God said, "Go!" Jonah said, "No!" But in the end, God won! Jonah resisted the Lord's call to preach to a wicked city and bring its people to repentance, but God had other plans. God overcame Jonah's resistance and used the reluctant preacher's message to bring unlikely candidates to repentance and faith. Increase your knowledge of the Old Testament and find encouragement for confessing your faith to others in this study of the four-chapter book of Jonah. Pastor Strey will teach this class during the first half of the fall quarter.

St. Mark's has witnessed two pastor installation services in as many years. In those services, we heard our new pastors promise to be faithful to the Scriptures and to the Book of Concord, which is also known as the Lutheran Confessions. What are the Lutheran Confessions? Who wrote them, why were they written, and what is their relevance for Lutherans today? Find out the answers to these questions and learn what it means to be a "Confessional Lutheran" in this survey of the Lutheran Confessions, taught by Pastor Strey during the second half of the fall quarter, starting on November 6.

It's not easy living in a world where Christian principles and living are challenged and ridiculed. It's heart-breaking to see the ways of our sinful world accepted by Christians who should know better. How does the Christian survive in such an environment? Join our study of James, entitled, "Christians Living in a Pagan World."

Are you happy with your prayer life? Does prayer really matter? How should I pray? What should I pray for? All these questions reflect a longing for a close relationship with the Lord, who created me, redeems me, and makes me a part of his family. But there is confusion-we live in a world of skepticism and doubt about God that has its effect on us. Prosperity dilutes our prayers. What does it mean to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," when the pantry is stocked with a month's supply of good. Advances in science and technology don't help either. Christian used to pray for rain in a drought. Now we study the changing path of the jet stream, high pressure domes and low pressure troughs. Time pressures crowd out the more leisurely pace of life that prayer seems to require. We'll study what the Lord says about prayer in the Scripture, looking at the way he speaks to us, so that we can learn better how to speak to him. Prayer is the conversation that believers have with the Lord. It does make a difference.

Studying an individual book of the Bible is a challenging thing. Considering an entire testament seems overwhelming. And yet it is important to see how the individual books of the Old or New Testament fit into the revelation of the Kingdom of God. "From Promise to Glory" is an overview of the books of the New Testament that will start with the story in the Gospels of how God fulfilled the promises of a Messiah made to God's people, continue with Luke's story in Acts of the spread of the Gospel, consider the letters written by the Apostles as they carried out the Savior's command to preach the Gospel in all the world, and conclude with the visions Jesus gave to John in Revelation about the troubled history of the earth's last days and the glorious triumph of his people and his kingdom at the end. This summer quarter course will help you understand how the parts of the New Testament fit together and help you get more out of your study of the Scripture.

In order to participate in this Bible study people will have to fail math, check their human reason at the door, sit back and listen to their God tell them about himself. God reveals himself to us in Scripture as one God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1+1+1=1???). This Bible study will help God's people grow in faith in the triune God for both God's glory and their personal, spiritual benefit.

This study shows how God cared for the Israelites and spread his Word during the time of the kings. Author Rev. Mark Zarling, the President of Martin Luther College, applies these great gospel events to the lives of Christians today.

A women's Bible study class for the women of St. Marks. This class will take 12 or so women of the Bible and look at what they did, how they influenced those around them, and how the woman of God today can become like them, learn from their mistakes or avoid their attitudes and behaviors completely. Here's a list of the women of the Bible the women of St. Mark's will study: The Proverbs 31 Woman; Ruth & Naomi, Mary & Martha; Women Who Lead: Deborah & Hulda, Hannah; Violent Women: the Wise Woman of Abel, Jael, Herodios, Jezebel, Athaliah; Women Who Serve: Dorcas, Lydia, Priscilla, Phoebe; Women In Moses' Life: Jochebed, Pharaoh's Daughter, Miriam, Zipporah, Rahab & Gomer; David's Wives: Bathsheba, Abigail & Michal, Esther; Women of the Cross/Resurrection: Joanna, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James & Joses, The Mother of Zebedee's sons, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary the Mother of Jesus.

God can handle the fact that we don't always understand his actions, and the Scripture answers our hard questions. Is God unfair? Why doesn't he consistently punish evil people and reward good people? Why do awful things happen to people good and bad, with no discernible pattern? Why is God silent? Why is God hidden? We'll look through both testaments of the Scripture to find God's answers to these difficult questions. Disappointment with God will meet in the Parish Center.

