Gospel Basics Introduction Following Hebrew 6 vs 1-3

1 Peter 2:4-10; Hebrews 5:11-6:3; and the Gospel Basics Psalm Reading: 139:23-24 Old Testament Reading: Malachi 2:4-7 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:5-10) 1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so. (Hebrews 6:1-3) All the items in Hebrews 6 are covered in one way or another in the following lessons: The Gospel Basics1-3; Baptism; and the Lord's Supper. The exception is the teaching on the "laying on of hands," which I have included in this batch of files. You will also find a file listing the four orders or forms of communion for the different communion themes/symbols/metaphors as found in the Communion/Lord Supper teaching. I have included the ABCD of Prayer, Interpretive Principles of Biblical interpretation, and a synopsis of "What Disciples Believe" in order to round out what new believers and all Christians should know. The latter is a short summary that is less Disciples of Christ-centered and more ecumenical. We, Disciples-- as a denomination/fellowship--want to claim that we are unique in content and ecumenical focus; however, we are only unique in our particular constellation or mixture of beliefs--not in the contents or forms of those belief. This is exactly as it should be for the people who want to be the "people of the Book" and "not the only Christians, but Christian only." Uniqueness is not the watchword; fidelity and charity are. Christ is the only totally unique entity in the universe: fully God-fully human and, as a human, utterly sinless. He is the only begotten Son; we are adopted sons and daughters. We simply want to be imitators of Christ and members of Christ's body. After such introduction of the Basics, I would have them to learn the following or take the following classes as part of my Discipleship Academy: I. How to Hear and Discern God's Will and to Know God Personally (Choose one of the following): A. Experiencing God by Blackaby, Blackaby, and King [Lay Accessible] B. Seven Steps to Knowing and Doing the Will of God for Teens by Blackaby, Blackaby and Blackaby C. Desiring Him by Nancy Leigh DeMoss [Lay Accessible] D. Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God by Dallas Willard II. Knowing and Experiencing God as One's Greatest Joy and Love (Choose one of the following): A. Knowing God by J. I. Packer [Experienced and Mature Lay Accessible] B. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Third Edition) by John Piper C. Crazy Love by Francis Chan III. Corporate Experience of God (READ and STUDY BOTH) A. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard B. Fresh Encounter: God's Pattern for Spiritual Awakening by Anne Graham Lotz, Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude King. IV. Sharing One's Faith and Introducing People to Jesus (Choose one of the following): A. Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg B. Lifestyle Evangelism: Learning to Open Your Life to Those Around You by Joe Aldrich C. 3 Story: Preparing for a Lifestyle of Evangelism by Dave Rahn D. The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman E. The Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who Is Already There by Leonard Sweet