Choosing a Course

Wesley Ministry Network courses are all designed for groups of adult learners but vary somewhat in terms of their academic level and the degree of preparation they ask of participants. We hope that the following notes will help you to select a course that is right for your group:

Religion and Science: Pathways to Truth
Dr. Francis S. Collins, the new director of the National Institutes of Health, hosts this ground-breaking series in which over a dozen leading scientists, theologians, and philosophers consider how religion and science might coexist and even complement one another in the 21st century.

Audience:  Religion and Science is a mid-level course that does not require a background in science to understand. Each lesson is freestanding, so it is easy to adapt the course to your particular needs (e.g., dropping a less relevant lesson or adding especially helpful materials from the bonus DVD).

Devotion to Jesus: The Divinity of Christ in Earliest Christianity
This course takes on revisionist accounts of how and when the first Christians came to believe in Jesus as the divine son of God. Dr. Larry Hurtado, Edinburgh University professor and one of the world’s leading authorities on early Christianity, challenges misrepresentations of Christian origins, such as the notion that belief in Jesus’ divinity arose decades after his death, or the idea that Christianity is an invention of the apostle Paul.

Audience:  Devotion to Jesus is a more academically-oriented course that will be best understood by those possessing some background in biblical studies (e.g., graduates of the Disciple Bible Study program). Those who are aware of modern controversies concerning the identity of Jesus will find the course especially interesting and helpful.

Simply Christian
Based on the best-selling book by Bishop N. T. Wright, this course addresses questions of the reasonableness of the Christian faith in the modern world. Wright begins by exploring what seem to be universal longings – for justice and relationship, spirituality and beauty – and from these goes on to simply, yet powerfully explain the core of Christian faith.

Audience:  An excellent course for both established believers and seekers that can be used with or without the Simply Christian book. (The book itself is written for a general audience but might prove a bit challenging for those not used to reading theology. The relevant section of the book is briefly summarized and then expanded upon in each lecture.) A copy of the book is included in the Course Kit. Some churches have used Simply Christian again and again, even adapting it for use with youth groups and with new members classes.

Serious Answers to Hard Questions
Ten leading Christian and Jewish theologians each address a single tough issue, such as the existence of evil or the relationship between religion and science. These ten issues are obstacles to faith for many both in and outside of the church. This course encourages the energetic discussion and sustained reflection that is key to a life of informed discipleship.

Audience:  Serious Answers is an outstanding introductory-level course that appeals to a very wide audience.  Each lesson is freestanding, so it is easy to adapt the course to your particular needs (e.g., doing half of the lessons at one time and half at another). This is a great starter course that encourages a lot of lively discussion.

Women Speak of God
This course introduces us to some less familiar voices in church history: voices which attest to God’s living presence through time as these six women struggled with issues of identity, character, and calling, which still resound with us today.

Audience:  An eye-opening mid-level course for men as well as women. Requires a few pages of reading for each session. As is typical of our earlier courses, there is less graphical content than in our more recent DVDs; nevertheless, the content is excellent and will be especially appreciated by those with an interest in history.

A Life Worthy of the Gospel
This is a challenging and inspiring introduction to Christian ethics, which explores the formation of Christian character through the writings of the Bible, Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Wesley.

Audience:  A mid-level course that is densely packed with rich content. Requires a few pages of reading for each session. A Life Worthy of the Gospel is not as lavishly illustrated as our later courses, but it is a perfect match for serious study groups that want to go deeper. The course builds to a very powerful climax in Lesson 6.

Journey Through the Psalms
Take an in-depth look at the book of Psalms – the prayer-book of the synagogue and the church. Through study of the word and insights gained through the arts, we are invited to approach God with the same honesty and intensity as the ancient Psalmists.

Audience:  A course that is devotionally focused and possesses widespread and enduring appeal. Leaders and advanced students are encouraged to read the Journey Through the Psalms book in connection with the course. (The book is probably too challenging for casual readers, but it is not required for successful participation in the course.) A copy is included in the Course Kit.

In God’s Time
A faithful and sane alternative to sensationalist perspectives, this course opens up the entire Bible and reveals its teaching of God’s ultimate victory, a hope that is to be taken seriously and yet sensibly.

Audience:  In God’s Time is something of an “upper-level” course and is recommended for students desiring a more academic approach to the Bible. A background in Bible study, such as completion of the basic Disciple course, is desirable but not required. The In God’s Time book is an optional but helpful addition to the course. A copy of the book is included in the Course Kit.