Covenant Bible Study guides small groups through a comprehensive, in-depth study of the whole Bible over twenty-four sessions broken into three eight-session modules. Unlike the learning participants may have experienced in other groups, this study emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant as a unifying theme through both the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the unique relationship that God chooses to have with us as God’s people. This relationship is grounded in the faithfulness of God’s love and on our ongoing commitment to stay in relationship with God while sharing signs of God's love with others. The Leader Guide contains comprehensive and detailed direction for the group leader to use in each 90- minute group experience. Direction is provided for each component of the group meeting with options that allow leaders to adapt to the group's unique characteristics. Components of the group meeting experience include: Gathering Together - Opening questions designed to prompt conversation that connects to the main theme of the episode. Reflecting Together - Sharing what participants learned from the week’s scripture readings with questions that tie their discoveries into a central theme. Video Segment - Playing of the video for the current episode. Discovering Together - Building on the insights of the biblical scholar, analyzing a single passage from the week’s readings, going deeper into the way they explore the Bible’s meaning. Centering Together - Engaging in meditation, which is a devotional way to read the Bible. Serving Together - Reading together the “Signs of Faithful Love' provided.
Noted Bible teachers Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt add an exciting adventure book to the Discover 4 Yourself® Inductive Bible Studies for Kids series (more than 560,000 copies sold)! This brand-new interactive study helps kids understand how much God loves them and what His amazing plans are for them. They’ll discover the extent and significance of God’s covenant with mankind by… breaking codes doing crosswords solving mazes drawing action scenes filling in story blanks The Discover 4 Yourself® Bible study series engages kids 8 to 12 and challenges them to get to know God’s Word better in fun and meaningful ways.
Covenant: God's Enduring Promises - Member Book by Kay Arthur provides a personal study experience five days a week plus observation worksheets and viewer guides for the group video sessions of this in-depth women's Bible study. Also included in the member book is a 17-page leader guide. Covenant explores God's initiatives with humanity by studying His covenants throughout history. Kay shows that the idea of covenant -- God's enduring promise -- is key to understanding our relationship to God. Kay will guide you in exploring the benefits and responsibilities of covenant as well as the character of the covenant initiator. Learn about the remarkable ways the old covenant points to the promises of the new covenant. This small-group resource is designed for 8 weeks of study with facilitator helps included in the back of the member book. Features: More than great content--a methodology for studying the Bible for oneself Leads women to be secure in God's faithfulness
Covenant Bible Study guides small groups through a comprehensive, in-depth study of the whole Bible over twenty-four sessions broken into three eight-session modules. Unlike the learning participants may have experienced in other groups, this study emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant as a unifying theme through both the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the unique relationship that God chooses to have with us as God's people. This relationship is grounded in the faithfulness of God's love and on our ongoing commitment to stay in relationship with God while we share signs of God's love with others. Each Covenant Bible Study participant needs a Participant Guide and a Bible. The CEB Study Bible is preferred, but not required. The Participant Guide walks study participants through the daily scripture readings and offers space to interact personally with the readings, the group experience, and the weekly meditations. This single volume Participant Guide contains the materials required for all three modules: Creating, Living and Trusting. Creating: God establishes the covenant to be in relationship with us. This first module, Creating the Covenant, examines how the covenant community is created and established, by focusing on several books of the Bible. It discusses the story of our origins in Genesis, the Exodus narrative, the teachings of Moses, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, as well as other books from each Testament that focus on the foundation of Christian faith. In doing so, it lays out the framework for a life lived in concert with God and others. Living: Living within the covenant translates into action--into how we behave in our everyday lives. That's why the second module, Living the Covenant, focuses on how the community lives out the covenant in faithful love--how it is applied to actual relationships in daily life. The scripture readings included in these episodes examine the practical challenges of faithful covenant life. Participants explore leadership challenges among tribal chieftains, kings and prophets, and spiritual and political crises. They look for practical wisdom and guidance in the teachings of Israel's sages, the letters of Paul, and more. By demonstrating how people of vastly different cultures came together in a common purpose, the study shows how faithful love is the root of the covenant life. Trusting: Life often presents significant challenges. Difficulties are inevitable. That's why the final module, Trusting the Covenant, looks at the crises that sometimes call covenant life into question, and how we are restored to trust in God when troubling things happen. It how hope is restored by faithfulness in the midst of suffering. From the story of Job, to the Hebrew exile, to the apocalyptic visions in Daniel and Revelation, we learn how God's faithful love is at work in everything--to restore hope, freedom, and wholeness to our lives.
