Acts+of+the+Apostles+-+BIB+3301

Arlington Baptist College BIB 3301 Acts of the Apostles Spring 2010 Syllabus

Instructor: JB Baldridge (ext. 121; 817-253-6948; jbatpbc@sbcglobal.net) Availability: To schedule an appointment, please see posting on office door in the Chapel. Class Times: Tuesdays & Thursdays; 9:30 am – 10:45 am Location: CE205

Arlington Baptist College endeavors to prepare men and women for Christian life and ministries, both lay and professional, through studies in Bible, general education, church vocations, and practical service, integrating faith and learning in the context of a Christian world view.
 * MISSION STATEMENT **

An analysis of the Acts of the Apostles is made. The course covers background information including historical and cultural settings, and the missionary activities of the early church. The ministry of the Apostle Paul receives special attention. (Prerequisite: BIB 1301, 1302, 1305)
 * COURSE DESCRIPTION **

As your instructor in this I will:
 * COURSE GOALS **

1. Acquaint you with a better understanding of the historical, political, social, cultural and geographical background of the book of Acts. 2. Introduce you to the transitional nature of the book of Acts, thus illustrating its uniqueness and value to the Bible as a whole. 3. Provide you with a comprehensive exposition of the entire contents of the book of Acts while demonstrating the proper use of consistent, biblical hermeneutics. 4. Discuss and chart the missionary activities of the early church, particularly the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. 5. Invite you to discover biblical principles from the book of Acts and apply those principles to your personal life and ministry. 6. Assist you in developing the ability to apply early church principles to contemporary church ministries.

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
 * INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS **

1. Exhibit a working knowledge of general introductory matters concerning the book of Acts. 2. Display a fuller understanding of the transitional nature of the book of Acts as it relates to other books of the Bible. 3. Explain significant historical events and people associated with the events recorded in Acts. 4. Offer some practical lessons learned from a personal study of the life and ministries of the apostles as recorded in Acts. 5. Discuss the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. 6. Share some areas of your life that have been directly affected by your application of some principles you’ve discovered during your study of these historical books. 7. Use the book of Acts as a basis of biblical principles for various effective church ministries.

More specifically, upon completion of this course you will be able to:
 * INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES **

1. When asked the question, “When was the book of Acts written and by whom” you will be able to answer with 100% accuracy from the historical and cultural information provided in your class notes. 2. If required to illustrate the relationship of Acts to the rest of the Bible you will be able to discuss with 100% clarity the transitional nature of Acts as offered in this class. 3. If asked to explain the meaning of the events of Acts 2 as they relate to the prophecy of Joel 2 you will be able to use consistent, biblical hermeneutics to arrive at the proper interpretation. 4. If given a blank map containing the cities visited during Paul’s first missionary journey and asked to identify those cities by name, you will be able to chart Paul’s first missionary journey with 100% accuracy. 5. If asked you will be able to share three principles from the book of Acts that you have already applied in your life during the course of this study. 6. When expected you will be able to discuss the timing of the key events recorded in the book of Acts by using a chronological chart you have personally designed.

__The Holy Bible (KJV)__ As required by this institution Kent, Homer A. __Jerusalem__ __to Rome.__ Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972.
 * COURSE TEXTBOOKS **
 * Required: **

Bruce, FF. __The Book of the Acts__. Michigan: Eerdman’s, 1990 reprint.
 * Suggested: **

Faithful attendance to class and active participation in our classroom activities are mandatory. We will discuss some controversial passages and provide some helpful insight through our class interactions and homework assignments. __Any absence beyond the first two will result in losing two points from your final grade.__ Three tardies constitute one absence.
 * COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING CRITERIA **
 * Attendance & Class Participation (10%) **

The number of books and resources available on the book of Acts is absolutely astounding. This part of the course requirements allows you the opportunity to sort through the plethora of material and compile a personal annotated bibliography for your present and future studies in Acts. Your annotated bibliography should agree with the following requirements:
 * Annotated Bibliography (10%) **

