In the spirit of the ELCA's new five-year program to promote serious Bible study among the laity, my pastor and I have been casually discussing my leading a church Bible study in the future. My suggestion was to tackle the Gospels sometime during the season of Pentecost, using the excellent, lay-friendly Fortress Introduction to the Gospels as a resource.
I'm trying to think of a punchy course name for such an endeavor. How about "The Gospels: A Bible Study For the Timid, Terrified and Totally Confused"?
7 comments:
I think that title might scare off some "normal" church goers. But, then, it depends on what kind of audience you might want to attract. And it depends on whether you are planning on a "teaching" type of study or a discussion study.
Oh, I don't want the "normal" Bible study people who sit there and provide Sunday School platitudes, and who treat people who have real questions and doubts about the text like heretics and heathen. Those are the people who frightened my mother out of Bible study, never to return, many years ago. I'm going for exactly the demographic the title implies.
I had to chuckle at your reply. I guess I thought I was "normal." I've attended a study for years where we do discuss our doubts and questions. Point of view makes quite a difference in interpretation, doesn't it? Which is why I have problems with the terminology of believing that the Bible is the "literal" word of God. The pharisees believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible and missed the messiah. My husband and I have had misunderstandings although we've both had a "literal" understanding of something that was said. But it is hard to express that to some people and not be seen as "liberal = unbeliever.
"The Bible for Everyone"
"The Bible for Dummies"
"The Bible for Beginners (and others)"
We've been using the Kelly Fryer & Rolf Jacobsen "No Experience Necessary" series and I think it's really good. They give you something to get you started, suggest some discussion questions, and let you go where the Spirit takes you and the conversation.
I like the No Experience Necessary series too.
The Gospels for dummies (and others) might be one...
or how about "Don't know much about... Matthew Mark Luke and John" (but want to know more?)
LOVE your title - but then, I've an affection for alliteration. :-)
You asked me about musicians a while back, and I just heard a guy I love. Peter Mayer plays guitar for Jimmy Buffett and releases his own stuff through Little Flock records. He's a Lutheran through and through; even credits Rollie Martinson with a song on one of his cds. You can find him at petermayer.com
There's another Peter Mayer at blueboat.net who also writes spiritual songs, but in a much less trinitarian sense. He's another fabulously talented guitarist and songwriter.
Some others I've enjoyed:
alathea
Justin Roth
Storyhill
David Lee Brown
Hope this helps!
Tawonda, your reply reminded me of Mike Warnke's old book where he described going to a new church and attending one of those Bible studies where you read a text and then someone asks "what do you think about this?" Which Mike took as an opportunity to point out several legitimate and troubling questions in the text. The next week he got a tract in the mail addressed "for troubled Christians".
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