June
The Fatherhood of God, Stuart McAlpine – Knowing God as our Father is foundational to our spiritual life and is essential for faithful and fruitful discipleship. However, many of us have a distorted view of God that cripples our experience with Him. Stuart takes an in-depth look at what we learn about God from the depiction of the Father in Luke 15, with the goal of moving us toward building a closer relationship with God as Father.
Fatherhood of God with Tom Tarrants – In this Zoom video recording, Tom Tarrants and Stuart McAlpine give foundational principles in our relationship with God the Father. Knowing God as our Father is foundational to our spiritual life and is essential for faithful and fruitful discipleship. Pastor McAlpine takes an in-depth look at each of the sons and the father in Jesus’ parable found in Luke 15 and exhorts us to more fully understand our identity as sons and daughters of God the Father.
Fatherhood of God with Rev. Ho Ming Tsui – Rev. Ho Ming Tsui reflects on similarities and dissimilarities between God’s fatherhood and all other forms of fatherhood from the depiction of the Father in Luke 15.
Fatherhood of God with Pastor Robbie Symons – In this lecture, Pastor Robbie Symons takes an in-depth look at the subject of the Fatherhood of God, God the Father as Father unpacking the glorious nature of the Fatherhood of God approaching it with tremendous humility.
July
God’s Grace with Bill Kynes – In this video lecture which took place at the start of the September 2015 Year One Fellows retreat weekend, Pastor Bill Kynes points us to the glory of God’s grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Kynes examines two underlying principles in our culture that undermine grace, then guides us to immerse ourselves in a story of grace in Luke 7:36-50. Listen as he exhorts each one of us to grow in appreciation of God’s amazing grace.
Receiving God’s Grace, Dane Ortlund – In this two-part audio series with question and answer, Dane Ortlund presents the grace of God as his undeserved kindness and love actively expressed toward rebellious and sinful people. Reflecting on God’s Word reminds us that the grace of God cannot be earned: it can only be received as a gift. We will also discover that the superabundance of God’s grace is most clearly displayed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that through trust in the work and person of Jesus Christ we experience a fundamental change of our nature that enables us to respond to God’s grace with love, gratitude and obedience.
Receiving Grace with Joel Woodruff – Grace is, therefore, not something we can earn. It is rather the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes God’s grace and mercy available to us. In this Zoom video from 2020, Joel Woodruff gives insights reflecting on the unmerited favor that can only be received through faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”. Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
August
Following Jesus with D. Blair Smith – Do you know what it means to follow Jesus Christ? To TRULY follow Him? Are you willing to make a total commitment to Jesus and His purposes? Scripture outlines the implications and nature of Jesus’ call to discipleship, its relationship to conversion and its cost. If we reflect on these things, we’ll find that the path to which every disciple is called is a lifelong pursuit of Christ-likeness.
Following Jesus with Bill Kynes – What is the nature and implication of Jesus’ call to discipleship? What is this relationship to be like? In this audio recording, Dr. Bill Kynes takes us to Luke 14:25-33 for a look at the demands of discipleship.
Following Jesus with Bill Kynes (2020 Video) – In this Zoom recording from the Fellows Program in Toronto, Pastor Bill Kynes takes us to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus.
September
Walking in the Holy Spirit – Pastor Tom Holliday discusses the work of the Hoy Spirit in the life of the believer and how He achieves His ministry in our lives today.
Being filled with The Holy Spirit – Tom Holiday teaches about the importance of The Holy Spirit in being an effective follower of Christ.
Rediscovering the Ministry of the Holy Spirit (Josh Moody) – Life as a disciple of Jesus Christ is impossible without the Holy Spirit. Yet, in some circles the Holy Spirit is overemphasized while in others He’s largely ignored. As a result, many lack the understanding and power to live as faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus. Pastor Josh Moody provides much needed clarity on what the Bible reveals about the Holy Spirit. He stresses the necessity of the Spirit’s indwelling presence to empower us for obedient living and effective ministry. Pastor Moody is the Senior Pastor at College Church in Wheaton, IL.
