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Revised 10-14-14

The following are outlines – meant to be

completed as part of a six-part course offered regularly at

Bright Christian Church. We don’t believe that this

course will provide you everything that you will ever

need to know in your Christian life, but we do believe

that this information will be a great starting point in

understanding the basics of God, the Bible, the gospel

message and our church – so that you can begin or

continue growth as a Christian here at BCC.

Please call the church office at 812-637-3388 for

information on how you can enroll in the next class

offered. The following topics are covered in this course…

1. Understanding Bright Christian Church: The Heritage of Bright Christian Church

Ten Essential Doctrines of New Testament Churches

Vision and Mission of Bright Christian Church

2. Understanding Salvation: What the Bible Says about: Sin, Forgiveness, Baptism

3. Understanding God and His Word: What the Bible Says about: God’s Word and the

Trinity

4. Understanding a Relationship with God: Salvation, Lordship of Christ, the Spirit-Filled Life,

the Lord’s Supper

5. Understanding the Church: What the Bible Says about: the Body, Unity, the

Second Coming

6. Finding Your Place at Bright Christian: Where Do I Go Next, What Do I Do Now?

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Understanding

Bright Christian Church

Welcome to What We Believe at Bright Christian

Church. Our ultimate goal is to help you become a fully

_________________ follower of Jesus Christ!

Church History – The Big Picture

The church promised – Matthew 16:13-19

The church begins on Pentecost AD 30 – Acts 2

The falling away

1. Purgatory – Origin – 230 AD

2. Celibacy – 305 AD

3. The Nicene Creed – 325 AD

4. Constantine combines Church and State

5. Augustine and the doctrine of original sin

6. Papacy – 400 AD

7. Praying to saints – 470 AD

8. Images introduced – 500 AD

9. Transubstantiation – 1000 AD

10. First major church split – (East and West) –

1054 AD

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11. Sprinkling made official – 1311 AD

12. Sale of indulgences – 1390 AD

The Protestant Reformation

1. Luther – 1517 AD

2. Zwingli – 1530 AD

3. Calvin – 1536 AD

4. Henry VIII – England

5. John Knox – Scotland

6. John Wesley – 1729 AD

7. Discovery of America – 1492 AD

8. Multiplicity of divisions and creeds diminish

effectiveness of the Reformation

A Restoration Movement

1. Among Methodists – 1793 AD

2. Among Baptists – 1800 AD

3. Among Presbyterians – 1801 & 1809

4. Slogans:

No creed but Christ, No book but the Bible,

No name but the divine.

In matters of faith, unity; In matters of opinion,

liberty; In all things, love.

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Call Bible things by Bible names and do Bible

things in Bible ways.

The Bible plus nothing, minus nothing, divided

by nothing equals Christians only.

The Bible only makes Christians only. You have

to take more than the Bible to be more than a

Christian.

5. Tremendous growth at the turn of the 20th century

6. Divisions caused by (1) disagreement over the

use of musical instruments (2) the infiltration of

liberal theology

The Heritage of Bright Christian Church

Bright Christian Church is part of this movement to

______________ New Testament Christianity.

This “Restoration Movement” began when believers

distressed with __________, ________________ and

___________________ called the church back to the

authority of the Bible.

This movement grew into what we call today the

________________ churches/churches of Christ.

There are about ___________ congregations like Bright

Christian in the U.S., with over ___________ members.

We do not call ourselves a denomination, because we

do not wear a human name nor have earthly

headquarters. We believe that we are not “the only

Christians,” but that we are _____________ _______.”

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What does it mean to be a New Testament Church?

Bright Christian Church is a New Testament church.

While the Catholic Church would look to both ___________

and ___________ as its sources of authority, and whereas a

liberal church would look to _________ __________ as its

source of authority, a New Testament church is one that

looks solely to ____________ as its true source of authority.

A New Testament church can also be correctly termed a

“____________ - ______________” church.

