What can we know about the historical facts of the Christmas story? The Gospel of Luke provides a detailed account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and still questions remain. Andreas Gerstacker sifts through the current research with a critical eye and shows us why we can rely on the accuracy of Luke's telling of the Christmas story. This historical lecture will deepen your faith and enrich your celebration of the miracle of the birth of Jesus this Christmas season!

Lectio Divina (“sacred reading”) is the ancient practice of reading the Scriptures in a meditative fashion as a guide for prayer. Developed by Benedictine monastic communities in the Middle Ages, Lectio Divina is a rich resource for prayer across many Christian traditions. This course will survey the biblical foundations for Lectio Divina as well as techniques for this method of prayer. Following this course, students will be prepared to implement Lectio Divina in times of personal prayer and in corporate prayer services.

The resurrection is the keystone to the Christian faith. As the Apostle Paul argued, either the resurrection changes everything or Christianity is a fraud. In this Benefit Lecture, we'll attempt to harmonize the literary accounts of the resurrection in the Gospels as well as investigate the archaeology of the traditional site of the resurrection in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Saint Boniface (ca. 675-754), born in Southern England as "Winfrid," became the most significant early missionary to the people of Germany. He is sometimes credited with creating the vision for the "Holy Roman Empire" of the medieval period and the notion of a "Christian Europe." In this Benefit Lecture, we will explore the sites and artifacts of his missionary work and reflect on the question of his enduring legacy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer stands as one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century, and yet his life and theology are still something of an enigma. Hanged at the age of only 39 on April 9, 1945, for his part in a conspiracy to assassinate Adolph Hitler, Bonhoeffer is remembered for his versatile and brilliant contributions to our understanding of the unity of the church, the significance of grace in a secular age, and the practice of Christian community.

Those who have had the privilege of traveling to Israel read the Bible with fresh eyes when they return. In this lecture series, we will explore the geography of the biblical lands, including the migrations of the patriarchs, the preaching tours of Jesus, and the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul.

Fascination... Confusion... Conviction... only a few words to describe common reactions to a subject that should be an integral part of our Christian foundation. Join us for discussion-driven sessions exploring both familiar and unfamiliar passages and themes with the goal of developing an increased appreciation and a deeper sense of personal revelation of the return of our Lord.

The Moravian Daily Texts are much more than simply another devotional. Published every year since 1731, the Daily Texts include Old and New Testament passages for the reader to reflect on through the day, portions of hymns, and carefully written prayers. This one-hour workshop will discuss what these texts are and how they can be used in both personal and corporate settings.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that has long existed in the twilight between science fiction and science fact. First introduced to the consumer market in 2016, VR now offers a number of unique advantages to global prayer networks such as Aqueduct Project. This interactive workshop will offer an orientation to Prayer Room Neapolis (Our first VR Prayer Room) and discuss some of the particularities of facilitating prayer in an immersive environment. Participants are not required to have access to a VR headset.

The Bible is a collection of books. To most, this won’t be a surprise But how did the Bible come to be a collection of "books," and what do we know about books and book culture in the Biblical world? In this lecture, Brian Donnelly-Lewis will talk about the technology of writing in the years of the Bible, the tools of the trade and the contexts in which books were held and used. Tracing the transformation of book culture, we can see the deep impact that writing and reading had on the Bible until this day.

This workshop on curriculum design is adapted from "The Learning Cycle" by Muriel and Duane Elmer (Intervarsity Press, 2020). In this presentation, we will learn how to structure curriculum so that those we teach remember, value, and are changed by the lessons we give.

In this one-hour workshop, we will present recommendations on practicing the Lord's Supper in an online environment. The workshop is divided into two parts. First, we will review principles from the Bible on how Communion should be celebrated. Second, we will conduct an interactive exercise in arranging an online Communion service.

The Psalms are the written record of the hopes, fears, and prayers of ancient Israel. In the centuries since they were written, they have served to guide the prayers of the people of God spread across the earth. This course is designed to give participants an introduction to the Psalms, specifically reflecting on how the Psalms can shape our life of prayer. Following this course, participants will be prepared to interpret the Psalms and incorporate them into personal and congregational prayer.

The Apostle Paul instructs the church to “address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart" (Ephesians 5:19). In this workshop, we will explore ways to incorporate music and singing into online prayer services. We will review best practices in proctoring worship videos, spotlighting solo musicians, conducting group singing, and leading liturgical readings.

In his wisdom, God created imbedded humanity with unique temperaments and personalities. As a result, the Christian Church cannot advocate a one-size-fits-all spirituality. In this course students will have the opportunity to read and discuss Gary Thomas’s book, Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God, a work that discusses nine temperaments and how they can help Christians better understand personally approaching God.

In Learning to pray is the proper starting point for the study of theology. This course is designed to give class participants a basic introduction to the practice and theology of prayer in the Christian tradition. Course sessions will explore the theological framework of prayer and study the prayers of the Bible as a pattern for our own prayers. Following this class, students will be able to evaluate the dynamics of their personal prayer lives and be prepared to lead corporate prayer services.