ElectronicGospel Bible Class Booklets

Revelation: Street of Gold

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:46:38 -0600

The book of Revelation proves to be mysterious and often confusing, even unapproachable to the average Christian. For this reason, it has been exploited by the devil through human speculators to the disillusionment of millions. Revelation is the unfolding of God’s will in prophecy. Revelation 1:3 urges its readers to hear and keep it, and so it was mainly for the immediate use of the Christians who were reading it and being comforted by it in the first century.

Jesus Christ

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 10:26:07 -0600

It comes as little surprise that the Bible’s inspired writers chose many metaphors and idioms to refer to Jesus Christ, the son of God and savior of mankind. In prophecy, on Earth and in glory, Jesus is the blessed redeemer and no turn of phrase or lofty comparison is too magnificent to fit his office. Jesus occupies many offices, in fact, and getting to know him better is dependent upon an interest in exploring each of them thoroughly.

The Days of Your Youth: Plain Talk for Teens

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:38:13 -0500

It’s never been tougher to be a young Christian – a teenager committed to doing the right and moral thing in a society that generally doesn’t care and often even rewards those who do the wrong thing. So many are willing to look the other way and soften any consequences for bad behavior. They punish those who stand up for truth – creation, objective biblical standards for behavior, moral purity. If ever there was a season in which our youth could be forgiven for giving in to sin, this would be it. But it isn’t. As difficult as it is, even now and perhaps more than ever, we hope and expect that our young people will take that perilous stand with Jesus and insist upon doing the right thing.

Things God Hates

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:40:51 -0500

The apparent contradiction is jarring to some people. How could a God of love, who defines his nature and character by that very emotion, hate anything? God loves his creation so much, however, that his divine nature must hate its enemies, especially the evil and error that threaten its spiritual prosperity and hope of spending heaven in eternity.

Peculiar People

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 09:42:00 -0500

The King James translation of the New Testament included a reminder that members of Christ’s church should strive to be a peculiar people. Indeed, many throughout the denominations of Christendom, as it is fashioned, think of the members of churches of Christ as very peculiar – strange and antagonistic to the prevailing ecumenical sentiment that concludes all denominations are created equally. Peculiarity, however, goes beyond perceived strangeness to distinctiveness in authority, headship and calling.

Remember Your Creator

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:51:07 -0500

This is a series of five lessons originally used in a set of weekly discussions with teenagers of the church.

Sermon on the Mount

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:19:50 -0500

No man has ever delivered as magnificent a lesson as Christ’s sermon on the mount. The Christian could spend years studying this sermon, diving deeper and deeper into its vast mine of wisdom and knowledge. Anyone’s life would be better by applying the things of which the Lord spoke. This series of lessons will examine the sermon through various categories, in the hope that the lessons of Christ will sink down into the good soil of honest hearts.

Great Themes of Isaiah

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:17:08 -0500

The book of Isaiah the prophet is one of the longest in the Bible, at 66 chapters. It covers a wide variety of issues, relating to its original audience and those who would be living when the Messiah finally arrived. Although it was written more than 2700 years ago, the lessons that Isaiah communicates appear to be timeless. The heartless worship that he encountered in ancient Israel is no different in nature than when it occurs today. The cure is the same as well.

Great Themes of Ezekiel

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:14:36 -0500

It was in 597 B.C. that Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar deported Israel’s King Jehoiachin along with 10,000 of his leading citizens. Among them was the prophet and priest, Ezekiel, who had grown up under the godly reforms of King Josiah and who continued to show an affinity for truth and the kind of honest visions that came from Jeremiah. Ezekiel settled into exile in Tel-Abib by the River Kebar, but five years later, he was summoned into his own prophetic ministry through a vision from God.

Some Things Hard

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:36:21 -0500

This is a study of difficult passages in the Bible and how we manage to interpret them. Some passages are attacked by skeptics as possessing inherent contradictions with other passages. Some are just plain difficult to interpret regardless of one’s affection for Scripture. The first five lessons in this series are designed to help the student understand how to approach difficult passages; the remaining lessons deal with a few such passages.

Man After God

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:27:16 -0500

The Holy Spirit describes King David of Israel as a singular man after God’s own heart. Indeed, his biography is seasoned with acts of courage, faith and trust, but his character is likewise marred by the kinds of sins that every man falls into – lust, greed, violence, presumptuous. What made David a man after God was his resilience and determination to excel.

New Testament Study Guides

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:14:02 -0500

Rather than studying the New Testament verse-by-verse or in an overview, this series seeks to look at the letter according to its contexts – passage-by-passage, that is, by analyzing each of its paragraphs. Responses to the questions should be done on a separate sheet of paper and in short-answer or essay format.

