Latest Lessons
Here are the most recent items added.
August, 2022
The Covenant Between God and His People
In this lesson Mike reviews the content of the covenant between God and the Israelites, the manner in which it was given and how it was ratified between these two parties.
August, 2022
The Exodus
Mike covers the incidents occurring before the Israelites arrive at Mt. Sinai: God purifies the water, God provides quail and manna, the Sabbath is first observed, water from a rock, war with Amalek and Jethro's advice.
July, 2022
The Exodus
In this section Mike reviews the memorialization of the Passover and dynamic departure of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage with special observances and poetry.
July, 2022
Do I Trust God?
This final class is the summary of our entire series because in the end, this is what it boils down to, "Do I trust God?"
July, 2022
Deliverance - 2
In this lesson Mike explains how God used the 10th plague as the event that brought the Jewish nation into existence.
July, 2022
How does Satan Attack our Faith?
This class is a scouting report on our arch enemy, Satan, and his scheme to convince you that something or someone else is more important than your relationship with the Christ.
July, 2022
Deliverance - 2
This lesson reviews and explains the meaning and purpose of the 10 plagues that Moses called down upon Egypt and its Pharaoh in order to gain the freedom of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.
July, 2022
How do I Reach Mature Faith?
Curtis reviews six scriptures to study that will illuminate our path toward Mature Faith.
July, 2022
Deliverance - 2
In this lesson Mike examines more closely the meaning and consequences of God "hardening the heart of Pharaoh" and if this phenomenon still occurs today.
June, 2022
Can I Reach Mature Faith?
God wants our mustard seed faith to grow into fully developed trees (Matthew 17:14-20). Would a loving God demand of us something which is impossible to attain? This class addresses the issue of whether Mature Faith is attainable for Christians today.
June, 2022
The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
The story of Moses' first meeting with the Pharaoh, his response, God's renewed challenge and the curious placement of Moses and Aaron's family tree continues.
June, 2022
What's so Great about Abraham?
Despite his weak moments, Abraham was a man of exemplary faith. This class will explore this person, chosen by God to receive His blessing and what set him apart from all the rest.
June, 2022
Deliverance - 1
In this lesson Mike reviews the four excuses Moses offered in an attempt to avoid his mission and the initial results when he finally accepted God's call to face Pharaoh.
June, 2022
Up-Again, Down-Again Faith
This study exposes the up and down faith pattern of biblical characters and how we can smooth out the bumps that naturally appear in a life of faith.
June, 2022
The Demands of Discipleship
Mike highlights the very real demands that Jesus Himself places on every person who identifies as one of the Lord's disciples.
June, 2022
General Outline
Mike reviews several ways to outline the book of Exodus for specific study purposes and then begins with a summary of Moses' life before his miraculous calling from a burning bush.
June, 2022
How do I Start Solidifying my Faith?
Solidifying Faith is where you piece together the answers to the questions you have been searching out. In a sense you will always be searching and learning new things but you also need to go through the process of solidifying the truths you're learning.
June, 2022
Introduction
In this first lesson Mike reviews Egyptian history and geography in setting the scene for the introduction of the Jewish people and their condition before their spiritual and national transformation.
June, 2022
Exodus for Beginners
The book of Exodus explains how God revealed Himself to the Jewish people, and how from them, He created a nation that would bring the Savior of all mankind into this world.
June, 2022
Job and the Practical Struggle
Job is a diagram of the anatomy of the Practical Struggle. A clear path is laid out showing the way closer to that deep relationship with God which we long for. This class answers the question, "Is it practical to be a follower of God?"
May, 2022
How did Peter Search out his Faith?
In this session we will be learning about how the faith of Peter grew during his years with Jesus. If you observe closely, you may find that you and Simon Peter have a great deal in common.
May, 2022
Why We Pray
This lesson focuses on three important reasons why Christians should devote themselves to the spiritual exercise of prayer.
May, 2022
The Struggles of Searching Faith
In this study we will learn the four basic struggles of Searching Faith.
May, 2022
How do I Acquire Searching Faith?
If you have Affiliating Faith and want to mature to Searching Faith this class is for you.
May, 2022
How do I Recognize Affiliating Faith?
Jesus could see into people's hearts and know what degree of faith each had. We have to rely on peripheral signs to determine where another disciple is in their walk with God. In this class we are going to learn the external indicators of Affiliating Faith.
April, 2022
How do I Graduate from Imitating Faith?
This class shows how to guide a child or an adult with very little understanding, to a stronger walk with the Lord.
April, 2022
What are the Different Levels of Faith?
This study explains the five basic stages we go through on our faith journey. Five levels of faith with biblical examples for each.
April, 2022
What is Faith?
In this lesson we'll examine how the Bible defines faith.
April, 2022
Why Should I Work on My Faith?
