Audio Downloads of Classes

The first eight chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans deal with three basic truths of Christian faith -- sin, acquittal, and thankful Christian living. Paul addresses the failure of both Gentiles and Jews to live perfect lives as God's law requires. Then, after presenting the “purest gospel” in the next chapters, Paul follows in chapters 6-8 with one of Scripture's clearest presentations of Christian life and sanctification so that the faith of Christians in Rome could be strengthened, helping the spread of the gospel to the west.  Christians have long treasured Romans for its clear and pure presentation of God's grace to sinners.  Concerning Paul’s letter to the Romans, Luther wrote, “It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.  We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.”

This course follows the Wonders of God from the creation of the world to the Last Day of that world. It lets the Scriptures speak for themselves—from the first book of the Bible to the last.  It reviews how God has interacted with his creation and the crown of his creation—human beings—throughout human history.  Most importantly, it points to how God sent his Son into human history to save us.  This course is designed not only for those who desire to find out what we teach here at St. Mark’s, but also for those members who would like to review again the Wonders of God. 

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I just felt lead by the Spirit” or “I’m praying and waiting for the Lord to tell me what to do?”  Have you ever thought, “No need worrying about the future, it’s all going to turn out as God has planned it anyway?”  Then you have been unknowingly influenced by Reformed theology. 

Reformed theology has its roots in Europe, but it’s trunk and branches are completely American.  This midweek course will start by looking at foundational sections of Scripture to see what the Bible clearly teaches.  Then we will look at the different variations of Reformed theology that swim all around us in modern America to see how pervasive and dangerous they are to true Scriptural teaching.

04/30/08, 04/23/08, 04/16/08, 04/09/08, 04/02/08

Go to the St. Mark's Web Board for this class to download PowerPoint presentations and other materials.

See the webshow for lesson 4 below (beta):

* photodex version
* flash version

The Spring session (2008) of our continuing “Through the Bible” Scripture study begins this Wednesday evening, April 2, at 7:00. The story of Jacob and Joseph in Genesis will be the beginning focus of this study. How did God form a people, faithful to his promises, among whom the Savior could be born is the theme of the latter part of Genesis and of Exodus. Everyone is welcome to join this study at any point.

Sometimes Christians mistakenly feel that the only way they can serve God is by working in some official capacity for their congregation, or they feel that their roles at their jobs or in their homes lack honor and importance. This study focuses on several key points regarding our roles in life: Our vocations are the roles to which God has called us, and we are serving the Lord through them. Through our vocations, we love and serve our neighbors. God gives different callings to different Christians. And, God is glorified through our vocations.

The Bible is a beautiful tapestry intricately woven together by the Holy Spirit.  From Genesis to Revelation the work is seamless.  Throughout this amazing tapestry are four golden strands: mankind’s sinfulness, God’s forgiveness, God bringing his forgiveness to sinful mankind and the problems God’s people go through in this life because of it all.    
On every page you will see one or more of these strands.  And flowing throughout each page is a thin red line.  It is the red line of the blood of the sacrifice.  Sin must be always be paid for by blood.  It’s either your blood or the blood of the substitute.  From the picture in the Old Testament sacrifices to their fulfillment in Christ, the ultimate sacrificial substitute, the red line connects everything. 

What a rich heritage our Sunday School gives to us! Year after year, children get to hear the chief stories that form the outline of His-story. But there are so many things that the Holy Spirit made sure were included in the Bible that the Sunday School years can’t cover. You’ve taken the general tour, now take joy in exploring all of the nooks and crannies of Scripture as you hear the Bible stories that you didn’t hear in Sunday School.

What are the most important chapters in the Bible? Many have argued that the first chapters of Genesis are the most important because they contain everything else God speaks about in the rest of his Word. This summer we are going to study this foundational part of the Scripture. Consider some of the questions this beginning portion of God’s Word asks and answers: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? How did the earth begin? Why do bad things always happen? Why am I so prone to doing the selfish thing? Why do people die? Is the whole mess ever going to get straightened out? If so, how? Who’s going to do it? Beginnings is a class intended to give believers a foundation for their lives and their view of the world. We’ll look deeply into the familiar stories of creation and the fall into sin with a goal of informing and strengthening our foundations as Christians.

Fellowship refers to relationships between people and the activities they take part in to achieve common goals. Church Fellowship refers to every activity in which Christians join together as an expression of the oneness of faith. Today, many Christian churches have abandoned biblical fellowship principles. Joint worship and evangelism efforts and the practice of open communion are some of the topics discussed in this challenging study regarding the blessings of Christian fellowship.

