Lessons Introduction

This series of lessons was developed over a period of twenty-five years and has been successfully used as an instruction manual for teaching all levels of Christianity. Depending upon the instructor, and the level of instruction that is needed, this manual can be used to teach selected lessons, i.e. Lessons 1, 2, 3, 7, 12, 23, 24, 29, 31, 34, 35 & 40. Listing these lessons in the previous order was done only to illustrate one of the many ways that they can be used. The layout of each lesson has purposefully been kept simple so it could be used to instruct all ages and nationalities. We also have a set of review questions that go along with each lesson. The “End of Lesson Reviews” are fill in the blank type of review and they follow the sequence of the lessons so the students can easily find the correct word that goes in the blank. These reviews are designed primarily to be used as a learning tool because it repeats various parts of the lesson and “repetition is the mother of all learning”.

Back in the early 70s we were attending a startup church in Colorado Springs, Colorado where I became actively involved in evangelism. Back then as the new converts would ask questions, I came to realize the need for a manual that would get Christians into the Bible and at the same time would answer many of the questions that they were continually asking me. In the later 70s I was once again involved in a startup church in Saranac Lake, NY only this time I was the person who was starting the church and, remembering my previous experiences, I started looking for teaching materials that would answer the majority of the questions that the folks were asking me. After purchasing several different instruction manuals and still not finding exactly what I was searching for I started writing lesson plans to instruct the saints of God. We now have instruction manuals that teach Church Government, Confirmation Services, Deliverance, Daniel’s 70 Weeks, Divine Gifting and First Principles. Although this series is the first that we have attempted to publish, if all goes well with these, the others will follow shortly because they have already been written and used successfully. The original “First Principles Series” had twelve lessons and was used primarily to teach the new convert but new lessons were written and inserted as we saw the need for more instruction on various topics. The design is intended to be very simplistic and straightforward so that anyone can join in the class at any time without feeling left out or left behind.

Over the years these lessons have been used successfully on the mission fields and in many different settings within the local church. Some suggested uses are to use them for Sunday School Classes with the teacher using those lessons that fit within the scope of the topic and material that he or she is using. They have also been used successfully for midweek services at the church and for small groups that meet in the home.

After many years of being involved with the aspect of helping to equip the saints of God, it is my sincere hope and prayer that these lessons will be of some eternal value to those who use it.

In many cases you will find that these lessons are more scripture than they are comments and thoughts from me. We try to make a particular point or view and then list one or more scriptures that validate that particular point or view. As stated earlier, one of our main purposes is to involve the student in the process of referring back to the Scriptures to get their answers.