Following the Way of Jesus to Make Our Way in the World
Did you know that over 190 times the New Testament uses the words "teach," "teaching," "taught" and "teacher'? That's because knowing the truth is intimately connected to following Jesus. In fact, we cannot follow Jesus -- be his disciple -- unless we are committed to learning from him, about him, and grappling with what he asks of us to reflect him and take his good news to the world. This is why the great commission to make disciples of all the nations includes the key words "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." (Matt. 28:20a)
Our Challenge: One of the greatest challenges Hope faces is to robustly equip disciples to address the growing complexity of living as Christians in our world. This is why our new format for adult Christian education -- Following the Way of Jesus -- is of paramount importance for our health and future.
Benefits: Among many things, this strategic switch will enable us to:
- Increase the participation of our adults and families in Sunday School
- Allow entire families to worship together at the same time to better reflect generational faithfulness
- Provide a consistent time to equip Hope to live missionally in our world
- Lead to greater opportunities for all-church fellowship
Classes: Each semester, at least six different classes will simultaneously be offered in these areas: 1) New Believers and/or Seekers, 2) Impacting Issues, 3) Biblical studies, 4) Spiritual Disciplines, 5) Spiritual Leadership, and 6) Doctrine.
In short, this is...
Following the Way of Jesus...
To provide consistent and energizing discipleship formation which is biblically and theologically thoughtful, intentional, creative, relevant and practical in tone and content.
All this is...
To Make our Way in the World
Primarily to help grow disciples who know and can share Jesus and apply his teaching to real life issues in our church, our lives, and families so we can impact the confusing culture in which we find ourselves.
Schedule
Why do we take breaks every 6 weeks?
Hope Presbyterian takes a break every six weeks from its Sunday School program to provide a well-deserved rest for teachers, allowing them to recharge and continue serving with enthusiasm. This break also fosters fellowship opportunities over coffee and refreshements in the Fellowship Hall, giving members time to connect, build relationships, and strengthen the church community.
Additionally, it creates space for training seminars, equipping volunteers and leaders with new skills and spiritual insights to enhance their ministry. Lastly, these pauses allow us to invite missionaries to come and speak to us, enabling the church to focus on outreach efforts, plan mission trips, and encourage a heart for global and local ministry. Through this intentional rhythm, Hope Presbyterian ensures a balanced and sustainable approach to discipleship and service.