New Testament Survey - Fall Seminary Class

I am finishing up my preparation for my Fall semester Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary class: New Testament Survey. The class will begin on Saturday, August 29. That will be the first of 15 class meetings over the next 7 1/2 weeks. The class will meet on 8 Saturday mornings from 9-11 and on 7 Wednesday evenings from 7-9. Basically the course (BNEW 501) is a survey of all 27 books of the New Testament. The course will emphasize the understanding of each book as a whole in light of its background, genre and message in its own context and then, how each book fits into the unfolding drama and message of the revealed Kingdom of God in the New Testament, how it “fulfills” the Old Testament and the overall message of scripture. We will especially emphasize New Testament Theology in class discussions.

Nine of the class meetings (all the Saturdays and the first Wednesday) will emphasize going through the New Testament book by book. The overall message of each book will be the main focus of these discussions. Students will read the New Testament text and A Survey of the New Testament by Robert Gundry. Gundry goes through the NT book by book emphasizing the background information and the outline for each book. In addition the students will read my overviews of each book of the New Testament on the class web site and take an on line quiz on the class material. They will also write three 2-3 page "argument papers" on selected NT books. At the end of the course the students should understand the basic message, the major interpretive issues and how each book fits into the theology of the whole New Testament.

The other 6 Wednesday evening class meetings will be discussions of New Testament theology based on readings in New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ, by Thomas R. Schreiner. Schreiner will keep us focused on the big picture message of the New Testament with his emphasis of its two major themes; that the kingdom has come (though in "already, not yet" form) in Jesus Christ and that the glory of God is accomplished through the work of Christ and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. The students will post their questions on their reading in an on line forum to prepare for our class meetings in which we will come together to discuss their questions on their reading. We will also emphasize the practical applications of New Testament theology to our lives and ministries.

I can hardly wait for class to start. I think I get at least as much blessing out of the class as the students. Out of everything I do, this is by far the most fun!