The book, "We Believe, Therefore We Speak", written by Pastor David Valleskey, is designed to give you the confidence and ability to share your faith by reviewing the basic Bible truths God says to share. Formal, prefabricated, eloquently written evangelism presentations are fantastic, but they can also be intimidating both to learn and to share. The end result of this class is not to get you signed up for the Board of Outreach and out on the streets pounding the pavement, knocking on doors and making evangelism calls. This course is intended to accomplish any one or all of the following:


1. Give you the confidence to say, I know Jesus a little better now,
2. Help you to better understand how and why evangelism fits into our ministry here at St. Mark's, and
3. Give you the confidence to say, "Now that I know Jesus better, given the opportunity, I just might be able to share Jesus."?

This class will be a joint teen and adult Bible class and will meet in the sanctuary. Those attending the class will have the option of purchasing the book, We Believe Therefore We Speak.

There are how many Muslims? Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world? Newsweek magazine says Muslims believe in the same God I do? How would you react and respond to these questions? Do you know how to share Jesus with a Muslim friend or coworker? Speaking the Truth in Love to Muslims will help you better understand Islam and from where your Muslim friends and acquaintances are coming as they live life and worship. Understanding Islam is the first step toward being able to speak the truth in love.

The King and the Kingdom is the title of a study of the two books of Samuel. By getting into the history of God's people in the Old Testament, you will get to know Jesus your King and his kingdom much better. The stories of Samuel, Saul and David have much to teach New Testament believers.

Here is a classic chicken or the egg, cart or the horse class, red or white class. Does faith come first or does my love for Jesus and a desire to live for him come first? Does my life of sanctification follow or cause my justification? Does God look for certain kinds of fruits of faith more than he looks for others? This Bible Class written by Martin Luther College (MLC) professor, Lyle Lang, will walk you through your sanctification and your life of sanctification. Here's a further description: Don't we get some of the credit for what we do as redeemed children of God? The Bible is clear -- God gets all the credit! The sanctified lives we lead through faith in Christ are testimonials to the love of a gracious God. Sanctification examines the contrast and dependency that exist in the crucial relationship between justification and sanctification, as taught in Scripture. See how God warns against following human consciences, rules, and regulations toward what appears as holy living.

This study focuses first on God's love for us in Christ and then on our love for God and for others, addressing John's themes of repentance, faith, love and confidence before God. The study will cover the following eight themes during the quarter:
* You Are Living in the Light of a Glorious Savior
* You Are Walking in the Light of Love
* You Are Maturing in the Light of God's Love
* As Children of the Heavenly Father, You Live in Righteousness
* As Children of the Heavenly Father, You Live in Love
* Testing the Spirits in Love
* God Gives You His Perfect Love
* We Have Victory in Christ
This class is all about 1 John 4:9, "We love because he first loved us."

There are how many Muslims? Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world? Newsweek magazine says Muslims believe in the same God I do? How would you react and respond to these questions? Do you know how to share Jesus with a Muslim friend or coworker? Speaking the Truth in Love to Muslims will help you better understand Islam and from where your Muslim friends and acquaintances are coming as they live life and worship. Understanding Islam is the first step toward being able to speak the truth in love.

I love you. Many have said it in many ways: Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day? My love for thee is pure as gold. For only you I wish to hold. Roses are Red. Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, King Solomon wrote a love poem, Like a lily among the thorns is my darling among the maidens (Song of Songs 2:2). Studying this poem provides God's people with a unique opportunity to study the love between a man and a woman and the love between Christ and his Church. "The Song is a short book. It can be read out loud in less than twenty minutes. Despite its brevity the book has proved the source of endless discussion" (People's Bible Commentary on Song of Songs).

Christ demonstrated his love for us by giving us the means of grace to create and sustain our faith. This class emphasizes throughout that "Our God accomplishes salvation for us from beginning to end." That God has done everything creates a tension, though: In carrying out the work God has given the church to do, we will want to avoid two extremes: 1) doubt in the power of God that leads to substituting personality or human methods or efforts for the means of grace; 2) a careless attitude that fails to treasure the means of grace in our own lives. This class will renew your love for the means of grace through which God strengthens your faith.

