Foundations & Formation
of the Christian Life
Foundations and Formation of the Christian Life is a 10-week class that equips participants with a solid understanding of core Christian teachings, practical faith application, and meaningful church connections. Through weekly teaching, discussion, Scripture memory, and reflection, the course covers key doctrines like the Bible, the Trinity, salvation, and spiritual growth. It concludes with practical guidance for discipleship and church membership.
The next class will begin on January 12, 2025.
Foundations and Formation of the Christian Life covers the following sixteen topics:
1. What is the Bible?
The Bible is God’s written revelation of himself and his plan to live with humans as his own beloved ones. This revelation takes the form of a collection of sixty-six books originally written in three different languages by about forty authors over the course of 1,400 years. It centers on Jesus as the King who brings God’s kingdom to earth. 2 Peter 1:20-21: “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2. How do we read the Bible?
We read the Bible by bearing in mind its overall theme (God’s kingdom) and central character (Jesus, the King), and by being attentive to the genre, historical context, and authorial intent of the individual books. Acts 28:23: “From morning till evening [Paul] expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.”
3. Who is God?
God is the eternal, holy, and loving Creator of all things, sovereign and good in every way. Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
4. What is the Trinity?
The Trinity means that the One God exists in three distinct persons—the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit—each of whom is fully God. God’s triune nature lies at the heart of his motive for creating the universe and lovingly inviting us into a relationship with him. Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
5. Who are human beings, and what went wrong with us and our world?
God created human beings in his own image, intending them to relate to him as beloved sons and daughters and to reign with him for his glory. Tempted by an evil adversary, human beings chose to doubt and disobey God, breaking the relationship they enjoyed with God. Every human retains this bent to doubt and disobey God, and as a result we deserve God’s wrath. Our humanness has been distorted in every respect—spiritually, physically, psychologically, and socially. In a word, we have sinned, which means putting something in the place only God deserves. Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
6. Who is Jesus?
Born in 1st-century Judea, Jesus performed miracles, taught about God’s kingdom, and claimed to be God’s chosen King, the Spirit-Anointed Son of God (Christ/Messiah). For this, he was executed by crucifixion. He came back to life three days later, and after forty days ascended to heaven. These historical events validate his claims about his identity (he is the Christ) and meant that his death was not for his sins, but for the sins of others. John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
7. What is the gospel?
The word "gospel" literally means "good news," and this news is that God's kingdom has come to earth through the work of Jesus, the King. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven to offer us forgiveness, freedom from sin, and restored fellowship with God. This good news calls for a response from every person: to turn away from sin (repentance) and place their trust in Jesus as King (faith in him). 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”
8. What does it mean to trust in Jesus as the King?
To trust in Jesus as the King (Lord and Savior) means to renounce allegiance to anything else and entrust one’s life completely to him. It means not only to yield to him, but also to be committed to allowing him to shape our values, and actions. Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
9. Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit brings God’s life-giving presence. Often symbolized by oil or water, the Holy Spirit indwells a person to give them God’s grace and power. Jesus is the Anointed One (the literal meaning of Christ and Messiah), who, as King, can give his Spirit to those who trust in him. Thus, the Holy Spirit makes Jesus’ kingship real to people, convicts of sin, assures believers that they belong to God, and equips them to bear witness to Jesus in the world. John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
10. What does it mean to be united with Christ as an individual?
Being united with Christ means that we share in the benefits of his life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. Specifically, it means that his death for our sin and righteous life are credited to us so that we can be forgiven and live both now and forever in a relationship with God. To live the Christian life is to live in loving communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
11. What does it mean to be united with Christ as part of a new society?
Being united with Christ as part of a new society means that our connection with Jesus also connects us to other believers in a community called the Church, which represents God’s kingdom on earth now. The Church, though a world-wide entity, has many local manifestations: groups of people who, having trusted in Jesus, are committed to following Jesus with each other by gathering regularly to worship him and learn his teachings, and by bearing witness to Jesus’ life in the world. 1 Corinthians 12:12: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
12. What is baptism and the Lord’s Supper?
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are rituals that visibly signify our connection with Christ and the church. Baptism represents our identification with Jesus’ death and resurrection, while the Lord’s Supper is a fellowship meal representing Jesus’ body and blood, and serves as an ongoing reminder of his sacrifice, the unity of the church, and of his future return. Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
13. What is God’s plan for the future?
God’s plan is to renew all creation, fully establishing His kingdom when Jesus returns. This future hope motivates us to live faithfully now, as we anticipate a world made new where God dwells with His people in perfect peace and righteousness. Revelation 21:1-4: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”
14. What practices can help me grow my faith?
To nurture their faith, believers should pray, read and meditate on their Bibles, fellowship consistently with other believers in church, and seek to think and live like Jesus in every area of life. 2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
15. How do I navigate life as a Christian in specific areas of life?
Following Jesus involves every dimension of life. This session provides basic instruction in the following areas: • Wisdom and decision-making • Marriage, family, and singleness • Health and care of the body • Financial stewardship • Education, career, and retirement • Social and political engagement Mark 12:29-31: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
16. How does a local church operate, and what is expected of members?
Trinity Baptist Church operates as a congregational church, led by pastors and deacons. Decisions about onboarding pastors, approving budgets, and amending the constitution are made by majority vote of the members. To be a member, a person must be baptized, and if already baptized, present a verbal affirmation of his or her understanding of the gospel and trust in Jesus. Members are expected to gather regularly for worship and fellowship, be involved in a smaller venue for personal interaction (Sunday class or LifeGroup), be present for members’ meetings, and participate in the mission of the church by loving and serving each other and bearing witness to Christ in their spheres of influence. The salaries of staff and pastors, support of missionaries, and upkeep of facilities depend on the giving of members and attenders, although financial giving is not a requirement for membership, and pastors remain deliberately unaware of who contributes. Ephesians 4:11-13: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”