This first lesson explores six good reasons why you should want to work on having stronger faith.
April, 2022
Reaching New Levels of Faith
Strong faith. What difference would rock solid faith make in your life? Would you be willing to put some effort into developing stronger faith? This course will teach you what strong faith is and how to reach it using the Bible as your guide. You will learn not only how to enrich your faith but also how to develop stronger faith in others.
March, 2022
The Three Witnesses
John introduces the witnesses who provide the testimony upon which our faith is built that leads to Christ for salvation.
March, 2022
Where Does Sunday School Come From?
From 1702-1801 the population of England doubled. As more people moved to the cities to find work, the traditional ties to church and community were severed.
February, 2022
A State of Readiness
One day Jesus will come for us in death or with His return, this lesson reviews what the Lord says disciples need to do to be ready for that day.
February, 2022
Plane Thinking
It's amazing how being thirty thousand feet in the air can give you a whole new perspective on life. Recently, I few out to California and, as the plane cruised far above the desert and mountains, I realized how different life seemed from this precarious angle.
January, 2022
Extreme Extinction Event!
There are millions of species of living organisms alive today. Given such a large number, have you wondered how Noah would have been able fit so many living things on the ark? The Bible gives us the ark's size, but what about the number of living animals and the average size of those creatures? How does the math work out? In this session, we will look at the clues from Scripture to see how this might have been possible.
January, 2022
The Conversation
They talked endlessly. Since there was no need to express and explain, their communication moved beyond the speed of light, yet the time taken by the exchange was imperceptible.
January, 2022
Giving our Best to God
Mike draws several practical lessons for contemporary times from the Jew's attitude and approach in building the Tabernacle in the desert, one of the spiritual high points in their history.
January, 2022
Extreme Extinction Event!
The Genesis account of the global flood clearly states that all of the high mountains were covered with water. Have you ever wondered where all of the water came from? Meteorologists inform us that today's atmosphere can hold enough water to cover the earth to a depth of 1 inch. Obviously, atmospheric water vapor could not be the sole water source for a global flood. We will explore one theory that has the explanatory scope that not only provides the water, but helps to explain the megasequences of sediments on the continents.
January, 2022
Extreme Extinction Event!
Sedimentary rock is where the action is! At least if you are interested in fossils. All sedimentary rock began as mud. But did those fossil-bearing sediments take hundreds of millions of years to accumulate? That's one interpretation. But it fails to explain how trillions of living organisms came to be fossils while waiting patiently to be buried over millions of years - without decaying away or being scavenged. Common sense points to rapid burial. Interpreting the sediments through a Biblical lens has amazing explanatory power.
December, 2021
Extreme Extinction Event!
Do you know how many fossils there are in the rock layers around the globe? Some scientists say trillions, others say quadrillions. A quadrillion is a 1 followed by 15 zeros - that is a lot of fossils! Scientists also tell us that fossilization is a very rare event. This begs the question as to why are there so many. We will explore fossilization, and look to Scripture to see if there is a Biblical starting point for how this massive graveyard should be viewed.
December, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
Natural selection is supposed to play a large role in Neo-Darwinian evolution. But is it really equipped to help a bacterium to evolve into a basketball player over eons of time? Let's explore the concept of natural selection, what we actually observe, and if it is up to this incredible task.
December, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
A biological cell has many of the same traits as a physical city. Energy production, waste management, communication systems, factories, workers, and more. No one would believe that a city, even a small one, could spontaneously arise through random, chance processes. Yet we are taught that cellular cities somehow came into existence through nature alone. In this session we will examine a few of the impossible odds associated with these cellular cities arising from chance.
December, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
Ever wonder what each of our cells use for energy? The answer is ATP! In fact, every living organism uses this molecule to fuel the millions and trillions of processes taking place within them at any given time. In this session, we examine cellular energy and how it is created with unbelievably tiny bio-motors. Is it possible that these motors, and the entire processes surrounding them, could assemble themselves over time by a mindless, random, accidental process? Or are they the result of an intelligent mind Who not only designed them, but encoded their instructions within the DNA of all living things?
December, 2021
On the Day She Died
I have a Christian sister and friend who lost her baby recently.
December, 2021
The Lord of Hurting
In this lesson Mike reviews the three avenues of help that God provides for those who are suffering.
December, 2021
Secret Love
Have you ever noticed that God places a premium on secret acts of love?
December, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
We continue our discussion of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution by examining four dimensions of DNA. Discover how the genetic code is read, how the cell efficiently uses the code, DNA folding, and dynamic reprogramming! With each dimension exhibiting exquisite trademarks of intelligent design, the plausibility of macro-evolution becomes increasingly improbable.
November, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
Did you know that the lowly, single celled bacterium called MO-1 has 6 million individual parts? Did you also know that a 747 jumbo jet also consists of 6 million parts? No one would ever think that a jumbo jet could not only assemble itself but also write its own instruction manual on how to build it piece by piece. Yet, this is precisely what you must believe about the bacterium when subscribing to evolutionary theory! Let's examine evolution's engine that is supposed to make this happen and discover a few reasons why it could never happen.
November, 2021
Why Go?
In this lesson Mike reviews two basic Bible reasons that compel the church to evangelize the world in every generation, and one reason to do so which is particular to today's generation.
November, 2021
Evolution's Extinction Engine
If you have ever wondered exactly how the Neo-Darwinian Theory of evolution can transform a bacterium into a basketball player, you're not alone! We will examine the heart of the theory and compare its lofty goals to what is actually observed. Does nature alone possess the ability to move life in an upward direction - from the simple to the complex? Let's ask the critical questions and find out!
November, 2021
At What Cost?
You may have heard the statement, "millions of years ago, shallow, warm, inland seas covered large portions of _____". The ending of that statement being any continent you choose. The Bible affirms that all land mass was indeed underwater, not only at the same time, but much more recently than "millions of years ago". In this lesson we will examine one of the evidences which support a recent global flood. Additionally, we will weigh the ultimate cost for discounting the history of Genesis.
November, 2021
4 Rs in Rehabilitation
This lesson examines the actual spiritual work necessary in order to be restored to a right mind and spirit after a serious fall into sinfulness.
November, 2021
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
In this wrap-up lesson Mike discusses the terms used to describe various features of the Holy Spirit's ministry, what they mean and how they apply to believers.
November, 2021
Big Church, Little Church
The first question people ask when they find out that I'm a minister is the name of the church that I preach for and then, without fail, follow up with the query, "How big is your congregation?"
November, 2021
Literal Genesis
When it comes to scientific theories of origins, as Christians we should hold firm to Scripture - which never changes, and hold loosely to human theories - which often change. In this series, we will examine the early history in Genesis, the supporting scientific evidences and explore the main controversies which often raise doubts for some Christians. Be prepared for critical thinking!
November, 2021
A Rib, a Snake and a Flood
Have you ever discussed the first few chapters of Genesis with someone and felt inadequate to defend or perhaps embarrassed about its account of history? Or are you under the impression that all of science somehow disproves the Genesis narrative? In this lesson we will examine four components of early Genesis history and how they may be supported scientifically. But above all else, as Christians, we should hold firm to Scripture and hold loosely to theories.
October, 2021
How God Works
In this lesson Mike explains the purpose of miracles and the necessary element that authenticates legitimate miracle workers.
October, 2021
Raising up the Cross of Christ
In this lesson Mike expands the meaning and method used by the Holy Spirit to raise up the cross of Christ externally.
October, 2021
Atonement Theories
In this lesson Mike discusses the various ideas down through history that various teachers have had concerning the meaning of atonement as well as the one vital work of the Holy Spirit in the plan of salvation.
October, 2021
Perseverance
In this final session Mike will review the purpose and reward of spiritual disciplines and add the tenth and most critical of these.
October, 2021
The Function of the Holy Spirit
This lesson demonstrates the role played by the Holy Spirit in executing God the Father's #1 goal in sending Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all humanity.
October, 2021
Sacrifice
This session is about sacrifice a discipline that most aligns us with Christ and His life.
October, 2021
Lessons from the Valley
It has been eighteen months since my first serious bout of dizziness and nausea.
October, 2021
Self-Control
Mike talks about the relationship between the Holy Spirit's influence and the discipline of self-control.
September, 2021
Godward and Manward Manifestation
In this lesson Mike will explain the various ways that the Godhead is manifested.
September, 2021
Humility
The complex discipline of humility is examined by reviewing common attitudes, the battle experienced and everyday habits that are connected to this quality.
September, 2021
The Holy Spirit is God
This lesson will focus on the various Scriptures that define the particulars of God's complex character and demonstrate the unique presence of the Holy Spirit in the Godhead.
September, 2021
Prayer
In this session Mike corrects some of the misconceptions many people have about prayer.
September, 2021
Our Concept of God
In this lesson Mike examines the early passages of Genesis that clearly reveal initial evidence of God's nature or what is often referred to as the Trinity.
September, 2021
The Spirit and the Cross
The twin goals of this series are to first explain the history and evidence of the triune nature of God in the Bible, and carefully trace the specific role of the Holy Spirit in the plan of salvation as this is revealed in both the Old and New Testament.
September, 2021
Surrender
This session takes a look at one of the most difficult of the 10 disciplines on the way to spiritual maturity.
September, 2021
The Gold in the Golden Years
Mike reviews Psalm 71 and describes three golden blessings that only God can provide when we are old.