Jesus guaranteed that the life of a Christian here on earth would not be an easy one. This course addresses the way Christians, motivated by love for Jesus, respond to the blessings and challenges of everyday life. Topics include unmet needs and expectations, unresolved anger, instant gratification, financial blessings, moral desensitization, a loved one's terminal illness, recovery from serious illness, marriage of children, sudden death of loved ones, and outliving relatives.

Everyone likes a fresh start. “New Life in Christ” is designed for those who are starting a new life with Jesus. Whether you have never had the new life that Christ offers or you are in need of having the new life reestablished, “New Life in Christ” is the place to begin. This course will take participants through the basic teachings of Scripture showing you who God is, what he has done for you and how to live as his disciple. It is a continuation of a course that began in September.

Children don’t come with instruction manuals.  Parenting can be as frustrating as it is rewarding.  This class will spend one quarter learning basic parenting principles bases on the Love & Logic® system.  Then, once these basic common-sense guidelines have been learned, practiced and reinforced, we will spend one quarter applying the tools that God has given to parents—his law and gospel. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, this class is for you. 

Have you ever wondered why there are different Lutheran church bodies and what the differences are?  In order to understand fully what Lutheranism is today, it’s best to study its history. This class will begin at the close of the Reformation and trace Lutheranism’s spread to the different parts of the world. We will see the effect of the movements called pietism and rationalism had on Lutherans and look at the biblical teachings of church fellowship and communion practice. We also look at the differences between the three main branches we have today: in Lutheranism, ELCA, LC–MS, and WELS.

Bible Information Class with Pastor Carr

A new Bible Information Class is beginning on Wednesday evening, May 4 th. Are you interested in attending? Is there someone you know who would like to attend?

BIC is for you if you (or someone you know) is asking questions like these: “I’ve enjoyed attending services at St. Mark’s. How can I find out more about becoming a member?” or “My child is attending St. Mark’s School this fall. How can I learn about the spiritual side of his/her education and discover if St. Mark’s is the church for our family?” or “I’ve gotten away from the Lord and the church since my childhood. How can I renew my relationship with him?” or “I’ve been a Lutheran for years. How can I review the basic teachings of the Bible and of my Christian faith?”

If you are asking these or similar questions (or know someone else who is), Bible Information Class will provide some answers from God’s Word, the Bible. The Spring BIC begins on Wednesday evening, May 4 th, at 7:00 p.m. here in the church sanctuary. Twenty sessions provide a comprehensive study of basic Bible teachings. Each class meets for two hours. Audio and Power Point versions of the class will be available if, for example, you must be out of town for a session or two. Parents of St. Mark’s School students who are not members of the congregation are required to attend the first three sessions of Bible Information Class as well as an introductory session the previous Wednesday, April 27 th Childcare is provided free of charge for the first four weeks.

Each year our Bible study curriculum offers a school-year long study of a major book of the Scripture. We have studied Luke, Genesis, and Isaiah in past years. This quarter we continue with Acts. 

Around 30 AD a religious explosion began in Jerusalem . It set off a chain reaction that is still expanding all over the world. On the day of Pentecost a small, obscure faith broke out of its predominantly Jewish beginnings and spilled over into many nations. Through the work of key leaders, this faith spread from Jerusalem to Syria to (modern day) Turkey to Greece to the most important city of the day— Rome . There is no explanation for the extraordinary spread of the Christian faith at the beginning of its history except for the power of the Holy Spirit and the gospel. Join us for our year-long study of the book of Acts beginning this fall and trace the spread of the gospel for the first thirty years of the church’s history.

A hymnal guides God’s people in worship—hearing God’s word of salvation and responding with our praise and emotions. The book of Psalms was Jesus’ hymnal. The Psalms are poetry—the language of the heart, the way we speak of things deeply felt. Our heartfelt thanks and praise to God, our deepest needs and pain, our longings and our joys are the stuff of the psalms. Each week we’ll learn to treasure anew these special hymns of the Old Testament church. This week Psalm 103, David’s heartfelt song of thanksgiving for the Lord’s forgiveness and goodness is our study. You can join the class on any Sunday.

Join us for a study of two of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament—Elijah and Elisha. Their service to the Lord was extraordinary, and 21 st Century believers can learn many things from their faithful ministries. What makes this class especially useful are the parallels between their time and our day. The 3000 years between the days of these great prophets and our day only proves the truth of the Scripture: “There is nothing new under the sun.” The lives of these two men of God will help you live your Christian life in a culture that rejects Christian faith and values.