It does not matter how long one had become a Christian, our study of God’s Word should never stop. Throughout a Christian’s journey of growth, our understanding of God’s Word should evolve along with our spiritual maturity and life experiences. Moreover, studying the Bible is not just about accumulating knowledge; we must put new insights into practice. Therefore, studying of the biblical truth is a lifelong endeavour. On the other hand, learning the biblical truth is both a personal and team effort, both of which are indispensable. It is a team effort because God raises up teachers, preachers, and pastors within the church to teach the truth: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). God also requires Christian parents to teach their children His Word at home: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). We learn the Bible through the classroom and to put them into practice through the church community and at home. Learning the Truth is a personal exercise because its not about observing experiences of others, life-changing events, or how other Christians build a close relationship with the Lord, nor on understanding biblical knowledge objectively. The focus is on transforming our lives under the truth, becoming more like our Lord Jesus, “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Therefore, I urge every brothers and sisters in Christ at Tree of Life Christian Church to attend every Sunday School, as it is the place where we gain the nutrients needed for our spiritual growth. Moreover, come to class with a teachable heart, encourage one another and submit to the teachings of the Bible. 

The adult Sunday School primarily conducts book-by-book Bible studies. The advantage of this approach is so that our brothers and sisters can fully understand the content and main messages conveyed in a specific book, allowing the Scriptures teach us the lessons we need to learn. Besides book-by-book studies, the church will also conduct topical studies bi-annually, learning the Bible’s teachings on these topics. On July 28, pastor will be leading us in the discussions on topics regarding theology . Some of us might think that theological topics are only for scholars and pastors, and that ordinary believers do not need to understand them. However, theological topics are an extension of the in-depth study of the biblical truth. We may not need the depth to study as scholars do, it is still necessary for all believers need to have relevant knowledge. It is only when we are equipped with a deep understanding of the truth can we discern worldly teachings, from other religions, and heresies. Therefore, we hope every believer here would have the opportunity to be armed with the knowledge from these theological teachings. Some believers have another misconception about “theology.” They think theology stems from human reasoning, and not of biblical teaching, thus, does not want to waste unnecessary time to learn. Indeed, only the Bible is God’s Word, and theology is merely the human conclusions drawn from studying the Bible. Therefore, only the Bible carries God’s authority, and a believer’s spiritual growth should be based on the Bible. But sound theology that aligns with the Bible is still crucial for our spiritual growth and faith. It is the accumulated knowledge from rigorous biblical studies by many devout Christians on specific topics. Of course, there is also erroneous theology that does not conform to the Bible, which can be a stumbling block to our faith. However, these incorrect theological concepts would never announce their mistakes. Therefore, it is crucial that we establish sound theology that conforms to the Bible. May the Lord help us to thirst for His Word, meditate on it often, deeply understand it, and put it to daily practice, growing in faith day by day. “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed” (Acts 17:11-12).

translated by Elaine Chew