Mark taught the last class of 2024 which concluded the series of Lesser Known Women of the Bible using a passage in Luke 2 with a focus on 3 witnesses of Jesus’s birth. -Witnesses of the Shepherds: Those who were of the lowest social standing, outcasts. Even the line of priests who raised lambs for the temple sacrifice were considered untrustworthy. -Witness of Simeon: God promised that Simeon would not see death until he saw Jesus. Simeon was in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus for circumcision on the eighth day. -Witness of Anna the Prophetess: An elderly widow from the tribe of Asher, one of the lost tribes of Israel. A rare prophetess dedicated to God and His purpose. Take homes: Marvel at God’s work Wait with patience Be a witness Listen to Mark offer insight into the lives and background of unlikely witnesses to the baby Jesus and how God used them including a lesser known woman of the Bible to proclaim the Messiah’s birth.

Pastor Brent Johnson continued with the series, Lesser-Known Women of the Bible with a focus on Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist from Luke 1. Brent taught three points: 1. Aaron: Zachariah and Elizabeth were from the Levite clan. 2. Baron: Although righteous, Elizabeth was advanced in age, and felt shame and inadequacy in that culture. 3. Errand: Elizabeth served God by greeting Mary, acknowledging Mary’s pregnancy, spoke of God‘s blessings and shared blessings for Mary. Take home: 1. Assembly required for the Christian 2. Be a blessing to others 3. God is at work 4. No excuses Listen to Brent teach about Elizabeth’s difficult struggle with barrenness. Also listen to Holly Johnson speak about her personal experience with infertility and her faith journey. God sometimes works through impossible situations to accomplish His purposes.

Mark continued the series Lesser-Known Women of the Bible with a focus on Shiphrah and Puah, two of God’s unlikely heroes. The Crisis: Egypt enslaved the Israelites when their increasingly large population became a threat. Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all newborn male babies.  The Courage: Midwives Shiphra and Puah faced the choice of living or killing the babies. They chose life and feared God. The Blessings: God gave the midwives families. Point for home: God often works through the smallest things to accomplish His purposes. Listen to Mark teach the new era of Egypt in which the Pharaoh did not know Joseph or care about the Israelites. Humanity tends to establish their own plans against God’s will. This results in deliberate rejection not just lack of knowledge. Shiphrah and Puah are the first historical instance of civil disobedience.

11-24-24 Biblical-Literacy Pastor David Fleming continued in the series of Lesser Known Women of the Bible with a focus on Vashti from Esther Chapter 1. Dr. Fleming’s roadmap for the lesson included: 1. Context: King Xerxses held a massive feast for seven days to show his wealth and power. Queen Vashti and ladies left, but other women joined the king and his guests. 2. Vashti’s story: The king ordered Vashti to attend on day seven in a degrading fashion. She refused and the king responded by removing her as queen. We don’t know if she was killed. She had dignity, self-respect, respect of others, and a place in history. 3. Points for Home / Application:  Identity core convictions  Find the courage to stand  Be confident in God’s plan Listen to Pastor David provide the background to the culture and insight to the deprivation of King Xerses, Vashti’s refusal, and why the book of Esther begins with Vashti. Pastor David challenges us to know who we are in Christ. It is not about us.

11-17-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark Continued in the Lesser-Known Women of the Bible series with a snapshot of the daughters of Zelophehad, five sisters from the tribe of Manasseh who changed the law. The story is from Numbers 26 and 27. 1. The story: Zelophehad had no sons, and his daughters ask Moses for their father’s land. The Lord agrees. 2. The context. A person’s name in the OT days was an identifier, character and actions, continuity of being or existence, community memory/placement, and spiritual: place in God’s covenant. Land: theological significance. God’s fulfillment of Abrahamic promise, a divine inheritance. The land ties the people to God. Economic reality. 3. The application. Points for home: 1) Reflect the name of Jesus. Our name is more than an identifier, It is our character and actions should reflect Jesus. 2) Our inheritance isn’t land but in the saints and riches in Christ. Listen to Mark teach the courage and boldness of the five daughters of Zelophehad, the significance of names, the meaning of land, and the archeological proof of the sisters’ existence and impact.

11-10-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued in the series Lesser-Known Women of the Bible. Today’s woman was a "wise woman” from 2 Samuel 20, who helped save her city by turning over Sheba to Joab and his army. The storyline: Sheba was a worthless man who encouraged the northern tribes of Israel to rebel against King David. Worthless in those days meant not living for God, did not know God, and didn’t use what he had to honor God. The woman termed wise was shrewd, crafty, and cunning. The contrast: Worthless leads to death, and wise leads to life. Points for home included these three passages: Prov 10:8 Prov 12:18 Prov 14:16 Listen to Mark teach on the culture and setting of this lesson’s time. The nation under King David was a loose confederation of twelve tribes, not united. Mark's explanation of worthless and wise show us a better understanding of the people then and how we should live today.

