2026 Fall Quarter Registration

Prof. Michael Lindholm

The Christian doctrines, confessions, and creeds came from the early church’s understanding of the Work of the Cross, the Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord Christ Jesus. They were forged in the midst of heresy and apostasy. One of the great side benefits of heresy throughout church history is that it always forces the church to greater precision in belief. It clarifies the apostolic teachings of the Bible so that we may differentiate the truth of sacred Scripture from the distortions and falsehoods – especially defending and explaining the deity of Christ. Not since the 3rd and 4th centuries have some of these very issues challenged Christians both inside and outside the Church. I pray that this course will be a blessing for those who want to learn more about the Jesus of the Scriptures and be prepared to defend the faith in this post-modern world.

Prof. Tommy Reeves

Spiritual abuse is one of the most painful and least understood wounds a person can carry, and one of the most common reasons people walk away from the church. This course examines what spiritual abuse is, how it happens, why it is so difficult to recognize from the inside, and what genuine healing looks like for those who have experienced it.

Through reading assignments and class discussions, students will explore the defining characteristics of spiritually abusive environments: the misuse of Scripture to control, claims to divine authority that silence questions, pressure to conform, enforced accountability, and the isolation and secrecy that keep people trapped.

Students will also discuss such questions as: How do we prevent spiritual abuse? How can Christians build a church culture where people are genuinely safe? Is there a link between certain theological ideas and harmful patterns of leadership? What does it look like to create communities where spiritual and emotional flourishing is the goal?

Through assigned readings, reflection on Scripture, and class interactions, students will be equipped with the understanding and tools to work toward redemptive solutions to our current epidemic of spiritual abuse, whether they are processing their own experience, caring for those who have been hurt, or seeking to lead differently.

Dr. Dan Holcomb

As followers of Jesus, the Bible is our Guide for living and the Source of truth for all we teach and practice. But how do we go from the words we read in the Bible to the theology that we teach and the life we hope to live? It is the process of interpretation that gets us there, and hermeneutics is the study of the principles we use in that process of interpretation. In this course we will learn principles of sound biblical interpretation, including the rules and methods used in moving from the text on the page, to the theology we teach, to our application of the Bible to everyday life. As we take a closer look at how we study the Bible we will gain a greater confidence in our ability to understand this amazing Book that God has given us, for our own personal study, as well as teaching others.