SPIRITUAL LIFE | Updated Bible Curriculum
(Updated 9/3/09)Inside Out
Our ultimate objective for the new Bible program is to not only provide our students with a solid
biblical foundation, but to also offer effective ways for our students to actively grow and engage in a
living relationship with Christ. Our greatest desire is to walk alongside them as they are changed by
the Holy Spirit from the inside out. Our hope is that this transformation will ultimately make it
possible for their faith to stick as they pursue the next chapter of their lives.
The Bible curriculum will inspire and equip students to know Christ, to grow in Christ individually
and corporately, and to interact with the world as the Body of Christ.
Academic Curriculum
The classes are designed to be sequential and cumulative in the topics covered. The Bible is the
primary text for all courses. For logistical reasons we will be rolling out this curriculum over the next
three years. Once fully implemented, we envision the sequence to look like this:
Freshman Year:
Bible Survey: This course will give a broad overview of the Old and New Testaments as the
foundation of our faith. Students will be equipped with a basic historical layout of the Bible by
exploring its major events, characters, themes, and theological concepts. The redemptive-historical
thread of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation will be exposed, providing opportunity for students
to see and experience God's sovereign plan and grace to us all.
Christian Spiritual Formation: Three primary avenues of spiritual growth will form the basis of this
course: Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. New Testament scriptures will be addressed as students
discover inspiration and illumination from the Word and learn to use the Bible in life through study,
memorization, meditation, and personal application. Our discussion of prayer will include elements
of, and approaches and responses to, prayer. Fellowship in the Body will also be covered, including
an initial introduction to the mentoring process.
Sophomore Year:
Life and Works of Christ: This course will explore the accounts of Jesus' life as recorded in the
Gospels and the book of Acts while drawing practical insight and life application. The class will cover
the historical context, structure, styles, key themes, and events of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and
Acts, focusing on applying God's Word to our lives.
Christian Theology I: This course will study the foundational tenets of the Christian faith and their
interlocking connections within each other, focusing on the authority and inspiration of the Bible.
The course will cover the existence of the triune God, the deity and redemptive work of Jesus, the
ministry of the Holy Spirit, the church as the Body of Christ, and the nature of mankind and our
need for a Savior.
Junior Year:
World Religions and Worldviews: The course will define "religion" and compare and contrast
biblical Christianity to Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and "New Age" belief systems based on
their views of God, salvation, Jesus, and the after life. Their scriptures, symbols, and historical and
cultural backgrounds will also be discussed. The components of cults will be covered with the goal of
students "knowing one when they see one." Instruction will also focus on worldviews and their
importance, helping students to see their world through a "Biblical grid". Christianity will be
compared with the other major worldviews: naturalism, atheism, agnosticism, transcendentalism,
relativism, etc.
Apologetics and Evangelism: This class will explore the personal and global need for the Gospel
from a theological perspective. In response, students will learn how to understand, defend, and give a
humble account of the Gospel Message. As students learn biblical answers to the primary theological
and cultural questions and how to respond in Truth and love, they will also grow in their
understanding of how God has called believers corporately and as individuals to spread the Gospel.
Students will examine the concept of spreading the Gospel in words, deeds, relationships, and
proclamation. Students will also look at evangelism in the Scriptures, from The Great Commission
through Acts and into the Epistles.
Senior Year:
Christian Theology II: To be written this year
Christian Leadership: Structured around the Greatest Commandment in Luke 10:27, this class will
examine leadership as the process of loving God with our hearts, heads, and hands. The leadership of
Jesus will be the basis of a definition of leading as influencing others. Leading with the heart will
delve into the concept of biblical love, character, and integrity. The course will also look at what it
means as a leader to love God with one's entire mind, examining the price of leadership and
discovering God's vision for oneself and those one is leading. Practical application (leading with the
hands and loving one's neighbor) will be included as students learn effective leadership styles,
communication skills, and relationship building. Throughout the course students will study Old and
New Testament examples of leadership and those of historical and modern Christian leaders.
Senior Project: This project will help students integrate their learning from the previous three years
and will have both a written and experiential component. They will be encouraged to discover how
God has uniquely created and gifted them. There will also be a leadership component that will
develop and apply skills such as discernment, planning, organization, and implementation. Finally,
students will be guided through a process of developing a vision for the next four years of their lives.
This vision will incorporate what they have learned about God and help them see how they are made
in His image. They will discover what it might look like to live out God's purposes for their lives.
The project will be a valuable tool for the graduate and his/her mentor (described below) to reflect
on and continue to fine tune during the four years following high school.
Making it Stick
Carefully woven into the curriculum are experiential elements that will enhance our students' ability
to listen to what God is saying. Through a variety of activities, students will be inspired to actively
live out their faith as they interact with the world around them. This will give them the opportunity
to discover first hand that what they are learning is real and applicable. Class methods will
incorporate classroom discussions, reflective writing, project-based learning, and group work, as well
as traditional instruction and assessment.
Connecting Beyond High School - Mentoring Program
We are committed to structuring a meaningful mentoring program that will support students for at
least four years after graduation. Throughout the four-year Bible program, students will be provided
with opportunities to interact with influential adults who can speak into their lives and help disciple
them. Through a partnership with the student, parents, and the student's home church (when
possible), a mature Christian mentor will be identified for each student by the senior year. These
mentors will be committed to discipling and supporting the student as he or she pursues God's
vision during the four years beyond high school. Mentors will periodically connect with students via
phone, Facebook, cards, emails, or visits. They will support students emotionally, feed them
spiritually, encourage them in their Christian walk, and provide a listening ear when called upon.
(Appropriate safeguards, resources, and training for mentors will be part of the program.)