Christian Education Classes – Spring 2016

Christian Education – Spring 2016

Sundays from 11:15 – 12:15

April 3 – May 29

Communicants Class: Parents, is your child ready to become a communicant member of Crossroads and join in celebrating the Lord’s Supper? This class will explore the basic beliefs of Christianity but will focus on the meaning of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Supplemental teaching materials will be available for parents, as necessary. Classes will be taught at the 4th-5th grade level, but children of all ages are welcome. Some homework will be required. Taught by Pastor Sampson.

Preschool (Ages 2–4) In the Spring 1 quarter children will find out about Jesus’ love for his people, his death and resurrection, his ascension, the promised Holy Spirit, and the Lord’s return one day. Taught by Robert Mourad

Younger Elementary (Grades K–3) This quarter will focus on what it means to become devoted to God’s Word. Using stories and passages from both the Old and New Testaments. Taught by Catherine Root

Older Elementary (Grades 4–6) This quarter 1 Samuel through the book of Esther is studied, focusing on the history of Israel’s prophets, priests, and kings and the people’s subsequent exile and return to the Promised Land. Taught by Maria Dunn

Youth Group (Grades 7 – 12) Topic TBD Taught by Josh Kiihne

Friendship Class (Special Needs Education)

 

Those of all ages with intellectual disabilities will study together from the Scriptures. Taught by Peggy Van Lowe and one adult/teen mentor for each student.

 

Adult Education

 

The Mission of God’s People The Germans are coming! The Russians are coming! Why? Because God has a mission and therefore his people do too. Come learn about how God’s purposes orient Christ’s people into the world Taught by Fritz Thornton

Philippians 1:12-30

Philippians 1:12-30

 

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

 

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

 

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

 

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Prayer Focus for Cape Verde Islands – Sunday, March 27

cape-MMAP-smChallenges for Prayer

Economic and ecological problems must be wisely addressed. Scant resources were poorly managed in the past, intensifying Cape Verde’s poverty. Pray for government leaders who will make good decisions and develop the economy for the betterment of the whole nation.

Ephesians 4:1-16

Ephesians 4:1-16

 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives

and gave gifts to his people.”

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.


Prayer Focus for Canada – Sunday, March 20

cana-MMAP-smQuebec is a unique region that has experienced in one or two generations the secularization and modernization that took France centuries to accomplish. While mostly French in language and culture, it is increasingly multicultural, with an Anglophone minority and growing immigrant communities. Pray for:

a) Political currents that swirl around the issue of separation from Canada. Although such sentiment has waned of late, it is never far from becoming prominent. Pray that Quebec might make a valuable contribution to the redemptive history of Canada.

b) The Catholic Church dominates Quebecois identity and culture (more than 80% self-identify as Catholic), but not attendance. Quebec’s church attendance rate is Canada’s lowest. There is a demonstrably low commitment to community activities; in particular, church and faith are highly personal and privatized.

c) Evangelicals in Quebec. Protestants are decidedly low in number and evangelical churches regarded as nearly cults. While Protestants are very mixed among French, English and immigrant cultures, there are also a significant number of practicing Catholics with evangelical beliefs. Pray for unity, fellowship and even collaboration.

d) Church planting needs to occur in much greater measure. To bring Quebec up to par with the rest of Canada in the numbers of evangelical congregations, 3,000 more churches must be planted.

Prayer Focus for Cameroon – Sunday, March 13

came-MMAP-smCameroon, Africa: Evangelicals, especially Pentecostals, have grown rapidly in the last 20 years, having had a late start due to the hostility of older denominations. A number of these groups have been started by other African evangelists – in particular Nigerians – rather than by Westerners. Pray for:

  1. a) Greater spiritual unity and cooperation between charismatic and non-charismatic groups. Many older denominations see these younger churches as divisive, fragmented upstarts with poor theology and an unhealthy fixation on signs, wonders and money. For more information go to operationworld.org.

Mark 7:1-23

Mark 7:1-23

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

7 in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”‘ (that is, given to God)– 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

 14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Mark 6:45-56

Mark 6:45-56

 

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

 

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

 

Prayer Focus for Cambodia – Sunday, March 6

camb-MMAP-smCambodia, Asia: The Cambodian Church has survived against all odds. Beginning in 1923, CMA missionaries laboured for 47 years before breakthrough began. Then the Church was nearly extinguished during the slaughter of the 1970s; 90% of Christians died or fled to Thai refugee camps – where a great harvest was reaped for the Kingdom. During the 1990s, churches spread to all 19 provinces. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.