The Center provides Missional Bible studies to help people dig into God's Word and hear God's call to be in mission. Scripturally based and doctrinally sound, they are also designed to be engaging, calling the saints to radical discipleship and sometimes challenging the status quo.
The Bible studies offered on this page will be changed periodically. They are free for use within your congregation when printed with the included copyright information. You can open and print the Adobe document, or save it to your computer.
"Resourced for the Mission" by Gregory Seltz. Every congregation in mission prayerfully struggles with resources--the people and monies needed for the work of sharing the Gospel. Matthew's report of the Feeding of the 5,000 brings us an important lesson on resources.
Leader's Guide -- Participant Guide
"Female and Fertile: Reproductive Capacity in the Local Congregation" by Mike Ruhl. Scriptures describe the church as the ‘body of Christ’ (Romans 12; I Corinthians 12) – a living organism. Living things reproduce, institutions generally don’t. This study looks at scriptural descriptions of the church, explores the repercussions of the Bible’s portrayal of the church as female, and encourages application to your local congregation.
Leader's Guide -- Participant Handout
"God's Mission to the City" by Tom Eggold. This study looks at various Scripture selections to emphasize the heart of God connected to the welfare and ministry of the church in the city. It also acquaints the class with the realities of urbanization, immigration and economic and cultural interdependence. The bottom line: How can the Christian community effectively respond to the mission field of the city?
Leader's Guide -- Participant Handout
"Grace Upon Grace" by Glenn Lucas. The foundational scripture passage is John 1:16, "From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace." This study focuses upon God’s grace in the life of the participant. Through the study of God’s word the participant realizes that salvation in Jesus Christ flows fully out of God’s grace. Additionally, participants are invited to reflect upon and share times of grace experienced in their lives.
Leader's Guide - Participant Handout -- Optional PowerPoint Presentation
"Growing and Going: A Look at the Heart of God" by Claire Partlow. This six-week study of the book of Philippians is designed for small groups. It offers an opportunity to establish a Biblical basis for corporately growing in our faith and for thinking through values, vision, and mission as we begin to reach out to others who do not currently belong to a Christian church.
Leader's Guide for all six lessons -- Participant Handouts for all six lessons
"John 4: Sharing the Gospel Across Cultures" by Ken Behnken. This 2-part study of John 4 uses the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, in John 4, as a model for believers who are interested in, or considering, outreach to people of other ethnicities.
Leader's Guide: Part 1, Part 2. Participant Handout: Part 1, Part 2
"Lutheran Distinctives in Evangelism" by Jerry M. Kosberg. This study examines Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions to identify basic assumptions of Lutherans as they share Christ with others.
Leader's Guide -- Participant Handout
Missional Churches: a series by Kevin Wilson on the characteristics of missional churches.
"Missional Churches are Sending Churches" - Leader's Guide - Participant Handout
"Missional Churches Value Authentic Relationships" - Leader's Guide - Participant Handout
"Spiritual Formation in Worship" by L.S. Borecki. Four studies on spiritual formation in worship, whether worship novice or veteran, traditionalist or contemporarian. These are worship truths and discipleship that go beyond style and invite the Spirit's double work of ministering to saved and lost alike.
"Three Keys for Sharing Christ with Others" by Jerry M. Kosberg. This study examines 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 and Colossians 4:2-6 to present some key components of effective disciple-making and helps students begin to develop their own plan for using those "keys."
Leader's Guide -- Participant Guide
"Witnessing Without Words" by Joel Lehenbauer. This study of 1 Peter looks at the fact that in addition to what we say, a crucial part of our "testimony" is the witness we give without words--the way we live out our lives every day as those who have been redeemed by Christ.
Leader's Guide - Participant Handout
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