Just as lack of physical vision can cause us to go off course, so a failure to see what God wants to reveal to us will have serious consequences for how we live life. God wants us to see what He sees. In this introductory session, we will discover our need for life-changing revelation through the Holy Spirit, whom we look to as the principal teacher of this course. But it is not enough merely to know what God says in Scripture, or even to have revelation on it. We must outwork it in our lives, individually and corporately. To help us grasp the significance of this, the Bible frequently uses “building” terms. We will study how Jesus likens the hearing and putting into practice of His words to building on a solid foundation. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

Vision and Commitment, One Church Ministries

V&C Session 1: Introduction

When considering those who lead and serve in the Church, people may be familiar with titles such as priest, vicar, reverend, bishop, minister, and pastor. However, many of the titles used cannot be found in the Bible, or have been used in a way that is inconsistent with their original meaning. At the same time, certain biblical ministries seem absent or are ignored. In this and the next three sessions, we are going to look at specific roles of leadership and service that God has ordained for His Church. We will begin with those listed in Ephesians 4:11-13, focusing in this session on apostles. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 12: Apostles Today

There is always enormous pressure on the Church to conform to the pattern of the world, and scarcely any subject is as emotive and bitterly controversial today as gender distinction. However, the Bible is remarkably clear throughout on this subject. In these final two sessions, we will look at what the Bible teaches concerning the significance of God creating us male and female. In doing so, we will see what we have in common, and where God, in His wisdom, has determined that our roles and responsibilities should differ. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 19: Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (Part 1)

In the last session, we saw that to be in fellowship means to be joined together with others in outworking a common purpose. The Greek word translated as “fellowship” in Acts 2:42, "koinonia," is translated elsewhere in the New Testament as “sharing.” In this session, we will look at two further ways in which we express fellowship with God and one another: sharing bread and wine (“The Lord’s Supper”), and sharing our finances. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 18: Giving and Receiving

This description of the newly-birthed church in Jerusalem provides one of Scripture’s clearest pictures of what the Christian community should look like. Though the Body of Christ has had two thousand years to mature since then, and has grown to comprise millions of believers worldwide, it would be hard to find a congregation today that matches this inspiring precedent. However, Jesus will return for a Church that will be more glorious than anything previously seen. In this session, we will explore what it means to become that Church and how we must continue to recapture the commitment to God, His people, and His purpose that we see in the book of Acts. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 17: Devoted to the Fellowship

In this session, we will look at those who are called by God to particular positions of leadership and service in the local congregation. Although our society increasingly balks against authority in all its forms, and does not think of servanthood as something virtuous, we will start by focusing on the ultimate model of leadership and servanthood: Jesus. We will then look further into the role and qualifications for elders and deacons. We will especially look at the importance of plurality and equality of elders, as well as the authority and responsibility elders have to the local church. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 16: Elders and Deacons

We might think we are on more familiar ground here than in previous sessions since, of all the Ephesians 4 ministries, shepherds (frequently referred to as “pastors”) and teachers are the most common and accepted in the Church at large. However, as we examine what the Word of God says about them, we can expect to be challenged in our preconceptions and expanded in our understanding of these gifts to the Church. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 15: Shepherds and Teachers

People have varying ideas come to mind when picturing an evangelist. Often these ideas are based on stereotypes and can be unhelpful for producing an accurate biblical understanding of the vital ministry of Evangelism. Our passion is to see the evangelist restored to effective functioning in the local church as they fulfill their role of preaching the gospel and equipping the church to do the same. In this session, we will look at the role of an Ephesians 4 evangelist, particularly the example of Philip, and what that means for evangelists today. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 14: Evangelists and Evangelism

In the last session, we looked at apostles as the first and most foundational ministry to the Church according to Ephesians 4:11-13. In this session, we will continue by looking at prophets, the next ministry listed in Ephesians 4. We will consider the invaluable role they, and the gift of prophecy, have in God’s great plan for His people, not only in the days of the Bible, but also in modern day. We will explore prophetic characteristics, the role of the prophet, how we should respond to the prophetic, and how to grow in this gifting. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 13: Prophets and Prophecy

So far in this course, we have focused primarily on our individual Christian experience and our personal foundations as believers. In this and the remaining sessions, we will concentrate on the bigger picture of God’s corporate purpose for His people—the Church. We will define what, or rather who the church is, what scripture has to say about its role and purpose, and the ultimate goal of unity in the Church. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 11: The Church

In this session, we are going to look at the heart of the Bible’s message. We are going to delve into what God has done to save us. This message is called the gospel, and it is powerful. As it says in Romans 1:16, “…it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” To truly understand the good news, we will look at three key biblical events: creation (God’s original intention), the fall (what went wrong), and redemption (God’s solution). The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 2: The Gospel

As we have seen in previous sessions, God has graciously given us new life and has, by His Holy Spirit, equipped and empowered us with everything we need to live it to the full for His glory. However, just as a child starts off doing nothing for itself, but gradually plays an increasing role in its own development, so God intends that we should be active participants in our growth as Christians. In this session, we will explore what it means to grow in our relationship with God through spiritual disciplines, such as bible study, worship, prayer, and fasting. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 10: Growing in God

The message of the New Testament is not merely “Jesus is the answer,” but “Jesus is Lord.” In the Bible, the word “Savior” is found 37 times while the word “Lord” is used 7,736 times. Jesus Christ, God the Son, is the Lord of heaven and earth. In this session, we are going to look specifically at what it means for Jesus to be our Lord on a personal level, and how His rule (that is, His Kingdom) is advancing in the earth. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 9: The Lordship of Christ

The grace of God is an enormous subject, underpinning everything we have looked at so far in this course, from the gospel to the Spirit-filled life. In this session, we will look at the subject of living in the grace of God. There is no other subject more life-changing and liberating for the Christian than this one. We will begin by understanding what grace is, and how it is an unquestionable characteristic of God from the very beginning. We will then discover the relationship between law and grace, the riches we receive through God’s grace, and the freedom it gives us to bear much fruit. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 8: Living in the Grace of God

All those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit can (and should) expect to experience the promised baptism in the Holy Spirit—the gateway to a life of being continually filled with the Holy Spirit. In this session, we are going to consider further what the Spirit-filled life should look like for us as individuals and for the gathered church—and at the implications of this for the world. The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores biblical truths that for thousands of years have transformed the lives of countless believers to the glory of God. Though particularly for those who are thinking of joining one of our local churches, the course is open to anyone. Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

V&C Session 7: The Spirit-Filled Life

The Vision and Commitment Course (V&C) is a 20-week class that explores what Living Light Christian Church believes (our vision) and how we outwork what we believe together (our commitment to that vision). Whether you are a new believer in Christ, have known the Lord for many years, or are simply searching for truth, we know that what’s presented in this course has all the potential to transform your life radically to the glory of God.

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Vision and Commitment, One Church Ministries

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