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The overbearing nature of the Christmas holiday can have a detrimental effect on Advent. With all the emphasis on the culmination of this holy season, the Christmas holiday often overshadows the Christmas journey.

But there's a way to change that.

That's what Stephen Smith believes. He shepherds one of an increasing number of congregations who are embracing a seven-week Advent.

In this course Stephen presents four video presentations entitled:

Origins
Benefits
Themes
Launching

This course is ideal for those who are seeking a way to strengthen the run up to Christmas by placing more emphasis on Advent.

Here's a video preview:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take me to complete this course?
It will take an average student about 45 minutes to complete this course. You can pause at any time and come back. You can even re-take lessons. Each course features 3-6 video lectures that are from 5-7 minutes in length. Also included are downloadable Mp3s of each lecture plus Discussion Questions and a one-page synopsis of the course called The Takeaway

Who’s teaching this course?
Our instructors come from a variety of traditions, mostly mainline Christianity - Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. They meet two criteria: 1) they are well-studied, even experts, in their fields, 2) they offer a moderate viewpoint

How long will I be able to access the course material?
Those who purchase individual courses (for $10) can access all the course materials for 6 months from the date of purchase. Those who purchase individual subscriptions ($15/mo unlimited) can the course materials for all of our courses as long as their membership is current.

Is this course downloadable?
Parts of the course are - Mp3s of the lectures, the Takeaway, and the Discussion Questions. However, the course is designed to be an online learning experience and the video lectures, quizzes, and discussion are only accessible online. However, if you'd like to take the course in a small group, feel free to hook your computer up to a projector or big screen

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
You bet. It's easy, click here for instructions as well as answers to more Frequently Asked Questions.

Also, a technical note:
This platform works best on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, which are both free downloads. Internet Explorer 9 and above also works well. However different computers have different anti-virus and spam filters installed that can inhibit the downloading of lots of different materials, so if one browser is not working for you then try another.

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24/7 access for 3 months to all video lectures, downloads, and course content.
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Downloadable Discussion Questions for groups and The Takeaway, for personal study.
Interaction with other students through discussion questions and sharing notes.

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