Teaching Publicly

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:08:01 -0500

The Hebrew writer complained that there were not enough teachers and James cautioned that not many should become teachers. Were they at odds in their objectives? Not at all. It is just that teaching God’s word on any level and in any setting is a grave responsibility. Those who are not truly committed both to teaching and to Christ should let others do the teaching until their hearts are in it. Those who are unwilling to study, prepare and present their lessons should likewise step aside until they have made themselves more fit for God’s use.

First Principles

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:06:20 -0500

This Bible study course should prove useful as a correspondence style course in which the student receives each lesson by mail, completes it and then returns it to the administrator. So long as the student diligently considers each scripture reading, he should be able to complete the entire series in a short period of time. This series should also be useful in a home study situation where the teacher is actually with the student as the course is administered.

Bringing Up Hadassah

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:03:04 -0500

Bringing Up Hadassah has reference to a title character more popularly known by her Persian name, Esther. This study follows her amazing transformation from anonymous Hebrew maiden to the queen of the entire Persian realm and providential savior of the Jewish race.

Becoming One Flesh

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:02:23 -0500

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). God sanctioned the very first marriage by giving three important bits of advice. First, the couple must be ready to leave the headship of their parents to create a new household. Second, they should endeavor to come together in an unbreakable bond built on trust and mutual fidelity. Third, the new husband and wife must be prepared to become one flesh, that is, to consider intimacy, sexual and childbearing issues.

Walking In The Spirit

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:59:33 -0500

The children of God are distinct from the children of the devil as regards the way they live their lives, according to faith or the flesh. Galatians 5 records several matters in which the two can be distinguished by works of the flesh or fruit of the Spirit. The list of works of the flesh is surprising to many. While it contains sins that cause us to recoil in disgust, it also includes subjects that the mild Christian would label as minor. The reader is thus reminded that every transgression against God’s law is a serious matter and that every sin should be disgusting to us. The fruit of the Spirit provides a timeless lesson on the positive growth of the Christian. We must spend our lives tending the garden of our faith so that we may bear such good fruits as these all around us.

To The Work

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:57:03 -0500

Poetry and lyricism are filled with odes to work, most of them rather negative. “Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off to Work We Go” is not as jaunty a sentiment as it might sound, especially when so many modern people loathe their jobs and secretly covet the slothful existence of the unemployed. These occupations were chosen, not necessarily because they represent the most basic Bible occupations, but because they best lend themselves to modern spiritual application. The study’s goal is to provoke thought, discussion and practical execution.

The Spirit World

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:55:25 -0500

Much superstition and ignorance surround the matter of spirit beings. False ideas seem to outnumber what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit, angels and demons. The Spirit World is written to assist Bible students in gaining a better understanding of them. The initial lesson in this series summarizes the Bible doctrine on the Godhead. Following that are six lessons that deal with the Holy Spirit and his person and work. Jesus is emphasized in two lessons; his father in another. The next three lessons deal with created beings: angels, demons and the devil. The final lesson has to do with the departed spirits of the dead.

The Life and Times of Jesus the Christ

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:53:25 -0500

We are naturally fascinated by a man who lived a perfect life on this Earth. Of course, Jesus of Nazareth was the son of God, the agent of creation himself. From the manger to Golgotha, Jesus served his father exceptionally. Even in mockery and crucifixion, the Lord remained true and just. The word, “Christian,” means like Christ and a claim to be a Christian is more than a designation; it is a duty. By examining the life of Jesus under a student’s microscope, he can gain a greater insight into the way that is always right and proper. Thus he can truly be like his master.

The Church of Christ

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:49:35 -0500

The church of Christ is so different from the various denominations and religious bodies of the world that many are left in confusion as to the reasons her members take their peculiar stands. Reading the Bible should alleviate much of this confusion, though. This series of lessons is intended to train the Christian to answer effectively questions regarding his beliefs and practices.

The Ten Commandments Today

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:47:40 -0500

God revealed himself and the beginning of his will to Moses on Mount Sinai as the Exodus ended and the wilderness wandering was about to begin. Within the law of Moses are the 10 commandments, long remembered and revered for their simplicity and purity. What is the place of the Decalogue today? This series of lessons will attempt to answer that question and mine the New Testament of Jesus Christ for hints of the ten commandments.

Special Studies

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:43:47 -0500

This series of lesson results from suggested topics by the members of the Wonsley Drive church of Christ in late 1996 and early 1997. It is a series of studies that intrigued many of them as they were asked to submit ideas of topical interest. What resulted was a series of strangely diverse subjects that answers many questions which do not fit well into larger contexts where an entire series could be devoted to the matter at hand. It is hoped that the diversity of topics in this series will prove interesting and challenging.

