Jesus tells us “where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.” (Matt. 18:20) When we gather to study the Word together, we begin to connect everyday moments to the teachings in the Bible and strengthen our relationships to Jesus and each other as we share our stories.
For adults seeking to connect their lives to Jesus, Oakland offers numerous avenues to learn, serve, and mature with other Christ followers. For our adults, we have three Sunday School Class options as well as a Wednesday Bible Study you can join to study and discuss the Scriptures and their life applications.
Our Sunday School classes meet each Sunday at 9:30am in their designated classrooms for coffee and conversations (see map below for where each class meets). Each class has a unique style of study, and their curriculum changes seasonally based on publication availability or specific spiritual needs and interests for the class. We encourage all Sunday School attendees to drop into each Sunday School class to get a feel for each class’s teaching and learning style to find the best fit for their season of growth. As the classes change studies throughout the year, Oakland will advertise and announce the new studies to help attendees know of the new study options available.
Our Wednesday Bible Study meets weekly on Wednesday mornings at 11:00am. During this time of study, the group will dive directly into the Scriptures reading a passage together and discussing the meaning, context, and life application of the reading.
Check out the current studies or topic for each class and our Bible study below!
Current Sunday School Study Topics:
The Betty Jo Hatcher Class
The Betty Jo Hatcher Class favors discussion and individual input, so that we can learn from each other’s experience and application. We are seasoned with years of living, but constantly learning, because we love the Lord and the Lord’s not done with us yet.
Our class uses The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation Curriculum the Present Word. The Winter 2021 study is called “Justice, Law, History.” The Winter quarter will trace themes of justice in a variety of Old Testament passages. As we journey through the Old Testament, we will explore how leaders of God’s people must rely on God’s Law as they administer justice, focus on God’s justice in the lives of God’s people, and discussion Bible stories where justice seems absent.
The Upper Room
The Upper Room Class investigates the Scriptures for God’s Word to us. As a group we value good Bible scholarship and consider modern interpretations, but we believe everyone is capable of reading God’s Word and learning to live it out. We dissect the scripture and really take our time talking about all aspects of each lesson, sometimes only covering one or two verses during our time together.
Our class uses David C. Cook’s Scripture Press Curriculum. Currently, we are working through “Studies in John.” The Gospel according to John stands as a living testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and provides us with unparalleled insights into Jesus Christ. John’s Gospel is priceless both for the sinner in process of coming to Christ and for the believer who has walked with Him for many years. Its fascination is immediate and enduring. Its message is simple and profound.
The Faithful Followers
The Faithful Followers class is driven by discussion and sharing of life experiences. We enjoy reading books by Christian authors to help us grow in our relationships, provide spiritual growth opportunities, and navigate life and current issues from a Christian worldview.
To start off the new year, we will be studying the classic Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis along with a comprehensive study guide by Steven Urban. Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis’s forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books – The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality – Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis sees as the fundamental truths of the religion. Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity’s many denominations, C.S. Lewis finds a common ground on which all those who have a Christian faint can stand together, proving that “at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice.”
Current Topic for Wednesday Bible Study:
Our Wednesday morning Bible study group meets each Wednesday in the church Fellowship Hall from 11:00am to 12:00pm. During their time together, the attendees dive into the scriptures discussing the meanings and life applications of the text. Currently, the group is doing a study on the Words of Jesus as spoken in the New Testament. This study focuses on diving into all of the “red words” in the New Testament from Jesus and what they teach us about His character, His purpose, and His love for us.