Week Off, What is the Bible, and Fundamentals of the Faith

Jacob Hantla September 2, 2025

Let me lead with a few important updates you need to be aware of.
First, no Student Ministries this Sunday, 9/7. The church will gather for a song night. Please attend together as a family. Looking ahead, we will not meet on the following Sundays: 10/12 (GBC in the Park), 11/9 (Grillout), and 12/7 (GBC in the Park). Mark your calendars and plan to attend those church-wide events.

This past Sunday, we began a study that will likely take most of the year, roughly following the outline and content of the workbook Fundamentals of the Faith. Please consider getting this workbook and working through it as a family. We will likely take 2-3 weeks per topic, so your at-home study will not need to be rushed and should augment what we cover in Student Ministries.

 

A couple of years ago, we had a brief introduction to “What Is the Bible?” and then broke into discussion groups so students could learn from Scripture what the Bible says about itself. The worksheet they filled out, along with the verses they looked up, is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qKUwAcK4TocgvonK5R-1Ulg6fOv7r40D/view?usp=sharing

Answer key:
  • The Bible is inspired (breathed out by God)
  • The Bible is infallible (cannot be wrong)
  • The Bible is inerrant (without error in its original manuscripts)
  • The Bible is authoritative (every word of the Bible is God’s; therefore, it speaks with the full authority of God)
  • The Bible is necessary (to know God and the gospel message that reconciles us to Him)
  • The Bible is sufficient (it contains everything we need for life, godliness, and knowing God’s will)
  • The Bible is clear (we are not dependent on outside interpretive authority to understand the Bible)

You can listen to the short introduction I gave to the lesson here: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/what-is-the-bible/

You might also find last year’s more in-depth discussion on some of these points helpful if you are digging deeper with your students: https://www.gbcaz.org/student-ministry/how-to-read-the-bible-part-2/

The Bible is foundational to the Christian. We must know that it is God’s very Word, breathed out by Him with His power, accuracy, authority, wisdom, clarity, and purpose. The goal is not mere mental agreement with theological terms, but to receive these truths because God says they are so and then take God’s Word with utmost seriousness. Our students need this reality to undergird their worldview, theology, and epistemology.

 

Next time we are together in Student Ministries on 9/14, I will work through the many questions students submitted as they used the discussion guide. If any questions come up in your discussion at home, please email or text me.

Your servant for His glory,
Jacob Hantla