2:11 - a study on holiness
/Formerly known as the “Purity Study”, volunteer Nicole King is back after a hiatus to lead this optional study program open to our students.
Nicole King
From Nicole:
I have always felt an overwhelming calling to evangelize and disciple women and children since the 1999 and early 2000’s when I first came into the faith. To see both rooted and grounded in the word of God and empowered in who God has always created them to be will forever be one of my purposes in life. In 2009, I began an annual bible study for the girls in the Common Ground Montgomery after school program; the focus of the study was to educate and encourage girls in abstinence and give them a biblical view of sex. As the years progressed, we added young boys in our program and I began to focus on the area of holiness as a whole. The Hebrew word qodesh, translated “holiness,” comes from a couple of root meanings: “apart” or “separateness.
It is important in ministry that holiness be the background behind ALL that we teach. It was important to me that the children in our program/community be reminded of WHO God is, WHY he created them, WHAT was the gospel, and HOW all of this provokes one to a life of discernment that leads them to being “set apart” in all areas. Each 8-week study ended with a special neighborhood formal ball where the children, along with their parents, would gather to celebrate not only the completion of the Bible study, but we would honor a special couple from the community who had been an example of hope, love, faithfulness, and commitment. This bible study/community gathering has been on pause for the last 4 years —- the sabbatical ends this spring.
I would like to introduce to you --2:11. (Formally called our Purity Study.)
The name 2:11 comes from Titus 2:11-14 that says :
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
It's important for me to remind all those involved (as well as remind myself) that we grow through holiness through the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches us that the gospel is not only the Cross (which is important) but it's also the incarnation, the sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and the reign and return of Jesus Christ. It is very important that we see, understand, and teach the kids in our community/program to appreciate the totality of the gospel message. If this does not happen, we will be tempted to use Jesus' suffering to motivate obedience from our kids.
(In other words, we will be tempted to try and guilt others and ourselves into submission by feeling sorry for what Jesus had to go through, turning him into a victim instead of a seeing him as a VICTOR, as I once heard a mentor say.)
Seeing Jesus and all of his work is the only thing that is strong enough to transform us and the children we minister to. I intend to instruct my volunteer teachers on how to weave this all throughout this study.
2012 Purity Ball
I’m sending this message out for a couple of reasons.
1) I would like to invite you to join me in praying over this study and our Washington Park community. Prayer plays a huge role in our fight against Satan and we will not be able to do what we do without it.
2) I would like to ask you to consider being a donor. We are in the phase of trying to purchase the curriculum for our elementary/middle school boys and girls. Over the years it has been the generosity of church family and friends that have helped us equip our children with what they need. We are grateful.
The curriculum kits can be purchased here :
Girls: (25)
https://store.reviveourhearts.com/products/the-princess-and-the-kiss-set
Boys (30)
https://store.reviveourhearts.com/products/squire-and-the-scroll-set-new/
All tuxedo’d up for the ball!
If you would like to just give through CGM directly for me to purchase kits, you can give through the website: www.cgm.life/donate. Click general donation and be sure to add a note where it asks for T-shirt size to specify that you are giving towards the "2:11 Purity Study".
If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer as a teacher during this study, email me: nicole@cgmlife.org.
The 2:11 Study is scheduled to take place on Wednesdays from February 6, 2019, to April 3, 2019.
Volunteer teacher training will be January 12, 2019.
