Fall Class 2011: The Law of God & The Freedom of the Spirit

ICSI: Fall Class 2011
Five week class begins Oct 4
“The Laws of God and the Freedom of the Holy Spirit”
Are the Laws of God too hard to live by? Do we have less freedom as a Christian under the Holy Spirit?

Tuesdays 7:00 pm – 8:20pm
Cost is$25 to Packinghouse attendees
Regular cost $45.

We plan to meet at Univ. of Redlands Student Cafe on north side of
Cajon St. (at the third campus traffic light, traveling east; parking on the south side of Cajon in Gymnasium lot )

Next study begins July 28 – The Journeys & Writings of Paul the Apostle

To the Ends of the Earth: The Journeys & Writings of Paul the Apostle is a five-week course surveying Paul’s three missionary journeys (Acts 13-21) and the six letters he wrote while out on the road: Galatians, I & II Thesalonians, I & II Corinthians and Romans. Using the book of Acts as our guide, we glean insight from Paul’s ministry strategy and discover the significance of his teaching to our faith and fellowship today.

• Class: Acts & Paul’s Epistles I (1 unit)
• Schedule: Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m.; July 28 – August 25
• Place: Panera Bread, 1092 East Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino 92408
• Facilitator: Shawn Candelaria, M. A.
• Tuition: SUMMER SPECIAL–Choose your own tuition!–from $1 to $100 (Regularly $45)
• Registration deadline: Wednesday, July 27, 11:59 p.m.
• Email: study@scrambledage.com

“Rome and the Spread of Christianity” – New Class Starts June 2

Our next class begins June 2 at 7pm. It will meet at Panera Bread in Redlands on Thursdays through June 30. It will cover the Spread of Christianity to Europe and Asia through the lens of Paul’s letter to the Romans. How did Paul expect people to follow a new way of love in the midst of a world full of violence and corruption? If you would like to be a part of the class register by email today: rashw6222@yahoo.com.

New Class Starts April 19… “The Four Gospels: Following the King”

THE FOUR GOSPELS: JESUS & HIS KINGDOM

A survey of the four Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke and John–with a special emphasis on what each gospel reveals about who Jesus is, what His kingdom is like, and how the reality of His rule shapes our world today.

Class: The Messiah in the Gospels – 1 unit
Facilitators: Shawn Candelaria, M. A. & Andrew Yarbrough, M.A.T.S.
Time: Tuesdays, 7:00 – 8:50 p.m.; April 19, 2011 through May 24, 2011 (six weeks)
Place: Inland Empire location to be announced.
Cost: $45 payable to I.C.S.I.

If you have questions about the class or would like to sign up please email Shawn at study@scrambledage.com.

It’s 2011. Are you growing?

Dear Friends,

This Fall we had a class on Corinthians.  We focused on the way the gospel of Paul overcame the corruption of the Roman lifestyles. This quarter we will continue to look at the teaching of the epistles that conquered the religion of Roman society.

How Jesus Conquered Rome; Survey of Peter’s & John’s Epistles

How did the teaching about Jesus Christ change the world of the Greeks and Romans?  Instead of Caesar being the divine authority, Jesus Christ was taught as the Son of God. Peter and John are the apostles who lived most closely with Jesus of Nazareth. Already there were contrary teachings about Jesus, some who opposed Him.

• How did Peter, John, and Paul believe the  Greeks and Romans  would respond to the gospel?
• Did they believe that the world would respond positively to the gospel?
• Did he ever envision the Roman Empire being conquered by or submitting to the gospel of Christ?
• What happened when the Muslims came on the scene?
• Will non-Christians today receive Christ?

 

Five-week winter class begins February 3

Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. – 8:20 p.m.

Class held at University of Redlands, Student Café

(on Colton Ave., east of University Ave. across from 3rd traffic light)

Can you join us?  You are the one who can make the class a learning action group.

Sincerely,
Ray Ashworth

You can register your interest by e-mail: rashw62225@yahoo.com.

Spring Class: Daniel and the Kings of Persia and Greece

Daniel and the Kings of  Persia and Greece;
Survey of the History of the Old Testament.
Create a time line for the Old Testament from the Fall of Judah to the Coming of Christ.   From Babylon to Persia, and to the Greeks.
This class covers  586 BC to 30 BC From  Babylon to Rome.
How does God control the Nations of Today?  Did the Lord fail to control the nations  in Israel’s day?

Instructor: Ray Ashworth (rashw62225@yahoo.com)
Time: Thursdays, May 6,13,20,27, & June 10.;  7:00 – 8:20PM
Place: Coffee Bean & Tea,  526 Orange St. across from Starbucks in Trader Joe’s area.
Cost: $45 personal enrichment / $55 certificate credit

Jesus in Islam: Points to Consider

Many of today’s so-called religions share a particular view of God, of who he is and what he may be like. This view is that God is unknowable; he is so exalted above man he is untouchable.

