Taught by Scott Mehl
This is a class designed to equip you to live in community with other Christians. It is an introduction to discipleship and counseling, focused on giving you a Biblical understanding of people, their problems, and the change process. The theme throughout the course will be applying the gospel to each others lives in order to deal with the indwelling sin in our hearts as well as dealing with the pain of when we are sinned against.

Prerequisites

Membership, How to Study Your Bible, Your Place in God’s Church

About The Class

This class is designed to equip students to address personal problems biblically in their own lives and in the lives of those around them. This equipping begins with an appreciate for the complexity of both people and the Word of God, and seeks to help students understand the sufficiency of the Word of God in the lives of believers. This sufficiency is demonstrated in how Scripture speaks comprehensively to all issues of suffering and sin and how the gospel grants hope in every situation. In addition, this class presents the biblical theory of motivation which is rooted in the heart and involves problems stemming from idolatry. In understanding how people are motivated and why we do what we do, we can begin to address our problems in real and powerful ways and manifest true, lasting change.

Class Format

The class is a weekly blend of lecture and discussion. Some reading is required in order to supplement what is being learned in class.

Class Outline

Week 1 The Gospel: Real People with Real Problems
Week 2 The Causes of our Problems
Week 3 Understanding the Heart
Week 4 Idolatry and the Heart
Week 5 The Gospel and Idolatry
Week 6 Making Change Real

Additional Reading

How People Change
by Tim Lane and Paul Tripp

Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ
by Elyse Fitzpatrick

You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behavior and Negative Emotions
by Tim Chester