Faith Traditions of the World

This course explains the basic beliefs and histories of 17 selected cults and religious traditions, contrasting them with historic Protestant Christianity and evaluating their doctrines and practices by the Bible. The student will be prepared to respond to the errors of wrong religions and to protect Christians from error.

Course Description

This course explains the basic beliefs and histories of 17 selected cults and religious traditions, contrasting them with historic Protestant Christianity and evaluating their doctrines and practices by the Bible. The student will be prepared to respond to the errors of wrong religions and to protect Christians from error.

Course Objectives

1. To help Christians understand the basic doctrines of some of the most influential cults and religious traditions.
2. To help Christians understand why certain false doctrines are harmful.
3. To equip pastors to protect their congregations from the influence of cults.
4. To train Christians with biblical answers to religious errors.
5. To give practical directions for evangelizing members of other religious traditions.

Explanations and Directions for Class Leaders

Where scriptures are listed in parenthesis or within the main text, the class should read those scriptures before proceeding.

The lessons about religious groups (Lessons 3-19) generally follow the pattern described in the following directions. The first two lessons are on special topics.

These directions describe how the class can be taught with the highest level of quality. The class leader must keep this standard for students who desire to have a certificate from Shepherds Global Classroom. For other kinds of groups who are not able to meet these requirements, a teacher may adapt the requirements to their ability, and give a different certificate.

We estimate that each lesson will take two hours to cover well. If the group meets for a shorter time, the lesson can be divided for two meetings.

Order of Group Activities

(1) Gospel conversation reports (Estimated time: 20 minutes, if there are several reports)

Students who have finished a conversation assignment from a previous lesson should report. They should simply tell the story of their conversation. Other students may offer suggestions for the future. Do not allow students to be too critical of the one reporting.

(2) Class review time (Estimated time: 5-10 minutes)

The class leader should ask the review questions for the previous lesson, then a few review questions from other lessons already covered. The purpose is to build students’ long-term memory and correct misunderstandings they may have. The review questions help them remember the most important facts. The instructor can make the course very effective by using the review questions. Review questions are found at the end of this course.

(3) First Encounter

Someone should read the paragraph entitled “First Encounter.” This should be done without much comment or discussion. The stories are mostly without conclusions in order to create curiosity about the group being studied. In a few cases, the testimony at the end of the lesson is about the same person mentioned in the First Encounter.

(4) Scripture Study - Part 1 (Estimated time: 15 minutes)

Read the assigned passage aloud together. Several students could take turns reading verses. Then have a few minutes of silence for students to write a summary paragraph and a list of statements (specific instructions are in each lesson). After they write, let several students tell what they wrote so that each can learn from the others.

(5) Religious group study (Estimated time: 40 minutes)

Study the information provided about the religious group. The leader or another person in the group could read and explain the material to the group. Different students could read and explain the quotations in the margins.

Discussion questions and in-class activities are indicated by ►. The class leader should ask the question and give the students time to discuss the answer. There will be several of these in each lesson.

The bold and italicized text refutes the wrong teachings and practices of the religious group. After reading the facts about the religious group, go back and read the explanations and scriptures given.

(6) Using the Handbook of Doctrine (Estimated time: 20 minutes)

The Handbook of Doctrine is a section of material in this course printed after the lessons. At this point in the lesson, look at the topics of the Handbook of Doctrine listed under this section. Students should read the scriptures together and make sure they understand how the verses prove a point. Every student should show that he is able to prove a point from the scripture. Some points are used in several lessons. It is not necessary to repeat practice of the same points if the students seem to be learning well.

(7) Evangelism (Estimated time: 10 minutes)

This section provides some practical things to remember when talking to members of the particular religious group. In some lessons this section is combined with the “Using the Handbook of Doctrine” section.

(8) A Testimony

Someone should read the section of material entitled “A Testimony.” The testimonies are all real cases, though sometimes the names have been changed.

(9) Scripture Study - Part 2 (Estimated time: 20 minutes)

At the end of the study session, read the assigned scripture passage again. Wait a few minutes for each student to write a paragraph explaining the message the passage has for a member of the religious group they studied. Let several students share with the group what they wrote.

(10) Assignment

Always conclude the lesson time by reminding the students to schedule an opportunity for a gospel presentation. Students should have conversations with members of the religious group being studied, if possible. They should try to present the gospel and other Christian truth. If it is not possible for them to find a member of that particular religious group, they should find someone else who would be interested in hearing the material. They should describe the basic beliefs of the religion, then give the biblical response. They should prepare to tell the class about their conversations.

Each student should report conversations about 10 different religions through the course. The written report of each conversation should describe characteristics of the religion that are important for an evangelist to know. In the report, the student should explain what he presented in the conversation, and how the other person responded. The report of each conversation should be two pages long. The instructor should explain this assignment several times during the first few lessons. Good papers written by the students could be shown to the group as examples.

The 10 conversations and writing assignments are the primary assignments of this course. A form is printed near the end of this book for the instructor to use for keeping records.

(11) Recommended Resources

If students wish to learn more about any religious group they should look at the Recommended Resources near the back of the book to see available resources.