Bridgeway Christian Church

• CONNECTION
• SPIRITUAL LIFE
• BIBLE
• OUTREACH & APOLOGETICS
• THEOLOGY
• SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
• SPECIAL ELECTIVES

BLUEPRINTS OUTREACH & APOLOGETICS TRACK

For Spring 2012 we are offering the following classes in this track:

THE FOLLOWING COURSES WERE OFFERED EARLIER THIS SPRING...

Mormonism: Understanding Beliefs & Building Bridges
When: Saturdays, 6:00-7:30pm – Feb 4th-Feb 25th
Where: Bridgeway Christian Church in the Hub Chapel
Overview: This four-week class is designed to help you understand Mormon history and beliefs, know the differences between Mormon and Christian doctrine, and learn how to build bridges to share with Mormons in a loving and respectful way. The class will examine the history and fundamental beliefs of the Mormon Church. Who was Joseph Smith and how did he write the Book of Mormon? What is life like in the Mormon Church? Is this a Christian church? What is expected of faithful members? How does a person become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? The class will also compare the God of the Bible with the Mormon doctrine of God; who they believe Jesus Christ to be and how he became flesh; and their belief of a pre-existence and man's progression to Godhood. The class will also cover effective ways to rescue our loved ones and friends from this culture.
Who should take this class: Anyone interested in the Mormon faith and how to share the love of Christ with those in the Mormon church.
Homework Expectations: None
Required Materials/Costs: Be sure to bring your Bible and paper for taking notes. There is no cost, but please register online for this class.
About the Instructor: Tyler Campbell grew up in the Mormon faith and after years of questioning and investigating his faith, came to put his trust in Christ. He is passionate about sharing the love of Christ and truth of the Gospel with those who are still in the Mormon faith.
For more information: Tyler Campbell at or (916) 878-0368.

Islam: Understanding Beliefs & Building Bridges
When: Saturday, 6:00-7:30pm – March 10th-March 31st
Where: Bridgeway Christian Church in the Hub Chapel
Overview: This new four-week class is designed to help you understand the history and beliefs of Islam and learn how to build bridges to share with Muslims in a loving and respectful way. The class will provide an overview of the history and beliefs of Islam; differences between the Qur'an (Koran) and the Bible; how to reach Muslims; and also general Q&A. Register online.
Who should take this class: All who would like a better understanding of Islam and how to share the love of Christ with Muslims.
Homework Expectations: None
Required Materials/Costs: None
About the Instructor: Russ Kafarov grew up in the Muslim world and knows the religion and culture intimately. He served as a missionary, church planter and assistant pastor for eight years in varies Muslim countries.
For more information: Pastor Mark at

Is the Bible Reliable? Building the Historical Case
When: Sundays, 9:00-10:30am – Feb 5th-April 15th 
Where: Bridgeway Christian Church in the Hub Chapel
*Note: This class is also listed under our Bible Track because it pertains to both areas: Bible and Apologetics.
Overview: Is the Bible a book of myths and fairy tales, or is it a book of history and truth? This new 10-week class provides a thorough overview of major archaeological and historical discoveries that demonstrate the historical reliability of the Bible. The main teaching material for the class is the DVD series from Focus on the Family called TrueU: Is the Bible Reliable. It presents compelling arguments from history and archaeology that prove the Bible is a reliable historical document, demonstrating how its claims have been upheld repeatedly by corroborating evidence. The format of each class will typically include a 30-minute DVD presentation followed by discussion and Q & A.
Who should take this class: Anyone seeking to understand the historical and archaeological evidence for why we can trust the Bible. NOTE: This class would be especially helpful for teens preparing to enter into the university environment, and for their parents.
Homework Expectations: There will be no homework, but online resources will be available for further study.
Required Materials/Costs: There is no cost, but please register online for this class.
About the Instructor: Dan Burns has been a Professor of Chemistry at Sierra College for 35 years and is currently the Department Chair. He also serves as a faculty advisor for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Sierra College.
For more information: Dan Burns at or (916) 624-1359.

