Pilgrim - Turning to Christ: A Course for the Christian Journey (Pilgrim Follow, 1) - Softcover

Cottrell, Stephen; Croft, Steven; Gooder, Paula; Atwell, Robert; Pearson, Sharon Ely

Softcover

ISBN 10: 089869938X ISBN 13: 9780898699388

Publisher: Church Publishing, 2016

Synopsis

Pilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource that helps inquirers and new Christians explore what it means to travel through life with Christ. A Christian course for the twenty-first century, Pilgrim offers an approach of participation, not persuasion. Following the practice of the ancient disciplines of biblical reflection and prayer with quotes from the Christian tradition throughout the ages, Pilgrim assumes little or no knowledge of the Christian faith. Individuals or small groups on the journey of discipleship in the Episcopal tradition can use Pilgrim at any point. There are many different aspects to helping people learn about the Christian faith. We have taken as our starting point Jesus summary of the commandments. We are called to offer our lives to God through loving God with all our mind, soul, strength, and heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Learning about Christian faith and growing in Christian faith is about more than what we believe. It s also about the ways in which we pray and develop our relationship with God, about the way we live our lives and about living in God s vision for the Church and for the world. Course 1, Turning to Christ: What do Christians believe? This is the question explored as the questions that are asked at Holy Baptism are discussed. We begin by looking at who Jesus was; why did people want to spend time with him so long ago and why do we promise to turn to Christ and follow him today? This is followed by learning what Christians believe about God, Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Baptismal Covenant."

About this title

About the Authors

Stephen Cottrell is the Bishop of Reading in the Church of England. He has written or contributed to Reflections for Daily Prayer, the Emmaus discipleship course, Traveling Well, and Praying Through Life.

Steven Croft is the Bishop of Sheffield. From 2004 to 2009 he was Archbishops Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions. Former warden of Cranmer Hall, he spent 13 years in parish ministry.

Paula Gooderis a freelance writer and lecturer in biblical studies, a Reader in the Church of England, and a lay member of the General Synod. She is also a Trustee of SPCK and the Saltley Trust and an honorary Canon Theologian at Birmingham and Guildford Cathedrals. She is the author of A Way Through the Wilderness and the bestselling Lent course Lentwise, and co-author of the Pilgrim course and Love Life, Live Advent.

Robert Atwell was Vicar of Primrose Hill, London, from 1998 though 2008, when he joined the episcopate. Formerly a lecturer in patristics at Trinity College Cambridge, where he was Chaplain, for ten years. He maintains his link with the Order of St. Benedict.

Sharon Ely Pearson a retired Christian educator, editor, and author with 35-plus years of experience in Christian formation on the local, judicatory, and church-wide level. Known for her knowledge of published curricula across the church, she has written or edited numerous books. She is a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary and a lifelong Episcopalian. She lives in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Turning to Christ

A Course for the Christian Journey

By STEPHEN COTTRELL, Steven Croft, Paula Gooder, Robert Atwell, Sharon Ely Pearson

Church Publishing Incorporated

Copyright © 2016 Stephen Cottrell, Steven Croft, Robert Atwell and Paula Gooder
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-89869-938-8

Contents

Welcome to Pilgrim, 
Introduction to Turning to Christ, 
Session One: Do You Turn to Jesus Christ?, 
Session Two: Do You Believe in God the Father?, 
Session Three: Do You Believe in His Son Jesus Christ?, 
Session Four: Do You Believe in God the Holy Spirit?, 
Session Five: Do You Repent of Your Sins?, 
Session Six: Do You Renounce Evil?, 
Session Seven: Will You, with God's Help?, 
Notes, 

CHAPTER 1

SESSION ONE:

DO YOU TURN TO JESUS CHRIST?

In this session we look at the attraction and the attractiveness of Jesus Christ. We start with a story about people finding Jesus and spending time with him.

Opening Prayers

Lord, lead me on the way of faith:
help me to follow Christ.

Open my heart to receive your love,
open my mind to understand your word.

Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

For you, Lord, are good and forgiving,
and great is your love toward all who call upon you.

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.

I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
and glorify your Name for evermore.
PSALM 86:4-5, 11-12

Now that we have been put right with God through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has brought us by faith into the grace of God.
We rejoice in the hope of sharing God's glory.
This hope does not deceive us:
God has poured his love into our hearts by the gift of his Spirit.
BASED ON ROMANS 5:1-2, 5

Loving God, open my eyes to see Jesus
and to know his purpose for my life.

Amen.

Conversation

What made you come to this course? Share something that has prompted you to want to find out more about the Christian faith.

Reflecting on Scripture

Reading

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

JOHN 1:35-42

Explanatory note

The word Messiah is, as the passage says, the Hebrew for "anointed." In Greek this word is Christ.

The John referred to in the passage is John the Baptist (or baptizer), a prophet and contemporary of Jesus. We will look at his role in more detail in Session Two.

• Read the passage through once.

• Keep a few moments' silence.

• Re

Edition details

• Publisher: Church Publishing
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 089869938X
• ISBN 13: 9780898699388
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 72