The Ten Essential Doctrines of New Testament Churches

1. The Bible is the _____________ Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:20, 21)

2. The Absolute _________ of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-7, John 14:9, John 8:57, 58, John 1:1-14)

3. The __________ Birth of Christ (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22-25)

4. The Historical ________ of Man (Genesis 3)

5. The __________________ of Man (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, 10)

6. The Substitutionary _________ of Christ on the Cross

(Isaiah 53:5, 6; 1 Peter 2:24, 25; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

7. The Bodily _________________ of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)

8. The Literal ____________ of Christ (John 14:1-8, 2 Peter 3:3-13, Acts 1:11)

9. The Resurrection and Assignment of All People to

_____________ or _________ (Revelation 20:11-15, John 5:28-30)

10. The Abiding Presence of the _________ ______ in all

Believers (Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20;

Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 1:13, 14)

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Appendix

The following sections are included for you to look over

outside of class time. They will offer great insight into the past,

present and future direction and beliefs of Bright Christian Church.

Please call any of our ministers, or your course leader, if you have

any questions about any of the information found in this section.

A Brief History of Bright Christian Church

The word “church” in the New Testament means “called out

ones.” It’s important to note that “the church” is people, not

buildings…it’s an organism, not an organization.

This local congregation at Bright has its roots in this area since

1836 with individual Christians in Bright and Logan coming

together to organize a congregation. Starting in a barn, moved to a

log building, and then in 1886 moved to a little white building

down in Bright where the old Merchant Bank now stands.

About 20 years ago, just before the 100th anniversary, Bright

Christian Church and this small rural area began to grow. In 1968

the present location was purchased and marked the beginning of

new growth. Today’s facilities were developed in four major

building efforts with the last one dedicated in 2006.

Bright Christian Church is part of a movement to restore New

Testament Christianity. This restoration movement has its roots in

18th century Scotland, when believers distressed with creedal

legalism and sectarianism began calling the church back to the

authority of Christ and the New Testament. There are about 5,500

congregations like Bright in the USA, with over 1.2 million

members. We do not call ourselves a denomination because we

believe there is one body. We believe we are not the only

Christians, but Christians only. This unity pleads for the unity of

all God’s people in the spirit of Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17.

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The Mission of Bright Christian Church

Love God.

Love People.

Impact The World.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and

on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples

of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of

the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you

always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Twelve Core Values of Bright Christian Church

At Bright Christian Church, we believe…

1. …Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the leader of the Church,

and the source of eternal life.

2. …in honoring Christ as the Head of the church through

authentic worship.

3. …that the Bible is God’s life-changing message of truth to

all people.

4. …that the Church must reflect God’s love for lost people.

5. …the principles of the New Testament church are the

guiding influence in the shape of our Church.

6. …that the Church should communicate the truth in a relevant

way.

7. …that the Church should be characterized by unity and

compassion.

8. …in consistent, life-long spiritual growth.

9. …that loving God means giving Him our best.

10. …following Christ means a life of service to others.

11. …in building healthy, God-honoring relationships.

12. …in a courageous life of full-devotion to Christ.

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Understanding Salvation

There are four generally accepted spiritual laws, based on

what the Bible says about salvation:

1) God _______ you and offers a wonderful

_________ for your life.

2) Man is _________ and ____________ from

God. In that state he cannot experience

God’s love and plan for his life.

3) ________ _________ is God’s only

provision for man’s sin. Through Him you

can know and experience God’s love and

plan for your life.

4) We must _____________ accept Jesus

Christ as Lord and Savior; then we can

know and experience God’s love and plan

for our lives.

What the Bible Says about Sin

We live in a ______ and _______ world, on a downward

spiral of separation from God. Man’s only ________ is the

person of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:23 and 6:23 say that “all have sinned and ______

_______ of the _______ of God…” and that “the wages of

sin is ________...”

1 John 3:6 says that in God there is “no ______.”

James 4:16 says, “Anyone, then, who knows the _______

he ought to do, and __________ do it, sins.”

The verdict for every man (on his own) is guilty, and the

sentence is an eternity of _________________.

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What the Bible Says about Forgiveness

1 John 2:1, 2 says that “if anybody does sin, we have one

who speaks to the father on our ________ - Jesus Christ,

the Righteous One. He is the atoning ____________ for our

sins…”

1 John 1:9 says that “if we _________ our sins, he is

faithful and just, and will ___________ us our sins and

purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave

his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall

not _________ but have _____________ _______.”

2 Peter 3:9 says that the Lord “is patient with you, not

wanting anyone to ________, but everyone to come to

_____________.”

God wants the free gift of forgiveness for us—how do we

receive it? Four common New Testament actions:

1) By having _________ - believing the truth about

Jesus (Romans 10:9, 10, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), relying upon

Christ to save us, trusting Him with our lives now and

forever (John 3;16, 2 Timothy 1:12).

