WCF Seminar Offerings

Jump to:

A Framework for Understanding
the Apocalypse

(6 sessions)

The aim of this seminar-workshop is to provide a biblical framework for individuals to use in their study of the Book of Revelation. Each session will use a bible-based approach designed to give students relevant information that will enable them to derive an individually-sensible and personally-applicable interpretation. The one-day seminar can be extended to include a Sunday School session and exhortation. Here’s the outline for Saturday and Sunday (optional):

• What the book is all about – a visually-supported review of the contents from chapter 1 to 22
• Connection to OT and Mt. Olivet prophecy – a survey of key Old Testament prophecies and how they provide a requisite background for understanding the Apocalypse + a review of the clear connection between the earlier prophecy of Jesus (e.g., Matt 24) and the Revelation.
• The structure of the book – a consideration of how the chapters are presented and aligned, and how the text interprets itself
• Scripture profiles of “who’s who” – an examination of the characteristics and actions of the key people and entities in the book
• Making sense of symbols and time periods – a discussion on how to bring scripture facts and clues together to provide sensible explanations
• Making use of the framework – a discussion on how the message of the book is applicable to us today, in light of how the initial recipients would have understood Christ’s message to them.
• Ezekiel: backbone of the Apocalypse – how both the prophet and his prophecy provide an excellent backdrop to the entire book of Revelation (Sunday School)
• More Than Conquerors – taking the message to the seven ecclesias to heart and applying it to our own lives and circumstances (Exhortation)

Facilitator: Norm Fadelle (217-586-7592)

Coping and Caring in Times of Crisis

(4-5 sessions)

A personal crisis, such as the loss of a spouse, a severe accident, or medical emergency can take us to the brink of our faith and coping ability. As caregivers, these situations often create the most difficult times, and lead to great confusion and ill ease. Whether as givers or recipients of help in times of crisis, loss, and grief, these situations can drain us to the utmost spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

This seminar certainly can’t teach any magic words to fix life’s worst times. It can help you learn some strategies to ease pain, find appropriate support, and start on the road back. Above all, the seminar will teach what NOT to say and do, as it is in these situations where unskilled attempts can greatly exacerbate the suffering.

Facilitator: David Levin (717-898-3535)

The Dynamics of Marriage and Family Life

(5-9 sessions)

This seminar on family issues comes from a direct application of Gen. 2:24. We take a detailed view on the dynamics of two people, each leaving the family in which they grew up, to form a new a family. They in turn will raise children who will leave them and form new families of their own. How do we do this in accord with God’s principles? What are the predictable and major trouble spots along the way? This seminar focuses primarily on the attitudinal and behavioral interactions of husbands, wives, and children in a nuclear family in the Lord. It is specifically designed for attendance by couples together, and it provide a profitable weekend retreat.

Facilitator: David Levin (717-898-3535)

Biblical Leadership Workshop

(6 sesssions)

If you put these instructions before the brethren, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed. … Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, training in godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1Tim 4:6-8)

Objectives

To consider the subject of Leadership in light of the Bible, i.e., to understand what “Biblical Leadership” is, and then determine to put it into action.

This consideration will be accomplished in three steps

1. Establish what are the relevant Bible principles regarding Leadership
2. Examine how these principles were illustrated and implemented in the lives of the men and women in Scripture
3. Discuss how we can apply the Bible teaching to real-life, modern day situations.

Intended Audience

This workshop is designed to go beyond a discussion of ecclesial roles and responsibilities. The subject of leadership readily goes into the areas of family, school and the workplace. Therefore the subject is relevant to anyone who is in a position to take on a leadership role.

“Biblical Leadership” is an important and practical matter for Brothers, Sisters, and young people to learn about and pursue.

General Outline

There are six interactive sessions:

1. Kinds of Leadership
2. Leadership Qualities and Skills
3. Leadership Challenges
4. Leadership Pitfalls
5. Leadership Training – Part I
6. Leadership Training – Part II

There will be both large group discussion and small-group breakout sessions, with a focus on information exchange (e.g., what works, what doesn’t work) between the participants. Exercises will be based on determining specific applications of Bible principles and developing possible solutions and action plans for real-life scenarios.

