Harbor, Pepperdine Bible Lectures

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.

Teacher: Bryan Fojtasek If you had to describe God in a single sentence, how would you do it? Did you know there’s a passage in the Bible (Exodus 34:6) where God does exactly that? This description of God’s heart was so comforting for the Israelites that they kept repeating it for thousands of years in all kinds of adverse situations! This class will take a deep-dive into how God reveals his heart to Israel at a crucial moment in their history, and then make practical applications to church life, family life, and our relationship with God.

Teacher: David Ayres Why are you still a member of Churches of Christ? It seems that, for many of us, that question has become increasingly difficult to answer. For those in our churches who are all too aware of our tradition’s shortcomings, it can be difficult to speak convincingly about the gifts our heritage has to offer. It often feels as though we escaped our bondage to rigid sectarianism only to wander aimlessly in the wilderness of relentless self-critique. Join us as we imagine what it might look like to offer our churches a positive vision for who we are and who we can still be.

Teacher: Bryan Schackmann Scripture invites us into a world where we are encouraged to create alongside our Creator. Unfortunately, we often spend more time consuming instead of creating. How can you reclaim God's call on your life to create meaning in deep and profound ways?

Teacher: Jonathan Guevara El ministerio de Jesús y del apóstol Pablo tuvieron una singularidad, la persecución. Es común encontrar en el nuevo Testamento las dificultades que atravesaban aquellos que decidían llevar el mensaje de salvación. ¿Qué los motivaba? ¿Por qué estaban tan apasionados? Hoy en día la predicación del evangelio se ha tornado opcional para muchos creyentes. ¿Qué los desmotiva? En esta lección encontraremos la magnitud del mensaje que Dios ha encomendado a los creyentes y motivos para llevarlo por doquier.

Teacher: Caleb Borchers The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most financially successful film franchise in the history of Hollywood, and 12 years from its founding continues to be a major shaper of popular culture. These superhero tales not only entertain and distract, but they also have a moral vision which shapes cultural understandings across the globe. In this session we'll look at some of the spiritual lessons that one can derive from this franchise and evaluate the ways these lessons support and challenge a Christian understanding of the world.