
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
The Word with Your Pastors – Spring 2023 – Mpls and West Campuses
Becoming a Community of Shalom
Throughout the Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament), the concept of shalom conveys God’s desire for all people: relationships marked by wholeness, peace, health, and security. We are called to shalom in our relationships with God, each other, and all creation. When our communities are marked by shalom, they exude compassion, wisdom, and equanimity (i.e., balance and serenity). In this class, we will explore the biblical concept of shalom and pray together for it. Join Reverend Theresa Latini (Executive Director, Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center) and Reverend Dale Peterson (Director of Spiritual Care, Mount Olivet Careview Home and Mount Olivet Home) for a mix of biblical study, reflection, and guided prayer all aimed at helping us receive God’s promise of wholeness and peace.
This four-week series runs 10:30-11:30am Wednesdays at Mpls and Thursdays at West or via videos that are filmed live during the Mpls class and will be emailed out one week later.
Dates | Topic | Teaching Pastor
April 12/13 | The Beauty and Promise of Shalom | Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
April 19/20 | Equanimity for Turbulent Times | Rev. Dr. Theresa Latini
April 26/27 | Compassion for Self and Others | Rev. Dale Peterson
May 3/4 | Wisdom in Daily Life | Rev. Dale Peterson
Register here for Mpls classes and videos
Register here for the West classes and videos
Please contact Katie Stevenson, Coordinator of Adult Education, by email or at 612.767.2232 with any questions.
Mpls: 5025 Knox Ave South, Mpls, MN 55419
West: 7150 Rolling Acres Road, Victoria, MN 55386
LIVING THE MESSAGE – 2022-2023
Built On a Rock ~ Exploring the Heart of Christianity from Genesis to Revelation
If you’re curious about God and your life of faith, this class is for you. By looking at these central parts of the Christian story, which are sometimes called “theological doctrines,” we will explore the heart of our Christian faith and wonder together about just how important that faith is to our everyday lives. Taught by Pastors Lose and Ruud. Come to the once-a-month Tuesday night presentation or watch and learn on your own time via pre-recorded videos. (Or both!) For more information and to register, click here.
Schedule/Monthly Topics
Mpls (except where noted); 6:30-7:30pm
Oct 4: God Talk: Theology In and Out of the Bible – Pastor Lose
Nov 1: Original Blessing: Creation – Pastor Ruud (at West)
Dec 6: Missing the Mark: Sin – Pastor Lose
Jan 3: East of Eden: Covenant, Law, and Community – Pastor Ruud
Feb 7: God con Carne: Incarnation – Pastor Lose
Mar 7: Love Wins: Atonement – Pastor Ruud (at West)
Apr 11*: The Body of Christ: Church and Holy Spirit – Pastor Lose
May 2: The End of All Things: Eschatology – Pastor Ruud
*the second Tuesday of the month due to Holy Week.
Register here.
Adult Education Videos
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. Mary Slinde is facilitating both the evening and daytime discussions. 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 (begins in September)
Evening Discussions: 7-8:30pm the second Wednesday of the month; Mpls (ongoing)
Register here for Daytime Discussion
Register here for Evening Discussion
Or contact Katie Stevenson at katies@mtolivet.org | 612.767.2232.
Book Selections 2022-2023
July – Remember by Lisa Genova
August – The Mothers by Brit Bennett
September – Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
October – After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell
November – Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
December – Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
January – The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
February – Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson
March – The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
April – Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini
May – The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
June – The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
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.