
Where Faith and Life Connect
Draw nearer to God by exploring the Bible and experiencing the power and possibility of Scripture. Express your faith in new ways through personal study and small group discussions. Adult Education offers Bible studies, book groups, classes, and events to deepen your faith and help you apply it to your daily life.

Bible & Theological Studies
LIVING THE MESSAGE 2023-2024
God Reimagined: The Biblical Foundation of Luther’s Reformation
First Tuesday of the month October through May, 6:30-7:30pm; and via videos
In 1998, just ahead of the new millennium, Life Magazine published a list of the 100 most important and influential people of the previous 1000 years. Martin Luther was third, coming just behind Thomas Edison and Christopher Columbus, because of the way his reforms, teaching, preaching, and translations so dramatically altered the worlds of religion, politics, and culture. Interestingly, very few people realize before he became (in)famous, before he was the leader of the Reformation, and before he changed the world forever… Martin Luther was a Bible scholar and teacher. And every single element of his reform movement stemmed from his deep engagement with Scripture. This year in our Living the Message class, Pastors Ruud and Lose will delve into the passages and stories of Scripture that most shaped Luther’s theology and life. Join us — we’re going to have a great time!
For more information, and to register, click here.
WORD WITH YOUR PASTORS FALL 2023
Two class options – one at the Mpls Campus and one at West
Mpls Campus: For Heaven’s Sake, Give It a Rest!: God’s Radical Sabbath Command
Taught by Pastor Ruud
Wednesdays, October 18 through November 8, 2023, 10:30-11:30am, at Mpls; or via videos (This class will be offered at West spring 2024.)
Ever feel life is too busy? Or like the world races ahead and it’s all we can do to keep up? Or like each day is an endless list of demands and to-dos amid the yearning and/or incessant pressure to accomplish, achieve, amass, or produce? “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” We recognize this as one of God’s storied 10 Commandments in scripture, but what does it really mean? Interpreted often as “going to church” and/or taking time for rest, there is a depth to be explored in this command which may be more astounding and life-changing than meets the eye. Join Pastor Ruud to delve into the radicality of Sabbath.
For more information, and to register, click here.
West Campus: The Rise and Fall of the American Christian Empire?
Taught by Pastor Dixon
Thursdays, October 19 through November 9, 2023, 10:30-11:30am, at West (This class will be offered at Mpls and via videos spring 2024.)
In the summer of 1925, John Scopes–a substitute high school science teacher–was put on trial in Tennessee for violating the Butler Act, which made it a crime for teachers in any public school in that state to teach human evolution. He lost. This was the high (or low) point in the war between Christian Fundamentalism in America and modernity, and it explains more about your world today than you might guess. How has the role of the church in culture changed in your lifetime and why? How can it be that the forces that seemed overwhelmingly responsible for the growth of Christianity in America be likewise responsible for the crisis of the present moment marked by declining attendance, the mass exodus of young people from faith, and the steady growth of the “nones” (people who claim no religious affiliation)? Is Christianity in America doomed? (No.) But is American Christendom? Maybe. Join Pastor Dixon to reflect more carefully on these questions, reexamine your experiences as Christians in 20th- and 21st-century America, and redouble your gratitude for a congregation like ours.
For more information, and to register, click here.
Adult Education Videos
Built On a Rock ~ Exploring the Heart of Christianity from Genesis to Revelation (LIVING THE MESSAGE – 2022-2023)
- Oct 2022 – God Talk: Theology In and Out of the Bible with Pastor Lose
- Nov 2022 – Original Blessing: Creation (at West) with Pastor Ruud
- Dec 2022 – Missing the Mark: Sin with Pastor Lose
- Jan 2023 – East of Eden: Covenant, Law, and Community with Pastor Ruud
- Feb 2023 – God con Carne: Incarnation with Pastor Lose
- Mar 2023 – Love Wins: Atonement (at West) with Pastor Lose
- Apr 2023 – The Body of Christ: Church and Holy Spirit with Pastor Ruud
- May 2023 – The End of All Things: Eschatology with Pastor Ruud
Becoming a Community of Shalom – Spring 2023
- The Beauty and Promise of Shalom with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
- Equanimity for Turbulent Times with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
- Compassion for Self and Others with Rev. Dale Peterson
- Wisdom in Daily Life with Rev. Dale Peterson
Behind the Book(s): A History of How Our Bible Came to Be – Winter 2023
- What’s In? with Pastor Lose
- What’s Out? with Pastor Cieslik
- A Translation Tour with Pastor Ruud
- Gutenberg and the Reformation with Pastor Dixon
Pray Without Ceasing – Fall 2022
- What Is Prayer? with Pastor MacLean
- Prayer & the Community of the Spirit with Pastor Dixon
- Prayers My Grandmother Taught Me with Pastor Kalland
- How Should We Pray? with Pastor Freeman
So What?! Does Luther’s Theology Still Matter? – Spring 2022
- Two Kingdoms: Faith, Politics & the Body of Christ with Pastor Lose
- Justification: You Just Can’t Help Yourself with Pastor Ruud
- Law & Gospel: It’s a Matter of Death and Life with Pastor Dixon
- Vocation: Why Should I Get Out of Bed? with Pastor Cieslik
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the New Testament (Living the Message 2021-2022 series)