2) By ____________ - sorrow for sin (2 Corinthians 7:9,

10). Willingness to change: to turn from sin and a self-

directed life to obeying God in a Christ-directed life

(Jeremiah 2:13, Acts 2:38, 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

3) By _______________ - being willing to publicly

acknowledge Him (Matthew 10:32, 33).

4) By being _____________ - becoming Jesus’ disciple

includes a willingness to be baptized as people were in the

first century. (Acts 2:38, 41)

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What the Bible Says about Baptism

Baptism is the _____________ of a ___________ into

water in the Name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of

you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may

be _____________. And you will receive the gift of the

________ ________.’” (Acts 2:38)

According to the Bible, what is water baptism?

1) ____________ in water (John 3:23, Acts 8:26-40),

2) making a break from ____ and beginning anew (Acts 22:16),

3) an ___________response to the good news (Acts 2:35-38),

4) an act which ________one into fellowship (Acts 2:36-41, 47),

5) _________ of Jesus’ death/burial/resurrection (Rom 6:1-6).

According to the Bible, what is baptism not?

1) not a ___________ of heaven

2) not _________ that you’ve changed your life

According to the Bible, why should one be baptized?

1) Because Christ _____________ it (Matthew 28:19, 20)

2) To be _____________ (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, 22:16;

Galatians 3:26,27, Romans 6:4)

3) to express a _________ conscience before God

(1 Peter 3:21)

According to the Bible, who should be baptized?

Those who:

1) _________ the gospel (Romans 10:17)

2) _________ in Christ as Savior (Mark 16:16, Acts 16:31)

3) _________ of personal sin (Acts 2:38, 39)

4) _________ Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9, 10)

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Appendix

The following sections are included for you to look over

outside of class time. They will offer great insight into what

the Bible says about baptism, and how that can be put into

practice in today’s church. Please call any of the ministers,

or your course leader, if you have questions about the

information found in this section.

Some questions about baptism by immersion

What steps would I take to be baptized at Bright Christian?

If you have heard, believed, repented and confessed

Christ as your Lord, you may go forward during the invitation at

any of our worship services, and one of our ministers will lead

you to take the next steps, or you may…

1) Call the church—812-637-3388—and ask for any of the

ministers.

2) They can discuss it with you and set an appointment for your

baptism.

According to the Bible, are other “forms of baptism” acceptable?

While we do not judge another’s sincerity, we find

that baptism in the Bible was always done by immersion.

Since our goal is to practice “Bible things in Bible ways”

we do not feel at liberty to accept manmade concessions

that were not authorized or practiced by the apostles or the

early Church. Every denomination, Protestant and Catholic,

will accept immersion as valid Christian baptism. Other

forms did not come into practice until much later. Baptism

as it is practiced in the Scriptures cannot be visualized or

portrayed in any form other than immersion.

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What are some New Testament Distinctives about Baptism?

1) Baptism is only for those old enough to believe

2) Baptism is by immersion.

(John 3:22, 23; Acts 8:31-39; Romans 6:3)

3) Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins

4) The act of baptism does not save you apart from faith in

Jesus.

5) Baptism is a demonstration of our acceptance of Jesus

as Lord and Savior;

6) Baptism (after hearing, belief, repentance and

confession) indicates complete obedience of one who is

following Scriptural counsel for receiving salvation.

7) Baptism should be performed as soon as possible when

one surrenders to Christ.

8) Baptism should not be a subject of argument or division

among churches or believers.

Bible Passages to Study:

Matthew 3:15, 28:18-20,

John 3:16-23,

Acts 2:37-39, 5:29, 8:12, 36, 10:48, 16:15, 16:30-33,

18:8, 22:16,

Romans 6:1-4,

Colossians 2:11, 12,

1 Peter 3:21,

1 John 2:4

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As a Result of God’s Gift of Salvation… Because I am in Christ, by the grace of God, I have been

justified, completely forgiven and made righteous (Rom. 5:1)

I died with Christ and I died to the power of sin’s rule over my

life (Romans 6:1-6)

I am free forever of condemnation (Romans 8:1)

I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know

the things freely given to me by God (1 Cor. 2:12)

I have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)

I have been bought with a price; I am not my own—I belong to

God (1 Cor. 6:19, 20)

I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ;

and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge, guaranteeing

my inheritance to come (2 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:13, 14)

Because I have died, I no longer live for myself, but for Christ

(Gal. 2:20)

I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3)

I have been redeemed and forgiven, and am a recipient of His

lavish grace (Eph. 1:7)

I have been made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5)

I have direct access to God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence

(Eph. 3:12)

I have been rescued from the domain of Satan’s rule and

transferred to the Kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13)

Christ Himself is in me (Col. 1:27)

I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built in Him (Col.

