Dave Votaw
503-559-6214
dave@votaws.com
I am a retired state worker, and my wife Karen and I have been at Salem Alliance since 2002. I was trained for pastoral ministry, and have been teaching Bible classes since I was in college. My style has changed a lot over the years! I am not usually a lecturer. Instead, I prefer an interactive session, with class members making comments and asking questions. My teaching content is usually a topic or a book from the Bible, and we use the Bible in every class.
Dave Votaw's Topics
| Topic | Description | # of Sessions | Categories & Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Decisions | This class will explore stories from the Old Testament in which an individual, or a group, was faced with a critical decision. Sometimes the right decision was made; sometimes not. We'll discuss the reasons and motivations behind the decision, and explore our own decision-making processes. What drives our decisions? Why do we (sometimes) make bad decisions? How can we learn to make good decisions more consistently? WIN Statement The class will learn more about what causes them to make bad decisions, and how to improve our decision-making processes. |
1-4 |
Health - Soul, Mind & Body; Bible Passages - O.T. in/up |
| Ezekiel: Prophet, Dreamer, Bringer of Hope | Ezekiel was God's man, with God's message, living in a culture that was not really interested in God (sound familiar?). His fellow believers were without hope, feeling that God had abandoned them. Ezekiel brought a message of hope and a future to a people who were desperate to hear from God. In this class we'll explore Ezekiel's visions to learn more about God and the hope that we have in Him. WIN Statement People will see that they have much in common with Israel in exile, and understand God's plan and the hope that it brings. |
4 |
Following Jesus; Bible Passages - O.T. Up/Out |
| God of the Old Testament | How do we reconcile a God who wipes out entire nations with a God of grace and love who gives His own Son to die for us? WIN Statement People will understand why God said and did some difficult things in the Old Testament. They will have a deeper understanding of His purposes and His plans. They will see the unity of God's character and actions through the whole Bible. |
6 |
Education Up |
| Heaven: Sorting Out the Truth | Christians have a lot of conflicting visions of heaven. How can we sort out truth from error? And what difference does it make, anyway? The Bible points the way, with assistance from C.S. Lewis. WIN Statement People will learn to evaluate views of heaven, and know what is true and what is speculation. They will learn more about God’s heart for bringing people to salvation. |
5 |
Education Up |
| Life of David | We study 4 stories from 1-2 Samuel and learn why David was known as a man after God's own heart. WIN Statement We can learn how to recover from our own sins by following David's example. Also we learn about things that please God and things that displease Him. |
4 |
Bible Passages - O.T. Up |
| Music and Worship | I will bring a selection of hymns for us to sing and some music videos for us to watch. We’ll discuss the words and their associated scriptures. The result will be a time of worship together, using traditional music. WIN Statement It is a time of comfort and joy. People will be blessed. |
1 |
Hope & Healing Up |
| Psalms | This course can be taught for any length of time, up to 6 weeks. Each week, we'll briefly discuss some ways to read and understand Psalms, and then we will take a close look at one or two specific Psalms. I choose the Psalms based on how meaningful they are, and I look for Psalms that can be understood in new ways. In each class we have a worship element and/or music based on the selected Psalm. WIN Statement Attenders will learn various ways to read Psalms, and opportunity to worship using the Psalms. |
1-6 |
Bible Passages - O.T. Up |
| The Apocrypha | What is the Apocrypha? Does it have any value for us who attend Salem Alliance? Can we trust it? Is it dangerous? In this class we'll define the Apocrypha, and explore how the books of the Bible (the canon) were approved. We'll survey the books of the Apocrypha, read some of them, and evaluate their helpfulness. In some sessions Dave will bring along a co-teacher, Rob Bohall, who is a member of the Catholic Church. WIN Statement People in the class will have a better understanding of these books which appear in Catholic Bibles, but not ours, and what's in them. |
3-4 |
Bible Passages - O.T. Up |
| The Christian and Politics | What is the connection between faith and politics? How should Christians think and talk about current political activities? How can we best represent God’s view on politics to our family, friends, and co-workers? This session will revisit Steve Fowler’s message “The Politics of Jesus” from last year’s “Culture Shock” series and open its points up for discussion. |
2 |
Following Jesus Out |