Winter 2021 Class Syllabi
Treasury of Christian Literature II
Instructor: Dave Shields
Times: Mondays 7:30-8:30 ET
Class Size: limit of 25
Syllabus (week by week)
- Introductions, Class requirements, Blog, Who was Andrew Murray
- Chapters 16, 17, 18 (Note 11)
- Chapters 19, 20, 21 (Note 12)
- Chapters 22, 23 (Note 13, 14)
- Chapters 24, 25
- Chapters 26, 27 (Note 15)
- Chapters 28, 29 (Note 16)
- Chapters 30, 31
- Overflow – Everyone prepare to share something
Course Description
This class will explore the rich treasury of truth and spiritual experience left behind in the writings of those who have run the Christian race before us, with the goal of seeing what the authors saw and experiencing what the authors experienced. Thus, our own personal Christian lives will be uplifted and enlarged to love the Lord more and to become a greater blessing to those around us. Last quarter, we dove into the first half of Andrew Murray’s classic, The Spirit of Christ, and this quarter we will do the same with the second half. Students will read 2-3 chapters per week and post weekly what they enjoyed to an online class blog. The weekly class will consist of class discussion over the reading in which everyone will have the opportunity to share something and ask questions.
Book
The Spirit of Christ by Andrew Murray
Each student is expected to obtain a copy of the text before the first class. It is available through Amazon for $6.99 here. We will cover chapters 16-31.
Class Structure
Most of the class time will be used for mutual discussion, led by the instructor, over the week’s reading assignment. Everyone should come on time prepared to speak up and volunteer something profitable. Students who do not volunteer will be called on. No one will be left out.
Homework
Reading: Each student will be expected to read the relevant chapters (about 20 pages per week) and attend class ready to discuss the material.
Blog Posting: Each student will post something weekly about that week’s reading assignment on the class blog located at Christian-Lit.mystrikingly.com. Posts could be about what you especially enjoyed, how something changed in your understanding, how you experienced something Murray wrote about, or questions where you need clarification. The key is to be specific, and not post something general like, “I really liked it.” Please include page and chapter numbers in each post so that others can find what you are writing about. Feel free to read other’s posts, and if inspired, give a polite reply or a thoughtful answer to a question. This is intended to become an avenue of fellowship between us.
The Song of Songs: A Journey of Loving the Lord
Instructor: Mark Miller and Ben Sheu
Time: Tuesdays 8:00-9:00 PM ET
Class Size: No limit on the number of participants.
Syllabus (week by week)
- Introduction, Song of Songs 1:1-2
- Song of Songs 1:2-4
- Song of Songs 1:5-11
- Song of Songs 1:12-1:17
- Song of Songs 2:1-2:7
- Midterm Group Projects
- Song of Songs 2:8-17
- Song of Songs 3:1-5
- Final Group Projects
Course Description
For centuries, countless Christians have embarked on a journey to love the Lord and to be drawn into a deeper relationship with Him. Thrilled are those who discover that God Himself has laid out a healthy pattern for this journey in His Word, a wonderful book of poetry called “The Song of Songs.” In this class, we will cover the first two stages in this book (1:1-3:5), seeking that we would not only find ourselves in the Lord’s song that is better than all other songs, but also that we would be drawn into more and deeper experiences with Him.
Course Objective
Through this class, we desire to be people who love the Lord passionately and who are committed to Him and His process for us as we grow to serve Him in our generation.
Books
- The Bible (both OT & NT)
- The Song of Songs: A Divine Romance, Titus Chu
Form of the class
Lecture, Small Groups, and Discussion
The more visual we can become, the better readers we will be of the Song of Songs. Students should expect to spend about an hour each week outside of class time reading the Bible and responding to homework designed to help us “see.”
Romans
Instructor: Rex Beck
Time: Wednesdays 7:30-8:30 PM ET
Class Size: No limit on the number of participants.
