Contents
Getting started
Description
Welcome to Focus On The Message – the first component of our Following Jesus discipleship program. This web page contains the lessons for:
Unit 1: Introduction to the Bible
Purpose
Follow this link for information about these key aspects of our training: Purpose, Goals, Habits, Ministries, and Assignments.
Lesson 1: Preparation
Doing the Bible
Doing the Bible is the first of our Core Values at Life Church and in order to do the Bible we have to learn the Bible and teach it to others. If you want to get the most out of this material then make a commitment to do the following:
- Find a group or at least a partner with whom you can engage this material.
- Read the Bible passages that are linked here.
- Watch the videos. Watch the short Bible Project videos several times so that the teaching becomes a part of you.
- Teach this to others as you are learning it. This, more than anything else, will deepen your own understanding!
- Start with a friend or family member (including your spouse and/or your children). – Deuteronomy 6:1-9 NIV – Bible Gateway
- Find others who are hungry to learn and have no one with whom to study.
Habits
Now is the right time to prepare your disciple for what’s coming next by coaching him/her in developing the following habits:
- Prayer
- Set aside a daily time to spend with God when you won’t be disturbed.
- Use this time to pray. Ask your disciples to teach you how if necessary.
- Keep a notebook that you can use to write down what the Lord says to you during this and other times.
- Review what God says to you with the person who is discipling you.
- Read “My Heart Christ’s Home”.
Approaching the Bible
Some background for urban disciples:
- Christianity is not a western religion! It is a middle-eastern religion that has had a significant, yet sadly inadequate influence on the west. Christianity is not the “white man’s religion”!
- Christianity is a “revealed” religion – it is entirely about God taking an initiative to communicate specific truths to us and our response to his initiative. It is NOT about us finding our way to God! If God did not exist, Christianity would be meaningless. If it turned out that God exists, but hasn’t actually communicated anything, then Christianity would be meaningless. We are entirely dependent on God’s desire to make himself known. If God did not want to reveal himself to us we would have no hope of finding him or figuring him out.
- No one from any of the colonizing European nations was involved in writing the Bible!
- The story of Jesus is not based on the Egyptian gods Osiris or Horus.
- The Ten Commandments are not based on the 42 Principles of Ma’at.
- The Bible was not written in English! The English language did not yet exist when the Bible was written. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic; the New Testament was written in Greek. Every English Bible we have is a translation from these languages.
- When you read the Bible you are eavesdropping on a conversation that God had with someone else. You are eavesdropping with his permission, indeed his encouragement, but you are still eavesdropping and you need to interpret everything from the perspective of the initial audience. The Bible was written for us, but not directly to us.
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Find a group or at least a partner with whom you can engage this material.
- Set aside a daily time to spend with God when you won’t be disturbed.
Understanding the Bible
Lesson 2: Overview
Perhaps the best way to understand the Bible is by approaching it the way the founders of The Bible Project do:
The Bible is a small library of books telling a unified story that leads to Jesus.
Let’s take a look at what we mean by this:
- a small library of books
- telling a unified story
- leading to Jesus
Checkout the following:
Topics to explore in discussion:
- How your views about the Bible have evolved over time.
Additional resources to check out:
- Video: How to Read the Bible: Literary Styles in the Bible | BibleProject™ (00:04:48)
- Watch: The Bible as Ancient Jewish Meditation Literature Bible Intro Video | BibleProject™ (00:04:09)
- Video Series: How To Read The Bible | BibleProject™
- BibleSpeak | The Best Bible Name Pronunciation Tool Available
- Making of the Bible [Extended Version] Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube
- How To Read the Bible Podcast Series | BibleProject™
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Watch each of the 3 videos above.
- Discussion Questions:
- What questions have you had about the Bible, Jesus, Christianity?
- What do your family members and friends believe about these subjects?