Beginning with Genesis 12, walk alongside the fathers of our faith--Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph--to discern Jesus in the stories of His people. In this Bible study kit for women, Jen Wilkin leads you through 10 sessions to discover how God orchestrates everything for His glory and the good of His people, and helps you see how the God of creation and covenant is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God of Covenant by Jen Wilkin is a Genesis Bible study that takes an in-depth look at chapters 12-50 and includes DVDs providing video teaching, downloadable helps for leaders, and one women's Bible study book. Jen Wilkin's leader kits are ideal for group Bible studies in and outside of the church and follows the teachings of the Christian Bible. Along with her written teachings, this leader kit also provides learnings and readings via Jen Wilkin's trusted voice as she leads you through the Bible study. Features: ・Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups ・Personal study segments with homework to complete between 10 weeks of group sessions ・Interactive teaching videos, approximately 30-40 minutes per session ・WordSearch digital library and extra leader resources ・Verse-by-verse study for comprehension and application Benefits: ・Discover how every story in the Bible points to Christ. ・Learn to view the lives of biblical figures in the larger context of Scripture. ・Challenge your basic understanding of familiar stories. ・Gain knowledge of who God is as He has revealed Himself through Scripture. Meet the Author: Jen Wilkin is a wife, mom to four, author of Christian study resources and Bible studies for women and an advocate for women to love God with their minds through the faithful study of His Word.
We are living in an extraordinary time: A Time of Mercy. But what is mercy? What does it mean to be living in a Time of Mercy? How can we receive God’s Mercy? And how should we respond? In Doors of Mercy, authors Fr. Jeffrey Kirby and Brian Kennelly answer these important questions. They act as your tour guides on a whirlwind tour of salvation history, from Adam and Eve to the coming of the Savior, and into the present day with the beautiful story of St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy message and devotion. You’ll discover the intricate stitching of a divine rescue plan that would not be stopped by anything. Across countless generations the Lord’s mercy acted as the lifeblood of this rescue plan, so that neither our own weakness, nor the devil himself, could thwart it. He would deliver us a Savior and a King of Mercy no matter what it took, one who would bring His Kingdom to the ends of the earth, and who would smash the very gates of hell. You’ll discover: -How the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden affects our relationships with each other, with God, and with the world around us -Why God chose a rainbow as the sign of the covenant with Noah -The purpose behind Abram’s name being changed to Abraham -How the plagues in the time of Moses were not random but had symbolic meaning -How David’s Kingdom serves as a template, or blueprint, for the Church -The hidden meaning behind some of Jesus’s well known parables and why the Eucharist is the sign of the new and eternal covenant -How the Church and her saints have spread mercy throughout the centuries, with short biographies of Sts. Vincent, Camillus, Margaret Mary, Maria Goretti and more -The history behind St. Faustina’s visions of Jesus and the spreading of the Divine Mercy message and devotion -How you can continue Christ’s mission of mercy in your own life…
Dive into the first 11 chapters of Genesis by following three critical stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application. Teaching videos are key to the understanding of this study. Revisit familiar stories, challenge your basic knowledge, and discover deeper meanings in the text. As God reveals Himself through Scripture, we can only begin to understand ourselves when we first glimpse the character, attributes, and promises of our Creator. (10 sessions)
