Foundations Blog

Hi guys,

No big announcements this week, but wanted to send a reminder of our July social calendar. Since we finally have study guides for our lesson, I’m not going to scan it, but I have typed up the synopsis and key verses below. Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

July Events:

• July 14 - Cross Connection, 6pm
• July 20 - Lunch after church
• July 25 - Social at home of Doug & Mary Lynn Smith

July 13th Lesson: What Will the Antichrist do?

Focal Passages: Revelation 13:1-10; 16-18

Background Passages: Revelation 13:1-14:13

Session Overview: Pop culture has greatly influenced our understanding of the end times. People are concerned about being “Left Behind,” they consider the possibility of an “Apocalypse Now,” and the name Damien is not as popular as it once was. There is perhaps no figure surrounded with more mystery or apprehension than the Antichrist, a shadowy world leader who, according to pop culture, is far too evil for heaven and maybe even so bad that hell doesn’t want him. People read through the following passages of Revelation with dread and morbid curiosity. The time is now to find out what the Bible really says so we can live confidently now - and when the time comes to move into the days that Revelation predicts.

• June 29th Lesson: A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

• Bible Passages: Proverbs 3:9-10; 11:24-26; 13:11; 15:16-17; 16:11; 23:4-5

• Session Overview: Money - we all want it, but can we handle it? If we could all handle it, I think we’d be allowed to have more money. Why would God not just give us an unlimited supply so we could help others and end poverty - if in fact there was not some danger involved with money? While money is something we all want more of, the truth is, it can be dangerous. Money itself is neither good nor bad, but what it does to us can be. If we don’t keep our motives in check, we can very quickly fall to the allure of riches. Soloman very practically teaches how to make money work for Him rather than working for it!

• Personal Bible Study: June 29 Lesson (click for link to scanned lesson)

We’re back on the Quarterly lessons through Lifeway, but we messed up when we made the book order last quarter! The problem is that we have a few leadership guides, but no books for you guys to take with you. So for the summer, I’ll be posting the lesson on the blog for you to review during the week. I’ve typed up the synopsis, but I’m attaching a scan of the actual lesson for those who want to dig a little deeper. If you have any ideas/feedback, please let me know. Thanks!

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Don’t Say Anything At All

• Study Theme: Proverbs - Timeless Truths for Everyday Living
• Bible Passages: Proverbs 17:27-28; 18:20-21; 25:11-12; 26:20-22, 28
• Session Overview: How do these jeans makes me look? Does this goatee make my baldness kinda trendy? What do you think of my mother’s meatloaf? How should we really answer questions like this? It would appear that if we speak truthfully, we will get in trouble - and at the same time hurt someone’s feelings. But we also know that lying is wrong. We can’t shove a Twix candy bar into our mouth and wait for the situation to take care of itself, as the commercial suggest. So what do we do? This week we will discover several principles from King Solomon that will help us learn how to use our words wisely, and at times, simply say nothing at all.
• Personal Bible Study: June 22nd - If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Don’t Say Anything At All (follow this link for the PDF file)

What Makes the Gospel So Unique?

Galatians 1:1-12 and 3:1-4

It is politically correct to equate all faith traditions, making “sincererity” the litmus test. However, what Jesus did and how He did it is absolutely unique. His message of grace was new wine that couldn’t be contained in the old wineskin of law. Let’s explore the reasons why we believe, and how we can share our faith with confidence.

Doug will put his lesson plan here.