Lesson 1 (Dec 29-Jan 4), The Gospel from Patmos

The Title of the Book

1. What is the relationship of a book's title to its contents? Which is more important for a hymn, its title or first line?
2. Can the preposition "of" signify both "about" and "belonging to" in the same context?
3. If the book of Revelation did not have a title what would you title it?

The Purpose of the Book

1. How do we know if a prophecy is fulfilled or is yet to be fulfilled?
2. Does the book only reveal the future or anything of the past too?
3. Why do people wish to know about the future which cannot be controlled or changed?

The Symbolic Language of Revelation

1. Why would God want to tell us about the future? Why would He do it in symbols rather than plainly to remove all doubts and distortions regarding time and place, etc? Or is it intentionally shrouded so as to have variable application?
2. How can one know what symbols mean?
3. Are the events described in Revelation described in symbols to be understood as real or imaginary?

The Godhead

1. Is there room to understand God the Father and Jesus as one and the same person (such as Jesus' saying "If you have seen me you have seen the Father)?
2. Is the Holy Spirit more "spirit" and therefore more omnipresent than the Father or Jesus?
3. Why is "love" associated with the Father, "grace" with Jesus and "fellowship" with the Holy Spirit?

The Keynote of Revelation

1. What does the change in wording of the Adventist fundamental belief in the second coming from "imminent" to "near" mean, if anything?
2. Are Adventists living in a delusion about the second coming being in one's lifetime?
3. If you could choose a name for our denomination would you still choose the same name or another one?

Lesson 13 (Dec 22-28), Final Restoration of Unity

The Certainty of Christ's Return

1. Why do other Christian denominations besides Adventists not speak of the return of Jesus?
2. Why did the Adventist church at the last GC session change the wording of our fundamental belief on the second coming from "Christ's coming is imminent" to "Christ's coming is near?" What difference does it make?

The Promise of Restoration

1. What, if anything, does re-creation have in common with recreation? 
2. Why does God want to bother restoring this world and its people?

Restoration and Restored Relationships

1. Can one go to heaven who has problems with relationships on earth, or do those have to be addressed before one can go to heaven?
2. What kinds of changes can one expect when this mortality puts on immortality?

A New Earth for the Redeemed

1. If there had been no sin would humanity have been less diverse in terms of cultures and races?
2. How much uniformity will the New Earth bring in through unity? How much diversity can we expect in heaven?

Life on the New Earth

1. With so much time in eternity why can't we expect boredom and temptation again?
2. What will drive compliance in heaven?

Lesson 12 (Dec 15-21), Church Organization and Unity

Christ the Head of the Church

1. Did Paul intend to use the Christ-Church relationship to teach how husbands and wives should relate to each other or vice versa?
2. How can Christ be literally the head of the church, when obviously humans make all the decisions?

Servant Leadership

1. Is it practical for a leader to be like a servant? Can a servant be a leader?
2. Why do humans wish to be leaders in the church? Is it wrong to aspire to church leadership?

Preserving Church Unity

1. What holds a church denomination together?
2. How do false leaders bring disunity into the church?
3. Will forcing compliance bring unity or disunity to the church?

Church Discipline

1. Why should the church discipline members? For what kinds of things should members be disciplined? 
2. Is discipline in the church increasing or decreasing? What are reasons for that?

Organizing for Mission

1. Is the gospel commission given to church administrators, to clergy or to members or different parts apply to different groups?
2. Are women included in the gospel commission?

Lesson 11 (Dec 8-14), Unity in Worship

Worshipping Our Creator and Redeemer

1. What are the different emotions in "worship?" Why are some magistrates addressed "Your worship?" 
2. Is worship a human response or is it a responsibility (requirement) ? 

False Worship

1. Why does Satan want to be worshipped? Why do humans enjoy flattery?
2. What do we mean when we refer to people "worshipping" money, fame, etc? Is that really worship?
3. Why do some people wilfully worship Satan?

