Harbor, Pepperdine Bible Lectures

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Kids and students today may not sound like the apostles, but the next generation is hungry for spiritual experiences. In this class we'll reinvestigate the example of Jesus, rediscover prayer practices worth passing on, and restore the priority prayer should have among God's people now and in the days to come. Teacher: Taylor Walling

You will recognize the characters in these six stories; you will smile, laugh, and feel some of the grief along the way. And you will get glimpses into the varied texture of our lives—the unexpected people who bless us, the desert experiences, the need for forgiveness, the gifts along the way, the surprises of grace. Teachers: Leonard Allen, Darryl Tippens

What does it take to be an effective leader in a local church, nonprofit, or ministry environment? This is a question that countless churches have wrestled with, whether it's in the context of recruiting volunteers to serve in existing ministries, installing elders to shepherd the congregation, or searching for new ministers to love and lead the church. This class will explore a simple but essential truth from God’s Word: The best leaders strive to have a heart like Jesus did, because who we are on the inside will always be more important than what we do on the outside. The goal of this class will be to give existing leaders a roadmap on how to love and lead like Jesus did, as well as give churches some important principles to keep in mind as they think about recruiting new leaders to serve their congregations. We’ll be incorporating some key passages from the Bible and recommending some great resources that explain why churches sometimes gravitate towards toxic leaders—and how to avoid making that same mistake in your congregations. Teacher: Bryan Fojtasek

What would it mean for us to become more and more like Jesus—not based primarily on our behaviors—but instead flowing from our deepest desires? What if we learned how to want what God wants? For us? For the people around us? Teacher: Jarrod Robinson

Part 2 of this class considers how the historical lives of Christians and the leadership can inform our own consideration about leadership in the church today. After a brief review of the results from part one and surveying some exemplary trends in church history, we will focus our attention on the particular context of the Church in the US to consider how the past provides wisdom for our present leadership needs. Teacher: John Boyles

Humanity is captivated by the aesthetics of our world. What captures the eyes usually captures the heart. Images flood our minds and hearts through multiple channels. So what do we do when the IMAGE of God has been distorted? Why have we opted for creation rather than the creator? This distorted image of God forms an image of ourselves, others and the way we see the world. Can we recapture & repaint the beauty of who God is? Teacher: Carlos Isaziga

Ministry is tough! It's critical that ministers attend to their own resilience as well as have a framework and tools that can help them support their congregations in being resilient in challenging times. Pepperdine's RISE program will be shared and possible applications from parenting workshops, youth ministry, adult classes, sermons, and pastoral conversations will be suggested. Teacher: Connie Horton

Discouraged? Weary of hearing how our churches are shrinking, aging, and becoming irrelevant? Come hear why we believe there can be hope for the future of our tribe. And hear how you can be a part of this exciting movement. Teacher: Pat Bills Panelists: Jovan Barrington, Cyntha Ownby, Doug Page

This class includes a hybrid of teaching and panel discussion exploring the virtue of sharing Christ with our neighbors. Teacher: Neil Reynolds Panelists:

It is said Jesus did not speak "except in parables.” The parables are part of what made Jesus a master teacher. This class will discuss the nature of parables, how they hide and reveal, and how one might teach or preach from the parables. Teacher: Mark Manassee