Parables of Jesus Christ

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:38:36 -0500

The parables of Jesus are among the greatest and most picturesque lessons in all his ministry. One must remember that the intent of the parables is always just beneath the surface of the story and not be overwhelmed with what is on the surface. The parables were used to hide deeper knowledge from those unprepared for it. While they became lost in the surface of the teaching, true disciples could delve deeper and learn better how to walk with Christ.

Ordaining Elders and Deacons

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:36:04 -0500

When Paul wrote Titus, an evangelist working on the island of Crete in the seventh decade of the first century, he reminded the young man that he was there to set in order things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city. While a church may exist for a time without appointed overseers, such a situation will always expose the need to ordain elders and deacons as soon as is scripturally possible.

New Testament Churches

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:31:31 -0500

The New Testament is a pattern book, which shows and tells us how the church should look and act. The various congregations in the New Testament show positive lessons as to how God wishes the church to behave and negative lessons which contain God’s disapproval. If the Bible student truly desires to keep God’s commandments and respect his authority, he will study the New Testament and attempt to make himself and the church of which he is a member as close to God’s ideal as possible. This series of lessons will help the student to understand the difference between God’s approval and disapproval.

Love Is ...

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:29:42 -0500

The Bible asserts that God himself is love (First John 4:8), and that by partaking from his divine character, we can embody love as well. Nowhere is this more evident than in the thirteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. This series of studies is based on another series of articles on the chapter written in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Each lesson contains part or all of the article and a number of discussion questions to provoke thought.

Great Themes of the Remnant

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:21:23 -0500

The books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther occupy the final piece of the historical section of the Hebrew Old Testament library. The events they describe occurred after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and focus upon life after the exile was eased and the Jews were permitted to return and rebuild. Ezra and Nehemiah are devoted to events in Israel, while Esther recounts God’s providential preservation of the race in Persian captivity. Ezra emphasizes the reconstruction of a temple, Nehemiah, the rebuilding of the city walls and Esther, the events that gave rise to Purim.

Great Themes of the Psalms

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:19:44 -0500

Save for a few special pearls, the Hebrew psalms are a rather obscure treasure in the midst of the Old Testament. Solace, however, is found beyond the 23rd, direction to the penitent is heard outside the 51st, and exercises in perseverance can be discovered in outposts other than the 119th.

Great Themes of the Proverbs (2 Volumes)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:16:04 -0500

The thirty-one chapters of the Proverbs provide a cache of invaluable and timeless wisdom from the mind of the Lord. The book identifies itself as being for the young, but the instruction found within its pages are fit for those of any age who desire to follow the paths of righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of foolishness. The Proverbs are intensely pertinent in this age of temptation and declining morality. The young will find answers and the old will find validation provided each hunger and thirst after the right way to go.

Great Themes of Jeremiah

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:11:12 -0500

Jeremiah impresses modern readers on so many levels. His biography is compelling, but his prophetic record is even greater. Jeremiah is credited not only with the prophecy that bears his name and tells story, but also with the short book that succeeds it in the canon – Lamentations. As a man, Jeremiah is noted for his courage, humility and sensitivity, making him the weeping prophet, but not a weak one. The prophet’s task was to convince his countrymen that the Babylonian threat was not only real, but certain, even as false prophets assured the same audience that all was well. Jeremiah lived about six hundred years before Christ and labored during a time of international turbulence and Hebrew decline.

Golden Rules (7 Volumes)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:52:46 -0500

They are the axioms of uncertain origin. Some of our most repeated expressions are actually found in the Bible, but are so far removed from their contexts that the original intent of the Holy Spirit is all but forgotten. In this series of lessons, we will go back to the Bible to find the origin of these “Golden Rules” and then apply them according to the context provided.

God Gives More Grace

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:50:19 -0500

The ministry of Jesus Christ shows clearly that Christianity is an intensely practical religion. The philosophies of men tend toward abstractions and subjectivity, but the teachings of our Lord make distinctions between right and wrong objectively and direct human beings into a life more abundant. The short epistle of James renews this commitment to practical and godly living, inserting the power of true faith into everyday events so that discipleship is a lifestyle.

Full of Days (Book of Job)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:48:00 -0500

The book of Job is an enthralling examination of the reasons behind the suffering of men and how a group of them try to figure out what caused one particular series of calamities in the life of Job. Through their curiosity and speculation, we begin to learn the right and wrong answers to some of our deepest questions. Hopefully, we also learn to trust God a little more and to loathe the devil a bit more as well. In this series of lessons, we want to study the text of Job with an eye toward understanding better the reason for human suffering, especially so that we might be better prepared when it hits.

