Beginnings

Resources

Textbook: Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free.
Life Application Bible: New International Version.
DVD: Acts Visual Bible

Instructions

Watch Acts Visual Bible DVD. Although Paul makes his first appearance in chapter 8, his conversion is recorded in chapter 9. The rest of this first disk is very valuable in describing the cultural ambience of the Church’s birth, after which Paul took an active role, first extremely negative, then positive. The chronologies listed below could help organize this history in your thinking this week and next.
- 33 - Call to apostleship; mission in Arabia (Galatians 1:15-17)
- 35 - Short visit to Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18-20)
- 35-45 - In Cilicia, Syria, Antioch
- 46 - Conference with "pillars" in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-10); famine relief delivered
  from Antioch (Acts 11:27-30)
- 47-48 - Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus and Anatolia (Acts 13:4 - 14:28)
- 48/49 - Council of Jerusalem; apostolic decree (Acts 15:6-29)
- 49-51/52 - Paul and Silas/Silvanus in Macedonia and Achaia; churches of
  Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth planted (Acts 16:9 - 18:18)
- 51/52 - Paul's hasty visit to Jerusalem, Antioch and Anatolia
- 52-55 - Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:1 - 20:1)
- 55-57 - Paul in Macedonia, Illyricum and Corinth (Rom. 15:19; 16:23)
- 57 - Last visit to Jerusalem; arrest and loss of liberty (Acts 21:17 - 23:35)
- 57-59 - Imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts 23:35 - 26:32)
- 59-60 - Journey to Italy (Acts 27:1 - 28:15)
- ?62 - Paul's hearing before Caesar
- 64 - Great fire of Rome
- ?65 - Death of Paul
Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following:
1. Please list five distinct, inductive observations about unique events and/or influential persons that were involved with the beginning of the New Testament church.
2. Following these, please list three observations about Saul/Paul’s interaction with our Lord and/or His church. Keep a “filter” in your thinking: if possible, relate your observations to implications that might inform or describe normative aspects of the roles or relationships within modern ministry. Please number these paragraphs to allow your colleagues to easily interact with your findings.
Your initial post is due by the end of the fourth day of the workshop.
Read and respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings, plus at least one follow-up posting to your instructor (in any thread you choose), by the end of the workshop.
Your postings should also:
1. Be well developed by providing clear answers or asking integrative questions that evidence of critical thinking.
2. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas or thought provoking questions.
3. Provide clarification to classmates’ questions and provide insight into the discussion.

Navigate to the threaded discussion here.

Assessment Criteria

Criteria	9 - 10 Points	7 - 8 Points	5 - 6 Points	0 - 4 Points
Quality	Your postings are well developed and answers provide clear evidence of critical thinking. Your questions or observations add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.	Your postings show some development and some critical thinking is evident in your answers. Your questions and observations add to the discussion by expanding the ideas of others.	Your postings show nominal development and only the beginnings of critical thinking. Your contributions (questions or observations) do not clearly add to the discussion.	Your postings show no development and are mostly a reiteration of what the textbook or others have said. Your questions and observations detract from the discussion.
Criteria	5 points	3 Points	2 Points	1 Point
Timeliness	Your initial posting to the question or topic assigned in the workshop activity is made by the fourth day of the workshop.	Your initial posting to the question or topic assigned in the workshop activity is made by the fifth day of the workshop.	Your initial posting to the question or topic assigned in the workshop activity is made by the sixth day of the workshop.	Your initial posting to the question or topic assigned in the workshop activity is made by the seventh day of the workshop.
Criteria	5 Points	3 Points	2 Points	0 Points
Interaction	You respond to a minimum of two other classmates plus your instructor. You are clearly collaborative by taking the initiative to respond to classmates' questions, providing clarification and insight on issues in the discussion. You demonstrate engagement in the discussion by posting on three different days of the workshop.	You respond to two classmates and or your instructor. You are collaborative in some situations and show some initiative in workshop discussions. You participate in the discussion by posting on two different days of the workshop.	You respond to one student or instructor. You show little initiative in discussions and your presence is not collaborative. You are not engaged in the discussion if posting on only one day of the workshop.	You do not respond to the postings of others in the discussion.
Total Points				20