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SESSION #1

Purpose of this class = prepare students to make a decision to be baptized

= give students an opportunity to ask questions

Session #1—Baptism illustrates our belief & trust in Jesus. Baptism is a decision about why you will live—for Jesus.

Session #2—Baptism indicates our belonging & identity in Jesus. Baptism is a decision about who you will be—one of the Jesus-followers.

Session #3—Baptism initiates our walk of becoming like & living in Jesus.

Baptism is a decision about how you will live—with Jesus.

Overview

Introduction

True (T) or False (F):

__ 1: John, the guy who baptized Jesus was one of the first Baptist missionaries.

__ 2: “Baptism by immersion” means that you go underwater at least up to your neck.

__ 3: God is a person.

__ 4: All of the people who have a good record by the time they die will get into heaven.

__ 5: Only baptized people will be in heaven.

__ 6: If requested, parents can have their baby baptized at UABC.

__ 7: UABC’s baptistry is also a hot tub.

__ 8: The founding pastor of UABC was named John Mason Peck.

__ 9: Pastor Brad was baptized on Easter Sunday in 1991.

__ 10: Only pastors and teachers have to study the Bible.

__ 11: Prayer is a lot like putting in your order at a restaurant.

__ 12: It is required that anyone who takes Communion has been baptized.

Tricky True or False

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SESSION #1

What do we mean when we say “believer’s baptism?”

What do we mean when we say “by immersion?”

What Does This Mean?

Believer’s Baptism

Baptism illustrates the story of Jesus:

• His __________ & ____________________

• His own ___________

For the person being baptized, baptism illustrates:

• your belief in God

• your trust in ________

• your _________ to the old self & __________ to the new you

Every Believer’s Baptism Tells 2 Stories

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SESSION #1

Right before being baptized at UABC, each person is asked 3 questions. The first one is:

“Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God?”

The Simple Summary 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 The Roman Road

Romans 3:23 → Romans 6:23 → Romans 5:6,8 → Ephesians 2:9-10 & Romans 10:9-10

First Question

1st Question: “Do you believe…?”

Faith = __________ + __________ + __________

Matthew 7:24-29

It’s Not Just a Brain Thing

Summaries are available on page 6.

What we believe…

About God

About Jesus

About the Holy Spirit

About Humanity

About Salvation

About the Bible

A Matching Race

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SESSION #1

Each student will create a Top 10 list of his/her favorite Bible verses. ❑ Each verse should use a minimum of a half-page of space (You’ll use at least 5 pieces of paper.) ❑ Include the text of the verse(s) and the reference ❑ Add a 1-2 sentence explanation or some original artwork that illustrates why you like the verse ❑ Decorate your Top Ten list as much as you want

What verses do you remember? What verses mean the most to you? Which verses say the really im-portant stuff? Ask your family & friends—what are their favorite Bible verses?

OQA Bible Study

Before Next Time

If your student is not familiar with The Roman Road, read through those verses together (They are

listed on the previous page.), and help make sure he/she understands how they fit together.

Read Matthew 7:24-29 together, and discuss these questions: This might be a story you’ve heard before, but is there something you noticed this time that

you didn’t remember before? What is the difference-maker in this parable between a well-built life and a life that falls apart?

(HINT: v24) Why do you think Jesus’ words make for a rock-solid foundation for life? Make a list of your

reasons. After reading & thinking about this little story Jesus told, what do you want to tell or ask Je-

At-Home Discussions with Students

We’ll read through the Gospel of Mark on our own. Today, we’ll do the first part together. For each daily reading, simply write down at least 1 note like the following:

O—It sounds like Jesus is upset.

Q—When did the blind man know it was Jesus?

A—I need to apologize to mom for what I said last night.

Top Ten Project (due at Session #3)

Before our next time, ask at least one parent or adult the first question. The other questions are optional. Were you baptized? If so, when & where? Was it a “believer’s baptism” by immersion? Who is your favorite character in the Bible (other than God/Jesus/Holy Spirit)? Why? What is your favorite book in the Bible? Why? Do you ask God questions when you pray?