2:7)

I have been made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)

Christ is now my life (Col. 3:1-4)

I have been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2

Tim.1:7)

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Understanding God and His Word

What the Bible Says about God’s Word

The Bible makes several claims about itself that are

subject to being proved or disproved in the world…

1) All Scripture is given to us from _______

(2 Timothy 3:16)

2) All Scripture is __________ (2 Timothy 3:16)

3) All Scripture ________ us for right living

(2 Timothy 3:16)

4) The word of God is living and __________

(Hebrews 4:12)

5) The word of God cuts straight to the thoughts and

attitudes of our _________ (Hebrews 4:12)

6) No Scripture came from ________ ideas (2 Peter 1:20)

7) Scripture was given by God through _______

(2 Peter 1:20)

Though feelings are important, your relationship with

Christ is based on _______ and _______, not feelings, as

illustrated by the train below.

FACT FAITH FEELING

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What the Bible Says about the Trinity

The Bible uses the word Godhead to represent the

three-part nature of God, which we call the __________.

We believe that there is _____ unchanging God with a

consistent nature, who eternally exists in ________

different forms.

Those three forms, all referred to as God, are:

1) The Father—the ___________ God (1 Timothy 1:17,

John 1:18)

2) The Son—the _________ of the invisible God

(Colossians 1:15, 19; John 1:1-3, 14)

3) The Spirit—the __________ of the invisible God

(John 16:13-15; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)

In Genesis 1:1-3, 26 and John 1:1-3, we see that God the

Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, were all present

from the _____________, prior to the world’s creation.

Jesus in The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19,

20) speaks of the ________ (singular) of the Father and

Son and Spirit: “Therefore go and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with

you always to the very end of the age.”

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Appendix

The following sections are included for you to look

over outside of class time. They will offer great insight into

the Trinity. Please call any of our ministers, or your course

leader, if you have any questions about any of the

information found in this section.

What the Bible Says about God the Father

God the Father [“our Father in heaven”—Matthew 6:9],

often referred to simply as God, is given numerous descriptions

throughout the Bible. Just a few of those are:

– the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15)

– a jealous but loving God (Exodus 20:4-6)

– an eternal God (Isaiah 40:8)

– a faithful God (1 Corinthians 10:13)

– completely good (Mark 10:18)

– patient and forgiving (2 Peter 3:9)

– love (1 John 4:8)

What the Bible Says about God the Son

Jesus [“being in very nature God”—Philippians 2:6, 7] is

unique in that He is completely God, but while on earth was

completely human. A few descriptions from eye-witness

accounts and testimonies are:

– completely without sin (Hebrews 4:15)

– the Christ/Messiah/anointed One (Matthew 16:16)

– the atoning Sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10)

– the resurrected Lord and Savior (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

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– the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5)

– the authority/Head of the church (Mat. 28:19, Col. 1:18)

– the model for our lives (Philippians 2:5-8, 1 John 2:5,6)

– the ultimate Judge of mankind (John 5:22, 23)

What the Bible Says about God the Spirit

The Holy Spirit [“the Lord is the Spirit”—2

Corinthians 3:17], as promised by Jesus, is the actual

presence of God in us. The Holy Spirit is given many

important descriptions:

– the Counselor, the Spirit of truth (John 14:16)

– our guide (John 16:13)

– the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)

– the supplier of God’s character qualities(Galatians 5:22, 23)

– the provider of gifts for ministry (1 Cor. 12; Romans 12:3-8)

– the one who inspired the Bible’s writing (2 Peter 1:21)

– the one who helps us pray during struggles (Romans 8:26)

– the one who controls a Christian’s life (Romans 8:6-9)

– the deposit guaranteeing heaven to us (Eph. 1:13, 14)

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Understanding a

Relationship with God

Salvation

Salvation means more than simply “I’m going to

heaven,” and has to do with a bold and exciting _______ that

reflects that Jesus has saved us. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that “God did

not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of _______, of

_______, and of _______ - ____________.”

Evidence that one has experienced salvation:

“But the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared

to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly

passions, and to live ______ - ___________, ________ and

_________ lives in this present age, while we wait for the

blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and

Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:11-13).

