ISM Bible Studies
Karen Bjornstad,
former ISM director at Calvary Chapel,
Madison, created these Bible studies for use with international
students, The funding for this project was made possible through a grant
from the Siebert Foundation, Milwaukee, Wis.
Karen created twenty
lessons that cover basic Christian beliefs. With the help of Teresa
Fairow, the material includes a student and leader's guide for each
lesson. The material may be printed at local ISM sites at no cost. The
material is copyrighted by ISM, Inc. and should not be sold. All of the
lessons are available in pdf format.
CONTENTS:
Lesson 1: The Source of Life:
Leader
Student
All cultures have ideas about the beginnings of life and especially
about the origins of human life. What are the most common beliefs in
your culture about how life on earth began? How do you personally think
that life began? The Bible makes very clear statements about the origin
of all things, non-living things as well as living things
Lesson
2: Who is the Spirit of God:
Leader
Student
When people in your country have a decision to make, what kind of
moral or spiritual principles do they use as a guide? The Spirit of God
is talked about in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The
Bible says that the Spirit of God was present with God’s people during
Old Testament times and later times.
Lesson
3: Jesus, Savior of the World: Leader
Student
Adam and Eve, the first
man and woman, disobeyed God and lost the intimate relationship they had
with God. But God promised them a Savior, someone to take away the pain
of sin and death, and restore a right relationship between God and man.
In Old Testament times, God’s people, the Israelites, turned to God in
times of trouble and prayed that He would help them and save them.
Lesson
4: The Father and I are One:
Leader
Student
In the beginning of the world, God and man had a very close
relationship and walked and talked in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and
Eve disobeyed, that relationship was broken, but God promised them a
Savior and continued to love them. Throughout Old Testament times, God
spoke to His people through prophets, but many people did not know God.
In time, God chose to speak to us more directly.
Lesson
5: God's Law: Leader
Student
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and broke their wonderful relationship
with Him. God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, but He still loved
Adam and Eve. He showed His love by promising to send a Savior to redeem
the people and restore the broken relationship between Him and humans.
Lesson
6: Jesus and God's Law: Leader
Student
Because God wanted men to know how He wanted us to live, He gave the
Law (the Ten Commandments) to Moses. These Ten Commandments can also be
expressed as the two Great Commandments that Jesus gave us.
Lesson
7: Free at Last:
Leader
Student
There are many places in the Bible that talk about doing wrong
(sinning) and feeling guilt for that sin.
Lesson
8 Jesus and Eternal Life:
Leader
Student
The Bible has many things to say about what happens to us when we
die.
Lesson
9 Someone's Knocking:
Leader
Student
What is Jesus asking us to do when He
knocks on the door? What are
possible reactions? Can we choose not to open the door? Are you choosing
not to answer the knock and refusing to let Jesus in? When Jesus asks to come in
and eat with us, what does He really mean?
Lesson
10 I'm Thirsty: Leader
Student
Our bodies themselves are made up mostly of water, and we can live
only a short time without it. Obviously it is very important, even
basic, to physical life. The Bible often speaks of
water in a spiritual sense as
well.
Lesson
11 The Light of the World:
Leader
Student
When God decided it was the right time, He kept His promise to send
a light for the people who walked in darkness.
Lesson
12 My Righteous Servant:
Leader
Student
As humans, many of us probably do not want to become servants to
others. But God’s ideas about things are often different from the
world’s ideas.
Lesson
13 Jesus the Vine:
Leader Student
Do we depend on Jesus in all things, as a branch would depend on the
main grapevine
Lesson
14 New Life: Leader
Student
Many verses in the Bible speak of something that is
new or
renewed. In Revelation, the last
book in the Bible, there are many visions that God gave to the apostle
John. Among the visions is a passage about new life.
Lesson
15 Lord, Heal Me:
Leader
Student
Both in Old Testament times and after the coming of Jesus, God’s
people turned to Him for help. The book of Psalms is considered the
prayer book of the Bible. In the Psalms, the writers talk with God about
their problems, their diseases, and their need for help and healing.
Lesson
16 I Wish, I Wish:
Leader
Student
While many people’s wishes in life are the same the world over,
there are differences in cultures. Some people may well disagree with
the predominant values in their own culture. The questions also allow
for identifying specific differences in the values of the people in the
group.
Lesson
17 Talking to God:
Leader
Student
God wants us to communicate with Him. He has told us this. He
himself has communicated with us in many ways. He has spoken to us
through the prophets; through His Son, Jesus Christ; and through the
Bible. In the book of Psalms, we can see how God’s people communicated
with Him through prayer thousands of years ago.
Lesson
18 Can I Help You?:
Leader
Student
We often want to avoid a certain job. If we had a servant, that is
the job we would give the servant. Jesus’ whole life, including His
death, was the life of a servant. He was a servant to each one of us.
The evening before He died, He had a special meal with His disciples.
At that time, Jesus taught them a very special lesson by washing their
feet.
Lesson 19 Race to Win:
Leader
Student
Many people work very hard to win a prize in sports, business, or
literature. They can be very happy about their achievement. But those
prizes and accomplishments are prizes that have meaning only in this
world. Jesus invites us to think about another dimension of life, the
spiritual dimension.
Lesson
20 Proud or Humble:
Leader
Student
When we are baptized into our new life with Jesus, we are to become
more like God. During His life here on earth, Jesus showed us what God
is like. He also showed us the right kind of attitudes.
ISM, Inc. is a mission society of The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod challenging and assisting the church and individuals
to intentionally offer international campus communities friendship,
hospitality, and the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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