The Apostle Paul confronted this view on Mars Hill at the Greek Temple in Athens (Acts 17:22). He was debating with some philosophers and noticed the idolatry in the city. He read an inscription on an altar that read “to the unknown God.” Paul took the opportunity to share with them truths about Him.

1. A brief teaching of Him as creator.
2. A God with a plan in mind.
3. We should seek after Him because He is not far from any of us.

The prophet Jeremiah (29:11) states that God has good thoughts for us and even a plan for our lives. Doesn’t this sound like a God you’d like to know?

As Christians we believe not only that God can be known, but more than that, He desires to have a relationship with us. But how can we know this awesome creator of the universe? He is so above us all; and unseen. Untouchable?

God became a man. He revealed Himself to us in the form of a man, the person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6-10; John 1:1). But how do we know this?

In the Islamic faith, and even in Judaism, they teach that Jesus was a good man, a great teacher, and a prophet. He caused some political and religious stirrings. But if we look further at his very life, even his birth, we can see this man not only claimed He came down to us from heaven but performed miracles that no ordinary man could do.

The very waves of the sea obeyed him. He fed thousands with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread. He caused many blind to see. He healed untold diseases, including leprosy, and raised the dead from the grave. Does that sound like any prophet that you’ve known?

Again I go back to the Apostle Paul at Mar’s Hill and the Greek Temple when he stated that we should seek after Him because He is not far from any one of us (Acts 17:27, 28). As Christians we believe God teaches us to seek after Him with all our hearts, that He will hear us and reveal Himself to us (Jeremiah 29:12,13; Isaiah 54:61).

Yes, God is awesome and so far above, but it is His desire for us to come to Him and to call on Him. He made the way for us in Jesus.

(written by Sam Simonsen)

Winter Class: God, Nations and the History of the Old Testament

A new class starts Thursday, January 28 at 7:00 pm at the University of Redlands’ Student Cafe!

The scope of the class will be an overview of major events and dates in biblical history before Christ with a particular focus on the OT books of I & I & II Kings.

Theologian John Calvin taught that God is Sovereign in the affairs of men and of nations. We will consider whether this is true taking Israel as a case study. How did Israel first become a nation? Why was it destroyed? How involved is God in the world today?

DIRECTIONS: The Student Cafe is in the Commons building behind the fountain on Colton Avenue across from the gym. Just park by the gym and cross Colton Avenue.

Getting God’s Word starts Thursday, June 18 at 7pm.

GETTING GOD’S WORD

Class: Bible Study Methods (1 unit)
Schedule: Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m.; June 18-August 6
Cost: $45 payable to I.C.S.I. ($55 for certificate credit)
Place: Qdoba Mexican Grill (patio), 9990 Alabama Street, Redlands, CA 92374
Facilitator: Shawn Candelaria
E-mail: classes@towardtruth.com

DESCRIPTION

Getting God’s Word is a hands-on study of the Bible for those seeking to better understanding the truth and significance of God’s Word, with a focus on using five specific steps for discovering the meaning of any passage.

OBJECTIVES

1. Develop an appreciation for how careful hermeneutics lay a foundation for sound doctrine and spiritual formation.

2. Understand biblical genres and how they shape the meaning of Scripture.

3. Learn and practice five steps of biblical interpretation.

4. Introduce other tools and skills that may be helpful in understanding Scripture.

TEXTS

REQUIRED: Walt Russell, Playing With Fire: How the Bible Ignites Change in Your Soul (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2000).

RECOMMENDED: A literal translation of the Bible such as NKJV, NRSV, NASB, or ESV.

beaconsoftruth.org

ICSI News

Our Spring class has been Four Main Doctrines in Christian History: The Nature of God (Trinity), Jesus, The Bible, and Salvation by Grace.

We have had a challenging and quick series of topic to cover. The main focus was a historical look at how the church refined and perfected the teaching on four important topics.

The first topic was the Trinity. Must of that important understanding of God is found in the definition of how Jesus Christ relates to the Father. In 325 AD, and through a few more church councils, the Nicene Creed defined that Jesus Christ was not just like the Father but he was the same substance.

Next the Deity of Christ was refinied by the church. In the councils from 448 and until 749 AD the teaching of Jesus Christ being a man and being God was refined to explain that he had two full natures in one person. He had a complete human nature and a complete nature of God, in one person.

The third topic is too involved for this letter, but the reliability of the Scripture both Jewish and Christian was very suspect in the 1800′s and 1900′s due to literary criticism of the sources. However, the rise of the modern science of archeology brought whole realms of anvient history to light. The Bible’s historical and cultural reliability was refined and restroed.

Lastly we covered the 1500′s Reformation that clarified forgiveness was a gift of grace and not based on good works or church rituals.

The next class will be June 2nd-June 30th. The topic will be: Jeremiah and the fall of Israel. The class location will be at Ray’s home (29049 Marcus Lane, in Highland) or another home closer to everyone in the class.

Sincerely,
Ray & Becky Ashworth

beaconsoftruth.org