Salvation has little to do with “getting _________,” and

everything to do with an ongoing ______________ with Christ,

reflected in faith and action.

Lordship of Christ

Two areas define one’s relationship with God:

1) whether one has accepted Jesus as _________ (the

master/director/controller of one’s life)

2) whether one has accepted Jesus as ___________ (the

one who provides eternal salvation)

The Bible describes the importance of the Lordship of

Jesus Christ in a life that has already received salvation:

Jesus’ _____________ frequently called Him “Lord.”

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Peter refers to Jesus four times in 2 Peter as “________ and

___________.”

Paul writes that no one can sincerely make the statement that

“__________ is _______” unless prompted by the Holy

Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Jesus asked why one would call him “Lord, Lord,” and yet not

___ what he _______ (Luke 6:46).

Proverbs says that “there is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to ______.” (Prov. 14:12), and

the Lord says to us, “As the _________ are higher than

the _______, so are my ways higher than your ways and

my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

The Spirit-filled Life

The Bible says that we are to be “________ with the

Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). The apostle Paul describes an ongoing

struggle between the Spirit and our _________ ________, or

“flesh” (our tendency to sin by living for self) (Romans 7).

In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the obvious acts of the

sinful nature with the results of living by the Spirit, which he

calls “the _______ of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22, 23).

The nine areas that make up the fruit are:

Love Joy

Peace Patience

Kindness Goodness

Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control

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Paul writes: “Those controlled by the sinful nature

(flesh) cannot _______ God. You, however, are controlled

not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of

God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of

Christ, he does not ________ to Christ. But if Christ is in

you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is

alive because of righteousness” (Romans 8:8-10).

What the Bible Says about the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a continual remembrance of the

________, ________ and ________________ that Jesus

experienced for us (1 Corinthians 11:23-27).

What is the Lord’s Supper?

1) a __________ act, not an elaborate ceremony

2) a _____________

3) a ___________

4) a statement of ________

Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper?

We practice “open communion,” meaning that all ___________

in Christ are invited to participate.

How should I prepare for the Lord’s Supper?

1) Prayerfully ____________ yourself (1Corinthians 11:27-29)

2) ___________ your sins (1 John 1:9)

3) Acknowledge His ________ and forgiveness and recommit

yourself to Christ (Romans 12:1, 2).

When should we observe the Lord’s Supper?

1) The New Testament example: ___________.

2) We observe communion every _______ _____ in each of our

worship services.

3) The danger: taking it for granted or in an ___________

manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

4) The advantage—remaining “____________” and dependent

on Christ (John 6:53-57; Hebrews 10:24, 25).

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Appendix

The following section is included for you to look

over outside of class time. It will offer great insight into

what the Bible says about the permanency of salvation, and

about what a life surrendered to God. Please call any of our

ministers, or your course leader, if you have any questions

about any of the information found in this section.

Can I ever “lose” my salvation?

Salvation is a gift that is meant to be permanent and

eternal. The apostle Paul writes about Christians that

“having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the

promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our

inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s

possession” (Ephesians 1:13, 14). It is therefore impossible

to lose your salvation – however, the New Testament

occasionally makes mention of the possibility that someone

who is genuinely saved could throw away their own

salvation by permanently rejecting the Holy Spirit, by

turning his back on the gospel in favor of Old Testament

law. Scripture calls this “falling from grace” or “falling

away” (Gal. 5:4, Heb. 6:4-6, 2 Pet. 2:20, 21). While we do

not focus on this exception, and while we certainly do not

pass judgment on those who have “backslidden,” we do

take very seriously the Scriptural mandates to “stand firm

to the end,” “not put out the Spirit’s fire,” “bring back those

who have wandered from the truth” [Matthew 10:22, 24:13;

Mark 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; James 5:19,20].

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The Bible describes three kinds of relationships

that a human being can have with God’s Holy Spirit.

1) The Natural Man (1 Corinthians 2:14)

…does not acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior,

and therefore does not have the Spirit. His life—lived

“naturally”—is characterized by confusion, frustration,

despair, emptiness and immorality. This person is far from

Christ.