Follow Paul from passionate persecutor of Christianity to powerful preacher of Christ as Savior. The life of Paul is the life of any Christian. Paul was called to faith by the good news of Jesus. And although plagued by sin and guilt along the way, that good news of Jesus motivated Paul to share Jesus from Jerusalem to Rome. A look at what God can do through a sinner-saint like Paul is an excellent reminder of what God can do through any sinner-saint. Whether or not you have been called by God to be a traveling missionary doesn't matter. You will glean many insights into Christian living through a review of Paul's life.

What a good God we have! Already when we rebelled against him in the Garden of Eden, he promised a Savior. The entire Old Tes-tament is filled with promises of rescue. But our God is not just a promiser! He fulfilled all of his promises, and he did it in Jesus. Matthew, one of Jesus' own disciples, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit recorded how his Teacher was the fulfillment of every one of God's promises. If you want to learn more about God's love and faithfulness, please join us for this study of the Gospel of Matthew.

What are the most important chapters in the Bible? Arguably the first chapters of Genesis because they contain everything God speaks about in the rest of his Word. During the spring quarter we are going to study this foundational part of the Scripture'³Genesis 1'±12. 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 a basic understanding of their life and faith.

Ever wanted to share Jesus with a friend, but felt intimidated or unqualified to do so because you don'­t have the entire Bible memorized? Lifestyle Witnessing will equip and motivate you to share the good news of salvation with others through your thoughts, words and actions. You will study God'­s Word and look at specific opportunities that everyday life provides for sharing the Gospel. You will also be shown how to seize opportunities for sharing God'­s word, adapt to new and challenging situations and how to use the resources of St Mark'­s and the WELS to show God'­s word to the world.

This study begins by giving healthy emphasis to the often forgotten shared blessings and responsibilities men and women have in serving Christ. All the lessons are meant to provide opportunities for men and women to discuss what Scripture says about their interdependence and the unique applications of unchanging principles for different ministry settings. The topics in the first half of the study are: Equality in God'­s Image; Equality in Sin and Salvation; Our Shared Mission as Royal Priests of God; The Spiritual Gifts God Gives both to Men and Women. The second half of the study looks at our unique callings as male and female by defining head, helper and calling, and then making practical applications in relationships, church life and the unbelieving world.

The stories of these two women of faith have moved and inspired Christians for centuries. Esther rose to the defense of God's people under the most threatening circumstances in a foreign land and at great peril to herself. Ruth was one of two Gentiles whose faith brought them into God's people and who became ancestors of the Savior. Her story foreshadows the sacrifice the Savior would make to redeem his people.

Believers want, indeed need, to talk with their Lord. The Scripture has much to say about having a conversation with the Lord. God's promises about prayer, what to pray for, how to pray, how does God speak to us, God's will and our prayer, how God answers prayer, persistence in praying. These are some of the topics that will be studied together in this class.

The Lutheran Reformation restored the pure Gospel to the Church after centuries of ever-increasing false doctrine. The Lutheran Confessions were Lutherans. clear statement of what they believed. The last of those confessions was the Formula of Concord. We'll study the history of the 16th Century that led up to the Formula of Concord, and in studying the various articles we'll see how our predecessors dealt with doctrinal differences between both the Catholic Church as well as the Reformed churches. Differences that are very much relevant today. Want to know more about what it means to be a Lutheran? This is the class for you.

Jesus made seven 'I am' statements about himself, from 'I am the Good Shepherd' to 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life'. They were and are important statements about himself. They caused some people to pick up stones to put him to death and brought great comfort to others. We'll see the reasons for both reactions as we study these words of Jesus about himself.

Twelve men of God collectively wrote about as many chapters in the Bible as Isaiah wrote in his book alone. This quarter we will look at four of those prophets, starting with Joel. What these little gems lack in volume they make up for in concise, dramatic, eloquent, and poignant messages. This course will also give you practical experience in asking questions of the Bible as you read it and struggling to find the answers in Scripture and apply the lessons to your everyday life.

This course traces the life of Abraham from his call in Genesis 12 to his death. It deals with the main theme of Abraham's life, especially God's promise that a Savior would come from his line. Discussion options help the class focus on how Abraham's life serves as a model.

Paul tells us that the Old Testament was written for the benefit of the New Testament believers. That is especially true of the book of the prophet Isaiah. Christians are so impressed by Isaiah'­s wonderful words about Jesus, written 700+ years before his birth, that he has been called the fifth evangelist along with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Class members will grow in their appreciation of this prophet, who is arguably Israel'­s greatest. His prophesies are an important part of Christmas and Holy Week. You will understand your Savior better when you have completed this study.

