Genesis.
Now, read the rest. Genesis 1.
The Gospel Prologue
Besides being the greatest love letter ever written, the Bible is the best story ever told. As the prologue, Genesis seeps with stories God uses to tell us who he is–to introduce Himself to us. It is full of his stories of creation, rescue, heartbreak, beasts of the sea, nature at it’s best and at it’s worst, family issues and affection, bad decisions, good decisions, betrayal and love.
Through telling these stories of life, of the world, of the land and of our history, we see the vivid picture of The One who created us. He invites us to be a part of The Story, to be inspired by it, to come to The Living Book with our questions and be rooted in the words and the beauty just as the first flower took root, clinging to the nutrient-rich soil of the new earth, growing and stretching up toward the great, golden sun of the freshly painted sky.
Join us as we study Genesis at 9am, 11am and 5pm.
Resources
God gets a lot of bad press, especially in the Old Testament, and it can be a little embarrassing.
David Lamb’s frank literary response to this fact, “God Behaving Badly,” gives us hope. The text deliberately draws attention to some of the most troublesome questions ever asked in human history. The careful approach to these questions combined with a bold wit, solid biblical interpretation, and superb contextual analysis makes this book an essential piece to the Genesis puzzle. Whether you are a new believer, a skeptic, or seasoned Christian the author will lovingly help you to ‘see’ and experience God in new and intimate ways.
For: Those who have a problem with the seeming difference with God in the Old Testament and God in the New Testament.
Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright in his Book The God I Don’t Understand, confesses that there are questions that he continues to wrestle with despite all his years of studying, reflecting on, and teaching the Bible. In fact, many times throughout the book he moves to citing Christian hymns or biblical praise texts. That is, his questions ultimately lead him to the mystery of God and, thus, to praise. Wright wants to be faithful to the biblical teaching about the cross of Christ. And yet, he also wants to embrace the mystery inherent in the cross. He fully recognizes that we will never exhaust the depths of the meaning of Calvary. He refuses to join the recent critics of the traditional understanding of substitutionary atonement. He holds tightly to penal substitution as one of the primary ways in which we should understand the cross of Jesus Christ. This leads him to dismiss some answers to questions as unbiblical and unhelpful, and it allows him to suggest ways of understanding the issues, even if not with the definitive answer. Wright offers a pastoral encouragement to understand evil and its impact on you and your world, an encouragement to understand the God who does control his universe and will bring it to a glorious positive conclusion, and an encouragement to trust in him whose actions are not always understandable.
For:Those who have a hard time understanding the character of God.
Evil presents two problems: one old and one the continues to renew its strength. Why does God allow evil? and how do we cope with it? Both problems emerge from a genuine interest to better understand God yet leave those seeking a satisfying solution ignorant of evil when it doesn’t hit us in the face, surprised when it does, and reacting in immature, dangerous ways. Enter NT Wright. In his book Evil & The Justice of God, Wright seeks for a biblical, practical solution to evil that focuses on what God has done, how He includes us and what He will do about evil. His summary through the scriptures, though not completely exhaustive is impressive. A refreshing focus on the healing nature of divine and human forgiveness as rooted in the victory of the cross. While standing between the concerns of the philosopher and the faithful Wright invites us to imagine a world without evil and to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven and deliver us from evil.
For:Those who are having a hard time reconciling the justice of God with the evils of the world.
What is God wanting to communicate in Genesis 1?
Professor Walton seeks to describe the ruthless the nature of Genesis. Though it’s scholarly and yet thoughtful interpretation of the subject matter is unprecedented it continues to impress it’s readers in it’s juxtaposition between the to the claims of modern science and theories on creation. The text digs deeply into the original Hebrew language and Old Testament culture. John Walton asserts that Genesis was intended to describe the creation of the functions of the cosmos and thus elevates Scripture to a new level of respectful understanding. He calls on his reader to ask questions they may be uncomfortable asking to help them find answers that will draw them into closer relationship with their Creator.
For: Those who want to know what Genesis is really talking about when it comes to origins and cosmology.
Why are we here? How did we get here? What does life mean?
Though the Sunday school answer is Jesus, we can know more and boldly approach these questions with abiding faith. With the help of Francis S. Collin’s the head of the Human Genome Project, and his novel “The Language of God” daunting modern scientific theories seem to melt into a manageable, God fearing ideology. His journey from atheism to faith marks the book as the perfect instrument in the search to remedy unbelief. The books expository attitude toward both physics and biology undoubtably can be traced to Collins scientific background. He defines his theory, called BioLogos, as a theistic evolutionary view, in which orthodox evolution can be trusted and the Creator seen as sovereign. Collin’s willingness to tell his own story, provide expertise, and boldly define new discovery on the person of God, brings us into his relationship with the Potter, who continues to form even the most obstinate hearts and minds.
For:Those in the fields of science or think that science divorced from faith.
Not just for married couples! Everyone should read this book.
Since Adam and Eve relationships are made into instruments of power and seduction rather than a means to holiness.The unrealistic expectation for marriage as a remedy for unhappy relationships, leaves our generation disheartened as we reflect on a society of failed marriages. Explicated in it’s subtitle, the authors intention for his book, is to illuminate marriage as a means of drawing us into God’s relationship. Gary Thomas draws wisdom from centuries of church teaching about marriage and relationships. Our satisfaction in marriage can be built on the solid person of Christ who perfects us not so that we might be perfect but that we more aptly desire him.
For: Married couples and singles who want a clear understanding behind biblical marriage
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