School of Discipleship has returned for the spring semester!
At Redeemer, School of Discipleship (our Sunday School) is a key component of our church life as we learn and grow together, building one another up in the faith. We offer classes for all ages, and nursery care is available as well. The spring semester began January 12 and continues through April 27, with weeks off for spring break and Easter. Below you will find details on the classes we offer for each stage of life.
Nursery Care
From their birth, we recognize that our covenant children are gifts from God to be cherished and enfolded into the life of the church. Led by Nursery Coordinator Lisal McDonald, our nursery is staffed by both agency workers and Redeemer volunteers. We want to provide a safe, clean and nurturing environment for our young ones to know the love of Christ from their earliest days.
Children’s Curriculum
We have adopted the Show Me Jesus Bible curriculum from Great Commission Publications as our source for the children’s classes from 2 year olds through 2nd grade. They do a good job of presenting the unfolding story of salvation in scripture with Jesus at the center, while highlighting the sovereignty of God and his grace in the covenant, all from a Reformed perspective.
Once children reach 3rd grade, they are ready for more in-depth study of the faith, so they embark on a study of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, using the Digging Deeper materials from Great Commission Publications. This two-year program takes the class through the 107 questions and answers, covering what we believe about God, his law, the means of grace, and the Lord’s Prayer. The students are encouraged to memorize the catechism answers as they study the content.
CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Nursery: staff & volunteers – Lisal McDonald, coordinator
Two year olds: Room 104
Three year olds: Room 105
Four Year Olds – Kindergarten: Room 106
1st & 2nd Grades: Room 201
3rd – 6th Grades: Room 209
7th – 12th Grades: Room 212
If you have any questions about Children’s Ministry at Redeemer please contact Carol Waller: cwaller@redeemerpres.org
ADULT SCHOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP
At Redeemer, our Adult School of Discipleship (SoD) ministries are meant to equip the members and attenders of Redeemer Presbyterian Church with the truth of the gospel so that they know the hope within them and increase their confidence in serving Christ. We meet from 10:15 through 11:00 each Sunday in the fall from September through early December, and in the spring from January through April on the second floor of Calvin Hall. Additionally, we host a single team-taught class in the summer in June and July.
A year ago, we introduced a new structure for our SoD classes. We offer a core set of eight classes, which rotate on a four-year cycle, and electives offered on a semesterly basis. Our core classes introduce key ideas in Reformed Theology, thematically survey the Bible, explore Presbyterian distinctives, and discuss key issues in the Christian life. Our elective classes are meant to discuss topics of specific theological interest or relevance to the Christian life.
Our goal in our School of Discipleship is to provide informative teaching, that both instructs our minds and challenges our hearts to more thoughtfully and practically grow in Christ. You can see this semester’s course description, as well as instructors, below:
Knowing Christ and His Church — Rev. Jon Herr
This class continues our core series of classes at Redeemer and is meant to complement our fall 2024 class on the lives of Jesus and the apostles by exploring the doctrines of Christ and the church. In the first six weeks, we will survey the person and work of Jesus Christ using formula “Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior” as our primary outline. We will discuss his humanity, divinity, messianic office, atonement, resurrection, present and future ministries. In the second six weeks, we will explore the doctrine of the church and discuss Christ’s hope for the church, the meaning of “one holy catholic and apostolic church,” the work of the church, and what it means to be a part of the church. We hope individuals taking this class will deepen their love for Jesus Christ, and of our incorporation into his body– the Church. Whether you are new to Christianity, to Presbyterianism or are interested in revisiting these topics, we look forward to learning with you in this spring SoD term.
Christian Apologetics: Classical, Evidentialist, and Cultural— Rev. Danny Morgan – Elective
Christian apologetics will examine various worldviews and teach students how to identify various non-Christian perspectives and their deficiencies. Students will learn various methodologies of apologetics and arguments to defend and prove the Christian faith and worldview.
Rebuilding the Fallen Tent: David’s Scriptural Legacy — Andrew Waller – Elective
How does the legacy of David help us think about the mission of Jesus? David is a complex character. David’s kingship brings peace and security to Israel, but his sinful violence leads the nation into disaster. David’s psalms give voice to some of the most poignant laments in scripture and yet his name and legacy are also attached to optimistic hopes for Israel’s restoration after exile. David’s story cannot be reduced to the legend of a hero or the failure of a wayward king. In this class, we will first look at David’s biblical legacy in Samuel, Chronicles, the Psalms, and the Prophets. Second, we will look at how that biblical legacy was received in early Jewish literature following Judah’s return from exile. Third, we will consider how the figure of David helps us to understand the mission of Jesus to restore Israel and rebuild David’s “fallen tent” (Amos 9:11).
Please contact Pastor Jon Herr with any questions about the classes for adults: jherr@redeemerpres.org