1. Typed, using standard-size fonts (12 cpi, as in this syllabus). 2. Follow the guidelines for a bibliography in the student’s Guideline Manual for Research Papers. 3. Annotations (notes) must follow these guidelines: a. Begin at the far left margin on the immediate line under the bibliographical entry. b. Be brief, yet include enough information about the work to distinguish it from other works in the bibliography. Avoid generalizing. Be specific in your notations. //Does the book contain illustrations, maps, charts, tables, outlines that are worthy of noting? Is the book very technical and specific in its information and approach, or is it more general? Is the book easy to read and understandable? What are the most useful characteristics about this book? Who might benefit most from this book: new Christians, pastors, Bible students, scholars?// c. Use proper spelling, grammar, and wording used in college-level writing. 4. Include at least TWENTY resources from commentaries, historical surveys, atlases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, topical studies, theological journals, magazines, etc. Work to provide variety in your bibliography. 5. Each book should be one that YOU find helpful and worthy of recommendation. Avoid including sources that you would never use or recommend. 6. You will be graded on content, form, and accuracy and usefulness of notations. We want this course to make a difference in your life. Acts, as any other book of the Bible, is packed with practical, relevant principles. This requirement gives you the opportunity to discover and apply TWENTY principles from the book of Acts. You are encouraged to keep track of any principle that speaks to you personally, and formulate a plan to apply that principle to your life immediately. Here is an example of one principle and application:
 * Personal Application Paper (10%) **

__ Scripture Reference __ Acts 1:8 __ Scriptural Principle __ Submission to the Holy Spirit is a requirement of every witness of Jesus  Christ. __ Personal Application __ //I am used to doing things on my own, doing them in my own way and in  my own time. I’m not good at letting God’s Spirit call the shots in my life. I will concentrate on letting the Lord control every area of my life. When I catch myself doing something in the flesh I will repent immediately, ask for God’s forgiveness and filling, then continue letting the Spirit control me. This will make me a stronger, more powerful witness for Christ.// Notice the use of the FIRST PERSON in the personal application and the use of “I will.” Avoid using second and third person and verbs like “should” to reflect the application. Make your application sound like you WILL apply it. Your paper may take this “journal-type” approach, or it may be more prose-style. Whatever the format, the above elements (scripture reference, scriptural principle, personal application) must be included. As in all your work, the paper must be typed using standard-size fonts.

You are to construct a comprehensive, accurate chart of the historical events recorded in the book of Acts. While the three missionary journeys of Paul and his trip to Rome will be a major part of this chart, other important events occurred during the time frame of Acts. Specifically, Paul wrote his books of the New Testament during this period. Therefore, be sure to include when each Pauline book was written. Also, remember to include events that involved other apostles besides Paul during this time.
 * Chronological Chart (30%) **

While your chart must be comprehensive and correct, it must also be clear. Avoid a messy or cluttered chart that would be difficult to read. The purpose of this chart is to make the historical events easier to visualize. Take special care in designing the chart so that it aids in the teaching, preaching, and study of Acts.

Be creative in designing this chart. During the course of your study and the interaction with dozens of resources you will discover many other chronological charts on the book of Acts. Make this chart YOUR chart. It will contain the same information and data as other charts, but it should be a reflection of your creative mind. Feel free to use graphics, color, overheads, and other visuals that will make your chart more appealing. Include a bibliography of sources used.

Include with your chronological chart a brief commentary or explanation of the chart. Even though your chart may appear to have the ability to “speak for itself” a brief, typed explanation will make your chart more understandable. Charts submitted without this written explanation will receive a considerably lower grade.

You will be graded on content, accuracy, neatness, and creativity.

To encourage you to read our textbook in its entirety we will be giving weekly quizzes over the material required for reading. See the Course Schedule for each required reading and be prepared at the beginning of each class for these quizzes. Some of the questions following each chapter may prove to be helpful study guides for these quizzes.
 * Daily Kent Quizzes (20%) **

To help you personalize this course and make your experience profitable for you and those to whom you minister, the final exam will be a project based on the book of Acts: The ACTion Project. The format of the ACTion Project will depend upon your area of ministry and study. For instance, if your field of study is the preaching ministry (pastor, youth minister, missionary, evangelist) you might decide to write and deliver a sermon from Acts. If your field of study is elementary education you might decide to write and deliver a lesson from Acts using puppets, visuals, or object lessons. As a student in the field of music, you may design and deliver a workshop on worship or music based on principles of worship from Acts. Other options for this ACTion Project might include designing and presenting an innovative outreach program based on Acts or evaluating a church by using guidelines from the first church in Acts.
 * Final Exam: The ACTion Project (20%) **

Be sure to check with the professor before beginning your ACTion Project. Depending upon the size of our class, on the day of our final we may give you 12-15 minutes to present your Project to the class. You should include a **__detailed, typed presentation of your Project for the professor and each student in the class.__**

We will determine the order of presentations by volunteering or random selection.

