Focus Studies are short-term classes or support groups that take a closer look at God’s Word as it relates to a specific book of the Bible or topic to help us grow in Jesus. They give us the chance to explore these topics or books together over a specific time, from a few weeks to a whole semester.
God's Providence and Our Pain: A Study on Ruth
Join us as we read one of the most riveting stories in the Old Testament. We will let Ruth be our guide through questions about God's sovereignty in suffering, the durability of His promises, and how God is at work even in our pain. Chip Bugnar will lead this five-week study on Sunday mornings at 9:00am beginning April 14. Please register below.
Sex Talks, God's Way: A Parent's Guide to Training Your Kids
This three-week Focus Study, led by Rob and Shawn Grubb, will equip parents to confidently train their children about God’s design for sex. Join us on Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning May 1. Please register below.
Previous Studies this Semester
Helping People Grow in Christ
Although we're given the command by Jesus to make disciples, many of us struggle to know how. Whether you are working with one person or a few, we'll look at some practical steps for how to get started and what to do. This two-week class, led by Jay Gordon, will meet on Wednesday nights, January 24 & 31 in Room C112. Please register below.
GriefShare Support Group
This thirteen-week support group is designed to help individuals deal with their grief in a community. This group is led by those who understand what you are experiencing and want to offer you comfort and encouragement during this difficult season. Each meeting features a 30-minute video followed by group discussion, so group members can talk about the video and how they are dealing with the loss of their loved one. Meetings are Sunday afternoons at 3:00pm in Room C122 beginning January 28. Led by Tim and Linda Flowers. Childcare will not be available. Register and find more info here.
Loving Your LGBTQ+ Neighbor
How do we as Christians have a loving posture toward the LGBTQ+ people in our lives while maintaining a traditional biblical position? While this five-week study won’t answer every question, it will give handles for thinking through language, how to respond when someone comes out, and what the Bible says about homosexuality, gender dysphoria, and transitioning. This study will meet on Sunday mornings at 10:35am in the Community Room on February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 3, and will be led by Ashley Chesnut. Please register below.
When Helping Hurts
Join Brook Hills City Ministries for a one-day intensive When Helping Hurts Workshop on Saturday, February 10, 2024. We will meet from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm in B303. This workshop will feature a special lens toward serving the vulnerable in Urban contexts across Birmingham. The round-table discussion will help you better understand what poverty is, the causes of poverty, and how the church can step in to caring for those in poverty without causing more damage to the person, family, or community in need. For more information or to register, click here.
Digital Discipleship
The tech devices that we use are huge influences in our lives. This Focus Study will help us consider how we should think about technology and its relationship to us and the church; how our devices are currently discipling us, our children, and our friends and family members; how we might harness technology to disciple others for Christ; and how we can help disciple emerging generations in how they approach technology. This four-week study, led by Chris Kinsley, will begin on Wednesday, February 21, at 6:30pm in room C124. Please register below.
Moneywise: Practical, Biblical, Financial Management
This five-week Focus Study will meet on Wednesdays at 6:30pm, beginning February 21. Topics include living with an eternal perspective, creating a spending plan, developing a lifestyle of generosity, understanding debt, and saving for the future. Ethan Pope, who has over 30 years in financial ministry, will lead the study. Registration for this study is closed. This study will meet in B306.
Taking First Steps in Evangelism
Sometimes, the most difficult step is the first. This two-week study will provide some practical ideas and tips to get you started sharing your faith. Jay Gordon will lead this study meeting on Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning April 3. Please register below.
Hospitality at Church and Home
One of our eight pursuits at Brook Hills is "We pursue kindness; so we welcome graciously." You will learn how to interact in ways to make people comfortable, which is the very definition of hospitality, and to use the relationships you have in various areas of life to help people take steps toward Christ. This two-week study, led by Zac Condie, meets on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm beginning April 17. Please register below.
Leading Your Children to Memorize Scripture
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 instructs us to impress God's commands upon the hearts of our children and ourselves. After a near-fatal plane crash years ago, David and Katy Maddox began to focus more on eternal things, especially while raising their children. Learn how to plant scripture memory in your busy schedule as you go. This two-week class, led by David Maddox, begins Wednesday, April 17. Location TBD. Please register below. Optional materials will be available for purchase.
The 'Why' Behind Gathered Worship
The Bible, and particularly the New Testament, helps us grasp the really important "whys" behind gathered worship, much more than just the "hows." Join us as we walk through the six things that make up the "whys" behind gathered worship at Brook Hills. This five-week class will be led by Daniel Renstrom beginning Wednesday, April 3, at 6:30pm. Please register below.