Bible Studies

Join us on Tuesday evenings for a hybrid Zoom/in person Bible study covering the second half of Exodus using Jen Wilkin's God of Freedom as our study guide. We will complete 10 lessons and view and discuss accompanying videos over the course of two semesters/20 weeks. We will meet on Zoom the first three Tuesday’s of each month and in-person at Immanuel the fourth Tuesday.

Through this study, the group will learn details about the giving of the Ten Commandments, Israel's growth and rebellion in the desert, and the building of the tabernacle where God dwelt among His people. Throughout we will find themes of freedom, given by God the Father, made accessible to us through Christ, and worked out in our lives through the Holy Spirit. New group members are welcome and are encouraged to read through the first half of Exodus several times to prepare to study the second half together.

Begins January 14
Hybrid online / in person once a month; 7:00-8:30pm (Lobby Study)
Janice Chao, Jenn Elzea, and Lenore Webb, Leaders
$25

Come study the book of Mark. This gospel is specifically focused on Jesus the Messiah who ushers in the kingdom of God, a servant and mainly emphasizes his deeds. Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” So come join us and learn about who Jesus is and what he came to do.

Begins January 8
7:00-8:30pm (A201)
Bethany Barham, Leader
$0

Join us on Tuesday evenings as we learn about 12 extraordinary women in scripture. We will be reading through John MacArthur’s book, 12 Extraordinary Women as well as diving deep into Scripture to learn more about these examples of great faith in unexpected people. As noted in John MacArthur's book description, "Celebrated for their courage, vision, hospitality, and spiritual giftedness, it's no wonder women were so important to God's plan revealed in the Old and New Testaments. It wasn't their natural qualities that made these women extraordinary but the power of the one true God whom they worshipped and served." We will explore the cultural, historical, and scriptural context each week as we go through the stories of Eve, Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, Mary (mother of Jesus), Anna, The Samaritan Woman, Martha and Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Lydia.

John MacArthur makes clear that this study's goal is for us all to be “challenged and motivated by this poignant and personal look into the lives of some of the Bible's most faithful women. Their struggles and temptations are the same trials faced by all believers in all ages. And the God to whom they were so committed is the same God who continues to mold and use ordinary people today.”

Begins January 28
7:00-8:30pm (A211)
Grace Jones and Lisa Jones, Leaders
$15

Are denominations biblical? For what sins can a person be excommunicated from church? Is it right for a believer to take another believer to court? What place is given to marriage in the New Testament? Should women wear head coverings in church gatherings? What is the gift of tongues? What will our resurrected bodies be like? These are just some of the questions Paul addresses in his first letter to the Corinthians. And you’ll want to know the answers, not just for yourself, but to explain them to others as well. This letter was originally written to answer certain questions that arose in the church in Corinth. But many of these issues persist among us and will continue to do so until the end of the age. Therefore, the message of 1 Corinthians is both current and eternal, from start to finish.

Begins January 21
7:00-9:00pm (A207-209)
Ana Ugalde and Liz Zalles, Leaders
There is no cost for this Bible study, but the study guide (1Corintios by Emmaus) is available for purchase in our bookstore. (This study will be taught in Spanish.)

Join us for this inductive Bible study on untangling truth from assumptions and false teaching

Ideas and information travel at the speed of a click, a send, or a share. With so much coming at us all the time, how can we separate the gospel from lies and sound teaching from false prophets? Biblically, how can we examine the texts that confuse us with discernment in order to gain new understanding?

Nearly two thousand years ago, even without the scourge of social media, Paul faced similar problems. False teachers threatened the faith of new believers in a city known for its pagan rites and upside-down gender roles. He wrote this letter to instruct his young protégé on how to create order out of the chaos. But despite the timeless truths he shares, some of our own culture has infected his words with confusion and buried hope.

Authored by Sue Edwards and Rebecca Carrell--two seminary professors of different generations—this study will delve into this sometimes-baffling book to unearth the solid foundation we can stand on today.

