‘The Story’
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Americans buy the Bible. About 25 million of them every year.
Americans revere the Bible. According to a Gallup Poll, 75 percent of Americans say they believe the Bible is the Word of God. Americans even share the Bible.
According to the “Baptist Standard,” a publication of the Texas Baptist Convention, an average of 86 Bibles are distributed every minute in the United States.
But while Americans buy, respect and share the Bible, few know it.
According to a Gallup poll, fewer than half of all adults can name the four Gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the 12 disciples.
Sixty percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. Only one-third know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount (many name Billy Graham,
not Jesus).
A 1997 Barna Research poll showed 12 percent of Christians think Noah’s wife was Joan of Arc.
Another survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that more than 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.
Throughout 2012, Southeast will study “The Story,” a book written by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee that gives a narrative of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Sermons, Bible studies, weekend groups and children’s groups will focus on the biblical narrative. None will be repetitive.
A special 50th anniversary edition of “The Story” will be available in The Living Word bookstore for a $10 suggested donation. In 2012, the goal will be to read “The
Story,” study “The Story” and know “The Story.”
It’s done at a pivotal point in Southeast’s history—the 50th anniversary of the church.
Teaching Minister Kyle Idleman sees studying “The Story” as a church as the perfect way to honor what God has done at Southeast in the last 50 years.
“What better way to celebrate than to reaffirm our commitment to God’s Word for the next 50 years,” he said. “That’s the foundation the church was built on, and it will
continue to be the foundation we stand on. ‘The Story’ allows us to spend a year studying God’s Word in a way that all of us will have a deeper understanding and
appreciation for the metanarrative (the big story) of Scripture that sometimes gets lost because we are so focused on a particular passage of Scripture.”
Idleman said “The Story” gives a fresh understanding of the Bible as a seamless story of God’s love and plan of redemption.
“I’m also excited that our groups and classes of all age levels will also be going through ‘The Story’ because it will unite us as a church around our anchor—God’s
Word,” he said.
Since “The Story” was released in 2005, churches around the United States have used the chronological retelling of the Bible to help members learn and grow.
Bill Search, who leads Groups Ministry at Southeast, said though we live in the middle of the Bible Belt, many believers know very little about the Bible, even mixing
fairy tales with Bible stories. And few have any sense of the biblical timeline.
“Few know when things occur in the Bible, if Jacob came before or after Joseph,” he said. “Going through ‘The Story’ in sermons, Bible studies and small groups will
reinforce faith. Understanding God’s story through the Bible is crucial. We can’t believe in what we don’t know.”
Search, who has listened to an accompanying study DVD narrated by Pastor Randy Frazee, said it is one of the best curricula on the market and explains the biblical
narrative in a way that makes sense.
“Randy Frazee has a gift for seeing the big picture in the narrative,” Search said. “For example, in the story of Noah and the ark, there are so many facets to the story.
Frazee brings out the fact that when God looked at His creation, he could find only one righteous man—Noah—and yet decided to save humankind through him with
all his faults.”
Search said everyone should become involved in “The Story” study by listening to sermons and joining a small group or a weekend group.
A special edition of “The Story” is being printed by Zondervan in recognition of Southeast’s 50th anniversary. It contains a special eight-page foreword about Southeast
and a special dust cover with a 50th anniversary and Southeast logo.
This special edition will be available in The Living Word bookstore beginning Jan. 7 for a suggested donation of $10.
Other books also will be available:
- “The Story for Little Ones” – suggested donation of $10
- “The Story for Children” – suggested donation of $10
- “The Story for Kids” – suggested donation of $6
- The Story Teen Edition” – suggested donation $8
Prices will not be effective until Jan. 7.
How you can get the most out of 'The Story'
1. Get the commemorative edition of “The Story” in The Living Word bookstore for a reduced price of $10.
2. Hear Senior Minister Dave Stone and Teaching Minister Kyle Idleman preach through “The Story.” Take notes and read the biblical record.
3. Be part of a community group or a weekend group to learn even more about the Bible.
Men’s and women’s groups and Children’s and Student Ministries also will participate.