“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” -Psalm 1:2-3

Although it is not meant to be a replacement for studying the Word of God (the Bible), Roots is meant to be a vital supplement to Scripture, a resourceful guide to understanding the core themes and doctrines that define biblical Christianity. The Roots series covers the foundations of the faith, which every believer must know, not only to understand their salvation in Christ, but to be fully equipped for evangelism, serving in the church, holy living, and all matters related to a fruitful Christian life.

Part One of Roots introduces you to what is often called the “absolute essentials” of the Christian faith. It is what every believer needs to be convinced of in order to be assured of the genuineness of his or her salvation in Christ. Believers differ on secondary issues of Christianity (which will be covered more in depth in the following Roots courses), but all Christians must agree on the absolute essentials – or core doctrines (teachings) – of the Christian faith. This includes an accurate understanding of God, the Bible, the gospel, and godly living. Roots Part One will present these topics in a manner that is easy, thorough, and applicable.

1. New believers:
These are people who have recently become Christian. They are new to the faith and have little to moderate understanding of Christianity.

2. Seasoned believers:
These are people who have been Christian for a considerably long time. They know about the important topics of the Christian faith, but can benefit from learning it in a systematic fashion for their own edification and for teaching it to others.

3. Seeking unbelievers:
These are non-Christians who have not committed their lives to Jesus Christ, but are interested in knowing more about the Christian faith.

1. Assurance of salvation
This is the general objective of the Bible. The Bible was given, first and foremost, so that people would learn about God, His offer of salvation, and be part of it.
1 John 5:11-13: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

2. Equipping for ministry
The Bible was also written to teach us how to do ministry. It shows us how we find our spiritual gifting and to use it for serving others, both in and out of church.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in all righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

3. Knowledge of God
The Bible rightly informs us of who God is and how we are to worship Him. The deeper we understand God, the more we will love and obey Him.
Exodus 33:13: “Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight.”