thanks! (Actually I was thinking about even one level higher up, right next to "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET")

Stc95 said:
The time difference makes it about 2am here.
Click to expand...
Are you not in California? That should be 3 hours in the other direction. So the 9pmET time for the class in California 6pm. Maybe change tho channel title to '"Defenders" Class - Sun 9pmET 6pmPT" to avoid the confusion? Hope to see you join next Sunday.
 
Is there a way to record and podcast the class? The thought just occurred to me. Not sure if the forum server rental would allow such, or if anyone else has access that could host it. (I know live streaming is expensive to host because of the bandwidth, but posting the MP3 might be workable.)
 
Zera said:
Great! Thanks! (Actually I was thinking about even one level higher up, right next to "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET")


Are you not in California? That should be 3 hours in the other direction. So the 9pmET time for the class in California 6pm. Maybe change tho channel title to '"Defenders" Class - Sun 9pmET 6pmPT" to avoid the confusion? Hope to see you join next Sunday.
Click to expand...

I usually am, but I'm studying abroad in England this semester, so I'm actually 8 hour ahead of California time, +5 hours from the East Coast :/
 
Zera said:
Great! Thanks! (Actually I was thinking about even one level higher up, right next to "Bible Study Sun-Fri 10pmET")
Click to expand...
Are you wanting the channel under the larger CGA heading then?

If so, send a PM to me and Joshinator (the CGA TeamSpeak Server Operator) and one of us will set you up with the channel you've requested. The outline for the class looks solid, so I approve the channel creation. :)
 
Kahiel said:
Is there a way to record and podcast the class? The thought just occurred to me. Not sure if the forum server rental would allow such, or if anyone else has access that could host it. (I know live streaming is expensive to host because of the bandwidth, but posting the MP3 might be workable.)
Click to expand...
I'd have to defer to Lloren (CGA Forums Administrator and Server Operator) for that question.

Lloren: Any thoughts?
 
The class started well. Last week we had to skip because of me having to attend a planning meeting for the annual Toronto Science & Faith meeting that will have Michael Behe and myself speak at Toronto Universities and Churches.

We are picking up tonight at 7pmET. Note the time change from the earlier 9pmET. Channel admin: Please change the channel name to reflect the new 7pmET start time. It looks like that will be the starting time for the next 22 weeks at least.

The target audience is not children or teenagers, but adults so that I can assume one hour of attention span ;-)

I will no longer record the meetings to avoid having people be hesitant to ask questions.

Suggestions for a screen sharing software to use to broadcast what I have on my screen would be welcomed.
 
Zera said:
We are picking up tonight at 7pmET. Note the time change from the earlier 9pmET. Channel admin: Please change the channel name to reflect the new 7pmET start time. It looks like that will be the starting time for the next 22 weeks at least.
Click to expand...
Channel name changed to Bible Study Sun-Fri 7pmET.
 
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