PRU logo

In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter tell us that we should “always be ready to explain” our hope as believers.  (1 Peter 3:15)

What is our faith all about?  Can you answer that question to your own satisfaction and to the satisfaction of skeptics in your life?

When our church leaders considered these two questions, it led them to two more:

  • What Biblical knowledge is critical for a follower of Jesus? 
  • What Bible curriculum would communicate that knowledge over a three-year span?

The answers to these questions led to the development of our 12-course adult curriculum entitled Pitman Road University!

Although the curriculum is not an exhaustive Biblical exposition, it is a comprehensive program that will teach, challenge, and equip anyone who completes it … and we hope that many will!

What is Pitman Road University?

  • It is an adult Bible curriculum comprised of a total of 12 courses.
  • Courses will be taught on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am by several different teachers.
  • The curriculum can be completed in as little as  three years, or you may take longer to complete it.
  • Participants take one course at a time.

Requirements for completion of Pitman Road University:

  • Completion of all 12 courses (over any number of years).
  • Attendance at 10 out of 13 classes per course required for course credit (attendance will be taken at 9:00 am).
  • Reading and/or homework may be required.

Additional information:

  • Courses may be taken in any order.
  • Courses will be offered on a continuous, rotating basis.
  • Courses are adapted to all levels of the Christian experience.
  • Graduation certificates will be presented to all who complete the curriculum.

Note: Other adult Bible classes not associated with Pitman Road University will also be offered each quarter. 

Our complete course offering:

The Great Story: Finding God’s Love in a World of Doubt

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is governed by the idea of a divine purpose. At every stage of the biblical narrative, events move forward from a beginning point to an end. Taken as a whole, the books of the Bible tell a single story: how God, over the ages, progressively revealed the content of his plan, fulfilled it, and how he calls us, his human creatures, to enter into this plan and share in its blessings.

Ecclesiastes: Seeking Happiness in an Unhappy World

King Solomon left us a record of his search for happiness and meaning in life, and what he learned from the experience. His hope was that he could prevent others from the years of waste and unfulfillment that he experienced. His conclusions are as relevant today as they were then. Come and learn life’s lessons from wise King Solomon.

Genesis I and II: What Were We Put in the World to Do?

It is far too easy to read the first chapters of Genesis with the questions of our time: “Were the days of creation 24 hours long?” “How long ago did this happen?” “Is this history or myth?” “How does this square with modern views of science and evolution?” Of course, these are important questions and we can probably learn some things from Genesis 1-11 that are relevant to them.

But we don’t learn very much from a text if we ask questions that it was not written to answer. Genesis is, frankly, about deeper issues than biological origins. It answers questions such as: “What are human beings?” “Why are we here?” “What is our relationship to the nature and the world?”  Essentially, Genesis is not about the “How” of creation but rather about the “Why”. That is, ultimately, far more important.

Welcome to Worship

Have you ever stopped and evaluated your worship? Have you ever asked yourself why you worship as you do? Worship that fails to understand the nature and reasoning behind it can become vain (Mt. 15:7-9). However, evaluation of something so sacred is quite difficult. This study will help us evaluate and understand how and why we worship. The worship of God is the most precious and intimate of all relationships. It is the time we spend with our God in communion and fellowship. Don’t be afraid to study it, questioned it, and, most of all, engage in it. It is what life is all about!

The Gospel of John: That You May Believe

What is it about Jesus that first compelled you to want to know more about Him? The Gospel of John covers roughly 20 days in the life of Jesus, and over 90% of that is occasions from Jesus’ life that are not found in the other gospel accounts.  John’s purpose in including what he did was “that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” (John 20:30-31, NLT)  Discover what John’s gospel has to say and enjoy the life that comes from believing in who Jesus is.

Walking an Uncertain Future: Living Well in a Culture at Odds with Christ

Do you ever get concerned about the future? You're not sure which way our world is going or what it means for you and for your family as you follow Christ? We live in a society that seems to be not only non-Christian but more and more anti-Christian. What does it mean to live in such a society, whose values and belief systems are so opposed to your own? How are we to raise healthy, faithful families in this environment? Bottom line: What does it mean to live the life Christ has called us to in our world? This series seeks to investigate those and other questions.

 

Matthew: The Gospel of the King and His Kingdom

For those of us who live in a modern democracy, the ideas of "king" and "kingdom" can be hard to grasp, and even harder to make a reality in our lives. For the Jews in the first century, it was an ever-present reality – and a greatly desired expectation. According to the Old Testament, a king from God would come who would establish Judah as an everlasting kingdom and free them from domination of other world powers. In his gospel, Matthew introduces Jews to the King they longed to see. For him, it was absolutely Good News. In our own lives today, we need the good news of the King and the Kingdom over which He reigns. What is this Kingdom? What kind of King do we have? What does it mean to be a citizen of this Kingdom? Matthew has much to teach us.

How to Share Jesus

"So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20, GW)  Those of us who are in Christ genuinely want to share the wonderful gift we have received with others. Many of us, however, feel inadequate to do so. Use the resources in this course to become equipped to more effectively and confidently share Jesus with others.

The Fundamentals of Our Faith

Many Christians fail to grow and thrive in their faith because they never learned the basics. Just as every successful sports team, musical organization, and hobbyist knows, it is important to get back to the fundamentals every now and then. This series seeks to (1) ground followers of Christ in the basic truths of our faith so that we can be solid and grow up in Christ, and (2) equip followers of Christ to share truth with others in a world of counter-truths.

Full and Complete in Christ

Our journey in this series takes us through some passages of Scripture that point our way to greater growth and maturity in Christ. One of the reasons so many of us struggle in our faith is because we have stopped growing deeper into Jesus Christ. Other cares, concerns, worries, and desires take the place of what Christ wants to accomplish in us. It may surprise us how growth in Christ takes place and what it means on a day-to-day, practical basis. Grow deeper… become what you were called to be!

Witnesses for Christ: Continuing Mission in the Book of Acts

The New Testaments book of Acts of the Apostles is actually the sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Luke says it is a continuation of "all that Jesus began to do and to teach." (Acts 1:1)  The gospel historian wants to help his friend Theophilus "know the certainty of the things you have been taught." (Luke 1:4)  Allow Luke to take you on a journey as the apostles and the early church take up the mission Christ began, empowered now by the Holy Spirit, to take the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins to the whole world.