By Brandon Lemons
Last Sunday as I was sitting in the class I was leading on “Resolving Everyday Conflict,” I was struck by the idea that Friedens offers great opportunities to learn and grow. These opportunities abound in a variety of ways each week, but I’d like to highlight our Sunday-morning classes.
Everyone faces conflict…especially in today’s society! Disagreements and frustrations boil over, creating tension and driving wedges in relationships. This happens all the time, and it drains so much energy and joy from life. Friedens is currently offering a class that provides practical guidance for how to navigate disagreements and conflicts in ways that honor God and promote healthy relationships. In my mind, this is one of the most important and practical classes a person could ever take!
Christians often feel uncomfortable opening the Bible for themselves. They value the Bible and want to know and follow what it says. But when it comes to interpreting the Bible for themselves or knowing where to turn in it for a specific topic, they feel hesitant. This is a primary reason we offer the ongoing “Digging Into Scripture” class! It is probably the most straightforward yet profound class Friedens offers, because each week the class simply reads and discusses a passage of Scripture, which frequently yields rich insights! The experience participants gain in these classes helps them, over time, to grow in their confidence and competence in handling Scripture well!
There are many platitudes that well-meaning people say but aren’t actually true. What gives these sayings even more credibility is that they sound biblical (but they’re really not). To help people discern truth from error, and to know what to say and what not to say, we are offering a class called “Trite, Not True” that examines six of the most common philosophies that influence people today and are represented by wise-sounding phrases that confuse what is really true.
These are high-quality learning opportunities that are available to anyone for free! I think it’s easy to take opportunities like these for granted. But in terms of equipping us to navigate difficulties in relationships, study and enjoy the Bible, or discern truth from error, these are some of the very best opportunities I’m aware of – anywhere! And they are available right here at Friedens Church!
At the same time as the adult classes listed above, we have classes for younger people who are 3 years old through 12th grade. These classes provide a fun, interactive environment where students learn about the Bible and the Gospel in age-appropriate ways! I know I’m biased, but I think our classes for younger people are terrific because they walk through the entire Bible in a five-year cycle. This way, students learn more than “Children’s Bible highlights” like Noah’s Ark and David & Goliath; they dig deep to build biblical literacy that will provide a strong foundation for deep, life-long faith in Christ. On Sunday mornings, high schoolers graduate to studying books of the Bible together, mirroring the benefits of the “Digging Into Scripture” class for adults.
If you haven’t been attending a class but are inspired to start, you can jump into a class this Sunday! Classes for younger people (through 12th grade) begin at 9:25am, and adult classes begin at 9:30. Even though these classes are free of charge and don’t require a high commitment level, please don’t miss the fact that they can change your life (and if you have children, change their lives, too)!