To-Go Questions with Parents

O = observation, what I noticed

Q = question, what I’m wondering

A = application, what I will do

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SESSION #1 Extra #1: What We Believe

We believe GOD IS THE CREATOR AND RULER of the universe. He exists in three persons: the Fa-

ther, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

We believe HUMANITY IS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. God desires to have an intimate relationship

with his special creation. Although humanity has a great potential for good, we are marked

by sin. This separates humanity from God.

We believe JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY SON OF GOD. Jesus lived a human life without sin and of-

fered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose

from the dead after three days and demonstrated God’s power over sin and death. He as-

cended to Heaven and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings.

We believe THE HOLY SPIRIT IS EQUAL WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON AS GOD. The Spirit is present

in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit provides

the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing

what is right.

We believe SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD to humanity. God has offered a way for people to re-

store the intimate relationship he desires. By accepting Jesus Christ as God’s offer of for-

giveness and trusting in him, humanity can be saved from sin’s penalty and enjoy eternal life.

We believe THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD to all people. It was written by human authors, under the

guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the primary source of truth for Christian beliefs and living

and is without error in that purpose.

UABC’s Basic Christian Beliefs

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SESSION #2

Baptism indicates our belonging & identity in Jesus. Baptism is a decision about who you will be—one of the Jesus-followers.

The 2nd Question at Baptism and What It Means to Belong

How’d the Church Get Here? (2000+ Years in 15 minutes)

What Makes us “Baptistic” and What’s Our Denomination?

About UABC

Who’s In?

Before Next Time

Session Overview

Introduction

Right before being baptized at UABC, each person is asked 3 questions. The second one is:

“Do you trust Him [Jesus Christ] to save from sin?”

Romans 5:1 Colossians 1:15-23 1 Timothy 2:3-6

Second Question

If believer’s baptism indicates that we belong to the family of Jesus-followers… What does it mean to belong?

Is belonging… = being in the same place? = agreeing on the same beliefs? = doing the same activities? = wanting the same things?

Read Ephesians 4:3-7. What does this tell us about “belonging” to Jesus?

What It Means to Belong

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SESSION #2

The matching activity is on page 11.

Which of the 8 characteristics about being “baptistic” is most the interesting to you? _________________________

Upper Alton Baptist Church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA. Our region is called the Great Rivers Region.

How’d the Church Get Here?

Identity within the Historic Church

Judaism is like our ________.

Jesus gave us ______ Church.

The Great Schism in 1054 split the Church be-tween the ______ & the ______.

The Reformation (in the 1500’s) brought about many more branches, including ___________.

Read John 17:20-26 & 1 Corinthians 9:20-23. How do you think God feels about all of our Christian denominations—mostly mad, sad, or glad?

Being “Baptistic” & Our Denomination

Rev. Dr. Paul Gibson

Executive Minister

of the Great Rivers Region

Rev. Dr. Muriel Johnson

Associate Minister

of the Great Rivers Region

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SESSION #2

UABC was founded in _____ by the famous pioneer preacher and church-planter, Rev. John Mason _______.

“Congregational” means that…

__________________ __________________

About UABC

This is Our Church

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SESSION #2

WARNING: Read Matthew 7:1-6. Jesus-followers are not to be judgmental people. However, (as a community of believers and under the

guidance of the Holy Spirit) we’re entrusted to judge the between what is “of God” & “not of God.” DIRECTIONS: IF Jesus asked you to help decide based on this information, who should be let into God’s

eternal heaven, what would you decide—probably in “☺” or probably out “”?

Who’s In? (A Dangerous Game)

BOTTOM LINE: Those who “make it in” to heaven do so: 1) because of God’s ______, and 2) __________ the name of Jesus...somehow.

If we know the ______ of ________, we will be accountable for our _________ to _____.