Syllabus
- The condition of mankind without Christ (Ch. 1)
- Justified based on redemption (Ch. 3)
- Standing in Grace to reign in life (Ch. 5)
- Presenting our members to God for Sanctification (Ch. 6)
- Our marriage to Christ and the challenges (Ch. 7)
- A life in Spirit (Ch. 8)
- Faith for the grafted life (Ch. 10-11)
- The body of Christ (Ch. 12)
- Living in society and in the church (Ch. 13-15)
Course Description
If the New Testament were a ring, Romans would be the diamond on that ring. This book, like no other, reveals a full picture of the gospel of God, which powerfully delivers people from corruption worthy of God’s wrath all the way to being mature sons of God and members of the body of Christ. Wow! Other books tackle a piece of the story. Romans presents the whole. This class will cover nine lessons from the book of Romans that will lay a solid groundwork for new believers. It is also a good class for people who are familiar with Romans and would like to see it in a fresh way. Classes will be in lecture form, with time for small-group discussions after the lecture.
Materials
- Bible
- Romans: the Gospel of God by Titus Chu (as reference)
Form of the class
lectures with class discussions in small groups.
The Life and Work of Jesus
Instructors: Samuel Kuo and Philip Tsao
Time: Wednesdays, 8:00-9:00 pm ET
Class Size: limit of 30
Syllabus (week by week)
- Jesus’s Birth
- The Year of Obscurity
- First Tour of Galilee: Healing and Casting Out Demons
- First Tour of Galilee: Jesus’s Teachings
- Second Tour of Galilee: Jesus’s Parables
- Training of the Disciples: Who Do You Say That I Am?
- Late Ministry: Hard Words and Words of Grace
- Jesus’s Death
- Jesus’s Resurrection
Course Description
There is no substitute in your Christian life for knowing the life and work of Jesus. From His virgin birth to His amazing resurrection, every day of His life is filled with profound lessons. The problem with people today is that they think they know about Jesus’s life, but they don’t know what they don’t know. This class will fill that gap. Jesus was God and man. That’s what makes His life so unique–mysterious yet relatable. Jesus was a revolutionary, pacifist, teacher, mystic, prophet and exorcist, but not in the way you might think. We will cover step by step the path of Jesus and highlight significant milestones. We’ll cover his birth, gospel, teachings, miracles, death and resurrection. At the end of this class, we hope every student will be able to say, “I know Jesus.” We expect every student to invest 30 minutes every week on homework.
Course Material
A Harmony of the Gospels, A. T. Robertson (provided)
Hymns II | Bringing History To Your Personal Devotions
Instructors: James Reinarz, Bob Brenneman and Eric Yeh
Time: Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 PM ET
Class Size: limit of 35
Syllabus (Week by week)
- Oxford Movement: Hymns Ancient and Modern
- Plymouth Brethren: Around the Table of Our Lord
- Plymouth Brethren: Songs for the Little Flock
- Gospel Songs – Moody and Sankey’s Charm and Conviction
- A. B. Simpson – The Joy of The Cross
- M. E. Barber – Just A Common Bush Aflame
- M. E. Barber – Just A Few More Miles, Beloved!
- Watchman Nee – To Sift and Synthesize
- Watchman Nee – Tis’ The Breaking, Not The Keeping
Course Description
This course will continue surveying specific hymn writers and movements from the 1820s-1950s Our main reference text, Christ in Hymnology is a study of Watchman Nee’s “1052” hymnal, which is a main influence on our course hymnal, Songs & Hymns of Life. Nee carefully curated the choicest offerings of western hymnody for Christians in China and included many gems that are hard to find even in English hymnals. As we approach Nee’s own era, our survey will focus on the five hymn movements that most affected his own hymn writing and collecting which ultimately reflect the treasures to be found in Songs & Hymns of Life.
Course Objectives
- To be broadened and impressed by the breadth of the treasury that is church history, and the depth of the riches that the Lord worked in His people throughout it.
- To be enriched by the lives and experiences of the many consecrated men and women of God that have gone before us, and inspired to delve deeper into their hymns.
