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Beginning the Journey (for new Christians).
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1, 2, and 3 John
1
& 2 Thessalonians
1 & 2 Timothy
1 Peter
2 Peter, Jude
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7 Last Words of Christ
Abraham
Acts 1-12:
The Early Church
Apostle Paul
Christmas Incarnation
Church
Christ Powered Life (Rom 5-8)
Colossians
Conquering Lamb of Revelation
Daniel
David, Life of
Galatians
Gideon
Grace
Great Prayers
Glorious Kingdom, The
Early Church: Acts1-12
Elijah
Ephesians
Hebrews
Holy Spirit, Disciple's Guide
Isaiah
James
Jacob
Jesus and the Kingdom
John's Gospel
John's Letters
Joshua
Lamb of God
Listening for God's Voice
Lord's Supper
Luke
Mark
Moses
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Vision for the Church
Regaining a Vision for Christ's Church
from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
So often we take the church for granted. Even worse, we sometimes resent or despise the church because of the failings of its all-too-human leaders and members. When you look at the history of the church you see some shining mountain tops, but you also see some rank pits of degradation. Shouldn't we just give up on it? No!
I invite you to take a five-week walk with me through Paul's letter to the Ephesian church. I'd like to share with you a glorious vision for the Church -- Christ's vision for his beloved Body. If you can see it with your spiritual eyes and grasp it with your mind, then you can help bring it to pass as a leader and champion. You can help your own local congregation become all that it can be -- should be -- in Christ. But you must see the potential first.
Can the glory of God fill his Church as it once filled the tabernacle and temple? By merely human effort, no. But there are resources we have scarcely begun to tap. Consider Paul's doxology found in the very heart of Ephesians:
Here are the lessons we'll ponder over these five weeks:
- Introduction to the Letter to the Ephesians. This part is important to lay the foundation for what we'll be studying from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians -- authorship, date, purpose, and life-setting.
- Power in the Church (1:16-23; 2:6; 3:20-21)
This is not a sectarian study designed to induce you to switch churches or denominations. Rather it examines the basic foundations of all branches of Christ's church and has application to every congregation, denomination, and fellowship throughout the world.
Fasten your seatbelts. Be ready to see some new visions and dream some new dreams! Why don't you sign up now, so you'll receive the first lesson this Friday. In the meantime, why don't you begin to read and study the Letter to the Ephesians in your own devotional time.
This five-week study is delivered each Saturday via e-mail, with questions sent Sunday through Thursday to keep you thinking about the week's lesson (though you can select the "weekly lessons only" option if you like). You'll also have opportunities to interact using our Joyful Heart Bible Study Forum with other participants, to read and respond to their comments on these passages of scripture.
You'll receive your first lesson the Friday after you sign up. There is no cost to participate in the study, though donations are encouraged so we can create more studies and reach more people.
We respect your privacy and never sell, rent, or loan our lists. Please don't subscribe your friends; let them decide for themselves.
Please don't sign up for more than one of my Bible studies at one time. There's no penalty, but each of them is pretty intensive. If you try to do too many studies at the same time without adequate reflection, you'll miss out on God speaking to you.
Copyright © 2023, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastorjoyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
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In-depth Bible study books
You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format.
- 28 Advent Scriptures
- 1, 2, and 3 John
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter & Jude
- 1 & 2 Thessalonians
- 1 & 2 Timothy
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Abraham, Faith of
- Apostle Paul
- Christ Powered Life (Romans 5-8)
- Christmas Incarnation
- Colossians and Philemon
- Conquering Lamb of Revelation
- Daniel
- David, Life of
- Early Church: Acts 1-12
- Elijah
- Ephesians
- Galatians
- Gideon
- Glorious Kingdom, The
- Grace: Favor for the Undeserving
- Great Prayers of the Bible
- Hebrews
- Holy Spirit, Disciple's Guide
- Isaiah
- Jacob, Life of
- James
- Jesus and the Kingdom of God
- JesusWalk: Beginning the Journey
- John's Gospel
- Joshua
- Lamb of God
- Listening for God's Voice
- Lord's Supper
- Luke's Gospel
- Moses the Reluctant Leader
- Names and Titles of God
- Names and Titles of Jesus
- Philippians
- Rebuild & Renew: Post-Exilic Books
- Resurrection and Easter Faith
- Sermon on the Mount
- Psalms
- Seven Last Words of Christ
- Songs of Ascent (Ps 120-134)
- Revelation
My books are available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon.
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