Class 100 Participants - Bottom L to R: Beverly Woodard, Table Leader Carol Porter, and Sheryl Hawkins. Top L to R: Charles Woodard and Jim Hawkins

Pastor Steve Eriksson shared with our class today that God expects us to be able to share our faith when called upon to do so.

1 Peter 3:15:

“In  your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

We discussed the fact that the primary reason people don’t share their faith is fear, and that the primary tool against fear is knowledge.

Therefore, Pastor Steve shared a variety of tools, and understanding to help assuage some of our fears.

Perhaps the biggest “aha” for the group was that it is not our responsibility to “close the deal”.  God desires that we cast the net.  It is God’s responsibility to fill the net.

In next week’s class we will be learning how to discover our spiritual gifts.

Class 100 provides a safe and comfortable place to discuss the Christian faith, learn more about the foundational doctrines of that faith, and is also the doorway to becoming a member of Scottsdale Bible Church.

If you would like to join our April 18th eight week class, you can register here.

Class 100 Participants - Daniel and Corinn Miekley

In this week’s class, Pastor Steve Eriksson lead us in a discussion regarding the church.

We learned that there is a universal church which represents the body of Christ all over the world, and that the church is also represented in local gatherings of believers united by their relationship with Christ.

The church is many things, but it first and foremost exists to glorify God.

Beyond that the church exists to make disciples, ease suffering, provide teaching, and fellowship.  We also break bread together, pray together, worship together, observe communion together, baptize one another, as well as being nurturing one another.

If all of this occurs,  glued together with the love of Christ, then together we can manifest the true beauty of Christ to a fallen world.

In next week’s class, we will be learning how to share our faith.

Class 100 provides a safe and comfortable place to discuss the Christian faith, learn more about the foundational doctrines of the faith, and is also the doorway to becoming a member of Scottsdale Bible Church.

If you would like to join our April 18th eight week class, you can register here.

Class 100 Participants - Ethan and Jacqueline Tatum

Today’s class brought a transition from understanding who God is, to learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

The Greek word mathetes is used both inside and outside the Bible as a general term for learner or follower. In the New Testament, the disciples of Jesus were called Christians because they followed Christ. Disciples are Christ followers.

Pastor Steve Eriksson taught us that disciples are expected to grow in their faith. The writer of Hebrews calls us to proceed from spiritual milk to solid food.

Here are seven marks that disciples will have:

1. A disciple holds Jesus as the object of highest affection.
2. A disciple allows himself/herself to be conformed to God’s will.
3. A disciple patterns his/her life after Jesus in order to be like him.
4. A disciple stewards his possessions rather than clinging to them.
5. A disciple abides in God’s word.
6. A disciple loves others.
7. A disciple bears fruit.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it gave all of us enough to chew on throughout the week.

Class 100 provides a safe and comfortable place to discuss the Christian faith, learn more about the foundational doctrines of the faith, and is also the doorway to becoming a member of Scottsdale Bible Church.

If you would like to join our April 18th eight week class, you can register here.

Class 100 Participants - Bottom L to R Nelica Bennett, Hannah Rayes. Top L to R Linda Wix, Mary Walker, and Table Leader Kirstie Eriksson

In our fourth week of Class 100, Pastor Steve Eriksson taught us about finding the will of God in our lives.

We learned that God has a sovereign will:

• Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (Psalm 135:6)

We further learned that God has a moral will which are commands and counsel as to how we should live our lives:

• Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ( 1 Corinthians 10:31)

And finally, we learned that God desires to be at the center of our daily decisions:

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

One of the great benefits of Class 100 is that we have the opportunity to glean understanding on these important topics, during our table discussion time, with other participants in the class.

If you have yet to take Class 100, then we would like to invite you to our next eight week session beginning on April 18th.  Click here to register.

Table Leaders - Allen & Cynthia Siebel

It was clear back in Genesis 3 that we learn of the fall, and man’s subsequent eternal removal from God’s holy presence. Through this one man, Adam, death came upon us all.

Then in week 2, we discovered that God through his incredible grace provided a Savior to redeem us from death, and opened the door to once again enter into fellowship with him.

Now in week 3, Pastor Steve Eriksson shared his message entitled The Assurance of Salvation. How can we know that we will spend eternity in heaven with God?