- To be equipped with a working knowledge of hymns that match every season in the Christian walk, and provided with helpful methods to enjoy hymns devotionally.
- To explore writing original hymns and setting classic texts to hymn tunes.
Form of the class
Each class will have three sections: 1) Lecture on the historical era, key figures and hymns that marked that period. 2) Discussion and singing of one-two key hymns. 3) Discussion of general principles about when and how to sing these hymns in our personal devotions.
Course Material
*Included in the cost of registration
Reference text: Christ in Hymnology, Chen & Mallon
Homework
Daily time learning, using and singing 2-3 hymns per week.
*Special Projects
Setting classic poetry to hymn tunes and writing original hymns.
Classic Poetry:
- Madame Guyon’s poetry
- Frances Bevan’s Hymns of Tersteegen, Suso and Others
Introduction to Hebrew
Instructor: Steven Chu
Time: Thursdays 8:00-9:00 PM ET
Class Size: limit of 30
Syllabus
Classes 1-2: The Hebrew alphabet and pronunciation, Bible study methods
Classes 3-4: The Hebrew prepositions, How to conduct Hebrew word study and its assignment
Classes 5-6: Basic grammar and syntax, the assignment presentation, How to conduct Hebrew verse study by commentaries and its assignment
Classes 7-9: Basic grammar and syntax, the assignment presentation, How to paraphrase Hebrew verse based on the word study, the verse study and the syntax and its assignment
Course Description
God in His wisdom ordained the Hebrew language to be the original language of the Old Testament. The value of learning Hebrew is that the student is able to know the original meaning of God’s Words regarding God, His messages and His work for both the Israel and the nations. All believers, no matter their background, are encouraged to dive into this language. Today there are many Hebrew tools available to help every believer study and understand the original meaning of God’s words in the Old Testament. Students will learn to read and write Hebrew and will be given the proper tools to understand and interpret the Hebrew Old Testament.
Course Objective
Cultivate a habit of reading & studying the Hebrew-English interlinear Old Testament.
Course Material
All materials will be free e-books, website resources and free software.
- Lexicons – find basic meaning and spiritual significance of Hebrew words
- Theological dictionaries – explore the Hebrew cultural background of key words
- Key commentaries – find significant interpretations
- Amplified Bible and other versions – help paraphrase some important Hebrew passages
Homework
Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week on the assignment.
Church History II
Instructors: Jeff Brown and Kurt Sheu
Time: Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 PM ET
Class Size: limit of 30
Syllabus
| Week | Dates | Sections Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 20 | Introduction, Review and Overview of church history Activities: 1. All students introduce themselves which include where they reside, when do they receive their salvation, and why they choose this class. 2. What persons or events in church history they like to know. Topics or servants of God they are interested to spend time to discover as research projects 3. Start to read the book of Acts 4. Q/A & Discussion |
| 2 | Jan. 27 | Key figures and events, and its influences in German Reformation (I) Activities: 1. One or two small groups present their inspiration on the book of Acts. 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 3 | Feb. 3 | Key figures, practices, events and its influences in German Reformation (II) Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 4 | Feb. 10 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in Swiss Reformation (I) Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 5 | Feb. 17 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in Swiss Reformation (II) Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 6 | Feb. 24 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in Reformation Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 7 | Mar. 3 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in French Mystics Activities: 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 8 | Mar. 10 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in Pietistic Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
| 9 | Mar. 17 | Key figures, practices, events and its influence in Pietistic (II) Activities 1. One or two small groups present their church history projects 2. Lecture 3. Q/A & Discussion |
Course Description
We will continue our study of the growth and the spread of the church over the past 2000 years. The time period for this class will be from 1500AD to 1750AD. A few of key servants of God, and the movements of Holy Spirit will be studied. Special emphasis will be given to standard theological themes, to understand their historical context, along with the people, places, and events involved. We will also study the spreading of the gospel of the kingdom. The experiences of common Christians, in all their triumphs and struggles will be discovered. Ultimately, we will reflect on how the experiences of our brothers and sisters who have gone before us can prepare us to more effectively serve Christ and His church in this present age. Classes will be part lecture, part presentations by students and part discussions.