The First Angel's Message

1. What is the connection between "fear" and "worship?" Can there be worship without fear?
2.  Why is worship connected to creation? Why do some people resent having been created?
3. Is it wrong to create people without their permission?

Bible Study and Fellowship

1. What are the advantages of studying the Bible with others?
2. What makes us think that we Adventists are "people of the book" more than other Christians?
3. How can we know that we are interpreting the Bible correctly?

Breaking of Bread and Prayer

1. Why did the disciples spend so much time eating together (daily)? 
2. Should Adventists have potlucks more often? What holy purposes do our potlucks serve, if any?

Lesson 10 (Dec 1-7), Unity and Broken Relationships

Restored Friendship

1. If inspired leaders like Paul made mistakes of judgement, how can we know when to trust them?
2. How can young pastors like John Mark know if they are fit for the ministry before spending years of preparation?
3. Did Paul have to apologize to John Mark and Barnabas?

From Slave to Son

1. Why didn't Paul condemn slavery outright and ask all Christians to release their slaves?
2. Was Paul blackmailing Philemon by putting pressure on him to send Onesimus back to him?

Spiritual Gifts for Unity

1. Are some kinds of competition okay for church--quizzes, temperance contests, preaching and singing competitions for children?
2. How can we encourage the above without competitions?

Forgiveness

1. Is forgiving with words adequate even if we don't feel it in the heart? 
2. Can we forgive even if the person who wronged us does not ask for forgiveness?
3. If we don't forget does it mean we have not forgiven?

Restoration and Unity

1. Why do we not bring personal problems before the church for discussion and consideration?
2. Is the church too slow to discipline?
3. If a person is not willing to reconcile, what does it mean?

Lesson 9 (Nov 24-30), The Most Convincing Proof

Under the Cross of Jesus

1. Why does the author state that "unity" is a gift? Who is responsible for the unity of the church, God, or the members?
2. Does baptism carry with it responsibilities towards compliance with leadership?

Ministry of Reconciliation

1. What kind of peace did Jesus bring to this world? What is his peace from?
2. What obligations do Christians have to foster peace in the world, and in the church?

Practical Unity

1. Are there any limits to the patience and grace that Christians are supposed to demonstrate?
2. How united are Christians compared to members of other religious groups?

Unity Amid Diversity

1. Why do some peoples consider other groups so unclean that they avoid fellowshipping and eating with them?
2. What makes Adventists treat other Adventists closer than family members who are not Adventists?

Unity in Mission

1. What does it mean that the disciples in the Upper Room were of "one accord?" How did they achieve that? The earlier discord was how much earlier? Did the discord change suddenly or gradually?
2. To what extent should we ignore other people's mistakes? When should we not ignore them?

Lesson 8 (Nov 17-23) Unity in Faith

Salvation in Jesus

1. Is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ in enough for salvation? Why did Paul say so to the jailor?
2. Can non-Christians who have not heard of Jesus be saved?
3. Since not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will be recognized by Him, how can one know if his or her belief is genuine?

Second Coming of Christ

1. What difference does the amendment at the 2010 GC session in the statement of belief on the second coming make which was changed from Adventists believe the "second coming is imminent" to the "second coming is soon?" Which is correct?
2. How much do other Christians believe in a literal second coming of Jesus?
3. What is the practical difference between the wise and the foolish virgins?

Jesus' Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary

1. How important is it to believe that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in 1844?
2. If Jesus does not come for another hundred years, will that mean that our interpretation of the 2300 day prophecy is wrong?
3. Why do no other Christians believe in the Investigative Judgement as Adventists do?

The Sabbath

1. Why do most Christians keep Sunday as the Sabbath?
2. Is it okay to keep both days Sabbath and Sunday holy?
3. How can one know what is okay to do on the Sabbath? Can a thing be all right for one person, but not for another?

Death and Resurrection

1. Since a person's fate is sealed at death, why does God not take the good ones to heaven immediately upon death?
2. On what basis could Enoch and Moses and other people from the time of Jesus' resurrection be taken to heaven?
3. How good is our name "Seventh-day Adventist compared to other denominations?" Who has the best name?