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Hear members from Crossing Life Church in Windham, New Hampshire talk about the personal and churchwide impact of using the First Principles Series in their churches.
Series 1 covers the process of establishing believers in their faith in the context of a local church––a household of God.
Belonging to a Family of Families
Series 2 turns participants' attention from the household of God––a local church––to indiviual households––the family. God's plan for husbands, wives, parents, and children is set in the context of the local church family.
Series 3 moves from passages to entire New Testament books, first developing a clear process of accurately interpreting these books, then revising the first principles in the context of Acts and Paul's letters.
Handling the Word With Confidence
Unfolding the Great Commission
Laying Solid Foundations in the Gospel
A six-session guide desgined to help leaders understand this new, dialogue-based approach and to develop the full skill set necessary to establish believers and churches in the faith.
The First Principles Series leads students through a learning process---a process designed to teach them to think. The process is based upon the biblical Hebrew wisdom model and on sound, contemporary educational research. This Consistent Study Process (CSP) takes the student through a complete learning cycle. CSP is not ESP---it is not mystically experiencing the text, but carefully and soundly studying the Scriptures. There are four basic steps to this process and one final step that integrates the work from the first four.
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This step is foundational. We cannot begin exploring the issues of the Bible without first understanding exactly what the passages mean. In this step, a passage is read, a few basic questions about the passage addressed, and the core teaching of the passage is summarized.
God raises up teachers and scholars to serve in every generation. Solid, carefully chosen research is presented––in nugget form––to stimulate thinking. These nuggets are presented as brief commentaries and short instructional quotes on ideas related to the core truths of the passage being studied.
Without the process of thinking through the implications of the teaching of a passage, we can gloss over the significance of the core truths. This is best done in small groups where issues can be discussed thoroughly. Issues are discussed in light of the biblical texts that are being studied.
This step completes the basic learning cycle. Gaining a clear grasp of an issue and accurately understanding core biblical truths is simply not enough. It must be applied to our lives. This step affords the student an opportunity to do just that while making the application specific and related to the core truths of the passages studied.
This step brings together the entire study process of the first five sessions. Going beyond the applications made in the Apply the Principles sections, this session encourages the student to think through his whole life and rearrange his worldview. He will be encouraged to commit his heart––by reflection, personal journaling, and prayer. To commit his mind––by forming clear convictions and memorizing Scripture. To commit his life––by decisions, personal projects, and life habits.