Christian Basics Course

Westminster-St.Paul's Presbyterian Church

The six weeks will cover:

A brief outline of the bible and a discussion of what Christians mean when they say the Bible is “the word of God.”
An exploration of who God is: Christians have said God is “Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” How does knowing God as “Trinity – three in one” affect Christian faith and spirituality?
An exploration of who Christ is: who is Christ in himself, and who is Christ for us?
Discovery of the holy Spirit as the power of God in one’s Christian life and in the life of the church.
A brief outline of the theology and history of the Church, with special emphasis on the peculiarities of Presbyterian churches.
Discussion of the Christian life as a following in “The Way” outlined by Christ: complete with behavioural code and set of spiritual disciplines.

To download the Christian Basics flyer - click here

Being a Christian is a matter of believing, behaving and belonging.

Traditionally, the belief required was the content of the apostles’ creed, the behaviour was that outlined by the 10 commandments, and the belonging was that symbolized by the Lord’s Prayer.

The course will acquaint participants with all of these, but will primarily use contemporary documents of the Presbyterian Church in Canada such as Living Faith and the Catechism for Today: statements of Christian belief.

We shall also pray, and sing and eat – the ways Christians come to feel they belong.

Participants will have a personal workbook/journal to take notes in for each of the 40 days of lent, as they read and think over the course material. We shall also gauge interest in having mentorship conversations with a mature Christian in the congregation. This is designed to mould behaviour to the shape of a disciplined Christian spirituality.

At the end of the course, participants who have not already made profession of faith, or entered the membership of the church, will be asked if they wish to do so at the Easter or Pentecost services (the traditional season at which the church has baptized new believers and received new members). However, the course is something separate from the issue of membership, and no pressure will be applied to become a church member at the end of the course.

Six weeks is a short time to cover so much important and potentially life-transforming material. Participants should enter into the process with seriousness, and, if they begin, should remain committed to the group for the duration.