Cultural Training for Missions
When: Saturday, 4:00-7:30pm – March 3rd 
Where: Bridgeway Christian Church in the Hub, Room 208
Overview: This new class will help equip those who desire to lead and serve in cross-cultural ministry. It will address cultural dynamics and adaptation, team work and conflict resolution, as well as other practical and spiritual topics of importance. Register online.
Who should take this class: This is a required class for all who wish to serve on a Bridgeway missions team. But all who are interested in cross-cultural ministry are welcome to attend.
Homework Expectations: None
Required Materials/Costs: There is no cost, but please register online for this class.
About the Instructor: Michele Baslock and Courtney Smith both have extensive experience in world-wide missions, having served on multiple trips across the globe. Courtney leads our Missions ministry at Bridgeway.
For more information: Pastor Mark at

*Note: For Blueprints classes held during our weekend worship services, the Kidsway Children’s Ministry is available for children birth through 5th grade, and the Jr High Ministry is available at 9am Sundays and High School Ministry at 11:15am on Sundays.

FOR YOUR REFERENCE: Below are other classes we have offered in this track. We may be offering these again in the future.

Does God Exist? Building the Scientific Case for the Existence of God
 Overview: Do Faith and Reason Clash? Can the existence of the universe and life on earth be adequately explained using only Natural Laws? What is Natural Selection? Are living systems really “ordered” or do they just “appear” to be ordered? How complex is the “simple” cell? Come learn about the scientific reasons to believe in the existence of God in this 11-week class. The main teaching material for the class is the DVD series, TrueU: Does God Exist?, which focuses on recent findings in the physical and biological sciences, as well as mathematical probabilities, which provide a compelling case against the common argument that belief in God is "just a blind leap of faith." The format of each class will typically include a 30-minute DVD presentation, followed by discussion and Q & A led by Dan Burns, who is the Chair of the Chemistry Department at Sierra College.
Who should take this class: You don't have to be a scientist to get a lot out of this class, but it helps if you enjoy science and reasoning and being challenged. Since much of the discussion is aimed at countering philosophical and scientific objections to the Christian faith that are often put forth in a university setting, the lessons are "academic" and fairly challenging in nature (e.g., in-depth exploration of the structure of the DNA molecule, discussion of mathematical probabilities, etc.). NOTE: This class would be especially helpful for teens preparing to enter into the university environment, and for their parents.
Homework Expectations: There will be no homework, but online resources will be available for further study.
Required Materials/Costs: There is no cost, but please register online for this class.
About the Instructor: Dan Burns has been a Professor of Chemistry at Sierra College for 35 years and is currently the Department Chair. He also serves as a faculty advisor for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Sierra College.
For more information: Dan Burns at or (916) 624-1359.

Defending the Faith: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics
 Overview: This five-week course will help you increase your confidence as a Christian by exploring the reasons and evidences for the faith, and preparing yourself to be a more effective ambassador of Jesus Christ. We'll be focusing on key issues involved in building a positive case for the faith and defending the faith from objections. An “apologetic” is simply a defense. Peter commanded all believers to be ready with answers when people ask us about our faith. In 1 Peter 3:15, the word translated as “reason” is the word apologia, which means “a reasoned statement or argument.” Obeying this command just means you’ve got reasons for what you believe and you’re ready to talk with anyone who’s got questions. It doesn’t mean getting defensive. It doesn’t mean getting into fights. It means speaking the truth in love as we represent our Lord at work, at school, in our community and society. But in order to be prepared, we’ve got to know what we believe and why we believe it.
Who should take this class: Anyone wanting to better understand the reasons and evidence for your faith in Christ and in the Bible, and who want to more effectively share your faith with others.
Homework Expectations: None.
Required Materials/Costs: There is no cost for this class but you are encouraged to buy the companion workbook for the class: The Accessible Apologetics Workbook: Five Lessons for Everyday Defenders of the Faith, available on Amazon.
About the Instructor: Apologetics Guy Mikel Del Rosario helps Christians defend the faith with confidence. He is an Apologetics Professor, Speaker and Trainer who specializes in making apologetics accessible to the local church. He teaches Christian Apologetics courses at Western Seminary and William Jessup University. He is also an adjunct professor of Religion at University of Phoenix. Mikel is the author of the Accessible Apologetics curriculum. He holds a Master’s Degree in Christian Apologetics with Highest Honors from Biola University.  Find out more about Mikel’s ministry at http://apologeticsguy.com.
For more information: Mikel Del Rosario at or (916) 335-3810.

Relational Evangelism
Overview: This three-week class will give you tools for how to effectively build relationships and establish points of connection with others so that you can have opportunities to share your faith in a natural, non-confrontational way.
Who should take this class: Anyone interested in learning how to more naturally share their faith with those God brings into their lives.
Homework Expectations: None
Required Materials/Costs: None.
For more information: Steve Burdick at or (916) 765-5247.