Embrace the Past, Transform the Future with a 'Crash Course' on Church History.
Embark on the transformative “Crash Course: Church”—an on-demand journey that unravels the historical origins of the Christian church and offers theologically-sound answers to common questions posed by spiritual seekers, new believers, and Christian disciples alike.
Delve into the church’s development under the guidance of esteemed theologians, empowering you as an aspiring leader in your congregation or local community. Draw inspiration from entrepreneurial Christians who embrace innovative approaches to church engagement, fueling your creativity to connect with diverse communities. Equipped with a deeper theological understanding, you’ll be poised to support others on their spiritual growth journey, catalyzing their spiritual development with confidence and wisdom.
9
79
22
27
10 hours, 30 minutes
$55
Get oriented to the course, download the interactive handbook, and access the group to chat with others!
In this module, you will:
In this module, you will:
In this module, you will:
In this module, you will:
In this module, you will:
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Find out your next steps as you complete the course and how to stay connected with your group. You'll also be able to submit feedback about your course.
“Tell the Story” is more than just a framework; it’s the heartbeat of our “Crash Course.” We are dedicated to equipping you with the tools and insights necessary to not only understand the church’s rich heritage but also to contextualize and simplify this profound history. By bridging the gap between the past and the present, you’ll be empowered to invite your neighbors into Jesus’ transformative way of life and love in ways they can recognize.
We recognize that transforming communities requires more than a static retelling of historical events. That’s why “Crash Course: Church” ignites your creativity, drawing inspiration from entrepreneurial Christians who have embraced innovative approaches to engage with the church. With their real-life examples as beacons of inspiration, you’ll unlock your creative potential, exploring fresh and relatable ways to connect with the diverse and evolving needs of your community.
Here's everything you get for just $55:
Associate Pastor, St. Barnabas Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Minnesota
Stephanie Luedtke is a pastor, educator and artist of sorts, often weaving education and art through her ministry, or ministry into art and education. As a certified music educator, Luedtke has taught students from preschool to retirement communities on topics of music history and appreciation, vocal music, and small and large group instrumental instruction. She is also a rostered Deacon in the ELCA, with a master’s degree in worship arts. Luedtke enjoys helping people of all ages find meaningful ways to worship, learn, and be in faithful community together.
Through her roles as a music teacher, consultant, coach, and curriculum writer, and her ministry in churches and judicatories, Luedtke has always lived out her passions and worked to help others discover theirs. A wife and mother, she enjoys gardening, reading science fiction, drinking good wine, and training for the next race.
Kristofer Phan Coffman holds a tenure-eligible faculty position at Luther Seminary, where he has served as an adjunct professor since 2019. He teaches New Testament Greek and on Paul’s letter to the Romans. Coffman is the author of the book chapter “Christmas Cookies in Cambodia: The Bible and Race in America” in Dialogues on: Race. In addition to his academic work, Coffman has a keen interest in food and farming. He has written popular articles on responsible consumption and agriculture, and translated recipes for the award-winning new Nordic chef Mikkel Karstad.
Jeni Grangaard has been the seminary pastor at Luther Seminary since 2019. She was formerly the pastor of Glyndon Lutheran Church in the town of Glyndon, Minnesota. Grangaard also previously worked as a Country Co-Coordinator in the Young Adults in Global Mission Program in Jerusalem and the West Bank. She wrote an article about her extended stay for the spring 2020 edition of the journal Word & World. Entitled “The Texture of Blessing,” the piece described her daily experience of the land’s seasonal rhythms. In her spare time, Grangaard is relearning the French language after working on her abilities in Spanish, German, Swahili, Arabic, and biblical Greek and Hebrew.
Cameron Howard joined the Luther Seminary faculty in July 2012. She previously held visiting appointments at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta and the School of Theology at Sewanee, the University of the South. Howard is a contributor to The New Interpreter’s Bible One-Volume Commentary published by Abingdon in 2010. She is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Howard is committed to making academic biblical scholarship accessible and relevant to clergy and laypeople.
Jennie Wojciechowski has been teaching at Luther since 2019. She previously taught in the religion department at Augsburg University. Wojciechowski is author of the book Women and the Christian Story: A Global History published by Fortress Press in 2022. Her research focuses on women’s history, American history, and the intersection of religion and social reform. She is also the associate editor of the journal Word & World.
Learning happens best when you do it together with folks who are on the same journey as you are.
That's why our private social network, the Faith+Lead Learning Lab, hosts conversations about course content with other learners, instructors, TAs, and community leaders.
Want to bring Crash Course: Church to your Bible study, small group, or even your entire congregation?
Choose "Enroll a Group" at checkout and select how many people you'd like to provide access to the course. You can go through the course together in-person, watch lessons together via Zoom, or even create a private group in the Learning Lab where participants can connect asynchronously.