Pastor David Fleming taught Lesser Known Women of the Bible with focus on Lydia from Acts 16 during Paul’s second missionary trip. Pastor David share three areas of focus: 1. Story before the story: Paul was called from a dream to Macedonia. In Philippi, which had no synagogue, he and Silas gathered to pray outside the city gates by a body of water in prayer house. Paul found only women and met Lydia, who was a God worshipper. 2. Story of conversion: God opened Lydia’s heart to pay attention, and she became a believer. 3. Story still being written: Lydia was baptized along with her household. She invited Paul and Silas to stay with her. They encouraged Lydia and all the new followers before leaving. Points for home: Lydia’s story should challenge us. Lydia’s story should inspire us. Lydia’s story should encourage us. Listen to Pastor David provide insights into the culture and tradition of the time regarding women, and what it means for Lydia to be the first convert in Europe. Jesus radically transformed the role of women, and Paul followed in His footsteps. Women were vital in growing the first century church.

10-27-24-Biblical-Literacy Mark picked back up with the series: Lesser-known Bible Women with a focus on Judges 19. Mark shared some context for the storyline, what went wrong and some application points for home. Storyline: 1200 BC to 1040 BC. Israel is in the promised land. No earthly kings yet. A young woman of the Levite tribe is brutally murdered in the area of the Benjaminites. Her body is cut into twelve pieces and sent to the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Eleven tribes war against the tribe of Benjamin. All the women and children are killed with unrighteousness actions and results and blame God for the situation! What went wrong: God was supposed to be king, but not in the eyes of the Israelites. Points for home Is God your King? I hate sin! How are you treating those on the edges of society? Listen to Mark teach the challenges of culture and timing when understanding stories of the Bible.He shares the status and meaning of a pilegesh or what has been translated in English as concubine during the times of Judges. This story shows what happens when God is not King, and everyone does what they believe is right in their own eyes.

10/13/2024 Bib-lit Class Synopsis Dr. Esau McCauley Mark interviewed Dr. Esau McCauley, an incredibly focused and jovial Messenger of God’s word. Dr. McCauley is a Professor at Wheaton College. He discusses his child hood growing up in a God loving home and learning about the Bible from a “Cartoon Bible” which he read with great diligence. He was born in 1979 and he was raised in Huntsville Alabama. His mom taught him that he could be whatever he wanted to be and he chose a Christ filled life. He discussed, in detail, the impact the Bible has on living a Christian life and how he studied the various languages the Bible were written in such as Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. He attended Gordon Conwell Theology Seminary in Massachusetts to achieve this study. Dr. McCauley discusses how he was separated from his wife Navy Capt. while she was deployed during the pandemic. He had to deal with the needs and education of 4 children 16,14,10 and 8 (two boys and two girls). He discusses writing children’s books which were influenced by his own children, writing a children’s book about each one. Other books he discusses are a Children’s Bible, and a book about interracial marriage. Dr. McCauley is a passionate follower of Christ and it is reflected in his writings and his day-to-day life. You don’t want to miss this interview. As a short but incredible interlude, a young man from Korea, born in Jamaica, joined Mark and Esau on stage and discussed a 700,000 member church in Korea that has 60-70,000 people attending a prayer meeting at 05:30 in the morning.

10-6-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark completed A Study of Revelation with a focus on The Great News in Revelation 22.  This final lesson closed out the study of Apocalyptic Literature and recapped the 7 vignettes each covering a segment of the age of the church to the 2nd coming. Mark revisited the 7th vignette acknowledging varied interpretations of the millennium, the binding of Satan, and Jesus’ 2nd coming where He will judge all humanity on the Great White Throne and create a new heaven and a new earth. Points for Home: 1. Revelation speaks to us. 2. Live in Faith. 3. What a great ending. Listen to Mark read Revelation 22 with insight and wisdom concluding with “Surely I  am coming soon.” Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.  Amen

9-29-24 Biblical-Literacy Mark continued A Study of Revelation acknowledging controversial viewpoints about the tribulation with a focus on the seventh or final vignette from Revelation 20:1-6. The context deals with Satan and his symbolic “binding” for a thousand years. We hear about 3 views of the Millennium, premillennial, postmillennial, & amillennial which is described as Satan bound for church age, a coming tribulation, and a 2nd coming. Points for home: Regardless of our millennial view, we should 1) live like the redeemed, 2) spread the word and 3) be confident that Glory is assured. Listen to Mark review the history of apocalyptic literature written in cycles and symbolism for all time, the advent of Jesus in a dark world and why Satan can never destroy the church