- Oct 2021: What is a Gospel Anyway? The Big Four ~ plus some New Testament overview with Pastor Lose
- Nov 2021: What Is the Kingdom of God and Why Does Jesus Talk About It So Much? Matthew, Mark, and Luke with Pastor Ruud
- Dec 2021: What About John? John, the Maverick Gospel with Pastor Lose
- Jan 2022: Jesus Is Risen! Now What? Acts of the Apostles with Pastor Ruud
- Feb 2022: Why Is Paul Such a Big Deal? Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon with Pastor Lose
- March 2022: How Did Paul’s Legacy Continue? Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus with Pastor Ruud
- April 2022: What About All These Other Letters? Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude with Pastor Lose
- May 2022: Seriously… What’s Up with Revelation? Pastor Lose and Pastor Ruud duke it out over this intriguing final Book of the Bible
The Gospel of Mark – Winter 2022
- Mark: The Gospel as the Evening News with Pastor Ruud
- Bookends of Revelation & Fulfillment in Mark with Pastor Kalland
- Healings in Mark: “Your Faith Has Set You Free” with Pastors Freeman and Hammersten
- The Hidden Kingdom: The Parables of Jesus in Mark with Pastor Dixon
The Word with Your Pastors: The Prophets –Fall 2021
- Prophets: Burdened, Blessed & Bothersome with Pastor Lose
- Jeremiah: Prophet of Lament & Faithfulness with Pastor Dixon
- Isaiah: Prophet of Warning, Comfort & Hope with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
- Minor Prophets: Short Books, Big Themes with Pastor Ruud
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Bible… but were afraid to ask! (Living the Message 2020-2021 series)
- May: Q&A with Pastors Lose & Ruud
- April Question: What About the Really Hard (or Weird?!) Parts? with Pastor Lose
- April Deeper Dive
- March Question: How Do I Enjoy Reading the Bible (Part 2)? with Pastor Ruud
- March Deeper Dive: The Prodigal Son, Part 2
- February Deeper Dive: The Prodigal Son, Part 1
- February Question: How Can I Enjoy Reading the Bible (Part 1)? with Pastor Lose
- January Question: Who Wrote the Bible? with Pastor Ruud
- January Bonus Video: Deeper Dive on passages from the Gospel of John with Pastor Lose
- December Question: Is the Bible the Word of God? With Pastor Lose
- December Bonus Video: Deeper Dive: The Raising of Lazurus
- November Question: Is the Bible True?
- November Bonus Video: Deeper Dive: the Garden of Gethsemane (told 3 ways!)
- October Question: What Is the Bible, Anyway? with Pastor Ruud
What Does “Lutheran” Mean?
- Session 1 | Faith Alone: There’s nothing for you to do… No, but seriously… there’s nothing for you to do… seriously
- Session 2 | Saints and Sinners: Living the double life. Resurrected daily.
- Session 3 | Theology of the Cross: The Power of God found in puny, weak, common, hidden things, and why we often seek something more
- Session 4 | Vocation: What to do, and what God does with you, now that there’s nothing to do, sometimes whether you like it or not.
Gospel of Matthew
- The Gospel of Matthew Introduction with Pastor Lose
- Matthew’s Community with Pastor Dixon
- Law & Righteousness with Pastor Ruud
- Emmanuel: God with Us with Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
Journey through Hell – Click Here for the Study Guide
- A walk-through of ‘hell” with Pastor Lose
- Who Is Satan? with Pastor Dixon
- Antichrist as anti-Christ with Pastor Ruud
Rally in the Valley – A Study of King David
- Overview with Pastor Ruud
- David and Goliath with Pastor MacLean
- David’s Anointing as King with Pastor Lose
- David and Bathsheba with Pastor Freeman
“The Story Behind the Nativity Story” with Pastor Lose
“The Story Behind the Seven Last Words of Christ” with Pastor Lose and Dr. Beverly Claflin.
Video #1 – Introduction
Video #2 – Words 1, 2, 3 & 4
Video #3 – Words 5, 6, 7 & the Chorale
Book Discussions
Evening and Daytime Options
Come and enjoy a lively discussion of a new book every month. The same book will be discussed at the evening and daytime options. New members are always welcome! You can join in for one discussion – or all!
Daytime Discussions: 10-11:30am the second Tuesday of the month; Mpls; Bonnie Morris, facilitator
Evening Discussions: 7-8:30pm the second Wednesday of the month; Mpls; Mary Slinde, facilitator
Register here for Daytime Discussion
Register here for Evening Discussion
Or contact Katie Stevenson at katies@mtolivet.org | 612.767.2232.
Upcoming Books:
2023
June – The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
July – The Maid by Nita Prose
August – The Last Flight by Julie Clark
September – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
October – Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
November – The Many Daughters of Afong May by Jamie Ford
December – Rafferty’s Last Case by Larry Millett
2024
January – The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher
February – Before All Is Said and Done by Pat Miles & Suzanne Watson
March – Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
April – Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
May – The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
June – The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar & Dana Morton
LGBTQ Voice and Verse
LGBTQ Voice and Verse is an educational opportunity of communal study in love, support, and continued understanding of all aspects of gender identity and sexual orientation in faithful life together. Through shared experience, discussion, and learning, this group seeks to build mutual awareness and insight in this particular reality of faith and life toward honor and love for all.
If you’d like more information about LGBTQ Voice and Verse, contact Pastor Ruud at 612.767.2261 or by email.