Required Materials
- Bible
- Internet, PC, or smart phone
Recommended Materials
- Schaff, History of the Christian Church. (We will provide the link to the pdf version of this work.)
- Tucker, Extraordinary Women of Church History: What we can learn from Their Struggles and Triumphs. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016
- Shelley, Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, 4th edition, Thomas Nelson Publisher 2012
- Andrew Miller, Miller’s Church History. (We will provide the link to the pdf version of this book.)
- Broadbent, The Pilgrim Church
Teaching/Learning Methods
Interactive learning activities in-class and weekly assignments
and projects will be posted.
Students will be expected to become familiar with the literature of Church History, by small groups’ researching and organizing material according to assignments. Each small group will present their findings in research to whole class at least twice a semester. At the conclusion of the course, students should have developed their own materials, which should prove valuable in their future Christian living.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course students should be able to:
- Know the basic characters of servants of God through centuries
- Understand the background, growth of servants of God
- Realize their impact and influences in our Christian life.
- Encourage zeal for missions and evangelism
- Learn faithfulness from examples of faithful men and women
- Cultivate love and communion for all the saints
- Teaching/Learning Methods: Interactive learning activities in-class and assignments
- Students will be expected to become familiar with the literature of Church History, by small groups’ researching and organizing material according to assignments. At the conclusion of the course, students should have developed their own materials, which should prove valuable in their future Christian living.
Instructional Uses of Technology:
The content, delivery, and assessment of this course is augmented by the use of the following technologies: Google Meet, Google Classroom and YouTube
Attendance Policy
It is expected that you will attend every class and arrive on time.
Google Classroom
The site should be checked on a regular basis for the weekly assignments and announcements.
Assignment
Personal Homework will be assigned after every lecture. All such exercises should be completed before the next class meeting. You will be expected to participate in class discussions of homework problems.
Group Projects
Group Projects will be assigned almost every week. We might have a few (2~3 saints) groups, who can pray and labor together every week. Each group may present twice what they discover within these nine weeks
Born Again
Instructor: Vern Yoder
Times: Saturdays 10:00-11:00 AM ET
Class Size: limit of 25
Syllabus (Week by Week)
- How do we know that we have been “Born Again”
- God’s life and the Human spirit
- Out of Adam and into a new realm with Christ
- Justified and forgiven
- Reconciled and at peace with God
- Enjoyment of the person of Christ
- Sanctified and transformed to live Christ
- A renewed mind to function in the Body of Christ
- The church life
Course Description
Jesus said, “…Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:6). To be born again is our first personal experience of God and the prerequisite of entering into the kingdom of God. But what does it mean, when does it happen, and how does it change us? We will take a journey through the New Testament to study the dynamic life experience of being born again, the new environment it brings us into, and how it changes our behavior. Most importantly, we will consider how the born again experience leads to a practical church life with a meaningful participation in the Body of Christ. Our textbook will be “Born Again,” by Brother Titus Chu. We will incorporate word studies and learn how to use basic online Bible tools. Students will learn to make short presentations both orally and in writing.
Resources
- Born Again, by Titus Chu
Structure
Each class will have three parts: 1) Discussion and fellowship over key quotes from the book, Born Again, 2) an introduction to essential online biblical study tools to better understand foundational experiences of one who is born again, and 3) A word from the teacher. A weekly, short homework assignment will typically be focused on using a newly-learned Bible study tool to examine crucial biblical terms. In addition, students will be encouraged to design and record a podcast as a class project.
The Sweet Church Life Portrayed in the Book of Ruth
Teacher: Antipas Desai
Times: Saturdays 12:00 (Noon) – 1:00 PM ET
Class Size: No limit on the number of participants.