Facilitator: Norm Fadelle (217-586-7592)

Ecclesia Building – Two Hearts at a Time

(5-6 sessions)

Relevance

Many, if not all, ecclesias are engaged in helping ‘troubled’ Brothers, Sisters or young people. Divorces are becoming more commonplace, and ecclesial members are not isolated from the myriad of problems in the world around us as well as those inherent in our flesh. Drugs and alcohol, domestic violence, sexual abuse and emotional problems must be addressed before Brothers, Sisters and young people can serve God successfully. It is vital that we devote time and resources towards meeting these unmet needs of ecclesial members. Scripture admonishes us to ‘shepherd our sheep’, ‘help the weak among you’, and to be mindful of the different needs of different parts of our body (cf.1Pet 5:1-3, Rom 15:1-5, 1Cor 14:14-26).

“Ecclesia Building – one heart at a time” is a workshop that will provide adult education and practical skill building to address emotional and spiritual problems within the body.

Objectives

To consider the subject of Ecclesia Building from a Biblical perspective that focuses on personal and individual ecclesial growth and healing. This objective will be accomplished in these steps:

1. Establish the Biblical underpinnings of providing emotional and spiritual care to those in need within the body.
2. Focus the host ecclesia’s attention on their own existing efforts to promote emotional healing and support to their members in need.
3. Identify areas of need for growth, in knowledge and/or skill. Engage Brothers and Sisters in relationship building and problem solving exercises.
4. Consider the role of professional counseling within the host ecclesia.
5. Increase the awareness of real life problems common to most if not all ecclesias.
6. Develop, through participation, practical approaches to aiding those among us most in need of our Biblically oriented care.
7. Facilitate the collective development of recommendations for the next step in ecclesial building for the host ecclesia.

Expectations

Facilitators expect:

1. To teach participants relationship skills building.
2. To challenge participants to increase their awareness of potential problems within the Brotherhood.
3. To learn about the participant’s ecclesia(s), and help focus attention on areas for improvement.
4. To offer one-to-one consultation on actual problem issues if requested to do so.
5. To share experiences in knowledge in the counseling field.

Participants should expect to:

1. Complete a pre-workshop survey.
2. Be challenged, moved, refreshed, learn skills, practice relationship building and increase one’s awareness of common discipleship problem areas.
3. Work as a team to brainstorm solutions to problems, and to develop a suggested ecclesial action plan.
4. To leave with a personal action plan and a commitment to aid in one’s own ecclesial focus on emotional and spiritual difficulties.
5. To share and learn with other Brothers and Sisters.

Intended Audience

This workshop is intended for Brothers and Sisters who are interested in learning more about caring for other brethren, or who are concerned about emotional/spiritual problems that are experienced by brethren within and without the ecclesia. Participants need not be experienced, or be talented in the area of ministering to others with emotional or spiritual problems.

Overall Process

1. Work with an ecclesia that is interested in hosting the workshop. Establish target interest areas and ecclesial motivation for hosting this seminar.
2. Advertise and establish approximate participant list.
3. Solicit participant responses to a questionnaire designed to aid the facilitators in tailoring the workshop to the participant’s and host ecclesia’s needs and stated interest areas.
4. Distribute homework prior to the workshop to ready participants to consider new ideas and their own ‘counseling’ experiences.
5. At the workshop:
   1. Fellowship, introductions, icebreakers.
   2. Introduce key concepts – solicit relevant participant experiences.
   3. Examine scriptural guidance on ecclesia building, and relationship building.
   4. Case examples, group participation in problem solving.
   5. Address specific problem areas of interest to ecclesia members.
   6. Explore in small groups the role of professional counseling within the host ecclesia; establish recommendations, or ideas for follow-up.
   7. Consider conflict resolution skills.
   8. Sketch out host ecclesia and individual action plans.
   9. Solicit feedback regarding the effectiveness of the workshop.

Facilitators: Erik Sternad (916-686-8281) and Dolores Sleeper (650-341-03790)

The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective Believers (4 – 6 Sessions)

Effectiveness has been defined as balancing the production of desired results with the capacity to produce desired results. The ancient fable of the golden goose provides a simple illustration. When more and more eggs (the desired result) were produced with no regard for the health of the goose (the capacity to produce), what happened? The goose died, and with it the eggs. This definition of effectiveness is extremely useful to disciples of Jesus. We want to produce faithful works, yet by putting all our attention on those works, we can actually hurt our faith, the spiritual quality from which these works flow. The Pharisees had works, yet they had no faith. They had the golden eggs, if you will, but the goose was dead (“within they are full of dead men’s bones”).

