BIBLE READING | Understanding An Ancient Text

The Bible is a fascinating and invaluable resource for exploring and understanding the depths of who God is and how he loves. Understanding the unique way in which it was written and the different types of literature found within will go a long way towards helping you know how to accurately apply the truth in this beautiful and ancient book to your own 21st century life.

The below message series sheds light on many of the common questions and confusions surrounding how to read the Bible for all it’s worth. (NOTE: Talk #1 lays an essential foundation for how to understand the rest of the talks in the series – start there, if you can!)

Bible Study Sermon Series (Aug-Sept 2015) Click Here For Series Page

Talk 1- Holy & Human: How should we understand the interplay between God’s inspiration and the humanity of the writers?

Talk 2- Science and Story: How do present-day scientific realities and the seemingly fantastical stories of Scripture work together to reveal an accurate portrait of God?

Talk 3- Fact and Fiction: How can we know when we are reading a historically factual account or simply a creative story? What do we do when the Bible’s “facts” don’t seem to line up?

Talk 4- Answers and Application: How can we understand the confusing and sometimes-inconsistent picture of God found in Scripture? How does a God of love call for the destruction of entire nations of people?

Talk 5- Rules and Rationale: Is the Bible as a rulebook, with clear cut answers to ‘right’ and ‘wrong’? What do we do when the rules get complicated, even conflict with one another?

Talk 6- Religion and Revelation: Does the Bible represent a religion, or is there a deeper revelation going on inside the pages of this book? Is something actually more important than the Bible?

* note: messages are displayed in the opposite order (to above) on the series webpage

Bible Study
Understanding An Ancient Text

Ready for what's next?

Reflection
De-Centering Prayer

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of a “centering” prayer before – maybe you’ve even tried one – but this morning we’re going to practice something together called a “De-Centering Prayer.” 

Contemplations
Examen | The Garden of Your Soul

“The Examen.” This is a practice that combines prayer and reflection that essentially distills to two questions: “Where did I sense God? And where did I sense God missing?” 

Contemplations
Nature Contemplation | Mindful

We often fill this space with a lot of words and a lot of thoughts, and in that, sometimes we can miss the presence and beauty of God so often found more deeply in silence, in stillness, in the quiet spaces....