Jasper is 22. He used to go to a Baptist church and was baptized when he was a teenager with his friends. Since graduating high school he’s only been to church twice for weddings. He doesn’t read his Bible, talk about God, nor have any interest in supporting one of the agencies in town that helps the poor. [James 2:14-17]

Ellie has grown up with Christian parents who have taken her to church almost every Sunday. She enjoys singing some of the songs and feels the people are part of her extended family. She is 18 and looking for-ward to having fun at college. [John 11:26 & Matthew 16:13-16]

Big John is in prison for murdering his neighbors. He reads the Bible every day and talks with the chaplain often. Next week he is due to be killed by lethal injection as punishment for his crimes. Last week he turned 55, and he was baptized. [Romans 10:9-10]

Akbar is 45 and the leader of the Worldwide Unified Ministry. He teaches that all religions are the same if one follows the teachings sincerely. His team travels the world raising money to build clean water systems in remote villages and give food to those in need. [John 14:6 & Ephesians 2:8]

Sally lives by herself. Because she is disabled, she can’t get out much. One day some nice, young people stopped by and talked to her about how faith can help her. They gave her a Bible, told to pray about joining their church, and said they’d be back next week. Sally is thinking that finally, at age 81, she has found a meaningful group of people to belong to and is planning to become a member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” [Revelation 22:18-19]

Senir was born last week in New Zealand. His par-ents, who describe them-selves as “spiritual, but not religious,” are interested in Scientology because they heard it “answers the question of faith through science.” [Deut. 1:39]

Harlow is only 7, but she really loves to talk about Jesus being her best friend. At bedtime, if her mother forgets, she asks her mom to read a Bible story and pray together. She and her mom do not attend a church. [1 Samuel 16:7]

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SESSION #2 MATCHING: What Makes Us Baptistic?

We believe that baptism of believers

by immersion is an historic symbol, a

personal confession of faith in Christ,

and a public statement of a desire to

live for Jesus.

We believe that the church will best

fulfill its purpose and maintain its

integrity if it is free from government

involvement (positive or negative).

The purpose of the separation of

church and state is to protect people

for religion, not from religion.

We believe that every follower of Christ Jesus is called to and

equipped for a ministry—whether it be inside or outside the church. Lay

persons are involved in pastoral care, worship leading, administering the Lord’s Supper, and in ministries

of all kinds.

We believe that each Christ-follower is a “priest” between God and the world. We each stand directly be-

fore God without needing any desig-nated go-between for us. We each are called to a ministry as God’s agents and representatives. The

difference between lay persons and clergy is just their roles, not a differ-

ence in power or prestige.

We believe in that Scripture (both

Old & New Testaments) is the in-

spired record of God’s revelatory

actions in human history and is the

basis for doctrine and practice.

We believe that each person is re-

sponsible for his/her own response

to God. This is central to all of the

other Baptistic things about us.

We don’t have “sacraments,” but there are two “ordinances”: baptism

and the Lord’s Supper. We have Communion regularly as a personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ, a reminder of Christ’s sacrificial death, and a renewal of our covenant with

each other and Him.

We believe that each local congre-gation is free to govern its own busi-ness, organize its own worship, and decide with which churches to re-

late. Baptist churches are run by the congregation. There is no entity that can tell a local church what it must or must not do. Still, Baptist church-es have always sought to gather in associations for sharing advice and combining resources for ministry.

FREEDOM OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

SOUL FREEDOM

BELIEVER’S BAPTISM

AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

MINISTRY OF THE LAITY

TWO ORDINANCES

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SESSION #2

Get your list finalized, created, & decorated! If you’re stuck, ask a adult or two for suggestions.

OQA Bible Study

Before Next Time

Read Hebrews 10:23-25 together, and discuss these questions:

What is gained by regularly meeting together as Jesus-followers? Make a list of some of the different activities Jesus-followers might do when they get togeth-

er? (“Worship God,” for example.) How are these activities better done together than individ-ually?

What can you do to be encouraging the next time you’re with other believers?

At-Home Discussions with Students

Keep reading through the Gospel of Mark on your own. Make at least 1 note every time you read.

O—It sounds like Jesus is upset.

Q—When did the blind man know it was Jesus?

A—I need to apologize to mom for what I said last night.

Top Ten Project (due at Session #3)

Before our next time, ask at least one parent or adult the first question. The other questions are optional. Do you think there is anything good about having so many Christian denominations? Have you ever been to a church service that got weird? What do you like about our church?