September, 2021
Stillness and Solitude
Mike discusses two important features of spiritual maturity and how each supports the other.
September, 2021
Bible Bytes
Bible Bytes are short animated videos that comment on every day events, feelings and questions from a uniquely Christian perspective.
September, 2021
Back to School
With the big day soon upon us, I offer a few reminders to parents and kids to help get us started on the right foot.
August, 2021
Decluttering our Lives
In this session Mike will explain the condition that permits intimacy to take place - simplicity.
August, 2021
Drawing Closer
In this session, Mike reviews the 4 stages of complete spiritual transformation as well as the second step we need to take towards spiritual maturity.
August, 2021
Faith
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a choice. If we choose wisely then we enter a relationship with God. If we choose poorly, we reject God and suffer the consequences of lost hope. In this lesson we explain how we wisely use the gift of choice to learn more about God, trust God, and obey God. The lesson demonstrates choosing faith by showing how Peter gained, weakened, and regained his faith and how Judas Iscariot chose to misdirect and lose faith.
August, 2021
Being Rich in a World of Poverty
Mike shares some observations as a rich person who has been exposed to and visited areas of extreme poverty and despair in this world.
August, 2021
The Foundation
This introductory lesson and discussion questions will lay out the path taken by the group for this spiritual journey.
August, 2021
10 Steps to the New Spiritual You
This small group series is devoted to mature Christians who want to take their Christian experience to another level of spirituality.
August, 2021
Matthias and Paul
As the gospels end and the church begins, we see Matthias appointed to replace Judas and later Paul appointed to continue to carry the gospel into all the world. This lesson looks at these two later appointed apostles and the lessons we learn from them.
Church 101
August, 2021
What should we do about COVID?
Here is Mike's response to believers about the current pandemic.
August, 2021
Judas Iscariot
This lesson looks not at a wasted life, but at a life wasted. The difference is choices made. How sad it will be on judgment day when we are presented with the many opportunities to serve our Lord. Such is the case with the tragic figure Judas Iscariot. He was with our Lord physically but not spiritually and never grew in his faith.
July, 2021
James the Less, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Not Iscariot
Known only by their names yet known to God for their faithful and selfless service. These three untold heroes teach us that our role is to put the Master first.
July, 2021
Matthew and Thomas
All of us have questions, doubts, and fears. These two apostles showed their faith in Jesus over things of the world and things that cause us to fear and doubt. They learned to turn their lives, without hesitation, to the one who gives life.
July, 2021
What You Should 'Get' Out of Church
In this lesson Mike examines what type of rewards we should be receiving from the practice of public worship.
July, 2021
Philip and Nathanael
Two men whose first instinct was to bring others to Jesus. Sometimes they got it wrong but, in the end, they recognized who Jesus was and followed Him into eternity.
July, 2021
James and John
This amazing pair of self-centered and self-serving brothers became faithful and self-less servants of Jesus. Along the way they had much to overcome, beginning with themselves. The result was complete loyalty and service to the master.
June, 2021
Andrew
This apostle, the first follower of Jesus, shows us the value of taking the gospel to those close to us. He, like his famous brother, Peter, grew to become fishers of men.
June, 2021
Peter
Perhaps the best known of the apostles, this giant of the faith went from putting his foot in his mouth to opening the way to Jesus for all humanity.
June, 2021
Father Knows Best
Mike looks at an old TV show that reflected a world where life was good because fathers in general knew what was best for their families.
June, 2021
Introduction to the Apostles
In this lesson, we will gain insight into the difference between a disciple and apostle. We will look at how Jesus prepared Himself to call the 12 and what they had to overcome as they grew in their faith.
June, 2021
Twelve Were Chosen
This study reviews what we know from Scripture of the men known as the Apostles. The intent of this study is to look briefly at the lives of these men to learn from them how to strengthen our walk of faith.
June, 2021
Prejudice and the Bible
In this last lesson, Mike demonstrates that if we followed what the Bible teaches there would be no prejudice of any kind.
June, 2021
Still Sinful, Still Saved
In Romans chapters 6-7 Paul explains the apparent paradox that Christians who still struggle with sin are nevertheless saved.
June, 2021
Genetic Engineering: Playing God
In this second part on the subject of genetics, Mike explains the process of cloning and the moral issues stemming from this practice.
Church 101
May, 2021
What is the Textual Authority for Internal Biblical Inspiration?
Where does is it state in the Bible that the Bible itself is the only source of authority and who established the Bible's canon?
May, 2021
Genetic Engineering: Playing God
In this first of a two-part lesson, Mike examines the first two practices in this scientific field, genetic modification and human engineering. He will also refer to Bible principles that should guide these practices.
May, 2021
Graduating with Honor
On Graduation Sunday, Mike honors not only this year's graduates but also speaks about graduating from the school of Christian life.