Bible Test – Follow Up

A number of you asked for more information about our leadership training course. Our terrific associate pastor, Ben Falconer, has been the main one responsible for developing the class. I asked him to write up a short description:

Each year, URC offers a Leadership Training Course for members who are interested in growing in leadership in the church. The Course is required for men who are interested in serving as elder or deacon in the future, but we encourage both men and women who have a heart for the Lord and a desire to grow to take the course.

We meet together for 12 sessions every other week on Saturday mornings over a period of 6 months. There are 4 distinct components of the course: qualifications for leadership, Bible content, practical ministry, and theological overview. We cover these 4 areas through reading books and Bible passages, defining theological terms, memorizing key Bible passages, group discussions, and working through case studies.

The 4 books we read correspond to the 4 components of the course: Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders, 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible by Robert Plummer, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul Tripp, and Salvation Belongs to Our God by John Frame.

At the end of the 12 sessions, students take an exam that includes a portion of general Bible knowledge, theological terms, and short essays. It is a rigorous course, but has been very well received by the people who’ve taken it. If students do not do well on the exam, we provide follow up work and another opportunity to pass and complete the class.

As for the exam itself, I encourage you to find the answers to the questions on your own, but if you are really stumped, you can get an answer key from the church office: urc[at]urcstaff[dot]org.