Bible

In this course, students will study the life of Christ and the life of the early church as seen through the books of Luke and Acts.  Students will focus on the person of Jesus Christ and the Lordship of Christ in the student’s life. Special attention will be given to the teachings of Jesus especially as it applies to how to relate to those around us. As well, a keen focus will be towards the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord. Students will also be introduced to the early Christian Church and its impact in the world both then and now. Highlights from the Book of Acts will include: Pentecost, miracles, and the journeys of Paul.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

In this course, students will do character analyses of major and minor biblical characters with a heavy emphasis on personal application.  Much of the semester will be spent in the Old Testament with special attention given to men and women who believed in Yahweh and lived out their faith.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

This course prepares learners to be good stewards of the Bible.  Students will be encouraged to prayerfully engage the Scriptures with biblical assumptions and a God-honoring posture.  They will additionally survey the various methods that are typically used to interpret the Bible; this investigation will enable them to observe the healthiness of certain methods, such as the historical-grammatical process, and the danger of other approaches, such as the allegorical system of interpretation.  The students will then interpret various texts by considering genre, context, historical background, and other critical factors with the aim of applying truth to their life contexts.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

This course equips students to eventually serve on a missions trip by providing them information from the Scriptures as to what missions is and what it looked like.  Students will be engaged with the Book of Acts, specifically Paul’s three missionary journeys, where they will discover God’s intentions for the body of Christ as it pertains to missions.  Prayerfully, this course will help students make a decision to go on an VCHS Engage trip or a missions trip with their local church.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

This course explores the following motifs: general and special revelation, tri-unity and excellencies of God, creation and the image of God, the fall and sin, biblical covenants, salvation, the essence and function of the church, and last things.  For each topic, learners will interact with historical perspectives that have surfaced within the church and search relevant Scriptures to evaluate these ideas.  Additionally, students will create systematic conclusions, defend these conclusions with various epistemic sources, and exegete practical applications.  The goal of this educational journey is to help students love and worship God with every facet of their being, which includes the heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

This class aims to demonstrate that “faith has its reasons.”  The students will undergo an introductory study on the following perspectives: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Spirituality, Naturalism, and other influential systems of belief.  Learners will discover how to recognize, evaluate, and rebuttal tenets that flow from false presuppositions.  They will also learn how to defend their faith with a variety of epistemological sources, such as the Bible (the ultimate source of truth), science, reason, intuition, etc.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

18 Questions challenges students to think about today’s moral issues in light of the Scriptures and to make informed decisions as to where they stand on those issues. For each issue, students access a repository of articles/videos, and begin formulating an educated opinion of which they share with the rest of the class in a Socratic-based discussion. Each issue lasts approximately one week with teacher notes shared at the end of each week.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

The course will seek to help students grow spiritually and better understand their faith so they can confidently share their faith with those around them. Through this knowledge and growth they may seek to become more sanctified believers as they serve at VCHS, in the local church, and in the world using the gifts God has given them. They will be given opportunities to lead and encourage one another in their Christian faith and life.

One semester – .5 credit

Prerequisites:  None

The purpose of the Ministry Development Class is twofold: 1) To develop the worship ministry leaders of tomorrow through spiritual coursework and hands-on training. 2) To prepare all aspects of Valley Christian’s weekly chapel service. Ministry Development class will extend to students the unique opportunity to grow spiritually, academically, and through the use of their gifts/talents. The class is designed to be “hands-on,” meaning every student will play a significant role in the creation and implementation of our weekly chapels. From brainstorming and vision casting to set-up and tear- down every student’s gifts/talents will be called upon to ensure a successful chapel experience at Valley. Students will have ample time to create, design, rehearse, plan, and execute as it relates to chapel. In addition, students will discover through coursework God’s thoughts on topics such as: servant leadership, worship, spiritual gifts, attributes of God, and the body of Christ. One, two, or all three instructors could lead each class. Classes will consist of: large group teachings, small group teachings, rehearsals, planning, organizing, and executing.

One year – 1 credit

Prerequisites:  None