Every Sunday we confess our faith in worship, usually using the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. These statements are summaries of our beliefs which we are professing to everyone who is in church-to God, to our fellow members, to our guests. These Creeds were written during Christianity's formative years to define clearly what the Christian faith is. During the important reformative years, Christianity needed new creeds to define which teachings of the Bible had been rediscovered under leaders like Martin Luther. The first of these Reformation confessions is called the Augsburg Confession (1530). Come and study this defining document with us this summer in order to understand our Christian heritage even better.

Healthy parenting begins with a solid marriage established on the foundation of God's Word. This study helps us to recognize that while sin threatens to destroy healthy relationships, God's Word provides weapons to combat such a threat. You will start with a review of God-given roles in marriage and later discuss topics such as the struggle to discipline children in a God-pleasing way and the roles that God calls parents to fill as ambassadors of Christ.

This three-part course is a little dictionary filled with 26 big Bible words. But what big words they are! They are not big words because they have a lot of syllables, but big words because they have a lot of meaning. They are not big words because they are hard to understand, but because apart from God working through his Word they are impossible to understand. They are not big words because they are so rarely used that almost no one knows what they mean, but because they are used so often we too easily forget what they mean.

In his Word God says that he has predestined the believers to eternal life. Of all the Bible'­s teachings, this one probably takes us deepest into the mind of God and reveals to us most intimately the details of his plan of salvation. Some Christians have concluded from this teaching that, if God has predestined the believers to eternal life, then he must also have predestined the unbelievers to eternal damnation. This course will study the Scriptures to find out why the latter (predestination to damnation) is contrary to God'­s thinking and why the former (predestination to salvation) is such a comfort to us believers.

Letter by letter, point by point, this class will show you that our Lutheran church only teaches the Bible. Our church treasures worship traditions that glorify Jesus, the focal point of every word of the Bible. As you study what the Bible says, the Holy Spirit will give you a deeper appreciation of the gospel, the good news of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. And that deep appreciation of the gospel is reflected in the way that we as Lutherans worship. It's as easy as ABC!

When Scripture is not taught as it should be, Christians can become confused about the truth of Scripture. False teaching about Christ began before the New Testament was even completed. In his first letter, John clears up the confusion and points to what is absolutely true. False teachings about Jesus still exist today. We, as Christians, can become confused. This class will point us to the bright shining light of Christ and give solid confidence in the face of possible confusion.

A witness gives testimony to what they know to be true. As Christians, we have a wonderful privilege from God to give testimony to what he has told us to be true. We shine the bright light of his good news into a world that is filled with darkness. This class will take you through very practical, every-day ways to share the good news with those around you by your words and actions.

The Scripture clearly teaches that salvation comes to sinners by God'­s grace through faith in Jesus. But God'­s Word also makes clear how important it is for us to live lives of repentance in all our actions. The Bible clearly teaches that faith brings salvation to men who are dead in sin. It also clearly teaches that the way we live our lives is very important. How to we bring the two ideas together. The class'­s study will show that these two ideas are Two Sides of the Same Coin.

Hosea was a prophet of God called to live out an illustration from God of how unfaithful his people had been to the God who loved them and had saved them. Though it was written thousands of years ago, Hosea has wonderful application and insight for the 21st century Christian. Get new insight into God'­s faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness to him.

With Dan Brown'­s novel Angels & Demons set to hit the silver screen on May 15th of next year, the topic of angels and demons will again be mainstream. But what does the Bible teach about these messengers and enemies of God?

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. 

Most of us don’t know as much as we would like about the man our church is named after.  This class examines Luther’s youth and the early events of his life that brought him to nail the 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.  The class will overview the whole Reformation period, paying specific attention to the highlights of Martin Luther’s life and works. 

Our New Testament study this fall will focus on what believers call “the lost and found” chapter of the Bible”—Luke 15. There Luke recounts three parables about sinners who are lost in sin and found by the Lord. The third of the parables, the Prodigal Son, is considered by many Jesus’ greatest parable. In this dramatic story of an earthly father who loves his children, but whose sons neither love nor respect him, Jesus wants to give us a look into the heart of God, as well as to see ourselves as we really are. After this study you will never look at the parable of the Prodigal Son (perhaps we should entitle it “The Waiting Father”) in the same way again.

