Biblical Studies

Our secondary Bible Curriculum is spiritually enriching and academically rigorous. Each student is required to take a year-long Bible course as part of their core curriculum. Our goal for our secondary students is that they would graduate with a deep knowledge of the Bible and the God of the Bible, an understanding of what Christians believe and how that relates to other religions and worldviews, and a fully-equipped toolkit for a life-long journey of following after Christ.

Middle School Curriculum

7th Grade - The Christian Story:  A survey of the Christian story. This course will focus on the whole Christian story—from creation to new creation—and how the middle school student can fit into the story and mission of God. Students will gain perspective as they survey God’s relationship with his people, learning from biblical and historical characters and applying the promises of God revealed in their lives to students’ lives today. This course will culminate with an invitation for the student to passionately participate in the Christian story through obedience to the command of Christ—to follow Him.

8th Grade - The Christian Life:  A survey on Christian life. This course is designed to equip the middle school student for the life-long journey of discipleship, through abiding in and imitating the way of Jesus. Emphasis will be given on training students how to walk with Jesus daily, developing rhythms and routines that form them into the image of Christ. Students will gain tools on how to inductively study Scripture and how to view every part of their life through the lens of the gospel, discovering the joy of following Jesus through their teen years and for the rest of their lives.

High School Curriculum

9th Grade - Old Testament:  A survey of the Old Testament. It is a class designed to provide freshmen with a foundational understanding of the Old Testament story—its plot, themes, and characters. Focus will be given on God’s interaction with his people and how the Old Testament sets the stage for Jesus and the redemption of the world. This course is also designed to give basic information on each book in the Old Testament, how to interpret it within its genre, and how it fits within the Old Testament and all of Scripture.

10th Grade - New Testament: This survey class will cover the Interbiblical period and the Gospels, then use the Book of Acts as the historical backdrop to take students through the Epistles and Revelation, helping them to better understand the historical context of each book. In their study of the growth and development of the early Christian Church and the spread of the gospel, the students will:

11th Grade - Theology and Worldviews:  A study of the Christian faith alongside major worldviews influential in the Western world today. Building upon the biblical survey classes, this course will establish the core of what it means to be a Christian, focusing first on the essential theological beliefs of orthodox Christianity and the main tenets of a Christian worldview. The second half of the course will be an analysis of five major worldviews and how they compare and contrast to Christianity. At the end of this course, students will have encountered not only the truth of the Christian faith, but its superiority to other worldviews vying for their affections.

Seniors are required to take two semester classes in the Bible department. One semester of apologetics is required for all seniors. For the other semester,  seniors choose between either Christian Ethics or Christian Leadership. This track option allows choice based on the students' interests as they prepare to graduate.

Apologetics (required - one semester): The goal of this class is not aimed at criticizing or attacking other belief systems but to challenge the students to test Christianity’s truth claims, to stimulate them to intellectually think through the questions that they will be challenged with in college, and equip them to effectively defend the truths of Christianity. Like Paul, in Acts 17, they will be challenged to base their defense of Christianity on historical evidence, philosophical arguments, and now, scientific investigation to show the reliability, authenticity, and authority of the Bible.

Christian Ethics and Decision Making (choice - one semester): This course is the in-depth analysis of moral behavior and contemporary cultural issues guided and informed by a biblical and theological worldview. Students will build on the foundations of Scripture, theology, and philosophy by careful study of key concepts and presuppositions underlying each particular cultural issue. Emphasis will be placed on how Christians navigate these topics through a careful balance of grace and truth, modeling the virtues of justice, mercy, and humility. Each student is expected to exercise critical thinking skills designed to promote a Christ-honoring approach to issues that can be challenging and complex.

Christian Leadership (choice - one semester): This senior level course explores the biblical and theological principles of leadership. Instances of leadership in the Old and New Testament will be examined with a particular focus on Christ as the preeminent example of a servant-leader. Special attention will be given on how a Christian navigates spaces of leadership in a variety of fields: ministry, business, sports, medicine, education, etc. Students will also be given practical opportunities to lead here at HCA and in the community. At the end of the course, students will feel confident to steward future leadership opportunities given to them for God’s glory.

For additional information regarding biblical studies, contact Jonathan Shotts: jshotts@hcarockwall.org