Class 1 (Feb 4): Everybody Has a Story!

Welcome to the first class of  BE READY! Engaging Today's Cultural Narratives.

We confess that God is Lord of all, and that He calls us to be a display of His splendor in our city. That requires us to bless the city by engaging our neighbors and their beliefs, yet always from a posture of grace and truth. This Sunday School class will help prepare us “to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Pet 3:15). 

Furthermore, in our apologetic calling, we need to "walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of our time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each one." (Col 4:5-6). 

• Click here to download the two-page class outline (with case study assignment).
• Click here for the audio recording of the class.

Please post your questions, comments, and suggestions as we progress through this journey together on engaging today's cultural narratives. You can also reach us at:

• John Sittema, johns@uptownchurch.org
• Joseph Tan, joseph@uptownchurch.org

Lesson summary:

1. Instead of rushing to give the "right" answers, we ought to be aware of what are the questions. In other words, we make an attempt to understand the narrative (see class outline - the six questions, there could be many answers, but the few fundamental questions remain the same). Consider the narratives of popular movies, what questions are they trying to answer and what are the conclusions?
2. The passage 1 Pet 3:15 is in the context of Christians suffering from persecution. How we respond to suffering will open up opportunities for others to be curious in finding out why we remain hopeful.
3. In engaging with others, my role is not to cast stones of "evidential clarity," rather it is to put a pebble in their shoe so that they begin to think and ponder about how they view the world, people, and even themselves.

Resources recommended:

"Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives" by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford. Consider purchasing a copy (but it is not required).