Chapel Class

A Sunday morning Bible class featuring an informative biblical presentation as well as whole class and small group discussion and life application.

Current Series

For 2 years (1935-1937) Bonhoeffer led a seminary for the training of preachers in a resistance church movement during Nazi Germany. The experience in this school brought men and their wives together in close community which, led by Bonhoeffer, resembled the close community experienced by the early church that we read about in early chapters of the book of Acts. In 1936 the Nazi regime denounced Bonhoeffer as a “pacifist and enemy of the state.” In 1937, they decreed the training of ministers in the Confessing Church illegal and closed the school. It is the closing of the seminary that prompted Bonhoeffer to publish Life Together outlining the rhythms of community he established and practiced with his seminary students.

In Chapter 4, titled “Ministry,” Bonhoeffer identifies discord as the enemy of community and lays out seven practices, each labeled as a ministry, necessary to “face this dangerous enemy squarely, and eradicated it.” The forcefulness with which Bonhoeffer writes is, no doubt, driven by the crisis of the times (mid to late 1930s Germany). However, these seven practices are important for us even in less urgent and dangerous times. In this series, we will read through this important chapter of Life Together and consider one “ministry” each week, evaluating Bonhoeffer’s intent as well as looking to the stories of the Bible as we seek to put these ministries into practice in our church family.

Coming this Summer

The most common encounter the first Christians had with Scripture was by hearing it read or “performed.” Such was the culture in a time of vast illiteracy and little availability of written texts. In this Bible class experience, we will share in this encounter through Biblical Storytelling—reciting Scripture using the art of storytelling. Throughout the series, volunteer storytellers will “perform” a passage of their own selection and share their experience of preparing for the performance. As a class, we will discuss the passage through the lens of our experience as hearers of the text. This is a whole new way of experiencing God’s story in Scripture. For this summer series we will gather several adult Bible classes together in the Chapel.