No. 490 "Fall Life Study Courses Begin" 2026 07 12

No. 490 "Fall Life Study Courses Begin" 2026 07 12 As our children head back to school in August, our church is also beginning its fall semester of Life Study courses. These courses move beyond knowledge-based Bible study, aiming instead to help Christians put God's Word into practice in daily life, experience His power, and be transformed. Classes begin August 3rd, so please plan your schedule ahead of time and choose a course. I hope every single member will take at least one course this semester and use it as an opportunity for growth. 1. Life of Assurance (7 weeks) meets every Monday, one-on-one or one-on-two. This is a discipleship course in which a shepherd personally guides a new believer, helping them take their first steady steps in walking with God and living as His child after receiving Jesus. Participants must have already completed the Life Study course. 2. Life Study (13 weeks) meets every Tuesday evening at church in a group setting. This course clears up common misunderstandings about God, helps participants understand what the church truly is, and shows just how joyful and blessed a life of faith in God can be. 3. Guide to the Old Testament (8 weeks) meets every Wednesday morning at the NOBTS Duluth campus. This course surveys all 39 books of the Old Testament, offering an in-depth look at God's history of salvation and His providence. This course counts for undergraduate credit at NOBTS. 4. Life for Couples Preparing for Marriage (7 weeks) meets every Thursday, either in person or online. Designed for anyone who is dating or engaged, this course helps participants truly understand themselves and their partner, and prepare for marriage with realistic expectations and a solid plan. As James 1:22 tells us, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Life Study courses are not simply about gaining knowledge — they are training grounds for putting what we learn into practice. Carving out time in a busy schedule to sit before God's Word can feel like a burden at first. But gathering together to share the Word and encourage one another in our daily lives is exactly what will give us the strength to stand firm in our faith, unshaken by the world around us. Just as a seed needs time and care to take root in good soil, grow, and bear fruit, hearing God's Word once does not make it fully our own. It takes repeated training for what we've learned to become habit, for habit to shape our character, and for that character to bear fruit in a life that looks like Jesus. That's why I encourage you to take a course again if it's been three or four years since you last took it. If you approach it with the mindset of taking the same course four or five times, God's Word will no longer remain something you merely study — it will naturally become woven into your everyday life and habits. My prayer is that every member of our church will experience the depth and breadth of God's Word through these Life Study courses, and that we will all take part together in the practice and training of becoming more like Jesus.