This Covenant experience will guide participants in a comprehensive, in-depth study of the Bible over twenty-four weeks. Unlike the learning participants may have experienced in other groups, this in-depth study of the whole Bible emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant as a unifying pattern through all the books in the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the unique relationship that God chooses to have with us as God’s people. This relationship is grounded in the faithfulness of God’s love and on our ongoing commitment to stay in love with God while we share signs of that love with others. Each episode connects to an aspect of this covenant relationship, which is summarized in the heading of each participant guide. GOD ESTABLISHES THE COVENANT to be in relationship with us. So the first eight weeks, Creating the Covenant, examines how the covenant community is created and established—highlighting several examples throughout scripture. It discusses the story of our origins in Genesis, the Exodus narrative, the teachings of Moses, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, as well as other books from each Testament that focus on the foundation of Christian faith. In doing so, it lays out the framework for a life lived in concert with God and others. Each participant in the group needs the Participant Guides and a Bible. The CEB Study Bible is preferred. The Creating Participant Guide is eight weeks long, and has a lay flat binding making it easy to take notes in the generous space provided on each page. The Creating Participant Guide contains the following episodes: Episode 1: Creating the Covenant Relationships with people in our lives are key to faithful living. Covenant is about the family God creates and the power of love that overcomes evil. We are broken and miss the mark. Substitutes for faithful love destroy our relationships. Yet God’s response to broken relationships is to restore us to wholeness. Through the shared practice of reading and interpreting the Bible scripture in holy conversation, we sharpen our understandings until they become more accurate and relevant. And we learn about God’s gracious love and how to share it with others. Episode 2: Torah—Genesis Genesis answers the question: Who are we in the scheme of things? Covenant relationships are a metaphor for life together before God. This life is characterized by both gift and responsibility. Broken relationships in these stories are countered by forgiveness and generosity. Episode 3: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Passover is a bittersweet celebration of Israel’s liberation. The covenant at Sinai creates a people with instructions for living in harmony. These instructions are ever in need of reinterpretation in new situations, much like amendments to a constitution. God is holy and calls the people to be distinct and set apart in their faithfulness. Episode 4: Gospels—Matthew and Mark The Gospels are similar to Greco-Roman biographies but with a saving twist. They paint a portrait of Jesus’ significance for first-century readers living under Roman rule before and after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. By arranging the events of his life, death, and resurrection in distinct order, these writers depict Jesus as both the suffering “human one” (Mark) and a new teacher like Moses (Matthew). Jesus comes to bring and embody a new covenant reign (kingdom) of God’s saving love in the world. Episode 5: Romans and Galatians The letters of Paul substituted for his presence and represent his attempt to deal with controversies and provide guidance to churches from a pastor’s perspective. For Paul, God’s grace expressed in Jesus’ faithfulness on the cross is a saving gift with no substitutes. The Spirit’s presence, too, is a gift that marks the community of faith and produces fruit for faithful life together, making us more gracious to ourselves and others. Episode 6: Hebrews The book of Hebrews is a masterful sermon written by an unknown author to a struggling community.The writer encourages them to live lives of gratitude for God’s saving work in Jesus. Hebrews embraces the imagery of sacrifice in the Old Testament to describe Jesus’ pioneering cosmic work of redemption. Replacing fear with trust, Jesus—our faithful forerunner—made it possible for us to approach the holy with confident expectation of God’s favor. Episode 7: 1 and 2 Corinthians Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth address very concrete issues in a culture that honors the freedom of superiors to do as they please. Paul counters this with the mind of Christ, patterned by the logic of self-giving love. This “logic of the cross” balances freedom with Christ-shaped responsibility to live in ways that benefit both self and community. Episode 8: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel These books retell the story of Israel and its responsibilities as a rescued, covenant people. As they transition to a new life in the promised land, the first commandment (no other gods) is restated positively: love God with all your heart and strength. Life in the land after Moses and Joshua is characterized by a cycle of faithlessness, crisis, cries for help, and temporary rescue. The last tribal chieftain/first prophet Samuel will anoint kings for an unruly people when the real king missing in Israel is God. More Questions? Visit http://covenantbiblestudy.com/ for more information.
