We are offering two opportunities for adult School of Discipleship this fall, both of which will take place online. Both classes begin September 13; see the course descriptions below and plan to join one (or both!).
Our American Founding [View these videos here.]
Marcus Serven will be holding a class in the form of video presentations that will be posted each week.
In this series of video presentations Pastor Marcus Serven will revisit some of the key events and ideas that shaped the founding of the United States of America. Besides 2020 being the year of the coronavirus contagion and a significant national election, it is also the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims setting foot upon the American continent. Through the lens of firsthand Pilgrim testimonies, Pastor Serven will retell some the forgotten stories regarding the flight of the Pilgrims to Holland, their decision to relocate to the shores of “Northern Virginia,” the providential circumstances that shaped their efforts in founding a new colony, their relations with the indigenous peoples, and their efforts at establishing a society built upon biblical principles. Our American founding is made up of the interwoven stories of many people, places, and events. Through the centuries some of these stories have been forgotten, reinterpreted, and glorified. The goal of these videos is to present an unvarnished picture of our American founding through the plain testimonies of Pilgrims, Indians, and other Englishmen. Links to additional background material will be provided.
Beyond John: Ethics and Community in Early Christianity [View these videos here.]
Andrew Waller will be offering a live streamed class on YouTube. It will take place on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m., and the videos will be available to view afterwards, as well.
We’ve recently been going through a sermon series on the letters written by John the Apostle to the first-century churches. John’s letters make much of ethics, Christian community, and how the work of God in Christ shapes God’s people. But beyond John’s words in scripture, how did early Christian communities in later decades think about the Christian life? What did they believe about worship, faith, and obedience to God? This Fall, we’ll be taking a look at the ethical and liturgical practices of early Christianity and walking through selected ancient documents such as Didache and The Shepherd of Hermas to learn more about life in the first three centuries of the Church’s existence. In particular, we’ll be thinking about how the early Christians extended and put into practice some of the very same principles that John and the other Apostles faithfully taught.