The Purpose of Sunday School Communities
The purpose of Briarwood’s Sunday School Community Ministry is to teach consistently the whole counsel of God in the context of our congregational communities; to encourage the fellowship of believers, and to build disciples by equipping Christians to make an impact for Jesus Christ, beginning in the home and church and moving to Birmingham and beyond.
Let us help you find the right Sunday School Community for you! Call us at 205-776-5208 or drop by the Membership Office across from the Church Receptionist.
Interested in Learning More About Briarwood?
Click here to read about Briarwood’s Inquirers Class, or call 205.776.5208.
Sunday School Classes Information
The spring quarter is March 2 – May 25. For class information, read below.
Special Events this Quarter:
Maundy Thursday – April 17
Good Friday – April 18
Easter Sunday – April 20
COLLEGE / SINGLES / YOUNG COUPLES
College Community
College-age • W-202
“What in the World is Going On?” • What is God’s heart, design, and plan for the Nations? We will search the scriptures together to learn more about God’s love for the Nations, Hisstrategy to reach the Nations, and Briarwood’s specific engagement with the Nations through our global missions team and our international supported missionaries around the globe.
College Community Audio Archive
Graduates & Career
A community for graduates to early 30s • M-202
“Multiplication in Acts” • We will be following the movement of the Great Commission as it extends from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Branches
A community of singles & couples • A-201
“The Book of Job” • “You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” As we reflect on these words from James 5:11, most of us don’t have much difficulty appreciating Job’s perseverance inhis trials. But we do often struggle to see and appreciate God’s purposes in our own suffering and to believe that even in hard places in life God is still demonstrating His heart of mercy and compassion toward us. This quarter we’ll study the life of this remarkable manand what happened to him. We’ll listen in to hear from Job’s heart and hear the counsel of his friends. Most importantly, we’ll hear what the Lord says to this faithful sufferer. Along the way, we’ll take a few detours to look at a theology of Satan, what it looks liketo be a good comforter and how the book of Job points to Jesus and the gospel.
In One Accord
A community for 40s and up • M-200
“Do You Remember” • This quarter we will study what the Bible teaches us about things we should remember, things we should forget, and how we can learn to remember asa means of informing how we respond, live, repent, and walk with God individually and as families.
YOUNG COUPLES & NEW FAMILIES
The Oaks
Engaged and young married couples • M-111
Legacy
Young married couples with infants to elementary-age children • E-004
“Finding the Gospel in Family Rhythms” • It’s easy for daily rhythms to become mundane, but what would it look like for you to take these rhythms and use them as opportunities to live outthe gospel? This quarter we will walk through daily family rhythms (e.g., waking, mealtimes, marriage, work, etc.) from a Biblical, gospel-centeredlens. The study will be a mix of practical steps and biblical principles to create intentional habits and rhythms.
YOUNG FAMILIES
Encounter
Young couples with infants to middle school-age children • E-006
“2 Samuel” • We will be studying the life of David.
Covenant Keepers
Families with infants to middle school-age children • E-008
“Christ and Culture” • In society today the number of voices and the pull of agendas is overwhelming. How is the Christian to engage in this environment? What does theBible mean when it calls us to “be in the world but not of it”? In this course, we will look at what is culture, does the Bible give us parameters toengage culture? Join us as we seek to develop a biblical philosophy of cultural engagement in this quarter.
Covenant Keepers Audio Archive
THE ENTIRE FAMILY
Family Life
A class for the entire family • W-203
“The Power of God” • The Gospel reveals the supernatural, biblical, and historical truth about who Jesus Christ is and what He did and continues to do to- day in the livesof those He saves. In this study we will examine the many facets of the Gospel’s power in salvation, understanding, among other realities, theGospel as rescue, as reconciliation as transformation, as divine love story, as the ground of worship, and as the way of life.
STUDENT FAMILIES
Growing in Grace
Families with preschool to high school-age children • (E-005)
“From Womb to Tomb” • Developing a Biblical View of Human Life. Life issues often catch us by surprise, whether it’s in a conversation about current issues or in our personal lives. This class is designed to prepare you for some of life’s most important and complex decisions both Biblically and practically. Theseinclude abortion, fertility, gender/sexuality, aging and more. This class examines human life issues from “womb to tomb” and into eternity.
Heritage Builders
Families with preschool to high school-age children • FH-B
“The Life of Joseph as a Type of Christ” • The life of Joseph is significant not only in Genesis but in the redemptive storyline of Scripture as a whole. His life demonstrates how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility intersect. It illustrates the power of the Gospel to overcome generational sin. And Joseph, as a type of Christ, shows us how God’s providence secures for us God’s promises, enabling us to trust Him in every situation of life.
Heritage Builders Audio Archive
Sojourners
Families with preschool to high school-age children • E-007
“Understanding the Culture Wars” • Given the cultural divide in America, coupled by the rising resistance against the Christian faith, it is important to understand how we got here. This culture divide did not happen overnight. Rather, there has been a long trail of ideas and movements that have steadily chipped away at thefundamental principles upon which our nation was founded. Therefore, the class will trace these over the course of the last 300 years or so.
Growing Together
Families with preschool to college-age children • G-103
“Oh, How I Love Your Law” • It has been said that “Two things are required for the reformation of the church and the transformation of our society. First, the gospel, and second, arecovery of the greatness of God’s law.” This is a study of the “greatness of God’s law,” from Exodus 20 and its proper place in the life of the believer.
Growing Together Audio Archive
Kingdom Seekers
Families with children in high school and older • E-003
“The Gospel of Luke” • This quarter long study explores the Gospel of Luke, drawing out the unique place and purpose of Luke’s account of Jesus with a view to how thisgospel can be connected to our lives and situations today.