Syllabus (Week by week)
Following the reference text, chapter by chapter:
- Turning After Failure, Famine, and Death
- The Lesson and Path to a Real Christ
- Returning to the Riches in God’s House with a High Humanity
- Finding the Spiritual Food and Strength in the Lord’s Field
- Christ’s Sovereignty and Care in the Church Life
- Finding Christ and the Lord’s servants under God’s Arrangement
- Teachings and Preparation in the Night
- Brought into Union and Continuation with Christ
- Review and Presentations
Course Description
Why would a Moabitess widow leave her homeland and accompany her mother-in-law to a country where she would not be welcomed? How could she consecrate herself to a God whom she had not known during her youth? Why would a righteous Jewish man of high standing marry a Moabitess widow? Who are these three mysterious characters whose lives diffuse a sweet fragrance against a backdrop of a dark and tumultuous period of Jewish history? Join us in our study of the sweet book of Ruth as we trace the romantic journey of two great women of the Bible whose lives were intricately interwoven with each other, and the tender yet compelling response of a righteous man of God, who together portray our journey with Christ in the church life, culminating in a union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Classes will be lecture style, with a 10-15-minute forum for discussion in break out sessions. Students will be expected weekly to prepare a one-slide powerpoint file of their inspiration based on their reading of the book of Ruth and present it in class. This same course will also be offered in French for those who are French speaking, more comfortable in French or learning French.
Resources
Structure
Lecture with a 10-15 minute question/discussion period
Homework
Students will be expected to devote 30 minutes each week to preparing a weekly one or two slide power point file of their inspiration based on their reading of the book of Ruth and the prescribed reference text. The slide(s) should also demonstrate a practical response (“what is my next step?”).
La Douce Vie de l’Église Illustrée dans le Livre de Ruth
Professeur: Antipas Desai
Heure: Le samedi 13H30 – 14H30 HNE
pas de limite de classe
Syllabus (Semaine par semaine)
Suivant le texte de référence, chapitre par chapitre:
- Se tourner après les échecs, la famine et la mort
- La leçon et le chemin vers le Christ réel
- Un retour aux richesses dans la maison de Dieu avec une haute humanité
- Trouvant l’alimentation et la force spirituelles dans le champ du Seigneur
- La souveraineté et le soin de Christ dans la vie de l’église
- Trouvant Christ et les serviteurs du Seigneur sous l’arrangement de Dieu
- Les enseignements et la préparation dans la nuit
- Amené en union et en continuation avec Christ
- Révision et présentations
Résumé
Pourquoi une Moabite, qui était veuve, quitterait-elle son pays natal pour accompagner sa belle-mère dans un pays où elle ne serait pas accueillie? Comment pouvait-elle se consacrer à un Dieu qu’elle n’avait pas connu dans sa jeunesse? Pourquoi un Juif juste de haut rang épouserait-il une Moabite? Qui sont ces trois personnages mystérieux dont la vie diffuse un doux parfum sur fond d’une période sombre et tumultueuse de l’histoire juive? Rejoignez-nous dans notre étude du doux livre de Ruth alors que nous retraçons le cheminement romantique de deux grandes femmes de la Bible dont les vies étaient intimement liées l’une à l’autre, et la réponse tendre mais convaincante d’un homme juste de Dieu, qui, ensemble, dépeignent notre cheminement avec Christ dans la vie de l’église, aboutissant à une union avec Christ dans Sa mort et Sa résurrection. Les cours seront de type conférence, avec un forum de discussion de 10 à 15 minutes en petits groupes. Chaque semaine, les étudiants devront préparer un fichier PowerPoint d’une diapositive de leur inspiration en se basant sur leur lecture du livre de Ruth et le présenter en classe.
Livres:
- Ruth, La Bible
- Ruth, la croissance vers la maturité, Titus Chu
Structure
Conférence avec une période de questions/discussion de 10 à 15 minutes
Devoirs
On s’attend à ce que les étudiants consacrent 30 minutes chaque semaine à la préparation d’un fichier PowerPoint hebdomadaire d’une ou deux diapositives de leur inspiration en fonction de leur lecture du livre de Ruth et du texte de référence prescrit. La ou les diapositives doivent également démontrer une réponse pratique (« quelle est ma prochaine étape? »).