New Testament Survey - Module 4: The General Epistles
Hi everyone, and welcome to the fourth module of the New Testament Survey Course.
This module covers the General Epistles. These books cover a variety of issues addressed to a variety of situations in the early church. In these books, the various authors applied the significance of all that Jesus accomplished to the individual lives of Christians and to the corporate life and mission of their churches. They highlight the unique opportunities and challenges to fully living out discipleship in the midst of different situations.
Through this module, you will learn the background, organization, content, and themes of all of these New Testament books. But you will also be invited to explore the significance and application of all of these insights to your own personal life and ministry.
Module Objectives and Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:
- Place the General Epistles into their historical context and a general chronology.
- Explain the main message(s), organization, theme(s), and/or theology of each of the General Epistles.
- Explain and apply the main contours of the Christian life in the midst of a supportive and healthy church as well as in the midst of a sometimes hostile culture.
- Describe strategies, attitudes and actions by which both Christian leaders and average Christians can support and promote healthy doctrine and practice, while also resisting and avoiding false doctrine and false leaders.
- Have a growing understanding of the nature of discipleship, sanctification, and the mission of the Christians church, as described in the General Epistles, and demonstrate a desire to grow in the experience of each of these.
Course Documents
In this section, you'll find links to important and supplemental documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. The first group contains documents that explain and give instruction for all the course activities in this module. The second group is a set of blank lecture notes which you may use as a companion for the video lectures. And the last group contains overview and supplemental documents for some of the topics covered in this module.
Instruction Guides
- Individual Student Guide for Module 4
- Group Student Guide for Module 4
- Bible and Textbook Reading List for Module 4
- Timeline Project Instructions
Bible Summaries
Videos
In this section, you will find the video lectures for all the General Epistles. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each thumbnail to open access to each video. There is also a link with each video if you prefer to watch on the YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.











