Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will host its winter Lay Bible Institute from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, Jan. 12, 19 and 26 and Feb. 2, 2005, in Sieck Hall on the Seminary campus. "Characters and Scenes from Acts: The Drama of Christ at Work Among His People" will be presented by Dr. Jeffrey Oschwald, associate professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Seminary.

When Luke set out to write the Good News about Jesus, he found that one book just wasn’t enough. Far too often, however, Acts is read today only to provide background information about Paul or to hear what happened on the first Christian Pentecost. There is a lot more to Acts than that! In his second book, Luke continues to tell the story of Jesus, but now a Jesus present and acting through His people. From beginning to end, this book provides lessons and examples, success stories and tales of defeat, heroes and villains—and all of it is part of the story of the church of Jesus Christ in the world—our story. Join participants as Luke (and Peter and Stephen and Philip and Paul and…) teach, or teach again, or teach more fully, what it means to be His witnesses in the world’s last age.

Oschwald has served on the Seminary faculty since 2002. Prior to that, he served as associate professor of New Testament and Early Church History at China Lutheran Seminary in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China (1994-2002), and as pastor of New Hope Lutheran Church, Ossian, Ind. (1988-1991). He received the Ph.D. (1993) and M.A. (1987) degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.; the M.Div. degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1983; the B.A. degree from Concordia College (now University), Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1989; and the A.A. degree from St. John’s College, Winfield, Kan., in 1977.

To register for the Lay Bible Institute classes or for more information, call (314) 505-7123. The cost is $25 per person and includes course handouts and refreshments. Concordia Seminary is located at 801 Seminary Place in Clayton, Mo.