Lakelight Classes

Never stop learning, together.

Who: Lakelight courses are for everyone who seeks to know more about their faith. Each class is intentionally designed for accessibility. No formal evaluations or academic credits. What: Classes are both lecture and dialogue. Learning doesn’t happen when we passively consume, but when we actively participate. Your questions and contributions are always welcome. So What: The ultimate goal is wisdom — applied knowledge. Lakelight classes aspire not merely to fill minds, but to change lives.

*Classes do not have required assignment or formal degree-granting tracks. They are designed to challenge you at your own pace.

Benjamin Dockery Benjamin Dockery

Psalms | J. Nathan Clayton

J. Nathan Clayton, PhD

Assistant Professor of Old Testament | North Park University

Growing up as a missionary kid in France, Dr. Clayton established a strong sense of calling from God early on, which led him to pursue a biblical teaching ministry. He did his MDiv and PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity Schoool.

Read More
Benjamin Dockery Benjamin Dockery

C.S. Lewis | Mike Woodruff

Mike Woodruff has served as the Senior Pastor at Christ Church since 2002. Mike has published more than 200 articles and written and edited ten books.

Read More

Lakelight Fellows Program

The Fellows program is a 9-month intensive learning community designed to deepen your understanding of God's redemptive activity in your work, culture and relationships. It aims to equip each participant with tools for integrating their faith with their whole life, especially their work (the place we spend the most time). Fellows commit to meet weekly for 2hrs, prepare 2-3 hours of reading/assignments before each meeting, participate in industry-specific gatherings, and attend two retreats. Tuition and fees are also required for this program.

FAQs

What is your ideal candidate for the Fellows program?

We look for fellows who are enthusiastic about theological exploration, formative spiritual practices, and engaging with a committed community to better understand God's redemptive work in all areas of their lives. This person is eager to learn, eager to grow, and willing to prioritize the program during the 9 month period. The ideal candidate is not seeking pastoral ministry (i.e. seminary credit), but deeper discipleship in their current life calling.

What are the intended outcomes?

We want our fellows to have a growing understanding and appreciation for God’s redeeming work in the world. This includes internalizing the Biblical narrative, living a life of spiritual devotion, and participating in God’s redemption in their workplace.

What are the attendance requirements?

The Fellowship is an intensive discipleship experience. Because of this, we expect each fellow to be at all scheduled events (including retreats and weekly sessions) throughout the nine months. We recommend prayerfully considering the extent of this commitment. Please let us know if you have known scheduling conflicts.

What is your tuition and what does it cover?

The total tuition is $1000 ($500 a semester) with $250 discount for spouses. The tuition covers all licensing fees, books, retreats, food and beverage for sessions, and operation costs to run the program. Payments are due at the beginning of the semester.

What if I am unable to pay the tuition?

As much as possible, we do not want financial costs to eliminate an otherwise suitable candidate. To that end, we have some scholarships available. For more information, you may email bdockery@christchurchil.org

When is the application due?

Updates coming soon…

Can someone outside of Christ Church do this?

Yes, we are happy for anyone in the area to apply for the program. Selections will be made on fit for the program, not on any specific church affiliation.

What is the workload for an LLI Fellow?

A baseline estimate is 4-5 hours a week with 2 devoted to the weekly meetings and 2-3 devoted to course work. It is about equivalent to a graduate level class. Additionally, there will be a mid-year retreat and two extended evenings as well as a final project at the end of the program.

What does an average Sunday look like?

Expect some variety week-to-week. In general however, the first 30 minutes will be spent checking in with one another and praying together. After that, a mixture of presentation and group discussion will last for a little over an hour. We will end the time with 20-30 minutes reflecting on the key learnings of the day and introducing the following week’s reading and assignments.

What are the key dates?

Acceptance Letter: August 15 

Pre-Fellowship Dinner and Introductions: Sep 13/14

Opening Day: Sep 18

Weekly Cohorts: Wednesday Evenings 630-830pm

Closing Celebration: May 9-10

Winter Retreat: Febuary 7-8