Overview: The church today owes a debt to many men whom the Lord used to usher in a theology that is consistent with his Word. Some theologians, along with their ideas, failed to stand the test of time as they were not faithful to the Word of God. Others, however, proved to withstand millennia of changing cultures and worldviews. This class looks to the earliest of these men in discovering their lives, thoughts, and contributions which continue to impact the church today. Join us as we examine these saints so as to see the glory of God in preserving his teaching through early men willing to fight for his truth.

Overview: Our world no longer knows what it means to be a man or a woman. The truth and glory of God have been exchanged for lies and Christians are often left confused on how to understand it all. This class will help us orient ourselves first to truth in God’s Word and second to the lies of the culture, ultimately so that we might both remain anchored and bring light to dark places. We’ll consider who God made us to be as image bearers in making us “male and female” as we overview the key terms and teachings of the LGBTQIA+ movement. Our goal will be to learn to speak clearly and truthfully so that we might bring the truth of the gospel into the lives of those we know and love. Join us for this timely task in equipping ourselves to engage the culture with God’s Word.

Overview: John Walton coined the phrase “the Bible was written for us but not to us.” In other words, while the Bible is our source of authority for our lives as the word of God, it was written at a certain time and to certain people. It is our responsibility as Bible readers and interpreters to walk as closely as possible with the original audience seeking to grasp what they would have grasped. This class “Walking with our Ancestors” will explore the many historical contexts of the Old Testament in the hope of gaining a better understanding of the original audience and implications for the gospel message in the New Testament. Join us as we traverse the Ancient Near East (ANE) and look into the history and biblical worldview of our ancestors.

Overview: Justice Harry Blackmun, the author of the Opinion of the Supreme Court concerning the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, said, “We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins.” While murder is as old as human history, there seemed to promulgate from this statement a culture of death and with it the destruction of God’s image bearers. Justice Blackmun’s statement begs the question: is the question of life’s beginning a difficult one? How should we as Christians think through the sanctity of human life? In this class, we’ll dive into the Scriptures and see what God’s word says of divine image bearers. Over the six weeks, we’ll cover the topics of abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. Join us as we gather around the Bible to meet this critical juncture head on with the word of God.

Overview: Our Lord Jesus commanded disciples to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism is a beautiful, public profession of one’s faith in the Gospel and their inclusion in the Church. It’s also the way the church publicly identifies the disciples she makes in obedience to Jesus. If you have believed in Jesus and need to be baptized—or if you just want to learn more about what we believe about baptism—this baptism class is for you. In this class we will answer three questions: What is baptism? Who should be baptized? How do we practice baptism at Heritage? You’ll be given helpful resources and spend time with a Heritage pastor to learn about baptism and next steps for getting baptized at Heritage. Contact Pastor Trent at trent@heritagegvl.com with any questions.

Overview: The church in Ephesus found itself amidst an epicenter steeped in the arts and trade. Much like our nation today, this rich mixing of various cultures and religion brought with it extensive idolatry and immoral practices. Paul’s exhortation to the church there began with none other than one of the most beautiful declarations of the gospel and what it means for the believer to be “in Christ.” He emphasized a life centered on the good news and specifically how the person and work of Christ impacts the purity of the believer and church as a whole. Join us for this 6-week class as we seek to cherish God’s Word both privately and corporately in learning to read the Bible “one-to-one.” We hope to see you for this time of rich instruction and prayerful fellowship!