This Covenant experience will guide participants in a comprehensive, in-depth study of the Bible over twenty-four weeks. Unlike the learning participants may have experienced in other groups, this in-depth study of the whole Bible emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant as a unifying pattern through all the books in the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the unique relationship that God chooses to have with us as God’s people. This relationship is grounded in the faithfulness of God’s love and on our ongoing commitment to stay in love with God while we share signs of that love with others. Each episode connects to an aspect of this covenant relationship, which is summarized in the heading of each participant guide. COVENANT TRANSLATES INTO ACTIONS—into how we behave in our everyday lives. That’s why the second module, Living the Covenant, focuses on how the community lives out their covenant in faithful love—how it’s applied to actual relationships in daily life. The books included in these eight episodes examine the practical challenges of faithful covenant life. We explore leadership problems among tribal chieftains, kings and prophets, and spiritual and political crises. They look for practical wisdom and guidance in the teachings of Israel’s sages, the letters of Paul, and more. And by demonstrating how people of vastly different cultures came together in a common purpose, they show how faithful love is the root of the covenant life. Each participant in the group needs the Participant Guides and a Bible. The CEB Study Bible is preferred. The Living Participant Guide is 8 weeks long, and has a lay flat binding making it easy to take notes in the generous space provided on each page. The Living Participant Guide contains the following episodes: Episode 9: Ruth, Esther, Song of Songs Ruth, Esther, and Song of Songs are a part of the “Festival Scroll” and linked to sacred celebrations in Israel’s life. In the story of Ruth, both Ruth and Boaz risk caring beyond conventional expectations, displaying faithful, expansive love with consequences for Israel’s royal future. Esther risks everything to identify with her people and rescue them from a genocidal plot. Song of Songs displays the power and passion of a “crazy love” that also helps us understand God’s love. Episode 10: Luke and Acts Luke and Acts offer a vision of who God is and what salvation means. For the writer of Luke, Jesus is a prophet who reveals God’s heart and intention to remake human beings and the broader world through a new community gathered in Jesus’ name: the church. Living out Jesus’ prophetic role in the power of the Holy Spirit, the church continues God’s call to changed hearts and lives. Through Jesus and the church, God’s Spirit calls people to belong, serve, and love by welcoming those considered outsiders by the world. Episode 11: 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings In these books the prophets serve as truth-tellers to Israel’s kings. They stress that relationship rather than power is central to choosing what’s best for the people God loves. Kings are at their best when they are moved by compassion that trumps every preoccupation with power. Idolatry splits our attention and distorts our priorities, distracting us from the main thing: God alone is worthy of absolute loyalty and trust. Episode 12: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus 1 and 2 Thessalonians are written to a community Paul loves—a community suffering and anxious about Jesus’ return. 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus (pastoral letters) are written to Paul’s younger partners in ministry. While 1 Timothy is intimate, 2 Timothy reads like a last will and testament for Paul. Episode 13: Wisdom—Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Wisdom literature begins and ends with what is good for human beings in life. Starting with everyday insights gathered across time by courts scribes, these sayings are short and easy to remember. The wise person is one who understands these teachings and can apply them appropriately in real-life situations. Life is fragile and short, so wise people will enjoy family, friends, and the simple things in life. Episode 14: Philemon, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians From a place where hope goes to die, an imprisoned Paul says that God is able to restore hope and encourages reconciliation between Philemon (home church leader) and his runaway slave (Onesimus). To the Philippians Paul passes on an early hymn that speaks of Jesus as the self-emptying, suffering servant exalted by God. Paul is a pastoral thinker and his words about slaves and masters must be understood in the context of Jesus’ expected return. Episode 15: James, Jude, 1 and 2 Peter These letters are written to churches suffering harassment and struggling to keep the faith when Jesus’ promised return hasn’t occurred. They are written in the voice of those closest to Jesus and speak to new circumstances and situations. Concerned about real-life issues like gossip and favoritism toward the rich, James is a practical book stressing who God is and what you should do about it. Peter writes to guide the church in a negotiated faithfulness that requires discernment. Episode 16: Prophets—Isaiah 1-39 and the Book of the Twelve The prophets express the feelings of God: God’s deep love for Israel and all of humanity, but also God’s deep pain, disappointment, and anger when the people fail to be a loving community of neighbors. They also communicate God’s yearning to call the people back to taking care of each other, especially those they are most likely to exclude (widows, orphans, strangers/immigrants). For prophets like Hosea, God has a parent’s heart and refuses to give up on a faithless people. More Questions? Visit http://covenantbiblestudy.com/ for more information.