The Fruitful Life of the Spirit – The apostle Paul admonishes us to walk by the Spirit so that we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Instead, he exhorts us to live by the Spirit, keep in step with Him, and to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. But what is spiritual fruit, and how is it produced? Further, why does it take a lifetime? Pastor Philip Miller responds to these questions in this lecture to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church on Oct. 1, 2022.
The Holy Spirit and Obedience with Stuart McAlpine – In this two-part audio series, Pastor Stuart McAlpine explores the work of the Holy Spirit and the call to obedience.
Walking in the Holy Spirit with Kathy Klassen – Rev. Kathy Klassen shares on how the Bible instructs believers to “Walk” a certain way meaning to live as disciples of Jesus, yielding to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us on “the Way” that leads to abundant and eternal life.
October
Reading the Scriptures with Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength with Dr. Matthew Mullins – Dr. Matthew Mullins shares practical tips and insights on engaging with God through the Bible. He argues that pleasure and enjoyment are essential to understanding the Bible.
Meditating on the Word – In this session, Pastor Jeff Schlenz shares how God’s Word brings about transformation in the life of the believer in this Fellows Lecture reflecting on Psalm 1.
Being Transformed Through Scripture: The Drama of Discipleship – Dr. Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, examines the role of Scripture and lays out four ways that Scripture transforms disciples into lovers of God. This lecture was presented on March 5, 2016 to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church in downtown Chicago.
How to Study the Bible with Tom Tarrants and Joel Woodruff – In this session, Tom Tarrants and Joel Woodruff share methods of reading and studying the Word of God. They explain that reading through the Bible is a great way to study it and offer tools and approaches for deepening your study of God’s Word. Every page of the Bible reveals God’s character, emotions, thoughts, and actions.
November
Prayer – Todd Smedly speaks on prayer, emphasizing its role in revealing our spiritual health and deepening our relationship with God. Quoting JC Ryle, he challenges whether we can truly speak to God as well as we speak about Him. Using Matthew 6:5-14, he highlights Jesus’ teaching that prayer is more than requests—it’s about recognizing God as our Father and approaching Him naturally in humility and dependence.
Growing in Prayer – Prayer is one of the key disciplines in the Christian life by which we are able to bring our life before God in sincerity and truth. But this discipline can be hard to form into a habit at times, when life is busy and everything seems to be moving too quickly to notice. In this video lecture, Pastor Bill Kynes shares about the ways in which believers can foster the growth of their prayer life.
Growing in Prayer with D. Blair Smith – Prayer is one of the primary means to grow in grace, and it is a great and powerful privilege. To live without prayer is to live without God, and to be content with little prayer ensures a weak spiritual life. Yet, many believers struggle with prayer. D. Blair Smith examines the life of prayer using the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer given by Jesus. He explains that faith without prayer is impossible, just as life without breath is impossible. This talk was given on Feb. 6, 2016 to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church.
Growing in Prayer and Faith – Dr. David Sherbino discusses prayer as a way of communicating with God, enjoying fellowship with our heavenly Father, and strengthening our relationship with Him. He explains that if you want to grow in your faith, it starts by hearing, and that means feeding yourself with God’s Word. When you hear God’s Word, it changes you, affects your worldview and alters the way you think.
December
Walking in Humility: A Journey Through Proverbs – Pastor Jesse Johnson explores the theme of humility in his lecture by examining both a New Testament example and wisdom from Proverbs. He begins with John 3, highlighting John the Baptist’s response to Jesus’ growing influence, emphasizing the statement, “He must increase, but I must decrease” as a model of true humility.
Humility and How I Attained It – In this Fellows video recording, Pastor Bill Kynes explores a biblical understanding of humility and gives counsel on how one can grow into it.
Humility with Dr. Jerry Root – In this two-part audio lecture featuring question and answer, Dr. Jerry Root helps the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago explore the nature of pride and suggests some ways to grow in humility.
Growing in Humility with Tom Holliday – In this Fellows video, Tom Holliday helps us identify how pride can infect our lives and helps us commit ourselves to forsaking pride and pursuing a lifestyle of humility, following the example of Jesus.
