All video introductions for the studies can be found at: Sabbath School on the Move YouTube Channel
This quarter’s studies are on “The Great Controversy”
While it’s certainly true that the great controversy provides the story arc, the metanarrative, to Scripture, the way it is understood and the issues involved are variously interpreted. The most important decision to be made is over what the conflict really involves, for that will determine how we understand how it is ended—as well as the nature of God in all of this.
If it was just a question of God’s power, the issue could have been settled very quickly. But Satan the Accuser did not question God’s omnipotence, but rather his use of power. Making God out to be a divine dictator, Satan cast himself in the role of the great liberator fighting against the arbitrary rule of a God whose character was not one to be admired, only feared.
In his program of disinformation Satan was very successful, for he could use lies and smears that took considerable time to refute. For it wasn’t enough for God to say Satan was wrong, it had to be demonstrated. This why we’re still here! The process of demonstration continues to be worked out with all its consequences.
The central issue in the great controversy is who God is and how he acts. The devil has charged God with massive character defects, and actions that if true would be truly demonic. This cosmic conflict that has engulfed every thinking being is of supreme importance in understanding our own situation. Only with this as the permanent background can we begin to make sense of the world and our place in it, and our relationship to our creator God.
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Sabbath School on the Move meetings in progress
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Speaking at Sligo Church Sabbath School Teachers’ Meeting:
Some of Dr. Gallagher’s articles and books are available here: articles books
Through a free, conversational study of the Scriptures Dr. Jonathan Gallagher invites you to participate in an exciting analysis and discussion of the Sabbath school lesson in the context of the character of God and in the setting of the Great Controversy
This supportive ministry seeks to make the Sabbath school study a relevant and important part of spiritual life by providing actual class discussions in audio format, accompanied by
study sheets. In this way class members become far more involved in discussing vital spiritual issues,particularly focusing on the nature and character of God in the setting of the Great Controversy. By centering the focus on a ‘free, conversational study of the Scriptures,’ Sabbath School On The Move contributes to both the growth and development of individual members and also a wider and more dynamic involvement in the fundamental message and mission of the church.
Recorded at different locations and also online, Sabbath School On The Move is made available free via the Internet to all, providing a rich resource for those teaching the lesson as well as those wishing to be more deeply informed about the subjects presented by the lesson. It is particularly useful to those who for various reasons are not able to attend Sabbath school in person, and provides a “virtual community” to members who can then experience the sense of belonging and participating in the wider church around the world.