Vintage21 Church

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Spiritual Formation at Vintage21

Eph 4: 12-16. “…to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Journey classes call God seekers, God doubters, and God followers into genuine understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ. When people truly know and understand the Gospel, they must respond with everything they have or walk away. To stay and accept the crazy love of God is to be built up as part of the body of Christ or the church. Being unified and matured for His service brings glory to God and it is our ultimate goal to glorify God. Therefore, through the study and discussion of the Bible and other resources, Journey classes are designed to meet people where they are in their journey of life, whether they believe in the redeeming power of Christ or not, and bring them into knowing, living, and building the Gospel into the lives of others around them. In order to present an honest look at the God of the Bible, a variety of classes are offered to cultivate spiritual renewal and deeper following.

Journey 100
101: Gospel Class
The Gospel class unravels the intimate and woven tapestry of the Bible to reveal the love of God and His complete and thorough plan for humanity. An overarching view of the Bible is presented to show that we are a shattered, desperate people who could not redeem ourselves through obedience of the Law. But the story does not end there. In spite of our brokenness, God loved us so much that He showed us a way to redemption, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As a response to this love, the early church began and now we seek to continue as a modern church that responds appropriately to the amazing love and sacrifice of God. This class is for all people, whether doubter, seeker, or follower.
CHILDCARE PROVIDED - Please email journeyclasses@vintage21.com to register

102: Rhythms of Mission
"As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." But, in what way was Christ sent? He came into the world, as a culture-experiencing, culture-making human. We too have been given this mission. We believe that missionaries belong not only in other countries, but here in our local communities to love our neighbors by bearing His message through our lives. The Missionality class shows us our response to knowing the Gospel, by living that Gospel out, and working to build the kingdom of God in our specific time and place. This class will be very deep theologically, but also very practical for your life of following Jesus.

103: Ownership
Vintage21 believes that membership, with our culture’s understanding of the word, is not the most appropriate role for us in Christ’s body or the church. A member of an organization uses the facilities, gains from its services, takes a shower, and heads about their business. Being a part of a church is better comprehended with the word ownership. An owner makes the organization happen. Throughout the New Testament, followers of Christ are called heirs (Greek: to own) to God’s kingdom (Titus 3:7, Romans 8:17, I Peter 3:7). Therefore, each follower of Christ co-owns the church with Jesus Christ. Becoming an owner of Vintage21 is a declaration that you are not simply joining the community of Christ, but the cause of Christ as well.

The motivation behind becoming an owner is not what can be received, but what can be given. When people become owners, they are declaring submission of their lives to the spiritual authority of this community and welcoming genuine accountability in their spiritual journeys. This class explores the 6 points of ownership and provides attendees the opportunity to become owners at the end.

104: Baptism
If you read the book of Acts, you will find that the normal response to accepting Christ was to be baptized. In the early church, baptism was a purification ritual. To be submerged in water and then brought back up was a sign that you were washed clean. It was also an act of repentance. When we are baptized today, it is symbolic of repentance. We are saying that the work of Jesus to free humanity from sin has freed us as well. In actuality, we are being submerged with Jesus in His death and raised with Him in His life. Baptism is also an outward confession of our beliefs—a sign of faith. It is a way to announce to the world that we are dedicated to God’s will and to His ministry.

The Baptism class is offered in the summer prior to BBQ Baptism. This is not a time to be submerged in BBQ sauce but an opportunity for the entire church community to celebrate and witness the dedication of God’s people to Himself at a local lake. The one-session class offers deeper insight into the meaning of baptism and what to expect at BBQ Baptism.

105: Book Studies
To offer an honest look at the God of the Bible, external resources are studied. Books such as Mere Christianity present the Gospel of Christ from a laymen’s point of view and provides poignant thoughts on philosophy and theology. Book studies provide a light theological investigation for doubters and seekers as well as for those who are new followers. Check the Journey class schedule for the various book studies that are offered.

Journey 200
201: Spiritual Gifts Assessment
God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts to His people. It is, however, the believer's responsibility to develop their given spiritual gift(s) and use them to build the Gospel in the community around them. We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of all believers to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God given to them. (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10-11) To help identify your spiritual gifts, an assessment is offered and an explanation is given of where those gifts can be used in the church. If you are looking to serve in the church, but don’t know where, this is a good starting point.

202: Entering the Story of God: The Study of Scripture
The form and nature of Scripture demand a certain type of reading and study. This class will seek to reshape our modernistic, westernized approach to Scripture and help us learn to read God's Word how it was meant to be read: for transformation rather than information. In this class we will examine our hearts and motivations in our approach to Scripture, seek to develop a transformational reading of the text, introduce bibliology (the theology of Scripture), and discover the importance of contemplative meditation on Scripture, a long neglected necessity in the life of the modern Christ-follower.

203: Men's and Women's Studies
Vintage21 desires to raise up Godly men and women who truly understand the Gospel and longs to share the love of Christ with their entire lives. The various studies would teach men and women how to live a Christ centered life by teaching them to use their gifting to glorify God. Followers would learn to fight, lead, and redeem the broken world to bring other men and women to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. Men would learn to overcome natural tendencies of apathy and self-centeredness to living purpose-driven Christ loving lives. Men are also taught to live sacrificially for their wife, honoring and loving them even while single. Godly women are shown their intelligence and strength, reflecting the attributes of the Holy Spirit. Women are also taught to respect their husbands, giving grace and helping to raise a Christ loving family, even before marriage.

Journey 300
301: Discipleship
Discipleship is meant to bring people into Christ-centered relationships with one another so that true community is formed. Jesus had disciples and taught them humility and sacrifice for the sake of spreading the Gospel to the world. Now it’s our turn to continue the tradition. The process of discipleship includes equipping, training, and encouraging one another in her/his journey to know and adopt Christ’s character as their own. The class will explain the value of discipleship and the accountability to the mission of Christ that it produces. Practical application of discipleship will be provided as well. It is the vision of Vintage21 that the entire church body of God doubters, seekers, and followers, would be involved in homegroups, which are the centers for community within Vintage21. Discipling relationships would form within homegroups to produce deep, God honoring community that faithfully loves one another at all costs. These relationships will serve to bring true and life-giving community to those accepting the challenge of living life in front of another person(s).

302: Biblical Deaconship
Historically, deacons have served as both care providers and overseers of the church body. They are depended upon to be the hands and feet of our Church, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). Vintage21 has lead deacons and deacons. A lead deacon has the spiritual gift of leadership and empowers and directs their team of deacons. A deacon is a person that is responsible for “doing ministry” and serves as the front line person to accomplish building the local church. The qualifications for a deacon are taken from the following scripture in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. If you feel called to be a deacon, this class will offer more information into becoming a deacon.

303: Biblical Eldership
Vintage21 is an elder-led church. Elders at Vintage21 are called by God to shepherd and lead the local church. They meet regularly to establish direction of the church, discuss theology, and lovingly discipline people at Vintage21. According to the Bible, an elder is a man who has been called by God to this role. This is a lifelong position, so it is not taken lightly. Each elder goes through a year of study, prayer, and meetings with the present elders. The qualifications for an elder are taken from 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. If you feel called to be an elder, this elder-led class will offer more information into the process of eldership.