Our challenge as disciples is to balance our production of works of faith with the need to develop a mind of faith. These two can work together in wonderful harmony, but they can also be at odds.

This seminar explores seven habits that help us increase our faith and our faithful works. The material draws on the seven habits for effective living developed by Stephen Covey. His book is remarkable to us, not because it has been one of the decade’s best-selling books (more than 5 million copies), but because it is founded on biblical principles. These seven habits hold value for us for many good reasons: they are founded on character, not personality; they encourage putting the principles we value into action in all facets of our life; they help us understand our faith both as individuals and as members of the body of Christ; and they help us balance the many demands in our lives.

This exhortational seminar contains 4 to 6 sessions, depending on the schedule of the host ecclesia. In addition to presentations on the scriptural foundations for these seven habits, the seminar includes personal applications of each habit, a facilitated discussion on how our community can better apply these scriptural habits, and a few tales about a traveling economist.

Facilitator: Mark Drabenstott (816-746-9393)

 

The Judaizers:
An Historical Perspective and Today

(5 sessions)

The series of five classes are broadly broken down into two sections: (1) The Judaizers – An Historical Perspective, and (2) Judaizing Today.

The intent of the study is to understand the tremendous role and influence that the Judaizers played in the first century ecclesia. This will done by investigation primarily into the works of the apostle Paul to see what the Judaizers taught and why they needed to be so vehemently opposed. After laying a good foundation on the implications of the first century, we will take the same teachings and move them two thousand years forward into the modern-day ecclesias. No attempt will be made to identify or label anyone or any group as Judaizers in the latter-day ecclesia, but to understand how there are strong relationships between the issues of the first century and today.

At the end of the study, participants should understand the following:

1. Who the Judaizers were, their influence on the first century ecclesias, and their influence on the writings of the NT.
2. Identify Paul’s arguments in his letters against the Judaizers and relate them to specific false teachings.
3. Understand the vital differences between the true Gospel of Christ and “another gospel” as taught by the Judaizers.
4. Have a good grasp of how these Judaizing teachings come down to us today and in what forms.
5. Possess a reasoned and Biblical response should you encounter these teachings in our walk in God’s truth.

Facilitator: Kyle Tucker (804-378-3537)

Basic Discipleship

God has disciplined His people from the beginning.  Why?  Because as the Creator God Who cares for the human beings He has made, He knows what is best for them.  From the start, God clearly told Adam what he was to do and not do.  Adam was also told about the consequences of not doing what God commanded.  The same kind of instruction carried over to Eve, to their sons Cain & Abel, and to the rest of mankind down to today.  God is always the original source of the discipline and the ultimate provider of the blessing or curse that comes upon the doer.  Obedience of God’s good commandments results in good for the obedient (cf. Deut 6:24).  Ignoring or breaking God’s just and holy commandments results in punishment designed to restore the disobedient to the right path.  The Father disciplines those whom He loves, so that they might share His holiness (Heb 12:10) and excel in Christ’s work in the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 25:28-29,34).

The session topics are:

1. God’s Discipline

2. On Being a Disciple

3. Roles and Responsibilities

4. Training in Godliness

5. Imitating Jesus

6. The Disciple in the Church

 

Facilitator: Norm Fadelle (217-586-7592)

Love Is a Verb

(5 Sessions)

(Sisters for Sisters)

A discussion of the spiritual and practical applications derived from an in-depth consideration of the relationships of the family in Bethany with each other and with Jesus. We will be following a study guide that provides structure and focus to assist us in discovering the spiritual lessons and practical applications.

The session topics are:

1. The family in Bethany – Simon
2. The family in Bethany – Martha and Mary
3. The family in Bethany – others
4. Practical applications
5. Spiritual applications

Facilitators: Linda Reding (508-769-9003) & Beth MacAdams (978-758-4642)

Stresspoints in Marriage

(1 day workshop)

Using a generalized life timeline of marriage as a framework, this workshop identifies and discusses potential stress points and events impacting marriage. Starting with relevant Bible principles and using their own life experiences (what works, what does not), participants are led to consider how stress factors such as poor communication, money shortage, different life goals, lack of trust, little time spent together, ill health etc. may negatively affect marriage. Facilitated breakout groups select and then talk about the stress points that are evident in their various lives, families and ecclesias. The resultant suggested solutions are compiled and given to all who attended as a workshop takeaway.

Facilitators: Norm and Deb Fadelle (217-586-7592)