Teacher: Lisa Parnell I remember being taught as a child that prayer is our way of talking to God, and Scripture is how God talks to us. But each can seem so one-sided and separate. What if prayer could be more like a conversation, a dialogue between God and us? Prayer Trails are an interactive, experiential way of conversing with God while walking through nature. They have proven meaningful and memorable for teens and adults alike. This class will outline the process for making a Prayer Trail and allow you the opportunity to "walk" a virtual Prayer Trail yourself. God is waiting to connect with you...come and see.

Teacher: Andy Wall God has always called his people to live in community. But God surely knows how hard it is for us humans to get along! If you’re aching for a greater sense of unity in our churches, come explore how Jesus’ ministry, the power of the cross, and the canon of Scripture provide a powerful rationale for unity in the midst of our diversity.

Teacher: Jim White Often overlooked because of its brevity, the book of Philemon gives us a glimpse into Paul’s heart, psychology, and doctrine. Paul puts into practice his teaching from the Corinthians letter to bring together two former adversaries. Learn from this shortest of Paul’s epistles the way to gently restore one who has strayed.

Teacher: Shane Hughes

In this session, American church historian Christina Littlefield will explore how one American pastor yoked the evangelical pietism of his Northern Baptist youth to the social justice platform of the Progressive Era, helping to develop the 1908 Social Creed of the Churches. Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918) was one of the leading voices of the early evangelically social gospel. However, he grew up in a conservative household in Rochester, New York and spent zero time thinking about the social conditions of the industrial age, until he began ministering to German immigrants in Hell’s Kitchen, New York in the 1880s. The frequency of funerals for children convinced him the Gospel should serve the whole person, body and soul, and the whole of society, not just the church. He grounded his theological vision in the social justice calls of the Hebrew prophets and the kingdom of God rhetoric of Jesus Christ.

Teacher: Kindy De Long  

Teacher: Kyle Sapp There’s a thing that swallows you. It holds you together while it’s tearing you apart. Lately, that thing seems like ministry. In the midst of political division, pandemic madness, and the usual chaos, it has become increasingly difficult to believe ministry matters. In this class, we will discuss the intersection between ministry wounds, burnout, and the God who says, “My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is perfected in weakness.” Together we will discuss ways we can heal, rest, and be drawn closer to God in the midst of communal suffering and pain.

Teacher: Amy Bost Henegar How do we proclaim the good news of Jesus in an increasingly complicated world? How can we craft sermons that speak words of life for weary hearts and troubled minds? We will ask these important questions and more, seeking God's wisdom for the sacred vocation of preaching.

Teacher: Nick Perez Did God know about COVID-19 before it existed? Various models of divine foreknowledge seek to explain what God knows and when God knows it. This class will explore several of these models and apply them to the global pandemic.

Teacher: Martha Highfield This is the remarkable story of how a series of determined missionary women initiated and shaped Church of Christ healthcare missions in southeastern Nigeria. The stories of nurses Glenna Peden, Mary Kelton, Grace Farrar, Iris Hays, and Nancy Petty reveal how each did what she could to overcome inexperience, conflict, and cultural challenges while relying on faith, family, and community.