PROBLEM #1: I need a sweeping overview of some basic matters of the Christian faith, like the Bible, or church history, or theology.
PROBLEM #2: It’s hard to find the time to dig into these topics in depth.
PROBLEM #3: I have a short attention span.
PROBLEMS SOLVED: The DONE IN 60 MINUTES Adult Faith Formation Presentation series
This popular lecture series has covered several topics, helping give participants a broad overview in 60 short minutes. You can check out the links below as well as books and other resources which provide a more detailed exploration of the topic than can be completed in 60 minutes.
July - August 2020: Exploring Biblical Justice by Stephen Hall
Stephen Hall, University of Chicago Graham School instructor and popular lecturer at First Pres, looks at justice through the lens of the Old and New Testament.
March 1, 2020: Spiritual Practices in 60 Minutes (10:30 am in the chapel)
Christians often celebrate Lent by taking on a spiritual practice like fasting, reading the scriptures more consistently, or prayer. But what is the purpose of practices like these?
Additional Resources: Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson; The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg
January 12, 2020: The Book of Revelation in 60 Minutes
Revelation is one of the most confusing books of the Bible, but it contains the good news of hope and justice hidden behind so many symbols and images. Digging into the book reveals its headline: God Wins!
Additional Resource: Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger and David DeSilva
Link to video (NOTE: this video cuts off before the end of the presentation. Please excuse the technical difficulties)
October 6, 2019: World Religions in 60 Minutes
Learning about other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam helps us to live into Jesus’ hope that we would love our neighbors as ourselves. Though our beliefs differ, sometimes significantly, each faith tradition has aspects which can deepen our own commitment to Jesus Christ.
Additional Resource: God is Not One by Stephen Prothero
March 3, 2019: Christian Theology in 60 Minutes
Systematic theology is like a spider web which holds together all of the various beliefs that the church confesses. This presentation explored the doctrines of Incarnation, sin, atonement, and predestination.
Additional Resource: Christian Doctrine by Shirley Guthrie
January 27, 2019: How the Bible Became the Bible
Our scriptures did not fall out of the sky; they were written and compiled by faithful Christians following the leading of the Holy Spirit. This presentation explores how and when the various books of the Bible were written.
Additional Resource: Formation of the Bible by Lee Martin McDonald.
November 4, 2018: Church History
This lecture begins with Jesus’ death and resurrection, and travels down through the centuries to the founding and development of First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest in 1859.
Additional Resource: Church History: Those Who Shaped the Christian Faith by Gary Neal Hanson.
September 16, 2018: The Bible
This presentation covers the sweep of the entire Bible, beginning with God’s original intent at creation, moving through the history of Israel, the coming of Jesus Christ, the letters of Paul, and Christ’s return at the end of history.
Additional Resource: The True Story of the Whole World by Craig Bartholomew and Michael Gohan.