Our on-going midweek journey through the Bible resumes this Wednesday evening after a break for summer. The class meets in the Luther Room from 7:00 to 8:30 each Wednesday evening between now and Thanksgiving Eve. We will start with Leviticus, the third book of the Bible. This is a challenging study that often thwarts a resolve to read through the whole Bible. We’ll see the Savior’s sacrificial death become strikingly clear to us in the worship regulations of God’s covenant with his Old Testament people and the importance of separating ourselves from the sinful world in the extensive clean and unclean provisions of the Covenant.

This study offers a solid foundation for understanding the patterns of all non-Christian religions. Each lesson presents a basic truth of Christianity as well as the teachings of Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism in response to a question. Discussion options challenge students to formulate positive Christian responses to various witnessing situations.

As a young man, Daniel was among the first Jews to be deported to Babylon during the Babylonian Captivity. A man of great faith, he held important government positions during the difficult time of captivity. Through Daniel, God showed his exiled people what the future would hold. God reminded his people that he is in control of the destiny of all nations and that he causes all things to work out for the good of his people.

There is no Christian topic more challenging and more rewarding than stewardship. It’s challenging because my sinful nature does not want to acknowledge that the Lord is the king of my life and the owner of everything. I am only his manager or steward. But being God’s servant/manager is the most rewarding position a human being can hold. Join us as we study what God’s Word says about managing what he has entrusted to us and sharing our experiences and frustrations in that task with one another during the weeks of summer.

Why has our church consistently stuck with a form of worship—the liturgy—that many have abandoned as outdated and rigidly formal? Because it is beautiful!  And the beauty of the liturgy is that it points completely to the Triune God and the message of how he saved us through Christ Jesus. If you find yourself wondering why we worship the way we do, this course will provide the answer by taking you through a tour of the liturgy. We will see how the liturgy proclaims the Gospel in structure, in symbol and in song.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

This study introduces the class to a basic method for meditating on Scripture used by Martin Luther—a combination of Bible reading and prayer. Participants learn how to construct their own daily Bible reading plan.

Lent is the season in the church year set aside especially for focusing on our sin and our Savior. With that in mind, during the season of Lent, St. Mark'­s has chosen to bring back a practice that Scripture teaches and Lutherans have practiced for centuries. It is the practice of private confession and absolution.

But before we reinstate such a practice, we need to look again at the Scriptural basis for such a practice and the actual practical application of that practice throughout the centuries, so that it may be understood and appreciated by all. This five-week course is specifically design to do that very thing. Please join us.

PowerPoint files:
1/12/2005, 1/19/2005

Word Files:
The Service of Private Confession and Absolution

See Pastor Carr's classes forum for more info.

Who is Martin Luther? What does it mean to be Lutheran? The Reformation in the first half of the Sixteenth Century is one of the most important periods in the history of the New Testament Church. God used Martin Luther to restore the teaching of salvation by grace alone to the Church. Members are invited to learn more about their heritage as Lutherans in this class. We'­ll use the newest biography of Luther as the basis for the class. James Kittelson'­s Luther the Reformer is an excellent study of what the Lutheran Reformation is about. Copies of the book will be available to class members. Those who took the class a few years back are invited to study this important part of our heritage again. Those new to Lutheranism will understand their heritage much better at the end of this class.

Sometimes you can'­t see the forest because of all the trees. In Bible study we often look so much at individual books of the Scriptures or portions of books (the trees) that we don'­t get to see God'­s overall plan of salvation in the whole of his Word (the forest). New Testament Survey is intended to give veteran Bible students the whole picture of what God has done for us in Jesus, our Savior. For students just getting to know the Bible better, this course will introduce them to the books of history'³the Gospels and Acts, the letters of Paul and the other Apostles, and the Revelation of St. John, the New Testament book of prophecy. New Testament Survey is part of St. Mark'­s core Bible curriculum. Everyone should take both the Old and New Testament Survey courses at some point in their formal Bible study. Here is an opportunity to fulfill this basic part of our Bible curriculum.

Maybe you just had pre-marital counseling a year ago.  Maybe you never had pre-marital counseling at all. Whether you'­ve been married for one year or 71 years, it'­s good to review again the many blessings that God provides in marriage. Satan loves to hit us where he can do the most damage. By picking at marriage, the devil tries to dissolve the foundation of the family.  Only God'­s Word can counter-attack this destruction. During this six-week course, we will examine the blueprint, supporting structure and finishing touches of a strong marriage. Bring your spouse!