About

Who is sponsoring #Proveit?

This conversation is sponsored by the caring people in

the Church of God Division of Education.

The Division of Education facilitates the development and continuing education of laity and ministers and oversees postsecondary educational institutions within the Church of God.

In 1918, the Bible Training School (now Lee University) was formed in Cleveland, Tennessee. From that time, the Church of God has continued to expand Christian higher education and ministerial training. Today, there are 226 Bible colleges and institutions around the world, and hundreds of noninstitutional ministerial training venues.

For more information about the Church of God Division of Education, please visit their website at www.cogdoe.org.

What is the purpose of this conversation?

To engage believers in the growth and maturity of their faith.

Romans 12:2 admonishes believers with the following:

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (NKJV).

It is of the utmost importance that followers of Christ know why they believe as they do. This necessity is what defines the purpose of the #proveit endeavor. By connecting people to a valuable resource (The Greatest Letter Ever Written: A Study of the Book of Romans) and opening a dialogue on the subject through social media, we take a step toward strengthening the foundations of our community of faith.

What are people saying?

In a rapidly changing society obsessed with questioning authority, Christians must have a rock-solid grasp on God—to know what they believe and why they believe.

Conversations with unbelievers call for followers of Christ to be able to explain the faith based on the authentic teaching of Scripture.

I am convinced that there is no other single book in the Bible which offers a more comprehensive understanding of God’s work with man than Paul’s letter to the Romans.

The #Proveit conversation will inspire participants in their faith and help them grow in their spiritual formation. The Book of Romans is the first book in the Bible to: (1) explain Habakkuk’s prophecy—“the just shall live by faith”; (2) describe the church as a body; (3) give a listing of spiritual gifts; (4) explain Israel’s relationship to the church; and, (5) refer to female apostles and deacons. In The Greatest Letter Ever Written, Dr. Arrington carefully explains these passages in an easy-to-understand manner that can be applied in the world today.

I am energized by the possibilities of #Proveit. In my opinion, #Proveit will:

Create the occasion to dialog with others.
Provide the opportunity to share thoughts and experiences.
Give insights for living in the 21st century.
Connect the Bible and culture.

I think the next few weeks will be exciting as we explore and discuss living in the 21st century.

The Book of Romans is the foundational summary of the theological themes in the New Testament. It has been said that every doctrine taught by the early Church is contained in this exciting text, written in a warm conversational style. The ongoing #Proveit conversation around The Greatest Letter Ever Written will develop our shared understanding of the unity and complexity of God’s Word. It will sharpen our ability to share and defend the truth of the Gospel.

I believe that #Proveit will give participants, believers, and nonbelievers, in Christ, an opportunity to interact and connect more effectively with the scriptural knowledge as depicted in the Epistle to the Romans. It is about how, as Christians, we should live end-times lives in the present, as well as preparing for a future in heaven. By expressing their serious perspectives through #Proveit, people from any nation, any culture, and any age, will engage in a participatory social community. They will offer factual answers to real-life issues in biblical truth.

For quite some time, I have been mining in The Greatest Letter Ever Written, as Dr. French Arrington describes it. Using his commentary, along with others, I’ve gleaned the apostle Paul’s robust revelations regarding: Sin and the depravity of man; God’s sovereignty; Grace; Justification and salvation; The work of the Holy Spirit; Right relationships; and, The Church, to name a few.

The teaching found in Romans is as relevant for today’s Christian as when it was first written. I ask you to join me in this search to understand the ways of God with man . . . let’s engage Romans, and #Proveit.

—J. David Stephens

—H. Lynn Stone, D.Min.

—Don Bennett

—Dwain Pyeatt

—Enrique A. De Jesus