Résumé de section

  • Christian Leaders Institute • Christian Growth Course

    The Way of Forgiveness

    Receive grace, face wrongdoing honestly, seek forgiveness, extend mercy, pursue wise repair, establish healthy boundaries, and walk in greater spiritual and relational freedom through Jesus Christ.

    1 Module 12 Topics Christian Growth Course Forgiveness & Reconciliation
    M'inscrire
    Forgiveness is not pretending that wrong did not happen.
    This course helps Christians receive grace, tell the truth about sin and wounds, pursue mercy and repair wisely, establish healthy boundaries, and follow the way of Jesus Christ toward greater freedom.

    The Way of Forgiveness is a twelve-topic Christian Growth Course designed to help believers receive God's grace, face wrongdoing honestly, seek forgiveness, extend mercy, pursue wise repair, establish healthy boundaries, and walk in greater spiritual and relational freedom.

    Course Overview

    Taught by Attorney/Pastor Brian DeCook and presented by Haley Steiner, this course explores forgiveness as a central practice of Christian discipleship.

    Participants begin by examining why forgiveness matters for the whole organic human—spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and practically.

    The course then traces forgiveness through Old Testament themes of mercy, justice, sacrifice, and covenant, and through the New Testament fulfillment of forgiveness in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    Forgiveness tells the truth about what happened,
    releases personal vengeance, and entrusts justice to God without abandoning wisdom, safety, or healthy boundaries.

    What You Will Explore

    Receiving Grace

    Learn how to receive forgiveness from God without minimizing sin, hiding from truth, or remaining trapped in condemnation.

    Extending Mercy

    Learn how to forgive others without excusing wrongdoing, denying grief, abandoning justice, or accepting unsafe relationships.

    Wise Repair

    Explore repentance, apology, restitution, boundaries, rebuilding trust, reconciliation, and practical Christ-centered peacemaking.

    The Six Movements of Forgiveness

    1. Receiving Grace
    Receive God's mercy, forgiveness, and freedom through Jesus Christ rather than remaining trapped in shame or self-condemnation.
    2. Telling the Truth
    Face wrongdoing honestly without minimizing sin, denying wounds, exaggerating blame, or pretending that difficult realities do not matter.
    3. Seeking Forgiveness
    Learn how confession, sincere apology, responsibility, restitution, changed direction, and humility support genuine repentance and repair.
    4. Extending Mercy
    Release personal vengeance and practice forgiveness while continuing to recognize evil, grief, consequences, justice, and appropriate boundaries.
    5. Practicing Wise Repair
    Understand when repair may involve apology, restitution, conversation, accountability, rebuilt trust, reconciliation, or healthy distance.
    6. Walking in Freedom
    Develop ongoing habits of grace, truth, prayer, community, healthy boundaries, and Christ-centered peacemaking.

    Key Areas of Growth

    Forgiveness in Scripture
    Trace biblical themes of mercy, justice, sacrifice, covenant, repentance, atonement, forgiveness, and reconciliation throughout the Old and New Testaments.
    Receiving Forgiveness from God
    Learn to bring sin honestly before God, trust the finished work of Jesus Christ, and move beyond condemnation toward repentance and freedom.
    Asking Forgiveness from Others
    Practice sincere apology, responsibility, restitution, changed behavior, and patient willingness to allow others to respond freely.
    Forgiving Others
    Learn how to extend mercy without pretending wrongdoing was acceptable or requiring immediate restoration of relationship.
    Forgiveness and Trust
    Understand that forgiveness and trust are related but different. Trust may need to be rebuilt through truth, willingness, safety, accountability, and consistent change.
    Forgiveness and Reconciliation
    Explore why reconciliation normally requires mutual willingness, honesty, responsibility, repentance, safety, and appropriate change.
    Forgiveness and Boundaries
    Learn that extending forgiveness does not require continued exposure to manipulation, abuse, coercion, repeated dishonesty, or unsafe relationships.
    Freedom from Self-Condemnation
    Distinguish godly conviction from destructive condemnation and learn to receive God's grace while continuing to take responsibility for meaningful change.
    Bitterness and Anger
    Recognize how unresolved anger and bitterness can shape thoughts, relationships, spiritual life, and daily well-being while learning healthier ways to process wounds.
    Repeated Forgiveness
    Consider what forgiveness looks like when wounds recur, relationships remain difficult, or memories and emotions resurface over time.
    Marriage, Family, and Church Life
    Apply biblical forgiveness and wise repair to marriage, family relationships, friendships, church relationships, and ministry leadership.
    Helping Others
    Learn responsible ways to encourage forgiveness and reconciliation without pressuring people, bypassing grief, minimizing abuse, or moving beyond your role and training.

    Forgiveness, Trust, Reconciliation, and Boundaries

    A major strength of this course is its careful distinction between forgiveness, trust, reconciliation, and boundaries.

    Forgiveness

    Forgiveness can release personal vengeance and entrust ultimate justice to God without denying the seriousness of wrongdoing.

    Trust

    Trust is built through truthfulness, responsibility, safety, consistency, willingness, and changed patterns over time.

    Reconciliation

    Reconciliation involves restoration of relationship and normally requires participation, truth, responsibility, willingness, and appropriate change from those involved.

    Boundaries

    Healthy boundaries protect safety, responsibility, dignity, and wise relationship while making clear that forgiveness does not require access, closeness, or restored trust.

    A Biblical and Practical Approach

    The Way of Forgiveness combines theological foundations with practical Christian formation. Participants are invited to understand forgiveness not merely as an idea, but as a way of discipleship that involves truth, grace, wisdom, prayer, relationships, and faithful action.

