EI Course Catalog 2011-2012

General Core Courses

In the New Testament we hear Jesus sum up all the commands in saying, "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" and to "love your neighbor as yourself." What do these look like lived out in our lives today? Throughout the New Testament we see both examples and teachings explaining the life of a believer. This course will equip believers to be doctrinally sound, morally pure, and relationally engaged in living out the gospel.

The Word
Since God's Word is living and active, why is it sometimes so difficult to understand and intimidating to communicate to others? If God wants to change us through His Word, why is it sometimes such a challenge to study, apply, and teach it practically? In this six-week equipping course, you will prepare and present an expository Bible lesson using time tested methods for studying the Bible, including proven methods of observation, interpretation, and application.

The Walk
God's great commission to us is to make disciples as you go (Matthew 28:18-20). Our "Walk" as Christians is one of making disciples in whatever we are doing. Many believers feel intimidated or that they have nothing to offer in the disciple making process. Nothing could be further from the truth! EVERY believer has not only the responsibility, but also the capacity to be an effective disciple-maker as they go about their daily walk. This Equipping Institute course will help you gain a biblical understanding of a Great Commission lifestyle and develop skills and thought processes essential to a faithful disciple-maker. 

The Witness
Every follower of Christ is called to tell others the Good News of our Lord and Savior. The hope of this course is that each participant will be prepared and engaged to "fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:19). In this course we will explore creative and practical ways to reach friends, family and even strangers with the gospel. With an emphasis on eternal CPR (Cultivating, Planting, Reaping), this course will both discuss and practice ideas for establishing and nurturing gospel-centered relationships, starting evangelistic conversations, clearly presenting the gospel and answering common questions.

Local Ministry Track Courses

In-House courses focus on ministry at First Evan. Principles taught in these courses are intended to be transferable to other places, but are specific to our ministries at First Evan. Beyond 735 courses focus on our local ministry involvement in places beyond 735 Ridge Lake Blvd.

In-House: Our Ministries
Because most thoroughly equipped churchmen at some point find themselves involved in some level of leadership, it is important that they have a basic understanding of the workings and fundamental ministry principles of ALL the ministries of their home church. In this course, participants will hear from a variety of our pastoral staff who will communicate the basic fundamentals of the ministries they lead. On completion of this course, participants will have a clear understanding of what we do and why we do it for each of our core areas of ministry.

In House: One Another
You cannot read the New Testament without being struck by the enormous responsibility we have to minister to one another. Belief in the "priesthood of every believer" is an essential doctrine of the New Testament church. Being effective in our "one-anothering" requires a variety of knowledge, skills and relationships. This equipping course seeks to provide participants with a thorough introduction to the whys and how-tos of effective ministry within the body.

Beyond 735: Principles of Extension
Memphis is a diverse, multi-cultural city offering opportunities to minister to people of many ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Within such diverse opportunities, there are both universal and specific principles of ministry engagement. This course will seek to help participants understand the opportunities and pitfalls of extending our ministry reach beyond 735 Ridge Lake. We will touch on both personal ministry and organizational ministry principles, hearing from general ministry practitioners and founders of some of Memphis' most dynamic ministries.

Beyond 735: City Blitz
This final course in the Equipping Institute's Local Ministry Track is an exciting blitz of key ministries in Memphis and the surrounding area. Participants will be exposed to some of the most effective ministries in our city and learn what is involved in making these ministries work. Focusing on the knowledge, skills, and relationships necessary to make each unique ministry effective, participants will see behind the programs to what it takes to start, staff, lead, and see lives changed through some of Memphis's most dynamic ministries. 

Global Missions Track Courses

Global Missions: Meaning and Purpose
First Evan has purposefully responded to the great commission from its very beginning in 1935, and now after 75 years world missions remains one of the most exciting ministries at our church. Building upon the Word of God and rich history, we now have many missionaries working all around the world. In this course you will learn about "what in the world First Evan is doing" - the mandate, purpose, definitions, terms, strategy, focus, responsibility and function of the mission board, church and para-church organizations, worldwide church growth, unfinished tasks and the needs around the world. 

The speed of travel and the phenomenal progress in technology and communication has brought the peoples of the world closer than they have ever been in the history of mankind. World globalization has increased the need for cross-cultural communication and contextualization in missions theology and strategies. In this course you will learn about the "people groups" concept, cross-cultural gospel communication, church planting, contemporary world context and creative means of missions. 

How do I witness to my Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Orthodox ... neighbors? How do people from non-Judeo Christian world views understand and accept the Bible as the word of God? Where and how do I begin to communicate the gospel with people who are culturally very different from us? Do you have these questions? If the answer is yes, then this class is for you. Come and gain basic understanding of Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Eastern orthodoxy. You will also learn about the resources that are available to you for further study of your own. The main purpose is to equip you to begin to biblically and contextually share the gospel with people of other religions, cultures and world views. 

Some of you have been on mission trips and some of you are scared to go or even send loved ones out in the world in turmoil. There are still places in the world for some of us to go, learn the language and culture and make it home; to see the people discipled and the church grow. The command to go and make disciples was not just for the first century disciples; it is for us as well. In this course you will learn about participating in mission trips (going and leading), preparing for a career in missions, sending, giving and praying strategically, and building lasting partnerships with nationals. If the world is going to be reached we will have to make sacrifices. Let's do it together.