FAQ (3 Volumes)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:42:37 -0500

This series of Bible studies originated as a series of articles in the Woodmont Beacon, the bulletin of the Woodmont church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas. The articles have been reproduced here as a class text and questions have been appended to facilitate a consideration of questions that often arise among believers and seekers alike.

Characters of the Old Testament

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:21:12 -0500

The list of great characters from the Old Testament would, no doubt, be a quite lengthy one. Hebrews 11 provides a record of some of the greatest and this series of lessons will focus on a few of them. From the age of Genesis through the long Exodus pilgrimage, into the Judges period and subsequent monarchy, all the way through the exile, God’s people were blessed with men and women of amazing faith and strength. None of these characters is perfect and these lessons will not ignore their shortcomings. It will be our main intent to emphasize the successes of such characters, however. It is our hope that we can gain valuable training in being people of great faith ourselves.

Characters of the Acts

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:19:49 -0500

The 28 chapters of the Acts of the Apostles provide a wide variety of compelling characters, both good and bad. The book is filled with some of the finest saints ever to live, coming into contact with some of the most evil enemies of the cross ever to trouble the church. Acts includes apostles, prophets and miracle workers. It has giants in faith, both men and women. It has sorcerers and governors. From these men and women, we can gain a great variety of instruction regarding our daily walk with Christ. In those outside the body of Christ, we seem to find wickedness personified; still, their error is instructive as well.

Character

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:17:13 -0500

This series of lessons will mine the riches of Hebrews 11 in order to magnify the character of faith in these people, for “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (1). If, by it, the elders obtained a good testimony, we will likewise.

Brotherly Love

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:15:57 -0500

Within families and churches, brotherhood is an important concept, which lends itself to a proper relationship and a wonderful closeness, described by the Holy Spirit, as being “knit together.” From the fleshly brothers and sisters in the Bible, we learn both positive and negative lessons on the subject of brotherly love. The Hebrew writer exhorts us to “Let brotherly love continue.” In a world filled with malice and indifference, it is vital that the people of God learn to love one another and act like it. This series of lessons focuses on fleshly families and attempts to extract from them various lessons that will apply to both the home and the church.

Biblical Typology

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:13:14 -0500

Typology is a magnificent piece of evidence which helps to show the divinely sewn thread that runs throughout the Bible. In so many significant New Testament examples, we see them foreshadowed in great moments and characters in the Old Testament. When the type and antitype relationship is properly understood, it becomes a valuable faith builder. One must use caution, however, and not take this mechanism too far.

Bible 101 (2 Volumes)

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:16:25 -0500

In centuries earlier than the twenty-first, the Bible was so universally taught in Western nations that nearly everyone had intimate knowledge of the basics of Scripture. Sadly, that interest in God’s word has waned mightily and now even among Christians, the young are more likely to be immersed in entertainment and recreation than fundamental, divine principles. This two-part series of studies, Bible 101, is designed to chase away ignorance of God’s word with an overview of the Bible message.

A Passage Through the New Testament

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:57:53 -0500

A Passage Through the New Testament is a series of twelve booklets, all but the first with 13 lessons. This series is not intended to be time-centered, allowing the class all the time it wants to study each subject completely. While it is not a verse-by-verse study, it covers each passage of the New Testament thoroughly. The series begins with a 26-part study of the Harmonized Gospels so that all four accounts are considered side-by-side. It ends with a cursory study of Revelation, anticipating that most in the class will have limited ability to translate the various signs and symbols.

A Passage Through the Old Testament

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:56:53 -0500

A Passage Through the Old Testament is designed to take a Bible class all the way through the 39 books of the Old Testament in two years’ time. Sacrifices were made to arrange this pace, especially in obscure passages such as some found in the Pentateuch, major prophets and wisdom literature. Topical class books can supplement the cursory study of these books at other times, however, so that no part of God’s writ is slighted.

Great Themes of Daniel

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:54:33 -0500

The book of Daniel is numbered among the Old Testament’s major prophets, called that not because of greater significance, but relative length. Daniel was a prisoner-of-war, captured by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon when Jerusalem finally met its long-predicted demise. Daniel was taken away, educated and trained that he might serve his new king in government service, but he maintained so much of his Hebrew culture and upbringing that he and many like him were able to preserve a faithful remnant on which a new Israel was founded. The book that bears his name begins with six historical chapters about his own exploits, while the last half displays a series of prophetic images.

Great Themes of Ecclesiastes

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:53:26 -0500

The Book of Ecclesiastes is a collection of observations on life, attributable perhaps to King Solomon, or at least to a tradition of Hebrew wisdom founded upon his insight. Ecclesiastes tells the tale of a man who sought meaning in life in every imaginable place, only to find in the end that without God at its essence, life itself is rather meaningless and futile.