Walking in Humility with Rob and Sarah Patterson – Learn more about the Bible’s teaching on humility and what Christian humility looks like in daily life. This is a Zoom recording from the 2020 Fellows Program in Toronto.
A Call to Christian Humility by Jeff Schlenz – Listen to Pastor Jeff Schlenz as he reflects on 1 Peter 5:5-7 and invites us on a journey into Christian humility.
Walking with Jesus – Discovering the Freedom of Humility – Join CSLI Toronto and Dr. Tom Schwanda as we examine the nature and characteristics of humility and the challenges of living a humble life amid all the loud voices encouraging pride.
January
Living a Life of Faith and Obedience, Marjorie Lamp Mead – This talk goes beyond the concept of saving faith to explore what faith looks like in the everyday life of the believer. This is a two-part audio series.
Living a Life of Love and Obedience, Dr. Mark Talbot – Do you trust God with all areas of your life? Do you trust Him with your career, family, finances and future? Are you willing to take steps of faith in obedience to what you believe God is calling you to do? These are some of the questions involved with living a life of faith and obedience. Dr. Mark Talbot of Wheaton College explores Hebrews 11 and guides the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago into a deeper understanding of faith and obedience in every area of life. This lecture was presented at the historic Moody Church on April 2, 2016.
Living a Life of Love, Part 1, by Thomas A Tarrants, III, D.Min – This lecture took place at the start of our Washington, D.C. area “Urban Plunge.” Jesus Christ lived a life of perfect love toward God and others. As Christ’s disciples, we are called to follow His example and make love of God and our neighbor the great goal of our lives. As we do so, the Holy Spirit will empower us to become increasingly like Jesus. In his talk, Tom Tarrants distinguishes the agape love which God calls us to from the sensuous and the sentimental ideas of love that permeate American Culture. We explore how agape is manifested in grateful obedience toward God and the humble service of our neighbor, and how we grow in this love.
Living a Life of Love, Part 2, by Chris Sicks, Pastor of Mercy – This is the second talk that took place at the start of our Washington, D.C. area “Urban Plunge.” Chris Sicks exhorts us to minister both in Word and deed – to make God visible through love.
Living a Life of Love – Part 1 Tom Tarrants speaks about the Bible’s command for us to live life not for our own accomplishments but to love others with our time and effort.
Living a Life of Love: Part 2 Making God Visible Through Love, Chris Sicks discusses biblical mercy and how believers can live out their faith in word and deed.
What’s Love Got To Do With It? with Jackson Crum – Jesus Christ lived a life of perfect love toward God and others. As his disciples, we are called to follow his example and to make love of God and our neighbor the great goal of our lives. As we do, the Holy Spirit will empower us to become increasingly like Jesus.
Love: The Language of the Presence of God – Love is the language of the presence of God; it is the very currency of eternity. In this lecture, C.S. Lewis Institute Teaching Fellow Dr. Eric C. Redmond, draws principles and commands for us to love God and our neighbors, and he challenges us to love others in order to give them a glimpse of what it will be like to stand in the presence of God. This lecture was presented to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church on Feb. 4, 2023.
February
Pursuing God’s Call On Your Life (Greg Scharf) – Dr. Greg Scharf, chair of the Pastoral Theology Department and Professor of Homiletics at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, outlines a biblical understanding of calling and makes some foundational observations for the disciple of Jesus Christ. We find that God’s call often comes in the form of a command, but often we miss God’s call on our lives because lack understanding of what it takes to obediently live up to such calling.
Pursuing God’s Call on Your Life (Workshop with Carl Meyer) – In Max Lucado’s book, Cure for the Common Life, we are urged to find our “sweet spots” in life. In this talk, Carl Meyer shares his story of how God led him to discover his “sweet spot” and explains how God guides us all through a process of discernment. This resource includes a guided Story Workshop experience to help Fellows discover their sweet spot.
Pursuing God’s Call On Your Life With David Lau – In this video lecture, David Lau emphasizes that our first and foremost calling from God is to himself, and contained within that is a call to his service. Our goal as disciples of Christ is to recognize God’s call on our lives and commit ourselves to following his will and purpose for us above everything else.
