Explore the River Blog

Into This Life is a one-evening Bible “intensive” where we will explore Paul’s understanding of how we can live into the new life that is ours because of Jesus and what He has done.

A few well-loved verses “live” in Romans 8, but our appreciation for those verses doesn’t necessarily mean we really understand all that Paul wants us to know about living in this new life. Paul lays out his understanding of the Gospel in the first part of Romans and then, weaving together those themes, he invites followers of Jesus to fully embrace that life Jesus provides. This class will help anchor our understanding of those favorite verses in Paul’s picture of new life.

A Bible Intensive is a journey into a portion of Scripture or a specific passage that requires something more than a Sunday morning message to unpack. The class will be held online on Tuesday, February 25, starting at 6:30PM (EST). There is no cost for the intensive, but we would like you to register so that we can plan accordingly.

All those who register will be sent a link and further instructions the day before the class.

Yes, because of God’s grace that comes to us through the sacrifice of the Son and brought home to our lives by the Spirit, we are blessed. Paul describes this as being “blessed with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). But what is this blessed life? What is it that God has done in Christ in blessing us? For many who know Jesus, the richness of God’s grace is under-experienced, because it is not fully understood.

On Thursday, February 27, (starting at 6:30 pm, EST), The River will host a one-evening, on-line class entitled “Our Blessed Life: Reflections on Ephesians 1.” This time together will draw us into richer understanding and appreciation of the grace and kindness that has been bestowed on us in Christ, opening the door to a fuller experience of this blessed life.

Of all the things Jesus’ disciples could have asked Him to teach them, the one thing they did want was for Him to teach them to pray. Who better to learn from about prayer?

This class will be spent listening to and reflecting on Jesus’ instructions about prayer found in Luke 11. Some of His words recorded there will likely be quite familiar, but others may not be. And, taken together, what Jesus has to say about prayer might just change your prayer life for good!

This two evening class will meet online Tuesday evenings, March 4 and 11, beginning at 6:30 pm (EST, US). Once you have registered for the class, you will be sent information for signing on to the online class.

Typically, the starting point in getting to know someone is to let them tell you something about themself. That would seem to be a great way to get to know God, as well.

Over the course of three Thursday evening sessions (March 6, 13, 20), we’ll be looking at the way God refers to Himself or speaks of Himself in the Scriptures. He used a variety of names and nouns and titles–and they each help us understand something about Him. When the Biblical authors use different terms and words to refer to God, it isn’t a random choice–it actually conveys something. That is what we want to discover. 

Starting at 6:30 pm (EST, US) each evening, we will take a close look at the language God used and the context in which He used that language to build a richer and fuller understanding of just who this God is that we meet in the pages of the Bible.