Practical Christianity 101: Distinctives of godliness from all of God's saints from all of God's Church

This class is a reading and discussion seminar in practical Christian living that applies to all Christian traditions. This course is designed to disciple young adults into the richness of Christianity for an earnest and holistic embrace of virtue in all areas of life. G.K. Chesterton said that “education is not a subject and it does not deal in subjects. It is instead the transfer of a way of life.” Revealing a way of living “fully human” is the design for this class.

Course Structure:

Class period is 1.5 hours, twice per week. Homework will be 30 mins per day. The course will have a set pattern of readings for discussion and contemplation. Our guiding structure will be to review what genuine piety looks like practically throughout church history. We will examine Christian disciplines of the mind and the heart thematically. This means that we will take a week of readings and discussion through each theme (worship, prayer, work, play, feasting, rest, fasting, tithing, evangelism, service, fellowship, laughter/joy, celebration and so much more).

Course Objectives:

1. For students to thrive with a living, real and dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. To foster the “shema” in the student. To hear and to obey God’s call to love Him with all our being and to love our neighbors
3. To rest in and to receive the difference that grace makes for living
4. To establish the significance and importance of corporate worship
5. To have an increased devotion and love for one’s local church
6. To discern the difference between a real and a false Christianity
7. To learn habits of grace that form the student to be a person of both “heat” and “light,” (passion and cultivated intellect)

Sample Course Projects:

Students will write a short paper on the assets of their particular church tradition. Students will take “commonplace” notes on the chief characteristics of virtue they identify from saints throughout church history. There will also be occasional quizzes and scheduled tests. We will have weekly class “rituals” like recitation of Scripture for forming virtue and identity, catechism, prayers, readings etc.,

Sample Class Lesson Topics:

• The Foundation of Corporate Worship
• The Foundation of Gospel and Grace
• The False Dichotomy of the Sacred and Secular
• The Values of Basic Christian Calendar
• Masculine and Feminine Piety
• Pleasure and Enjoyment in the Christian life: Virtue or Vice?

Texts:

• The Rule of St. Benedict
• Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel (Selections)
• Holiness by J.C. Ryle (Selections)
• The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
• The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (Selections)
• The Gospel-Centered Life by Roberth H. Thune and Will Walker
• Basic Christian Living: A Survey Course on Practical Christianity by Douglas Wilson
• Desiring God by John Piper (Selections)
• The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard (Selections)
• You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith
• The Reason for God by Timothy Keller (Selections)
• 7 Men and 7 Women by Eric Metaxes (Selections)

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