Tree of Life Church Vision Manual

By Pastor Benjamin Conway

This book is the Vision Manual for Tree of Life Church in London designed to be used in conjunction with our 5 week "Vision Course". However, the information in this book would be also excellent for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the Christian life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447697886

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appreciated.

Week 1: Basic Theology

It is essential that anyone who wants to be a disciple of Jesus anywhere in the world knows some of the basics of theology. Theology is just a Greek word that means knowledge about God. Your theology is what you know about God and the things of God.

Now, you do not need to know everything about the Bible or God to be part of a church or be a disciple – or else none of us could ever be one! All of us, including the leadership of the church, are always learning more about God and about what the Bible teaches about God and about the things of God. For the rest of your life you are going to be learning more about God, His nature, His kingdom, His principles, His life. In fact, even when you reach heaven you will still be learning about God every day!

However, there are some basic things about God and the things of God that every Christian should know. Now, when it comes to knowing things about God our source of information is not our emotions, not our feelings, not what our Uncle or Granmother says, but our source of information is the Word of God, the Bible. Everything we learn about God must be lined up with the Bible.

In this chapter you are going to find out some basic information about some of the key facts about God, and the Biblical basis for believing these facts. You may already know all of this, especially if you have been a Christian for a while.

However, if this is the case then you need to realise that many people that come to our church may be very new Christians and have never had a Christian background. It is important that we start our foundation for joining with us at the very basic level. In addition, it will do you good to look again at the Biblical basis for our theology. Please do not gloss over this week’s information as it is vital that every Christian starts their foundation with this information.

There are a lot of Scriptural references in this section. We recommend that you take the time to look up at least some of these references so you can see for yourself the Biblical basis for what we believe. If you are a new Christian, this will help you find your way around the Bible. If you have been a Christian for a while, then this will help refresh and encourage your faith.

The six areas that we should all be aware of and understand basic information about are as follows:

What is the Godhead

Who is Jesus Christ

How people can go to heaven

What is the Bible

What is the Church

What will happen at the end of time

What is the Godhead?

The Godhead is a word used to describe the fact that although there is only one God, He exists as three persons. It is a way of describing and talking about God that helps people understand what God is like. Often the word Trinity is used instead of the Godhead, and they both mean the same thing.

The word Godhead means that although there is only one God (see Deut. 6.4), He exists as three eternal persons. You could present the truth of the Godhead as a series of statements:

There is only one God who has always existed and will always exist (Deut. 6.4, Isa. 45.5)

The Father is God (Phil. 1.2)

The Son is God (John 1.1, Col. 2.9)

The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5.3-4)

These three different persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are one God. (Matt. 28.19, 2 Cor. 13.14)

The Father has always been and always will be God (1 Peter 2.17). The Son or the Word has always been and always will be God (John 1.1). The Holy Spirit has always been and always will be God (Acts 5.3-4). And these three persons are the same one