Renewal Christian Education

Renewal Christian Education is the educational arm of the church, seeking to equip our congregation with the Biblical, theological, and practical resources necessary to grow in fellowship with God, community with one another, and service to our city and world. We offer classes and seminars that present a gospel-centered worldview, emphasize the transformation of the entire person and apply the gospel to all of life.

As part of our vision to renew lives in Christ to transform our city and the world, we seek to equip each person with a well-rounded Christian education for a lifetime of holiness and ministry. We highly recommend going through our “core” curriculum of seven classes. This may be accomplished at the quickest in a two-year span, as shown below. Whether you are committed long-term here at Renewal, preparing for the mission field, or with us just for a season, it is our prayer that through us you will be prepared to do the good work to which God is calling you.

“CORE” CURRICULUM (2-year intensive track)

	Fall Saturday Series	Fall Sunday Series	Spring Saturday Series	Spring Sunday Series
Year 1	Gospel Foundations Class	Unlocking the Old Testament Story: Christ the Key		Reading the New Testament for All Its Worth
Year 2	Gospel Transformation I: How People Change	Renewal as a Way of Life: Spirituality of Soul, Work, and Leisure	Gospel Transformation II: Helping People Change	Being on God’s Mission: Doing Justice and Speaking Grace

FAQ's

Can I take both a Saturday Session class and a Sunday Session class in a semester?
Yes.

Do I have to take the classes in a certain order?
No, there is no mandatory order or prerequisites for any class. However, we do recommend going through the “core” classes in the order above, beginning with Gospel Foundations. For example, you do not need to have taken Gospel Transformation I: How People Change in the fall to take Gospel Trans. II: Helping People Change in the spring; however, we highly recommend this order as one class naturally flows into the next. We also highly encourage taking the Old Testament class before the New Testament one.

How often will the “core” classes be offered?
As long as there are enough students to fill a class, we will offer the “core” classes every semester according to the schedule listed above. The Gospel Foundations class will be the only one offered both in the fall and the spring.

What can I expect in terms of workload?
We do not want these classes to add an unnecessary burden on your already busy schedule. Yet, we believe effective learning involves putting the biblical content to use in our lives. Therefore, every class will include helpful, brief readings and “workshop” assignments that are gone over in the class sessions. (There will be no extra work not covered in class.) These assignments are meant to maximize and enhance our very limited class times.
     For our Bible & Theology classes (i.e. Gospel Foundations, OT, and NT), there will be a brief exam during the last class. This is not meant for a formal record or to be a burden to you. Rather, we feel a brief exam allows you to review and grasp the class material, which otherwise you might simply forget. These straightforward exams will be designed to help you summarize and digest the material for lasting benefit.

Can I still take a class if I cannot make every meeting?
Yes, for a Sunday Series class, if you have to miss just a session or two at most. If you are officially registered in the class and have to miss a session, you can obtain notes. We don’t want to dissuade people from registering, but if you might have frequent conflicts, we would recommend taking the class next time around.
     To register for a Saturday Series class, we will require you to be in attendance for both 5-hour sessions because of the amount of material covered.

Will there be classes offered in the future beyond the “core” curriculum?
Yes. Going forward, as people complete the “core” classes, we plan on offering elective classes each semester, going more in-depth in various topics.

What about the summer months?
The “core” classes will not be offered during the summer months due to vacations, short-term mission trips, and staff sabbaticals. However, there will be elective classes and special seminars offered by Christian Education in the summer.

Why do I have to pay a $15 fee for each class?
This minimal fee is meant to cover costs of food, a class binder, and any required text. This will help us offer multiple classes each semester.

REGISTRATION

Please register for classes via our website (COMING SOON) or via e-mail at renewalclasses@gmail.com. If by e-mail, please indicate the class by typing the full class title in your “subject” line, and in your e-mail please indicate if and for whom you will need child care. You will receive a confirmation e-mail and instructions for picking up class materials and any assignments prior to the first class. There is a $15 fee for each class to cover costs for lunch, materials, and books.

SUNDAY SERIES CLASSES

(each class meets for 8 one-hour sessions)

TIME: 12:00pm–1:00pm or 2:00pm–3:00pm (session repeated)
DATES: 9/30, 10/7, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2

**Register and pick up class materials by September 23

Unlocking the Old Testament Story: Christ the Key
All of us have difficulty making sense of the Old Testament in all its parts. Much of it seems frankly too boring, irrelevant, and inaccessible. How do we read the Old Testament as more than a random collection of antiquated stories, laws, poetry, chronologies, and rituals? How do we apply it to our lives now? This class lays the groundwork for reading the Old Testament as the one overarching biblical story of the redemption of our fallen world. We will seek to understand Jesus’ teaching that the Old Testament is about him (Luke 24.27), exploring how the parts fit together in the mounting drama that culminates in the death and resurrection of Christ. Practically, the class will cover how to read Old Testament Law, the historical narratives, and the Psalms in light of the Gospel Story, and apply it to our lives as our Story.

Instructors: P. Charles Han, Rev. Dwight Yoo, P. Won Ho Kim

Renewal as a Way of Life: Spirituality of Soul, Work, and Leisure
What does true, vibrant spirituality look like in all of life? Even in the seemingly “secular” activities of your work and leisure? This class seeks to encourage and sustain spiritual vigor in your walk with God, your church life, and your work and leisure. We will learn what it means to delight and satisfy ourselves in God as our supreme Joy – through the spiritual disciplines of the Word, prayer, and rest – in the midst of our noisy, distracting world. As Christian spirituality also involves discovering and exercising our spiritual gifts, you will be able to explore your personal gifting, strengths, and passions through Gallup’s StrengthsFinder® assessment and other tools, that you may thrive according to your design. And lastly, we will learn how to make spiritual renewal a reality in our work, leisure, and culture by developing a “down-to-earth” worldview of the kingdom of heaven.

Instructors: Rev. Paul Kim and Pastoral Staff

SATURDAY SERIES CLASSES

(each class meets for 2 five-hour sessions)

TIME: 10:00am–3:00pm
DATES: 10/20, 10/27

**Register and pick up class materials by September 30