LIFE FOUNDATIONS
These are 4 session studies aimed at helping you understand the foundations of the Christian faith. These are core doctrines to give every person a secure foundation as the basis of their faith. Check out all the studies here.
SALVATION
1 John 5:11-12 states: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life.” This passage tells us that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son, Jesus Christ. In other words, the way to possess eternal life is to possess God’s Son. A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ and follows his teachings. The Bible says ‘If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.’ This means that when we become a Christian we may look the same on the outside, but something has forever changed on the inside.
BAPTISM
One of our primary values at PBC is to KNOW God, by taking the next step of faith in baptism. When we enter the waters of baptism, we’re proclaiming that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and lives again. By joining in baptism, we’re identifying ourselves with Him. Romans 6:4 says we have been buried with Him through baptism into death. We’re now dead to the power of sin. Being raised up out of the water expresses our new life in Jesus Christ and our union with Him. If the meaning of baptism could be boiled down to one word, that word would be identification. Baptism speaks primarily of a personal, public identification with Jesus Christ.
IDENTITY IN CHRIST
Our first two guiding values at PBC are to KNOW GOD and to FIND FREEDOM. WHERE DOES THAT START? By knowing your identity as a child of God! Too often, people base their identities on what they do (from their jobs to their roles in relationships), defining themselves by those pursuits. But by doing so, they significantly limit their lives. The truth is that God intends for all people to find their identity in Christ. If you’re a Christian, your identity encompasses all the abundance of being a beloved child of God. Here’s how you can start living your life fully in Christ, keeping in mind that your identity is found in Christ. As a Christian, you’ve been adopted into God’s family. The work of your big brother – Jesus – on the cross has made it possible for you to become one of the sons or daughters of God the Father. This study teaches you to use the spiritual weapons at your disposal as a Christian (truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, scripture, prayer, and the strength to stand) in spiritual battles, trusting that you can always emerge victorious.
SABBATH
Jesus told us in Mark 2:27 that: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath wasn’t to be a burden. It was a gift. A gift given not so that we could show others how much we love God. It wasn’t given so that we could even show God how much we love Him by laying aside the tasks we’d rather be doing anyways. God gave us the Sabbath because of His love for us. And when God gives a command, it’s for our good, not for our trouble. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3
GIVING TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE
One of our primary values at PBC is to MAKE A DIFFERENCE by LIVING OUT YOUR GIFTS. Matthew 6:21 talks about showing God our love with time, talent and treasure, in that order. This 4-session study teaches what it means to live out the Gospel through the 3 Ts: Time, Talent, and Treasure. How do we balance our lives as we attempt to live as good and faithful stewards? Being good and faithful stewards doesn’t just mean we give a little time here, share a talent annually or drop a little money in the plate here and there. Being a devoted and faithful steward requires some sacrifice, not to the point where stewardship has to wear us out (though it sometimes does) but at least to the point where it feels meaningful and purposeful, so that in the end, you know you’ve made a difference in the world by expanding God’s kingdom. The goal of this study is to allow you to use the 3 T’s to impact our community by truly making a difference!
GOD’S PURPOSE
One of our primary values at PBC is to DISCOVER PURPOSE by creating space in OUR lives to better understand what God has for us! Waking up feeling purposeless is incredibly frustrating. You look around and see your friends and coworkers living passionate, engaged, meaningful lives. They have deep relationships, rewarding jobs and a sense of direction that compels them to hop out of bed each morning with a spring in their step. You know that God has something good in store for you. You don’t believe he intends you to live a life of painful drudgery in which each day is a total drag. After all, the Bible is chock full of passages about joy. While this certainly doesn’t mean that every single day is a parade and circus, it does mean that an overall sense of gladness should permeate your life. In this 4-session LIFE Foundation study, we’re going to first talk about some key signs that you may not be living in the fullness of God’s purpose for you. Then we’ll give some key suggestions for how to begin living a meaningful, enthusiastic, joyful life.
PRAYER
One of our primary values at PBC is to FIND FREEDOM by staying in PRAYER. For many new Christians, it can be difficult to know how to pray. It may be overwhelming as you try to figure out when, where, and how you should pray. Let’s start off by saying this: there is no formula for praying. There is no exact science behind crafting the perfect prayer. So, how do you pray? Prayer is all about your heart. Simply put, it is how you communicate with God. By learning about how to pray, what to pray about, Biblical examples of prayers, and seeing resources for praying, you will have a stronger grasp of what your prayer time could look like and how to pray Biblically. To start your guide to Christian prayer, how to pray and what to pray about, engage in this 4-session LIFE Foundation study as a great start!
FORGIVNESS
One of our primary values at PBC is to FIND FREEDOM, by teaching us to forgive and live “unoffendable” lives. Forgiveness is NOT easy and it’s difficult to forgive those who have hurt you. This is not a simple process and entails a lot of work. Do you hold on to the anger, bitterness & resentment from YOUR past? How do your offenses keep you from deeper relationships with Christ and others? Are YOU willing to forgive YOU? What does that even look like? This 4-week study helps you uncover these answers by using the continuous 8-step process of forgiving, as we need to allow it to grow in us to have victory in Christ in the long run!