Here are a few of the key points that Steve touched upon in this class:

• Once saved, many struggle to have complete confidence because of sin, “religion”, or a lack of understanding.
• Because of our imputed separateness from God, we need a Savior to save us from God’s wrath.
• We are saved by grace, through our faith, not of our own doing, but a gift from God, and not a result of works.
• The result of this gift (Salvation) is eternal life, abundant life, the Holy Spirit, and no more condemnation for our sins!

Our homework, for this week, is to memorize Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Next week, God willing, we will be learning about prayer, and understanding God’s will.

If you would like to sign up for our next session of Class 100, you can do that here.

Class 100 Participants - Brian & Alyce McDaniels

In our second week of Class 100 we tackled one of the most controversial figures to ever walk the planet: Jesus Christ. If we were to ask twenty people on the street who Jesus Christ was we would likely get 20 different answers. We might hear that he was a good teacher, a prophet, a carpenter, a great rabbi, or even Messiah, Son of God.

The answer to this question is a critical one, as Jesus Christ is the object of our whole faith. If Jesus Christ is not Messiah, if Jesus Christ is not the Son of the living God, if Jesus Christ isn’t raised from the dead, then we as Christians are great fools.

The great problem that many have with Jesus Christ are his claims. He claimed to be God, to forgive sins, to have worked a great many miracles, and He accepted the worship of his followers. To the first century Jews, this was blasphemy!

As C.S. Lewis writes: “You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

As we concluded our class, Pastor Steve Eriksson ended with a most important question, “Who is Jesus to you?”

Next week we move to the topic of “The Assurance of Salvation”. How can we know, for certain, that we are saved and going to heaven?

Class 100 Participants - Shawn & Tracy Bowers

Today started our first session of Class 100-200-300 for 2010. Once again, God has brought together over 100 people to share in this eight week journey.

Class 100-200-300 is designed for those who desire to learn more about the Christian faith, as well as the doorway for those who desire to become members of Scottsdale Bible Church.

Today, Pastor Steve Eriksson asked us to consider where we are to find true truth in our lives, and that Jesus Christ taught that he came to earth to bring us truth.

Further, we learned about the reliability of the Scripture’s testimony, and that God has revealed himself through creation, Jesus Christ, and the Bible.

At the end of the class, Pastor Steve challenged us to move forward in our commitment to spend some time reading God’s word each week. As Steve said, “it is impossible for us to know how God would have us live our lives without reading his word”.

If you missed this session of Class 100-200-300,  you can register for our April session here.

Class 100 Table Leaders Brian & Sandy Rairdan

Class 100-200-300 is our membership series designed to encourage spiritual growth in a positive and interactive way. This 8-week class offered three times each year is a way for you to get involved at Scottsdale Bible. You will learn the essentials of the faith and how to walk worthy every day.

If you have questions about faith, this is the place for you to come to have questions answered. If you have been a believer for a long time, this is a great way to recommit yourself to those core beliefs. It is designed to discuss the essentials of the Christian faith, learn how to be a devoted follower of Jesus and discover your spiritual gifts.

At the completion of Class 100, 200 and 300 you are also on the path to church membership.

Many families take the class together. It’s the first step in our effort to be intentional about becoming devoted followers of Jesus. Here are some of the questions we will be talking about:

• How do we know there is a God? Who is Jesus?
• How did we get the Bible? Can we trust it?
• How do I know for certain that when I die I will be with God?
• What are baptism and communion?
• What is God’s will for my life?

Click here to register for Class 100-200-300 beginning in April 18, 2010. Registration for January 24 is full. Please contact jgraham@sbcaz.org with questions.

Together we are the Body of Christ

Week 8 brings us to the last session of the fall session of Class 100-200-300. Our next session begins on January 24, register here.

Pastor Steve Eriksson helps us to understand the body of Christ, how we are all uniquely members of that body, and that we each have individual gifts to contribute to the body as a whole.  (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

Most important, Pastor Steve teaches us that the ultimate purpose of serving one another through our gifts is to bring glory to God. 1 Peter 4:11

Please listen to this challenging message, and see if you aren’t inspired by the Holy Spirit to engage in meaningful service, so that you might bring glory to God:

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Why is that, and what might we do to bolster our confidence?

Listen below as Pastor Eriksson unpacks this important lesson on sharing our faith:

Audio from today’s class:

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Note:  we experienced audio difficulties while recording this session. Unfortunately, the lesson ends abruptly at 44 minutes.