2. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31

4. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 John 20:31 (ESV) “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

5. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Theology: two Greek words theos (God) and logos (word or discourse). So theology can be described as study of God or discussion about God. Our theology or what “we believe” about God and about what the Bible says informs our understanding of life--we are all theologians. Our theology or what “we believe” informs the way we view the world (our worldview). Our theology or what “we believe” determines what we value most and what we value most determines how we act in this life. Our theology or what “we believe” affects everything. Embrace being a theologian, and embrace digging deeper into what “we believe” and why this year in chapel.

6. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Samuel Playing T-Ball

7. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Two Overarching Goals of our Series 1. The Great Commandment: We learn more about God so that we can love God with all of our mind.

8. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 The Great Commandment Matthew 22:37-40, “ 36 ’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ 37 And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’”

9. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 4 “Hear, O Israel: The L ORD our God, the L ORD is one. 5 You shall love the L ORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” The Great Commandment

10. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Two Overarching Goals of our Series 1.The Great Commandment: We learn more about God so that we can better love God with all of our mind. 2.The Great Commission: We learn more about God so that we can make better disciples and teach them better to observe all that Jesus has commanded us.

11. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 The Great Commission Matthew 28:19-20, “ 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

12. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Some Benefits to this Study 1.It helps us understand and overcome wrong ideas. 1.It helps us to live consistently with what we claim we believe. 1.It helps us to grow as a Christian.

13. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Understand and Overcome Wrong Ideas “The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be.” Carl Sagan, deceased atheist scientist, former host of the PBS television production, “Cosmos.”

14. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 “Almost every religion talks about a savior coming. When you look in the mirror in the morning, when you’re putting on your lipstick or shaving, you’re looking at the savior. Nobody else is going to save you but yourself.” Ted Turner, Time Warner Vice Chairman, in an USA Today interview Understand and Overcome Wrong Ideas

15. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 “Human babies are not born self-aware, or capable of grasping that they exist over time. They are not persons.. The life of a newborn is of less value than the life of a pig, a dog, or a chimpanzee.” Peter Singer, Tenured Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University and Advocate of Infanticide, in his book, Practical Ethics, (pg. 122-123) as reported in The Washington Post Understand and Overcome Wrong Ideas

16. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Live Consistently with what We Claim We Believe 83% of Americans identify themselves as Christians, yet only 49% describe themselves as absolutely committed to Christianity. The Barna Update, 5-21-07

17. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Live Consistently with what We Claim We Believe Those without an understanding of a biblical worldview: Around 100 times more likely to endorse abortion Around 80 times more likely to say exposure to pornography is morally acceptable 31 times more likely to believe living together before marriage is morally acceptable 15 times more likely to believe homosexual sex is acceptable 18 times more likely to endorse drunkenness 11 times more likely to say adultery is OK

18. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 Helps Us Grow as a Christian Psalm 119:11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” To repent means to change your thinking. The best way to change your thinking is to learn more about God. You learn more about God by studying His Word. Theology. What “we believe” determines how we live.

19. WE BELIEVE John 20:31 WE BELIEVE John 20:31 There is a God. God revealed himself to us. This God created us, and we rebelled against Him inheriting a sinful nature. God knowing this would happen sent His Son to provide salvation for us through His substitutionary death. Jesus will come again in judgment.