"Yearn to Know" is a series of sessions covering the fundamentals of faith, the identity of Christ, and the importance of community. We began this ministry to support those who are curious about Christian beliefs and those seeking a deeper understanding of God. Although this ministry is targeted towards newer and younger believers, it is open to all individuals, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey.
"Y2K or Yearn to know was very helpful in my journey to becoming a Christian. In the beginning of the year I didn’t even know that Christianity was, but having someone be able to take slow step and explain what Christianity is and what they stand for was really helpful. Being taught things like what is the gospel, what God is like, and the other foundations of Christianity is in my opinion, helpful to everyone, including seasoned Christians. Being able to have a place to ask questions and have them answered by a group of people was awesome in building my knowledge and definitely helped me along my journey."
"Y2K was such a blessing to have during the second half of the school year. Y2K is definitely targeted more for new believers but even if you have been in the faith for a long time, it was a good reminder of the basics and many things you tend to forget about. I was able to also see how much my brothers and sisters in Christ grow and also grow closer with and to them."
"In my time at AACF, the most fundamentally important things I learn from my walk was from Y2K. Not only did Y2K help me with who God is, but also the gospel, love, and goodness the Lord has to offer. Y2K also helped me pick what church I want to go for moving forward in my life. A very open and welcoming place for all new believers and a good reminder for what the lord can offer to those already believing."
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
The first session of "Yearn to Know" covers the fundamental attributes of God, emphasizing both His incommunicable and communicable characteristics such as independence, unchangeableness, omnipresence, wisdom, love, mercy, and justice. It explains how God's nature and actions are described in human terms for better understanding, and highlights the ways God reveals Himself, particularly through creation, theophanies, and ultimately through Jesus Christ. The session also explores God's wisdom, truthfulness, goodness, mercy, grace, patience, holiness, righteousness, peace, omnipotence, sovereignty, perfection, blessedness, and beauty. These attributes collectively portray a comprehensive view of God's character, aiming to deepen believers' understanding and relationship with Him.
The second session of "Yearn to Know" focuses on understanding the Gospel through the Bridge Diagram. It explains that humans were created for a loving relationship with God, which was broken by sin, resulting in separation and death. Despite futile human efforts to bridge this gap through religion and good deeds, only God’s initiative through Jesus Christ can restore this relationship. Jesus' death and resurrection serve as the bridge, allowing believers to repent, believe, and receive Him as Savior and Lord. This restoration leads to a daily, eternal relationship with God, transforming believers into disciples who join God's mission in the world.
In the third session of "Yearn to Know," the focus is on understanding prayer. It begins by explaining the nature of God as personal, holy, loving, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and sovereign, emphasizing how these attributes relate to prayer. The session defines prayer as a means of communicating with God, involving confession, praise, supplication, and intercession. It clarifies what prayer is not, such as magic or a demand, and highlights the importance of prayer as commanded by God, exemplified by Jesus, and essential for a relationship with Him. The session also discusses prayer as a weapon against spiritual battles and a means of experiencing God, building up the church, and aligning ourselves with God's will. The attitudes for prayer include worship, humility, submission, confidence in Christ, and continuous engagement.
The fourth session explores the definition, purpose, and function of the church according to the Bible. It covers the universal and local aspects of the church, emphasizing its ministries to God, believers, and the world. The concept of the church as the body of Christ is highlighted, along with the importance of unity, worship, discipleship, and service. The session encourages believers to actively participate and contribute to the church's mission, underscoring the church's role in fostering spiritual growth and community impact.
Session five explores the concepts of justification and sanctification in the Christian faith. Justification is defined as the act of God's redeeming grace through Jesus Christ, where believers are declared righteous before God, despite their sins. This is a one-time event based on faith in Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. In contrast, sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ in character and holiness, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The session emphasizes that while justification is instantaneous and complete, sanctification is a continuous journey of spiritual growth and transformation, achieved through the believer's active cooperation with God's grace.