- Where have you looked for answers? Have you found the answers you needed?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to pray and to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Let’s add some more detail to each of these:
Lesson 3: A Small Library of Books
Explore the following materials:
- Video: How to Read the Bible: What is the Bible? | BibleProject™ (00:05:15)
- Video: How to Read the Bible: Literary Styles in the Bible | BibleProject™ (00:04:48)
- Video: How to Read the Bible: Ancient Jewish Meditation Literature | BibleProject™ (00:04:09)
- Video: How to Read the Bible: Plot in Biblical Narrative | BibleProject™ (00:04:54)
Topics to explore in discussion:
- How your views about the Bible have evolved over time.
Additional resources to check out:
- Read the original order of the Hebrew Bible. | BibleProject™
- New Testament Book Overviews | BibleProject™
- Video Series: How To Read The Bible | BibleProject™
- BibleSpeak | The Best Bible Name Pronunciation Tool Available
- Making of the Bible [Extended Version] Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Watch the entire “How To Read The Bible” video series above.
- Discussion Questions:
- Has the material you’ve seen so far been helpful?
- What remaining questions have you had about the Bible, Jesus, Christianity?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to pray and to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Lesson 4: Telling a Unified Story
Now lets dig a little deeper into the unified story that the Bible is telling us.
- Video: How to Read the Bible: Biblical Story | BibleProject™
- Getting to heaven is NOT the focus of the Bible: When Heaven Meets Earth. | BibleProject
- The Bible Project – Themes: The Covenants
- The Big Picture
Checkout the following:
- The Bible is primarily a narrative:
- The Bible begins as a narrative: Genesis 1:1-2
- The Bible ends as a narrative: Revelation 22:1-5
- In a narrative, you don’t need to know the whole story up front. You can work your way through it in sequence.
- The beginning parts of the narrative set you up to understand the later parts.
- People often read isolated passages of scripture for devotional purposes. It’s more important that we learn to consume the narrative – working our way through scripture chapter by chapter.
Topics to explore in discussion:
- How your views about the Bible have evolved over time.
Additional resources to check out:
- Read the original order of the Hebrew Bible. | BibleProject™
- New Testament Book Overviews | BibleProject™
- Video Series: How To Read The Bible | BibleProject™
- BibleSpeak | The Best Bible Name Pronunciation Tool Available
- Making of the Bible [Extended Version] Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube
- N. T. Wright – The Big Picture: The New Testament and the Mission of God on Vimeo
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Watch the “When Heaven Meets Earth” Bible Project video above.
- Watch the “Big Picture” video with N. T. Wright above.
- Discussion Questions:
- What did you believe about the Bible’s story before you looked at this material?
- Has your understanding of the Bible changed? If so, how?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to pray and to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Lesson 5: Leading To Jesus
The unified story that the Bible tells leads to Jesus. We will now explore this in more detail.
- Video: How to Read the Bible: The Gospel | BibleProject™
- The Good News (i.e. the Gospel) is: The Kingdom of God is at hand (i.e. within your grasp)
- The Gospel is good news, NOT good advice.
- The gospels explain how God became king.
- Christianity means following Jesus.
- Our Approach
- Starting from scratch
Topics to explore in discussion:
- How your views about the Bible have evolved over time.
Additional resources to check out:
- The Gospel is good news, NOT good advice.
- The gospels explain how God became king.
- God empowers us to do his will
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Read the Bible passages above.
- Watch the “The Gospel” and “The Gospel of the Kingdom” Bible Project videos above.
- Review the scriptures in the “good news” and “follow me” keyword searches above.
- Discussion Questions
- Review what you, your family, and your friends have believed about Jesus.
- What do you believe about Jesus now? Who is he to you?
- Are you a follower of Jesus? If so, how did you become one?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to pray and to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Bible Resources
Lesson 6: Bible Versions
Review our Learn The Bible Page – Bible Version section.
Topics to explore in discussion:
- Describe your past experience reading the Bible.
- Has the language of the Bible ever been barrier for you?
