Foundations

Whether you’re new to the Christian faith, have questions about the Bible, or want to deepen your faith, Foundations classes are designed to help you know the storyline of the Bible, affirm core Christian beliefs, and practice spiritual habits to help you grow.

Foundations: Biblical Storyline

Foundations: Biblical Storyline provides an eleven-week overview of the Bible where you’ll learn how to read the Bible as one story that points to Jesus. The class covers topics such as: creation, fall, covenant, kingdom, wisdom, prophets, redemption, and church. While the class does not cover each book of the Bible in detail, it will give you a framework for reading and understanding the Bible. 

Foundations: Christian Belief

Foundations: Christian Belief will help you learn, articulate, and solidify the core beliefs all Christians need to know. The class covers topics such as: the doctrine of Scripture, creation, the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, the Holy Spirit, sanctification, the local church, and missions. This class will help you grow in your knowledge of God and help you articulate what you believe.

Foundations: Spiritual Growth

Foundations: Spiritual Growth introduces biblical spiritual disciplines which create patterns in our lives to help us love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The class covers topics such as: godliness, prayer, worship, fasting, serving, journaling, learning, and perseverance. The goal of the Christian life is to be formed by the Holy Spirit into people who love God and love people. This class will help you create practical habits to help you follow Jesus in everyday life.

Sign Up For Foundations & Training Institute

Training Institute

Training Institute is a nine-month discipleship and leadership development program running from September to May. It is one way we fulfill our mission of “sending transformed people to influence their world for Christ.” The Institute is designed to equip our church family for increased ministry leadership, church planting, evangelism, and missions.

The Training Institute is for any person:

• Wanting to deepen their discipleship and live the mission
• Aspiring to increased ministry/volunteer leadership at Shades
• Interested in joining a core team for a church plant or replant
• Exploring a call to vocational ministry or missions

Participants should expect to spend about 2-3 hours per week engaging with the Training Institute, which includes: 

• Weekly online content centered on core concepts and competencies essential for leaders who want to (1) be sent-out to your neighborhood, workplace, or on a church-planting team, (2) be transformed into Christ-likeness, and (3) increase your sphere of influence – whether that’s at home, work, or in the ministry area you serve.
• Bi-weekly coaching cohort with a Shades ministry leader to reinforce and apply the concepts and competencies from the content. Cohorts ideally meet twice per month at a time/place determined by each group.
• Monthly leadership lunches where we build community, discuss content, and explore participant questions raised in the content and/or coaching groups. These lunches occur on Thursdays from 11:30am – 12:45pm. The kick-off lunch is September 1st, 2022.

How do I get involved?

The application deadline is Sunday, August 14, 2022. Click here to download the application for the 2022-23 Training Institute. Once completed, submit to Bradley Patton (bpatton@shades.org) via email.

Testimonials