To encourage you to develop personal discipline and responsibility we will enforce the following policy regarding late work: **THERE WILL BE NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED.** A grade of zero will be awarded for any work that is not completed and submitted by the scheduled due date. Please refer to the following Course Schedule for these important due dates.
 * __ A WORD ABOUT LATE WORK __**

 Jan. 12 Introduction to the Course Syllabus
 * COURSE SCHEDULE **
 * __Meeting Date__ __Class Discussion, Activities, Work Due__ **

Jan. 14 Introduction to Acts; Begin Exposition of Acts 1

Jan. 19-21 Exposition of Acts 1-2; Kent Quiz (pp. 1-36) on Jan. 21

Jan. 26-28 Exposition of Acts 3-4; Kent Quiz (pp. 37-49) on Jan. 28

**Bibliography Due Feb. 4**
 * Feb. 2-4** Exposition of Acts 5-6; Kent Quiz (pp. 50-66) on Feb. 4

Feb. 9-11 Exposition of Acts 7-8; Kent Quiz (pp. 66-82) on Feb. 11

Feb. 16-18 Exposition of Acts 9-10; Kent Quiz (pp. 82-95) on Feb. 18

Feb. 23-25 Exposition of Acts 11-12;

Mar. 2-4 Exposition of Acts 13; Kent Quiz (pp. 95-104) on Mar. 4 Mar. 16-18 Exposition of Acts 14; Kent Quiz (pp. 105-119) on Mar. 18
 * Application Paper Due; Chronological Progress Report Due (verbal) **
 * Mar. 9-11 SPRING BREAK (NO CLASSES) **

Mar. 23-25 Exposition of Acts 15-16; Kent Quiz (pp. 120-137) on Mar. 25

Mar. 30 – Apr. 1 Exposition of Acts 17-18; Kent Quiz (pp. 137-149) on Apr. 1

Apr. 6-8 Exposition of Acts 19-20; Kent Quiz (pp. 149-160) on Apr. 8

Apr. 13-15 Exposition of Acts 21-22; Kent Quiz (pp. 161-167) on Apr. 15

Apr. 20-22 Exposition of Acts 23-24

Apr. 27-29 Exposition of Acts 25-28; NO Kent Quiz this week!


 * May 4-6** **FINALS WEEK; Presentation of ACTion Project on day of final**

 Alexander, J. A. //Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.// 1875. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1956.
 * Course Bibliography **

Barclay, William. “The Acts of the Apostles.” In //The Daily Study Bible. //Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press, 1953.

Blaiklock, E. M. “The Acts of the Apostles, An Historical Commentary.” In //Tyndale New Testament// // Commentaries. // Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959. Bruce, F. F. //The Acts of the Apostles. //London: Tyndale, 1951.

--. “Commentary on the Book of the Acts.” In //The New International Commentary on the New// // Testament. // Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 1954. Carter, Charles W., Earle, Ralph. //The Acts of the Apostles. //1959. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973.

Erdman, Charles R. //The Acts: An Exposition. //Philadelphia: Westminster, 1919.

Gaebelein, A. C. //The Acts of the Apostles.// Glasgow: Pickering & Inglis, n.d.

Hackett, Horatio. B. “A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.” In //An American Commentary.// Revised and enlarged by the author, with added notes by Alvah Hovey. Reprint. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publishing Society, 1882, n.d.

Kelley, William. //An Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. //Reprint. London: Hammond, 1952.

Knowling, R. K. “The Acts of the Apostles.” In //The Expositor’s Greek Testament,// vol. 2. Reprint. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d.

Lenski, R. C. H. //The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles.// Columbus, Ohio: Wartburg, 1934.

Longenecker, Richard N. “The Acts of the Apostles.” In //The Expositor’s Bible Commentary.// vol. 9. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

Morgan, G. Campbell. //The Acts of the Apostles. //New York: Revell, 1924.

Munch, Johannes. //The Acts of the Apostles. //The Anchor Bible. vol. 31. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, 1967.

Rackham, Richard Belward. //The Acts of the Apostles: An Exposition.// Westminster Commentaries. 9th ed. London: Methuen, 1922.

Williams, C. S. C. //A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.// Harper’s New Testament Commentary. New York: Harper, 1957.