Class Description

Church and Missions is a course that is designed to help young people see their identity as the Body of Christ. It is structured to examine the origins and nature of the New Testament Church at work in the world as a witness to the resurrected Christ who is Lord of all. The Books of Acts and I Corinthians, as well as the other epistles, set the framework for studying and discerning our calling as the current day Church. Much of the class is a hands on experience of actually dealing with how the Church functions. A thorough search for what constitutes worship, fellowship, outreach, and service are key elements that will be put into practice by the class. Our ultimate goal is to learn what the Body of Christ is and how we need to function together while pointing to Christ as the Head, the Bridegroom of the Church.

Class Expectations

Testing Information:

Tests are given only three times during the semester. There are many projects that take the place of most testing.

Daily Work:

Daily work often involves committee and group assignments as well as reading and writing assignments. The New Testament books of I Corinthians and Acts are the central focus of our study. Charles Colson's book, The Body, is used as a basis for further reading and research. Study and discussion guides are used to structure daily class work.

Major Projects:

There are three large assignments/projects that are required for this course. One is a thorough research project into the history and practices of ones own current church home. The purpose is to help kids recognize and learn to appreciate God's care and love for His church through its many and varied body parts. The second project will involve research into the Church persecuted in the past and still today. A formal written report as well as a presentation to our class are included in this assignment. The third project involves studying the roles of leadership in the church. Interviews and Scriptural study make up the majority of this project.

Miscellaneous:

Class attendance is fundamental to this class because it is set up around a cooperative learning structure. Discussion is a vital part of our daily class time.

Final Grade:

Final grades are figured on a point value basis.

Class Outline

1. The Church--Identity
2. The Church Organized
3. The Church's Calling and Witness
4. The Church Worshiping
5. The Church Struggling
6. The Church Serving
7. The Church Alive