The beginning of a new Bible study is an exciting prospect.  This study will be different from previous studies of a book of the Bible or of a particular topic.  The goal of this study is to explore the Scripture behind the ancient Christian creeds.  The Apostles’ Creed will provide our general outline, and the Nicene Creed will provide additional direction for our study.  It may be helpful to read a brief introduction to Christian creeds to see why studying them can be spiritually forming.

The content of the study will be Scripture, and the methodology will be inductive examination of the text of the Bible.  The creeds will provide our initial direction, but the constant question will be, “Does the Bible really teach that?”  If it does, “How does that help me grow in my relationship with God?  How does knowing and understanding the Apostles’ Creed enrich my Christian life?  How does the Creed shape the way I share the gospel with others?”

The format of the group will be, as much as possible, an interactive discussion about the Observation, Interpretation, and Application of the passages we study.  Of necessity, there will be some teaching about the history and development of the Creed.  The goal is for lecture to be minimized and the focus to remain on Scripture and how the content of the Creed represents the faith “once delivered to the saints.”