Pursuing God’s Call On Your Life with Pastor Peter Lau – Pastor Peter Lau shares great principles that can guide you as you follow and seek God’s will for your life.
Pursuing God’s Call on Your Life with Mark Talbot – In this audio resource, Mark Talbot discusses the importance of calling and what the Bible has to say about individual callings by spending enough time each day in God’s written word.
Calling with Joyce Koo Dalrymple – As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are his people and are called and committed to reflect God’s glory through our relationships with others and the creative use of our God-given talents, gifts, and resources. In this lecture, Joyce Koo Dalrymple explains that we are called to follow a Person rather than a plan, and the our ultimate calling is to become the person God has called us to be. This lecture was presented to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church on March 4, 2023.
March
The Discipleship Process with Brian Carrier – At its core, discipleship is about following Jesus. Drawing from the Great Commission, Brian Carrier presents a discipleship process modeled on Jesus’ ministry in the gospels. Discover practical tools and resources to grow in your walk with Jesus, help others to know and follow Him, and build God-centered relationships with the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Our Mission: Making Disciples, Thomas Tarrants, III D, Min., – This final session of the Year One program charges Fellows to think deeply and personally about how to cooperate with God in actively extending God’s kingdom by making disciples of Christ.
April
Apologetics on the Ground – In this insightful lecture, Cameron McAllister explores how believers can thoughtfully and compassionately engage today’s culture with the truth of the Gospel. Drawing from principles of cultural and conversational apologetics, he encourages Christians to defend their faith with wisdom, humility, and love while addressing the real questions and struggles people face in everyday life.
Cultural Apologetics with Cameron McAllister – How can we share the good news of the gospel in a culture that is often at odds with Christian faith and practice? Apologist Cameron McAllister outlines defining characteristics of the modern western world and distinctives of the Christian faith. He addresses questions on key trends and emerging cultural issues and offers practical insights on how to share truth in love.
Cultural Apologetics – Part 1 – Dr. Joe Boot discusses Cultural Apologetics and the defense and cultivation of a total Christian philosophy of life rooted in the gospel of the Kingdom as revealed in the Bible.
Cultural Apologetics – Part 2 – Dr. Joe Boot discusses how followers of Christ can engage with the key ideas in culture and in politics that characterize our current times.
Cultural Apologetics with Kevin J. Vanhoozer – In this audio session, Dr. Kevin J. Vanhoozer argues that Christians should stop “sleepwalking through culture” and start to critically analyze the forces at work all around us. Our primary focus shouldn’t be “winning arguments” but on recognizing and reaching others as emotional and spiritual beings made in the image of God.
May
Conversational Apologetics – In this Zoom video recording, Dr. Randy Newman shares about communicating the profundity of the Gospel so that it removes the confusion surrounding it developing knowledge, tools, and practical skills to confidently articulate, defend, and share your faith as you rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Additional Topics
Addressing Challenges to Our Faith: Who Is the Real Jesus – Art Lindsley takes a look at questions posed in our contemporary culture regarding Jesus, His divinity, the Canon of Scripture and the Bible’s authority, among others. Dr. Lindsley addresses the inspiration and reliability of Holy Scripture in order that we may have a confident assurance of its decisive significance in all areas of our lives.
Communication with Dr. Andy Bannister – Dr. Bannister stresses the importance of effective communication that engages the heart. This lecture was given on Feb. 20, 2016 to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church in downtown Chicago
Old Truths from Oxford: C.S. Lewis and the New Atheists. Dr. Andy Bannister explores the main arguments proffered by the New Atheists and contrasts them with Lewis’ responses. Dr. Bannister shows that Lewis was decades ahead of the New Atheists and demonstrates that the Christian faith holds up under even the strictest scrutiny. This lecture was given on Feb. 20, 2016 to the C.S. Lewis Fellows of Chicago at the historic Moody Church in downtown Chicago.
Sexuality and Holiness – Bob Raganshares his story and gives biblical advice on how to follow God in our sex- saturated society.