Begins January 15
9:30-11:30am
Beth Azer & Sarah Pinkley, Leaders
($12)

This weekly Bible Study in 2 Samuel will help you behold the character of the LORD as revealed through the reign of David, a man after God’s own heart. We will discover from 2 Samuel how to follow, love, and reflect the King of Kings through the mountain tops of victory and the valleys of disappointment, suffering, and failure. Selected Psalms will be sprinkled throughout the study that correspond to key events in David’s reign. This will give us a unique look into David’s heartfelt relationship with his beloved Almighty King. Materials provided will include a 2 Samuel ESV Scripture Journal and a three-ring binder of weekly homework questions and additional study tools. The Wednesday morning group time will incorporate a time of teaching, worship, and prayer as we encourage one another to grow in Christ.

Begins January 15
9:30-11:30am, A207
Jody Lubenec, Donna Horn, and Bobbi Praske, Leaders
($20 for new students, $13 for returning students)

Understanding the Anger of God: Micah, Nahum & Zephaniah

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk were the last prophets to the Southern Kingdom of Judah before Judah was taken captive to Babylon. Each prophet cried out to a nation which needed to heed the Word of the Lord about judgment. Any nation, Assyria, Israel or Judah, which chose to worship idols rather than God, would be judged by God unless they turned to Him in repentance. But God would always give a warning first. In the midst of darkness there is always light. In the midst of despair there is always hope. In the midst of corruption there is always the Word of the Lord, the message of truth, because God is not silent. These three prophets will teach you how God deals with those who turn away from Him and how He gives a warning to turn to Him rather than perish.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: 2 Kings 21-25 & 2 Chronicles 33-36

In the last chapters of 2 Kings (21-25) and 2 Chronicles (33-36) you’ll see worsening religious and political conditions in Judah. You will be introduced to the last kings of Judah – one the best since King David (“the Good”), the other the worst Judah ever had (“the Bad”). When God brings Babylon to judge Judah and Jerusalem for their sins, everything gets really “Ugly.” We want to present God to the world as merciful and compassionate, which He truly is. Yet because He is holy, righteous, and just, He deals severely with His chosen people, Israel, and the nations of this world when they spurn Him. You will understand more clearly God’s kindness and severity – kindness to those who continue in His kindness, severity to those who do not believe and obey. You’ll learn how God can keep you when your life combines “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”

Begins February 5
9:30-11:45am, A206-208
Barbara Faught, Leader
($40)

We live in a world of suffering, tension, and trials. Peter understood the tension of being hated by the world, misunderstood and maligned, but he also understood through his first hand experience that God does not abandon us in our suffering. In the books of 1-2 Peter, we see the themes of suffering, the transformative power of God, spiritual authority, false teachers, and the last days. Peter directs us to the God who is faithful in our trials, working them for His glory and our good. We will be digging into Peter’s letters using Lydia Brownback’s Flourish Bible study series to apply the truths of these Scriptures to our lives as we learn God’s attributes deeper and know we can trust Him in our trials and suffering times.

Begins January 15
9:30-11:30am, A201
Becky Evans, Leader
($12)

In this study written by Nancy Guthrie, we will peer into the lives of the apostles in the days following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus as they experienced new power from the Holy Spirit and a new understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures. We will see how those stories fit into the larger story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, concerning the way God is working out his plan of salvation in the world.

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Salvation is at the heart of the promise of the book of Acts and by studying it we witness the power of the gospel as it spreads throughout the world and transforms lives. God can and does do the same through us—changing our hearts, empowering us by the Holy Spirit, and giving us a passion to spread the good news of salvation through Christ.

Begins January 16 (year-long study)
9:15-11:30am, A207-209-211
Kathy Holley, Deshua Joyce, and Laura Fay, Leaders
($20)
Note: The personal study guide includes the teaching video access.
Optional: Participants may want to purchase the ESV Scripture Journal: Acts (Saved Edition). The Acts ESV Scripture Journal is not required, but it is available for purchase in the IBC Bookstore if desired.

Ever wondered how the New Testament connects to the Old? This fascinating study of Hebrews chapters 5-10 explains relationships between the two covenants, the earthly and heavenly tabernacles, and the sacrifices of animals and the Son of Man. See how Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets and became our great High Priest. Without faith it is impossible to please God. So what is faith? Where do I get it? And what does it look like lived out in my life? This study of Hebrews chapters 11-13 will answer these questions and more, encouraging you to fix your eyes on Jesus and run with endurance to the finish line.

Begins January 16
9:15-11:45am, A206-A208
Debi Davis, Leader
($45)