Courses and Preparation
Preparing for your Classes
We're looking forward to seeing you in in person in June. Our prayer is that God would use these courses to expand your view of God, deepen your understanding of the gospel, strengthen your ability to study and communicate God's word, and fuel your vision to bring Christ to the nations.
Everything you need to know about Intro to Christian Theology and Bible Study Methods is posted below. Here's what you can do to prepare:
- Order your books for ICT and BSM (see links below)
- For Intro to Christian Theology, download the syllabus and watch the video posted below. (We would strongly encourage you to finish as much of the ICT reading as possible before classes start. Staff who read ahead always tell us they are glad they did.)
- For Bible Study Methods, all the information you need can be found in the Syllabus, Required Texts, and Pre-Course Assignments.
- Complete this Getting to Know You Survey before June 1.
Bible Study Methods – J. Scott, B.T. Straughn, and coaching team
Using the book of Ephesians as a guide, you will learn the skills necessary to open the Scriptures for yourself. You will do this working in small groups along with a coach, so you can get the practical help you need to handle the word accurately.
Syllabus, Required Texts, and Pre-Course Assignments
Intro to Christian Theology – Dr. Keith Johnson
Good theology is vital to the life and health of the church. Theology helps us answer questions like, ‘What is God like?’ ‘How does God speak to us?’ ‘Why did God create the world?’ ‘What does it mean to be human?’ ‘What’s wrong in the world?’ ‘Who is Jesus Christ and what did he do for us?’ ‘What is the good news of the gospel?’ ‘Who is the Holy Spirit?’ ‘What is a church?’ ‘How will God’s story end?’ This course will introduce you to the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith (God, Bible, creation, fall, Christ, Holy Spirit, salvation, Christian growth, Church and future things) affirmed in the Cru Statement of Faith. Not only will you gain a deeper understanding of these doctrines but you will also discover how these doctrines should practically shape our lives and ministries.
Amazon Links for Required Books (Intro to Christian Theology)
Note: You are only reading select portions from these books. Be sure to consult the course syllabus for specific readings. The links below are for the "print" versions of these books. Kindle versions are available as well.
- Practicing Christian Doctrine by Beth Felker Jones (be sure to order the second edition of book linked here released in 2023)
- Counter Culture: Following Christ in an Anti-Christian Age by David Platt (be sure to get the 2017 edition)
Required Reading: Articles
(Note: The reading schedule can be found on pp. 7-9 of the course syllabus. Any article with the phrase "online" after it will be found below. If it says "notebook," it will be found in the sturctured notes you will receive at registration on site.)
- Download González, Mañana, chapter 1, pp. 21-30
- Download "Doctrinal Convictions and Persuasions" by Alan Scholes
- Read "Ten Things You Should Know about Systematic Theology" by Scott Swain
- Download Tozer, "A Divine Attribute" from Knowledge of the Holy
- Download "Trinitarian Patterns in Ephesians" from Letham, Holy Trinity (optional reading)
- Download González, Mañana, chapter 8, pp. 117-23
- Read "A Letter by My Brothers" by Beth Moore
- Read “An Apology to Beth Moore and My Sisters” by Thabiti Anyabwile
- Read "Oneness in Ethic and Cultural Diversity: Posture, Position and Practices" (these three documents are printed in your ICT notebook)
- Read "Biblical Righteousness Is a Four-Paned Window" by Carl Ellis
- "Compassionate and Faithful" is printed in your ICT notebook
- Cru's Approach to LGBT+ Questions (public statement on Cru.org)
- Download “Gifts Flowing from the Grace of God,” by Charles Octavius Boothe
- Download "Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?" by Keith Johnson
- Read "Talking about Faith in non-Western Contexts" by Jayson Georges
- Download "Five Gospel Questions" from the Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas
- Read "Ten Connections between Jesus and the Kingdom" by Phillip Bethancourt
- Download "Like Families and Soccer Teams"
- Download Allison, “Eternal Punishment” by Gregg Allison
Additional Resources (these will be referenced in class but are not required reading)
- Reconstructing Faith: Christianity in a New World (Tim Keller) - helpful article on deconstruction
- Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (Dan Wallace)
- Download "Pneumatological Doxology: Should We Worship the Holy Spirit?" by Keith Johnson
- Download "Penal Substitution as an Undivided Work of the Triune God" by Keith Johnson
- Download "The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Ministry of Jesus Christ: A Trinitarian Perspective" by Keith Johnson
- Download "How should we imitate the Trinity?" by Keith Johnson
- Dowload free PDF of "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God" by D.A. Carson
- New AIA gospel presentation