Next Step
Families with children in high school or older • E-010
“Learning to Talk Like Jesus” • According to Scripture, “wisdom” is the art of knowing how to live, and one relational life skill that the Book of Proverbs is especially concernedto highlight, and transform is the way we speak to one another. Since God always speaks His truth in love, and since we are recreated in His image, key questions confront us: Is what we say to one another shaped by God’s truth? Is the way we speak to one another shaped by God’s love? Our talk is never neutral; it is either foolish or wise. This class will explore how Christ-our-Wisdom trains us talk like Him.
Inside Out
Families with children in high school or older • FH-C
“I Thessalonians: The Gospel and the Church” • Paul wrote this endearing letter to the believers in Christ to encourage their faith, to strengthen their hope, and to affirm their love of Christ. He proclaims the Gospel of Christ and teaches of His glorious Second Coming.
REAL Matters
Families with children in high school or older • S-201
“Timeless Truths from God’s Word” • We will discover the incomprehensible Person of Christ as He is presented in Scripture.
Hearts and Homes
Families with children in college or older • A-204
“Romans” • Many Bible scholars consider Romans to be the central book of the Bible. It makes the gospel clear, has insights for how to live and work together inthe church, and how to live as a Christian. This quarter we will study the first half of the book and especially look at the parts that we can mostreadily apply to our lives.
Discovery
A class for all ages and stages in life • FH-A
“The Gospel of Mark” • We will be looking at the Gospel of Mark, written by Mark, the restored deserter. Mark wants us to see nothing, but the Son and our response should be what so many experienced. They were amazed and glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Mountain View
A class for all ages and stages in life • A-209
“Distinguishing the Truth of Christianity” • Topic covered will be Religious Pluralism Deity of Christ and the Doctrine of the Trinity, The Health and Wealth Gospels of the Word-Faith Movement, How American Became Pagan, Progressive Christianity, Contemplative Mysticism, Socialism and the WOKE Culture. Come anddiscern how to be salt and light in the darkness of today’s world.
ADULT FAMILIES
Abundant Life
Empty nesters and grandparents • G-101
“Hang On, Hope is On the Way” • Together we will explore the Biblical concept of hope by delving into the lives of heroes of the faith such as Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter,James, Paul and Jesus. Through the Scripture, we will discover what true hope is, where it comes from and how it differs from misconceptions often found in popular culture. Join us as we learn how to build a foundation of hope in God’s promises and faithfulness, enabling us to live fruitful and resilient lives.
Kingdom Builders
Empty nesters and grandparents • FH-D
“Jesus said WHAT?” • Matthew 5-7 is a familiar text to us and is so applicable to our context today. What Jesus said in these chaptes turned the world upside down and we will look with fresh eyes at his powerful message.
Kingdom Builders Audio Archive
Deeper Life
Empty nesters through great-grandparents • Chapel
“Knowing God” • For over fifty years, J.I. Packer’s Knowing God has, to quote Elisabeth Elliot, “plainly shown us ordinary folks what it means to know God.” Though it is impossible to cover entirely in one quarter, we will use significant portions of this Christian classic to study what God’s Word reveals about who God is and how we can know Him, “whom to know is life eternal.”
Homestead
Empty nesters through great-grandparents • FH-E&F
“Elijah” • Elijah: Serving Christ in a Contrary Culture. From the book of I Kings, we will learn how God uses His prophet Elijah to point us toward His provision in Christ for living in a very contrary culture.
Joyful Hearts
Empty nesters through great-grandparents • A-105
“I Peter” • Peter’s primary message is to trust the Lord, live obediently no matter what your circumstances, and keep your hope fixed on God’s ultimate promise of deliverance.” A quote from the ESV Bible’s introduction to the book of Peter.
WOMEN
Women Impacting the World
Women of all walks and stages of life • A-205
“God’s Sovereignty in Our Suffering” • The book of Daniel’s main theme is God’s sovereign control over the affairs of all rulers and nations, and their final replacement with the one trueKing. Using Daniel 1-6 we will learn that our God is a Suffering Sovereign who doesn’t just allow us to suffer, but who suffers with us in the fieryfurnaces of life.
INTERNATIONAL
International Community
English-speaking internationals • E-218, School Library
“Kingdom Living” • We will continue our deep dive into Luke 10:27 and what it means to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all of our soul and all of ourmind, and your neighbor as yourself. In the process we will seek to more deeply understand who God is, who we are, and the life He offers us asdwellers in His kingdom.
Internationals Community Webpage
International Sunday Services
Japanese Congregation Worship Service: 1:30 p.m., G-101 and Zoom, CP: Kotaro Hamamatsu.
Korean Congregation Worship Service: 11:20 a.m., 2209 Rocky Ridge Rd. CP: Sunghoon Shin
Hispanic Congregation Worship Service and Sunday School: 10:30 a.m., 5521 Double Oak Lane (Highway 119) and streaming. CP: Bryan Wintersteen.
ABBREVIATIONS USED
CP: Community Pastor
Serves alongside a Shepherding Team to provide shepherding care, class leadership, and biblical training for a Sunday School Community.
SP: Shepherding Pastor
Serves as a Community Pastor in one or more Sunday School Communities. Coordinates the work of other CP’s within his group of Communities.
Building:
A: Administration
C: Children’s Wing
E: Educational Building
FH: Fellowship Hall
G: Gym Wing
Mtn. View: Mountain View Building
M: Ministry Wing
N: Nursery Wing
S: School Wing
W: Worship Center