Teaching Plan June-August 2025

If we claim the name of Jesus, we have to follow the way of Jesus.

Over the coming weeks we will be studying the New Testament letter from James. Although it’s only five short chapters, it packs quite a punch and so comes with a content warning! It was probably written before Jesus followers called themselves Christians – it was others in their communities who eventually gave them that label because of how they lived their lives. Instead, they liked to refer to themselves as followers of the way, or simply disciples of Jesus.

In light of this, James thinks his audience should not only listen to him but act on what he says. He wants to avoid the faith of these new Christians ‘going to their heads’ and instead wants them to live it out ‘through their hands’. In other words, if we claim the name of Jesus, we have to follow the way of Jesus. Or put another way, for James, right belief without right practice is an unauthentic dead-end that leads us and others nowhere.

The teaching will cover key faith journey issues like;

• the centrality of Jesus’ wisdom
• getting a grip on prejudice and discrimination
• how the way we speak reflects what is really in our hearts
• if the church is going to reflect the kingdom of God as taught by Jesus, then it simply cannot be a reflection of the social, economic and political divisions we see around us
• living with integrity and perseverance, and the central importance of prayer to bring healing, restoration and spiritual growth.

Get set to be challenged and changed by the Holy Spirit working through James’ letter this summer.