Because of the finished work of Jesus, we have been provided with everything we need to live lives of peace, free from anxiety and fear—even in the midst of an insecure and turbulent world. These provisions are found in the Scriptures. In this course we will locate, identify and examine these provisions. Only then will we be able to appropriate them by faith. This course offers a biblical view of faith, what it is, where it comes from, and how to strengthen it.

In the Scriptures, God set aside fixed times or appointments for his people, the Israelites, to come together and feast, celebrate and be with him in a special sense. When you take the time to study these feasts in detail, you see astounding things unfold before your very eyes. All have extraordinary prophetic significance. This is exciting news for us indeed, because through them we can see God’s plan for the future.

Joe Ananias teams up with clergy, scholars, and other guests to explore the history, identity, and ongoing ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of our faith. We will engage Scripture, church history, theology, art, and music to address pressing questions about Jesus and the claim he makes upon us today. 

In Exodus, we have the story of God’s redemptive work through Moses, the shepherding of God’s people into a new life with him, and the giving of God’s own words in the Law.  Please join us as we walk alongside Moses and learn more of God’s strength, power, and profound compassion for his people.

In this season of Essentials, we’ll take up Israel’s story of exile and restoration. For many of us it feels baffling that almost half of the Old Testament revolves around the topic of Israel’s exile and return. Yet, as Christians, the fact that Israel undergoes destruction, deportation, and then mercy probably resonates with some of our unsettled desires and intense longings. Sometimes—perhaps many times!—we feel like foreigners in the lives we live. This study will not only examine the historical events and contexts of Israel’s defeat and destruction under the Assyrians and the Babylonians, it will also take up topics of Christian purpose, endurance, displacement, and godly satisfaction in life. 

Do you ever feel like our affirmation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is hard to grasp? Confusing? Maybe not even necessary? St. George’s former Senior Associate Rector and author Tim Jones has explored such questions for decades. He has made some exciting discoveries about how much difference this ancient Christian belief can make, bringing to our praying a new vitality. And how it answers our deepest questions about our being loved.

In this iteration of our Essentials program, we will focus on biblical passages that reveal the true nature of the church, our life with one another, and, of course, our life with God in Christ. Come learn more about what it means to be part of something that both incorporates and transcends historic periods, countries, and ethnicities. Learn how you are part of something greater than we could ever imagine.

As a disciple of Jesus, it is valuable to explore different perspectives, alternate ways of thinking about our faith and about God. Brad Jersak’s book, A More Christlike God, will serve as the principle platform for this course as we explore our understanding of Christ, the cross, the existence of evil, and the truth that God looks exactly like Jesus. (2023)

What does it look like to be the people of God? What does it feel like? How do we know God is faithful to us? The historical books of 1st and 2nd Samuel speak to all of these questions and more. Join this Essentials study of the two books of Samuel to gather, discuss, and discover how we find Jesus Christ in every corner of the Bible.

Peter’s letters, perhaps written from Rome, give us a glimpse into the concerns and hopes of one of Jesus’ closest friends. Our hope in studying the letters of Peter is that we might round out yet another vantage point in the New Testament’s broader witness of God’s redemptive work.