Additional resources to check out:
- Dynamic and Formal Equivalence
- Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope – YouTube (00:02:13)
- ESV Bible Translators Debate the word “slave” at Tyndale House, Cambridge – YouTube (00:04:08)
- Slavery in the Bible | Dr. Esau McCaulley – YouTube (00:52:37)
- Interview with Esau McCaulley, author of “Reading While Black” – YouTube (00:24:06)
- Courageous Conversations Pt. 5 | Is Christianity a White Man’s Religion? – YouTube (00:58:59)
- The Jude 3 Project
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- If you haven’t done so already, begin using a modern English translation (e.g. NIV, ESV, etc.) of the Bible.
- Put your King James Version of the Bible away.
- Discussion Questions
- What versions of the Bible, if any, have you used?
- Have you found the Bible difficult to read, easy to read, or somewhere in between?
- If you have any favorite Bible passages, compare them one or two of the versions that you are now aware of.
- How do you feel reading a modern English version of the Bible?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to pray and to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Lesson 7: Online Bible Resources & Apps
Review our Learn The Bible Page – Online Resources section.
Review our Learn The Bible Page – Bible Apps section.
Topics to explore in discussion:
- How comfortable are you doing extensive reading online?
- How comfortable are you using the Bible online?
Additional resources to check out:
- ?
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Review the resources above and choose a plan for reading through the Bible in 1, 2, or 3 years.
- Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever read through the entire Bible before? If so, how many times have you done this?
- Do you like to read? What types of reading, if any, do you enjoy?
- What Bible software/apps have you installed on your computer and mobile devices?
- How much of the Bible do you think you can faithfully read per day?
- What will you do when you run into problem or have questions about your Bible reading? How comfortable are you with asking for help?
- What’s the best way for me to help you grow in faithfulness in your Bible reading?
Habits
Here are the habits that your disciple should develop next:
- Review the resources above and choose a plan for reading through the Bible in 1, 2, or 3 years.
- Establish a regular time for reading through the Bible. You may choose to combine this with your prayer time.
Lesson 8: Buying Bibles & Reading Plans
Review our Learn The Bible Page – Purchasing Bibles section.
Review our Learn The Bible Page – Reading Plans section.
Topics to explore in discussion:
- ?
Additional resources to check out:
- ?
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
- Review the Bible vendors above and purchase two modern English hardcover or softcover Bibles:
- A Study Bible
- A convenient Bible for mobile use.
- Set up access to online Bible resources on your computer, and mobile devices.
- Review the resources above and choose a plan for reading through the Bible in 1, 2, or 3 years.
- Discussion Questions:
- Do you need help buying an appropriate Bible? When, where, and how will you buy it?
- Have you ever read through the entire Bible before? If so, how many times have you done this?
- Do you like to read? What types of reading, if any, do you enjoy?
- What Bible software/apps have you installed on your computer and mobile devices?
- How much of the Bible do you think you can faithfully read per day?
- What will you do when you run into problem or have questions about your Bible reading? How comfortable are you with asking for help?
- What’s the best way for me to help you grow in faithfulness in your Bible reading?
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
Lesson 9: Teaching Assignments
Those who are preparing to teach this material should checkout our Teaching Page:
Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):
Here are some things you can do to prepare for your time to teach:
- Make sure that you’ve worked through the preliminary material:
- Review the lesson that you’ve been assigned and write down any questions that you have.
- Read the assigned Bible passage ten times in multiple versions. The Bible Gateway web site is an excellent tool for this purpose. Try the following translations:
- New International Version (NIV)
- New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
- New Living Translations (NLT)
- New American Standard Bible (NASB)
- Young’s Translation
- The Message
- English Standard Version (ESV)
- Contemporary English Version (CEV)
- Read the relevant section of the “Matthew For Everyone by N. T. Wright commentary (available in Life Church Discipleship Resources Amazon.com List)
- Watch the relevant videos from Life Church Discipleship Class Video Resources.
- Watch the relevant video from Tim Mackie’s video sermon series on Matthew
- Go over your question with one of your classmates or with the class instructors.
Habits
- Set aside time at the end of every day to reflect on what God has been saying and doing in your life.
- Set aside time at least weekly to review the past lessons from this discipleship training.
- Keep meeting with your mentor/discipler.
[insert page=’activities/classes-programs/following-jesus/focus-on-the-message/resources’ display=’content’]