About this Self-Paced Course
My friends,
This class is a self-paced audit version of the True^North class. It is offered by Kingswood as a service to the Body of Christ. There will be no one officially monitoring your progress or responding to questions. However, you will have unlimited access to the material and to all the videos.
Second, in many churches that I have taught personally, I have been working with a person I would label as the Local Church True^North champion. This is someone who has been working with the True^North material for some time. Plus, I am available to them to address questions which have arisen. Please seek them out for clarity on issues which you may feel a bit "stuck." I long for us all to wolk together toward maturity. Read Ephesians 4:11-13:
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
May this be so Lord. May this be so!
The syllabus for this version is designed to help you walk through the True^North book chapter by chapter. I have set the class up in 7 modules (yes, a Holy Number indeed). But each module may assume several weeks to walk through all the material. Remember, this is not a race but a marathon. Better yet, it's a lifetime journey to get to know the Jesus revealed in the Word of God. So, think of the entire class as a self-pace walk in the word. If it takes you and/or your small group a bit longer to grasp the material shared in Module 3 & 4 on Observing the text...let it be so. There is no timeline. And there is no grade. All that is laid before you is a gift from my heart to yours.
Next, this class will provide you with both the "Why" and the "How" of Bible Study. True^North Chapters 1-4 discuss "why" this is so important. I ask you not to jump past it to the "how." Why we do something is foundational. We will build the "how" on the solid rock of "why" we do it. Thus, I encourage you to take your time in these introductory chapters.
Finally, I highly recommend that you do this both privately and in a small group. Our faith experience is both about Me and We. In my experience, the intricacies of Bible Study are often best applied in small groups. It is together that groups can help one another grasp both the "Big Picture" in each module...and also the small details. Some of you are most certainly "detail" people. Others see life much better from 10,000 feet. Together, we make up the Body of Christ. where You will become familiar will give you personally or for small groups to move through the True^North book. BUT, I also desire for you to consider re-reading the class material as an individual. Even re-listen to the videos.
Personally, I need to read or listen to things twice (or three times) before I take ownership of the material. And for new skills that you will be learning in True^North, it can often take practice...practice...practice. Please, if you take time upfront with True^North, it will reward you with a life time of benefits...right into Eternity.
Video Disclaimer: Friends, this class is designed specifically for you in the local church...not for the world of academia. However, many of the videos you will encounter in the following modules were shot with a for-credit student audience in mind. Apologies that I could not re-shoot them for you. So, when I talk about assignments and grades...you may sit back and relax.However, please realize that the skill set for reading-interpreting-applying the Word is exactly the same no matter what your location: School, Small group or in the Church. This is the Word of God for the people of God.