    Grace

    Receive the mercy of God and allow the gospel to shape your response to your own failures and the failures of others.

    Truth

    Name sin, wounds, consequences, responsibility, grief, and relational realities honestly rather than avoiding difficult truths.

    Wisdom

    Discern when to pursue repair, rebuild trust, establish boundaries, seek counsel, create distance, or involve appropriate outside support.

    How the Course Works

    Each topic includes videos, readings, growth stories, worksheets, Bible studies, and learning quizzes designed to help participants connect biblical truth with practical growth.

    Course Learning

    • Online video lectures
    • Focused Christian readings
    • Growth stories and practical examples
    • Private reflection worksheets
    • Bible studies
    • Learning quizzes

    Private Formation

    • Personal forgiveness reflection
    • Grace and truth exercises
    • Boundary discernment
    • Repair and reconciliation planning
    • Way of Forgiveness Portfolio
    • Ninety-day Forgiveness Rule of Life

    Your Privacy Is Protected

    Personal reflection is an important part of the course, but participants are not required to disclose private confessions, trauma stories, relationship details, forgiveness prayers, or completed worksheets.

    Private reflection remains private.
    Worksheets, personal prayers, relationship reflections, confession exercises, and the Way of Forgiveness Portfolio are intended to support personal spiritual formation rather than public disclosure.

    Safety, Justice, and Wise Boundaries

    Forgiveness should never be used to pressure someone to remain in an unsafe situation, ignore serious wrongdoing, abandon justice, or restore trust before meaningful change has occurred.

    Important care reminder:
    This course does not replace licensed counseling, trauma treatment, legal advice, domestic violence services, medical care, crisis intervention, or emergency support. Participants facing abuse, threats, coercion, violence, stalking, serious mental health concerns, legal disputes, or immediate safety risks should seek qualified local support.

    Who Is This Course For?

    The Way of Forgiveness is suitable for individual study and a wide range of Christian ministry and growth settings.

    Personal and Relational Growth

    • Christians seeking greater freedom from bitterness or condemnation
    • Believers working through conflict or relational wounds
    • Individuals seeking to make amends for past wrongdoing
    • Christians learning healthy boundaries
    • People seeking wisdom about trust and reconciliation
    • Believers desiring deeper Christ-centered peacemaking

    Church and Ministry Settings

    • Churches
    • Small groups
    • Soul Centers
    • Chaplaincy
    • Christian coaching
    • Pastoral ministry
    • Leadership development
    • Personal discipleship

    Course Assignments

    To complete the course, participants will:

    • Read the online articles for each unit.
    • Listen to the online video lectures.
    • Take the online quiz for each unit.

    Once a quiz starts, you must finish it. You may retake each quiz one time, and your highest grade will be recorded. Be ready before beginning each quiz. Each quiz covers the readings and video lectures for that unit.

    While taking a quiz, you may use your notes and refer to course articles and other course materials.

    Way of Forgiveness Portfolio

    Throughout the course, participants will develop a private Way of Forgiveness Portfolio that brings together personal reflections, biblical insights, practical exercises, and discernment related to grace, truth, forgiveness, repair, boundaries, and freedom.

    By the end of the course, each participant will also create a private ninety-day Forgiveness Rule of Life rooted in Scripture, prayer, community, grace, truth, and Christ-centered peacemaking.

    Course Outcomes

    By the end of this course, participants will be better prepared to:

    • Explain why forgiveness is central to Christian discipleship.
    • Trace major biblical themes of forgiveness, mercy, justice, sacrifice, covenant, and atonement.
    • Receive forgiveness from God without minimizing sin or remaining trapped in condemnation.
    • Seek forgiveness from others through sincere apology, responsibility, restitution, and changed direction.
    • Extend mercy without excusing evil, denying grief, or abandoning justice.
    • Distinguish forgiveness from trust, reconciliation, and restored access.
    • Establish healthy boundaries in difficult or unsafe relationships.
    • Respond more wisely to bitterness, anger, self-condemnation, and repeated wounds.
    • Practice forgiveness in marriage, family, church, and ministry settings.
    • Help others responsibly without pressuring them toward unsafe reconciliation.
    • Practice the six movements of forgiveness: receiving grace, telling the truth, seeking forgiveness, extending mercy, practicing wise repair, and walking in freedom.
    • Create a personal ninety-day Forgiveness Rule of Life.
    The goal is not to erase the past, pretend wounds never happened, or force reconciliation. The goal is to follow Jesus Christ in a way of grace and truth that releases personal vengeance, pursues wise repair where possible, protects what needs protection, and walks toward greater freedom.

    Grading Scale

    A 94–100%    A- 90–93%    B+ 87–89%    B 83–86%    B- 80–82%    C+ 77–79%    C 73–76%    C- 70–72%    D+ 67–69%    D 63–66%    D- 60–62%    F 0–59%

    Your average for the course must be at least 60%. Otherwise, you will fail the class and receive no credit.

    Course Instructor

    The Way of Forgiveness is taught by Professor Brian DeCook, Attorney/Pastor, and presented by Haley Steiner.

    Begin the Way of Forgiveness

    Forgiveness is not always quick, simple, or emotionally easy. It is a Christ-centered way of receiving grace, telling the truth, extending mercy, pursuing wisdom, and learning to walk in greater freedom.

    Begin this course and take your next faithful step toward grace, truth, wise repair, healthy boundaries, Christ-centered peacemaking, and spiritual freedom.

    Ready to begin?

    Scroll up and click the “Enroll me” button to get started.