To-Go Questions with Parents

O = observation, what I noticed

Q = question, what I’m wondering

A = application, what I will do

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Introduction SESSION #3

Baptism initiates our walk of becoming like & living in Jesus. Baptism is a decision about how you will live—like Jesus.

The 3rd Baptism Question and Other Questions

5 G’s

On Your Own

Baptism Curiosity Class Response

Session Overview

Right before being baptized at UABC, each person is asked 3 questions. The third one is:

“Is it your desire to follow Him [Jesus] all the days of your life?”

Matthew 9:9 Luke 9:23 John 14:5-14

Third Question

If you’re not asking questions, you’re not really alive.

Your Questions

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5 G’s SESSION #3

Read John 10:10. The thief comes to… Jesus comes to…

Here are the 5 G’s of following Jesus and becoming really, fully alive:

Grace, Growth, Groups, Gifts, & Giving.

Really, Fully Alive

What’s so amazing about grace? “Grace” = receiving a _______ thing we do _____ ___________.

Read Ephesians 2:8-10. What is the relationship between “faith” and “good works?”

Accepting God’s grace is the first G. To do this we choose to get baptized, increase our awareness of all of God’s graces, and become more gracious in how we interact with and react to others.

GRACE

All of us are growing into our baptism and becoming more and more like Je-sus. We never finish growing into this until we get to heaven. Read 2 Peter 1:5-11. There are 4 basic habits that helps every Jesus-follower:

Communion / The Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:13-20 | 1 Corinthians 11:20-28) Worshipping together (Luke 4:16 | Acts 2:43-47) Bible-reading (Matthew 4:3-11 | 2 Timothy 3:16-17) Praying (Mark 6:45-46 | 1 Peter 5:6-9)

GROWTH

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5 G’s cont. SESSION #3

1 John 2:7-9. How can a person do the “love one another” com-

mands if he/she is never with others?

For their purpose, groups may have any combination of the activities to the right.

Which activity/activities sound like what you would want for your group?

GROUP

Read Romans 12:4-8.

Each one of us is gifted, and each one of us is gifted differently. However you are gifted, it helps de-termine how you might serve inside & outside the church’s ministry.

Spiritual gifts—supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit

Heart—areas of passion or deep concern

Abilities—learned skills and natural talents

Personality—the type of person you are & how you interact with the world

Experiences—both good & bad are useful to the Gospel mission

GIFTS

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-10.

a sense of ___________ + a sense of __________________ = Cheerful Giver

GIVING

serving

supporting

studying

Spare Change

Committed Amount

Percentage Giving

Tithing

Limitless Generosity

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On Your Own SESSION #3

OQA Bible Study

Get ‘er done! If you feel stuck, ask for some help.

Read James 2:14-26 together, and discuss these questions:

Why are both faith and actions important? Do you think a person can call himself a Christian if all he does is go to church once a month? Do you think a person can call herself a Christian if all she does is help at the soup kitchen once

a week? Which is more difficult—to have the faith or to do the actions?

At-Home Discussions with Students

If you haven’t finished reading through the Gospel of Mark yet, keep at it! Make at least 1 note after each devotion.

O—It sounds like Jesus is upset.

Q—When did the blind man know it was Jesus?

A—I need to apologize to mom for what I said last night.

Top Ten Project (requested before setting a baptism date)

Before..., ask at least one parent or adult the first question. The other questions are optional. What do you feel is the most difficult part about following Jesus? How are you different as a Jesus-follower than you would be if you didn’t have Jesus? What Christian habit is the most meaningful to you?

To-Go Questions with Parents

O = observation, what I noticed

Q = question, what I’m wondering

A = application, what I will do

Asking Jesus In

When a person feels that he/she is ready to decide to follow Jesus and ask him into his/her heart (Revelation 3:20), the best way is to pray something like this:

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I am turning away from my sins, and I invite You to come into my heart. I want to trust and follow You as my Leader and Rescuer. In Your name, Amen.

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some computer-aided examples of verses for the Top Ten project

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