2) The Carnal Man (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

…has accepted Christ as Savior and has the

presence of the Holy Spirit, but does not allow the Spirit to

control every area of his life. In a battle between one’s flesh

(natural desires) and the Spirit (God’s desires), the flesh

often wins out. This person’s life is characterized by

disobedience, impure thoughts, jealousy, guilt, worry and

strife.

3) The Spiritual Man (2 Corinthians 5:17)

…has accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and has

allowed the Spirit to be the controlling element in his life—

the Spirit has created a new person led by God, and the

desires of the flesh—though still a struggle—are repressed

in favor of God’s desires. His life is characterized by love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness and self-control—the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

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Understanding the Church

The Body

Some New Testament names for the church are “the

flock,” “the church of God” (Acts 20:28), ‘God’s

household” (1 Timothy 3:15), “churches of Christ”

(Romans 16:16), “the church of the firstborn” (Hebrews

12:23) and “the _______ of _______” (Ephesians 1:22, 23).

When we become Christians, the Lord Himself adds

us to His church (Acts 2:47), so that we become _________

of His _________ (Romans 12:5).

The Greek word “ekklesia” appears in our Bibles as

“__________” But the literal translation of that word is

“the called out ones.” So we understand that in these

references the word “church” is not referring to a building

but is referring to Christians who are called out of the world

to serve Christ”:

1) Through ___________

2) Through ___________

3) Through ___________ out

4) Through ___________ one another

Unity

The longest recorded prayer of Jesus is that His

followers would find _________ and be ______, just as He

and God the Father are one.

We also strive to achieve unity among other

congregations who believe and teach the major truths of the

________, even when there are differences in areas of

___________.

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An area extremely important to unity within this Body is

a Biblical form of church ____________. We believe the

Bible indicates we are to be organized as such:

Our Founder and Head is _________ _________ (Matthew 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 1:22, 23)

Leadership is found in the _________ ______________ (Philippians 1:1, 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 5:1-4; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

Every __________ is important (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12:12-26; 1 Pet. 4:10, 11)

The church is governed by men who are ___________ (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-8, 5:17:20; Titus 1:5-9)

BCC’s servant-leaders are men called ___________ (Acts 6; 1 Tim. 3:8-13) Full-time ministers are seen as paid _____________ /

_____________ (1 Tim. 4:6-8, 5:17; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

Under Christ’s authority, a local congregation can…

choose its own servants and leaders (Acts 6:1-7; Titus 1)

send out missionaries and preachers (Acts 11:22, 13:1-3, 14:26)

care for the needs of the people (Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 5)

A second area extremely important to unity within

this body is an agreed-upon expectation of _____________.

Our Vision: “To Become a 1st Century Church in the 21st

Century. Using the template of the 1st Century Church

described in the New Testament, we want our church to

replicate the first Christians’ enthusiasm.

Becoming a church of _____________

We determine to “do ministry” with an external

focus.

Becoming a Church of _____________

We worship Him daily on a personal basis and

when we come together we combine our individual worship

with others as we offer Him a collective gift.

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Becoming a Church of ________________

As we experience life with other growing

Christians, we grow to resemble the personality of the first

church.

The Second Coming

The Bible states that Jesus will return,

assigning the righteous to a place in ___________ and the

wicked to a place in _______. Jesus said, “…They will see

the Son of Man coming on the _________ of the sky, with

power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a

loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the

four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other”

(Matthew 24:30, 31).

The church must not be divided over interpretations

about the second coming, knowing that Jesus said: “____

_____ knows about that day or hour, not even the _______

in heaven, nor the _____, but only the Father (Matt. 24:36).

The Great Commission sums up the ________ that

we must take in light of Jesus’ coming and the judgment:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All __________ in

heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go

and make ___________ of all nations, _____________

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, and teaching them to ________ everything I

have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,

to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:19, 20)

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Appendix

The following section is included for you to look

over outside of class time. It will offer great insight into

what the Bible says about the Second Coming. Please call

any of our ministers, or your course leader, if you have

questions about this section.

How much of the Second Coming have we “figured out”?

The book of Revelation is the account of a vision

given by Jesus to John. Its style is apocalyptic, which

means that many of the details both historical and prophetic

are written in symbolical language.

The clear message of Revelation is that wrong will

be punished, right will be vindicated and rewarded, Jesus is

coming again, and be prepared.

