GRACEINSTITUTE

What is BGI?

Bellefontaine Grace is on a mission to learn it, live it and give it. The “it” being the Gospel as revealed in the Bible. This mission is the pathway of developing as a disciple of Christ Jesus. Beginning with "learn it" the goal is to continue on to live out the truths of the Gospel in our homes and communities and then to give out the Gospel in serving and sharing the Gospel truths with others, resulting in greater worship of God. We are giving you the opportunity to increase the learn it in your life by offering five Bible study classes beginning in mid-February.

How it works

Classes will be offered on 3 levels:

1.     Level 100 for introductory and foundational classes

2.     Level 200 for intermediate classes

3.     Level 300 for advanced classes



Each class will meet weekly for 8 weeks with the audio recorded for those unable to attend. We are planning to utilize an online group application that will allow interaction between the class and instructor both group-wide and privately. Meeting times are yet to be determined and child care will be made available as needed. There will be a small cost for study materials that will be covered if you are unable to afford the cost. There will also be assignments, such as reading, to prepare for each class that will increase the long term benefits of the class. See the 5 winter quarter class listings below. 

 

30 DAYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE

LEVEL 100 –Gain “a foundational grasp of the most important book ever written” by taking the class, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible. This is a class that will help you learn the Bible’s basic structure, timeline and message. This class will use the Max Anders book “30 Days to Understanding the Bible: Unlock the Scriptures in 15 Minutes a Day” as a guide. This is a class that is inviting to someone new to studying the Bible as well as a good refresher for someone more familiar with it. You will be introduced to the major people, places and events found in the Bible. You will discover the overall message of the Scripture as you learn about the ten Great Subjects of the Bible. A small amount of daily reading will be necessary as well as taking self-tests throughout the text as helpful reviews. The instructor for this class is Nick Mazza.

DEFENDING THE FAITH: AN INTRO TO APOLOGETICS

LEVEL 200 – Are science, philosophy and reason the enemies of the Christian faith? Is faith just a blind leap into darkness without any supporting evidence? Perhaps you know what you believe but maybe can’t articulate why you believe? Defending the Faith: An Introduction to Apologetics is a class that will help address these questions and more as we will look at some of the evidence for why we believe. We will be using the text “I Don’t have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek as a guide. Diving into topics such as absolute truth, creative design, the origins of morality, the reality of Jesus and the reliability of the Bible will enable you to defend Christianity as a logical and reasonable faith. Mastering the content of this course will help you to obey Peter’s instruction in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” You can go from “learn it” to “give it” with the lessons from this class. The instructor for this class is Chris Smucker.

ENLIGHTEN: COURSE 3 – GOD THE SON: CHRISTOLOGY

LEVEL 300 – This class is intended as the second in a series of 9 courses to focus clearly on the core beliefs of the Bible. Course 3 will cover the topic of Christology We will be using the text “Biblical Doctrine” by John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue as a guide. These authors have labelled themselves as biblicists. “While not a perfect term, we have chosen biblicists, because at the core of our convictions lies an unshakable trust in God’s inerrant and infallible Bible, rightly interpreted.” [page 26] We agree with the goal of this text as described on page 27. “All theologies should begin with biblical content arranged systematically that then leads to Christians being motivated to live holy lives of obedience to God’s Word for the glory of God.” Course 3 will focus on the God the Son and the great truths that we are called to live out based on our knowledge of Him. Completion of reading assignments and memorization of select passages of Scripture will be expected. As a Level 300 course, an acquaintance with the overall structure of the Bible and familiarity with basic doctrinal terminology is a prerequisite to gain the most benefit from this class. The instructor for this class is Steve Davis.