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Acts: The Birth of the Church (chapters 1-12) |
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Acts: Paul’s Three Missionary Journeys (chapters 13-21)  This second study begins with the church in Antioch sending Paul and Barnabas on a mission to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to Galatia. The Galatians were so hungry for the Word of God they begged Paul and Barnabas to stay. Do you remember when you first accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? How excited you were to read and hear the word of God? That’s how these Galatians believers felt too! Paul faced opposition from kings and magicians and demons and more, and was beaten and thrown in jail on numerous occasions. And he was harassed by false teachers who spread lies about him and followed him from city to city creating chaos. They even hired thugs in Thessalonica to give false witness against him. There were heroes too, such as Lydia, who started the first church in Europe, and Apollo who was a charismatic apologist, and Aquila and Priscilla who were tent-makers and good friends with Paul. Let’s not forget Timothy and Titus, who Paul considered his spiritual sons, and doctor Luke who traveled with Paul and wrote the book of Acts. Hold on to your hat as we travel with Paul and his companions on his three iconic journeys, courageously planting churches and sharing the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean region. |
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Acts: Paul’s Arrest, Trial and Imprisonment (chapters 21-28)  Imagine yourself as the Apostle Paul. You have spent the past twenty years of your life traveling around the Mediterranean, sharing the Gospel and planting churches. During this time, you were harassed by Judaizers, who followed you around from city to city, trying to discredit you and get you arrested and killed. You have just returned to Jerusalem from your third missionary journey and you’re tired, and the elders of the church confront you about a rumor they heard. You haven’t even had time to rest from your last mission, and you’re being falsely accused of preaching against the Jewish laws and customs. So, you participate in a Jewish cleansing ceremony to show your accusers they heard wrong. While you are completing the ceremony, the Judaizers drag you out of the temple and try to kill you. Then a Roman commander steps in and saves you. However, this sets off a series of arrests and trials that will keep you in prison for the next four years. What do you do? You appeal to the highest court in the land, which is Caesar. This Bible study is about Paul’s arrest and three trials that led him to Rome and set in motion a Christian explosion that spread throughout the Roman empire. Buckle up and get ready to read about the power of the Holy Spirit working through the lives of some of God’s most faithful servants! |
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Galatians: Oh, You Foolish Galatians  Galatians is one of the oldest letters in the New Testament and was written to address a problem with some false teachers called Judaizers. The problem was these Judaizers were putting pressure on the Gentiles to become Jews before they could become Christians. In addition, these false teachers were saying that Paul was not a real apostle. In today’s world, we would compare these false teachers to the cancel culture that are trying to “cancel” anyone who disagrees with them. That’s what Paul was up against when he preached the Word of God. Everyday Christians are being tempted to compromise their faith through peer pressure from friends, family, and co-workers. Not to mention they are being bombarded by movies, television, and social media to be more like the world. As Christians, we are to be in the world but not of the world. That’s what these believers in Galatia were up against. They were getting peer pressure from the Judaizers to compromise their faith. Paul was reminding the Galatians that Jesus set them free from the law and that salvation is through faith in Jesus and nothing else. Amen. |
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Ephesians: Queen of the Epistles  This is a nine-week Bible study for home groups and contains deep theological doctrine and practical application for everyday living. Paul planted the Ephesian church during his second missionary journey and it grew to be one of the three largest and most influential churches in the Mediterranean region. Paul wrote to the Ephesians about five years after he completed his third missionary journey. It is one of four letters he wrote while imprisoned in Rome for a crime he did not commit. Get ready to take another adventure with the Apostle Paul as he reconnects with the believers in Ephesus to remind them of their Christian duty and encourage them to keep the faith. The Christian life is meant to have an impact on the world and should not be lived in secret. Not only should the believer’s life be evident to all, but their lives should be a spiritual light that leads others to Christ. As Paul said, “awaken sleeper, and arise from the dead.” That’s what Christians are called to do today; arise, and make a difference in their home, at work and in their community. Enjoy this journey with the Apostle Paul as he encourages his friends in Ephesus. |
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Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord
This is an eight-week Bible study for home groups and contains deep theological doctrine and practical application for everyday living. Philippians has been described as Paul’s joy letter because it emphasizes the joy of living the Christian life. What makes this letter so remarkable is that Paul was joyful and found contentment while wrongfully imprisoned in Rome. What was Paul’s secret for being content and living a joyful life no matter his circumstances? His secret was simple, it was grounded in his faith in Jesus. That’s what this study is about. Join me as we follow Paul and experience the special relationship he had with the Philippians and his deep desire to know Christ above all else.
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Precept Bible Studies for Home Groups 