When He returns and defeats Satan, there will be a

time of final judgment: “Then I saw a great white throne,

and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his

presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the

dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and

books were opened. Another book was opened, which is

the book of life. The dead were judged according to what

they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up

the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the

dead that were in them, and each person was judged

according to what he had done. Then death and Hades

were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the

second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in

the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

(Revelation 20:1-15).

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As horrible as the description of final reality is for

those who chose not to accept Christ, it is equally

encouraging for those who did…

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed

away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the

Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out

of heaven from God, prepared as a bride

beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard

a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the

dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with

them. They will be his people, and God himself

will be with them and be their God. He will wipe

every tear from their eyes. There will be no more

death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old

order of things has passed away.’ He who was

seated on the throne said, ‘I am making

everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down,

for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said

to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the

Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who

is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the

spring of the water of life. He who overcomes

will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he

will be my son.’” (Revelation 21:1-7)

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Finding Your Place

at Bright Christian Church

Where Do I Go Next, What Do I Do Now?

The original model of discipleship comes directly from

Jesus and His twelve ____________; from them it is clear that

discipleship is not a _____________ but a ____________.

Congratulations on completing What We Believe!

Recommended next steps:

1) Make a_____________ based on these teachings

2) Find a ________ group of believers to grow with

3) Consider your _____________ level at this church

4) Get to know _______ at Bright Christian Church

A fully connected follower is one who…

Community

Crowd

Congregation

Committed

Core

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1) Attends weekend services regularly

2) Understands and supports the mission, goals,

values, strategy and doctrine of the scriptures

3) Is building relationships with others through Life

Groups, Adults Bible Fellowship Studies, etc…

4) Is using his/her spiritual gifts to serve in a ministry

at the church

5) Is growing in stewardship/giving

6) Is building relationships with unchurched friends

7) Is developing a consistent, meaningful devotional

life

8) Is learning to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in

his/her life

9) Is concerned about extending the mission and

ministry of the church around the world.

Ultimately, your commitment level, and the way you enjoy

life here as a result of it, is up to you!

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1) Start attending an Adult Bible Fellowship or Life

Group.

2) Make contact with any of our ministers, or your

course leader and consider accepting Christ and

becoming a BCC member

3) Make a public commitment to Jesus at BCC

4) Find a Life Group to become involved in

5) Continue Discipleship Journey with involvement in

any of these…

- Adult Bible Fellowship - Life Groups

- Men/Women’s Ministries - Evangelism/Missions

- Music/Drama Ministries - Children Ministries

- Youth Ministries - Various Services

- Special Studies and Courses

A Reasonable Path for those asking,

“Where Do I Go From Here?”

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The following are the answers to the fill-in-the-blanks. Answers go

from left to right.

Chapter #1

connected restore creeds, legalism, denominations

Christian 5,500 1.5 million Christians only

tradition scripture human reason scripture

Bible – believing Inspired Deity Virgin

Fall Sinfulness Death resurrection

return heaven hell Holy Spirit

Chapter #2

loves plan sinful separated

Jesus Christ personally lost, fallen hope

fall short, glory death sin good, doesn’t

hopelessness behalf sacrifice confess

forgive perish eternal life perish,

repentance faith repenting confessing

baptized immersion believer forgiven

Holy Spirit immersion sin obedient

initiates picture guarantee proof

commanded saved clean hear

believe repent confess

Chapter #3

God useful equips active

hearts man’s man facts, faith

Trinity one three invisible

image presence beginning name

Appendix – Answer Key

32

Chapter #4

life power love self-discipline

self-controlled, upright, godly religion relationship

Savior Lord disciples Lord, Savior

Jesus, Lord do says death

heavens earth filled sinful nature

fruit please belong death, burial,

resurrection simple reminder symbol

faith believers examine confess

grace Acts 20:7 Lord’s Day unworthy

connected

Chapter #5

body, Christ members Body Church

worship sacrifice reaching loving

unity, one Bible opinion leadership

Jesus Christ local congregation member

elders deacons evangelists/preachers

membership Outreach Worship Relationships

heaven hell clouds No one

angels Son action authority

disciples baptizing obey

Chapter #6

disciples destination journey decision

small commitment life

Thank you! It is always our pleasure to present the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the awesome ways He is blessing Bright Christian Church!

Please do not hesitate to contact the Church Office for more information.