Hebrews 4:12 starts “ For the word of God [the Bible] is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,” The Bible is not antiquated. It is the Word of God. The Bible is as relevant for us today as it was for its first listeners and readers.
Starting the weekend of February 20/21 we will take a journey in reading through Immerse Bible: Kingdoms -- the third of six volumes in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Last winter/spring we read through Immerse Bible: Messiah (the entire New Testament). This past fall, we read through Immerse Bible: Beginnings (which encompassed the first 5 books of the Old Testament).
This 3rd volume - Immerse Bible: Kingdoms presents a new, unique and exciting journey through the story of Israel from the time of its conquest of Canaan (Joshua) through its struggle to settle the land (Judges, Ruth) and the establishment of Israel’s kingdom, which ends in a forced exile (Samuel–Kings). The nation of Israel, commissioned to be God’s light to the nations, falls to division (something we are facing a lot of these days) and then foreign conquest for rejecting God’s rule.
Reading of Kingdoms will begin the weekend of February 20/21. Reading groups would begin meeting the week following that. At this point, as the Holy Spirit stirs your heart, please let Craig Mattes (Director of Community Engagement) know if you’d like to lead an Immerse Bible: Kingdoms reading group. It is as easy as gathering friends/family together via zoom or in-person and asking/discussing 4 simple questions. That’s it!
Once Craig hears from all who would like to lead an Immerse Bible: Kingdoms reading group, we’ll then invite those interested to join our listing of groups.
A couple new things we are adding to this 3rd journey through Immerse is:
Again, let Craig know if the Lord is leading you to lead a reading group. Get excited to embark on this journey together!
Below is a testimony on our Fall 2020 reading of Immerse Bible: Beginnings.
Starting the weekend of February 20/21 we will take a journey in reading through Immerse Bible: Kingdoms -- the third of six volumes in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Last winter/spring we read through Immerse Bible: Messiah (the entire New Testament). This past fall, we read through Immerse Bible: Beginnings (which encompassed the first 5 books of the Old Testament).
This 3rd volume - Immerse Bible: Kingdoms presents a new, unique and exciting journey through the story of Israel from the time of its conquest of Canaan (Joshua) through its struggle to settle the land (Judges, Ruth) and the establishment of Israel’s kingdom, which ends in a forced exile (Samuel–Kings). The nation of Israel, commissioned to be God’s light to the nations, falls to division (something we are facing a lot of these days) and then foreign conquest for rejecting God’s rule.
Reading of Kingdoms will begin the weekend of February 20/21. Reading groups would begin meeting the week following that. At this point, as the Holy Spirit stirs your heart, please let Craig Mattes (Director of Community Engagement) know if you’d like to lead an Immerse Bible: Kingdoms reading group. It is as easy as gathering friends/family together via zoom or in-person and asking/discussing 4 simple questions. That’s it!
Once Craig hears from all who would like to lead an Immerse Bible: Kingdoms reading group, we’ll then invite those interested to join our listing of groups.
A couple new things we are adding to this 3rd journey through Immerse is:
- Pastor Weidler will be providing video teaching for each week’s reading (per the 8-week reading plan). Links for these videos will be made available. They are videos which folks participating could watch before they begin a week’s reading so as to be provided with a great introduction to what they will read. Or the teaching videos could be watch together with your group when you gather.
- We are also adding an outreach component. All of our reading groups, will be invited to serve their community with the love of Jesus. They’ll pick whatever service project the Holy Spirit is leading them to. We’ll then work on collecting stories on how our groups are being about Jesus’ mission to those who need to know Jesus’ Good News and amazing love.
Again, let Craig know if the Lord is leading you to lead a reading group. Get excited to embark on this journey together!
Below is a testimony on our Fall 2020 reading of Immerse Bible: Beginnings.
Some important things to know...
Interested in being a reading group facilitator? Want to get connected to a reading group? Contact Craig Mattes.
Have questions about what you are reading? Ask our pastor!
LEARN MORE ABOUT IMMERSE BELOW (which includes frequently asked questions)...
Immerse is built on three core ideas: reading a naturally formatted Bible, reading at length, and having unmediated discussions about it together. By simply reading and then gathering once per week in “book club” style groups, our congregation and friends will have a place to voice questions, talk about concerns, and celebrate “aha!” moments together.
From Immerse's webpage:
"Each Immerse experience is designed to take your congregation through a significant portion of the Bible in eight weeks. By setting aside eight weeks twice per year for a focused Bible reading campaign, your church can read through all six volumes together—the entire Bible—in just three years.
Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience begins its three-year journey through the Bible with the Messiah volume. Reading the entire Bible is a new challenge for most people, so we believe it’s best to begin with the most familiar part, the New Testament. This also helps reinforce that Jesus is the center of the whole biblical narrative."
Questions you may have:
- Reading groups will launch primarily via Zoom.
- Each book contains an 8-week reading guide (16-week reading guides are also available upon request).
- You would begin reading 1 week before your group first meets.
Interested in being a reading group facilitator? Want to get connected to a reading group? Contact Craig Mattes.
Have questions about what you are reading? Ask our pastor!
LEARN MORE ABOUT IMMERSE BELOW (which includes frequently asked questions)...
Immerse is built on three core ideas: reading a naturally formatted Bible, reading at length, and having unmediated discussions about it together. By simply reading and then gathering once per week in “book club” style groups, our congregation and friends will have a place to voice questions, talk about concerns, and celebrate “aha!” moments together.
From Immerse's webpage:
"Each Immerse experience is designed to take your congregation through a significant portion of the Bible in eight weeks. By setting aside eight weeks twice per year for a focused Bible reading campaign, your church can read through all six volumes together—the entire Bible—in just three years.
Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience begins its three-year journey through the Bible with the Messiah volume. Reading the entire Bible is a new challenge for most people, so we believe it’s best to begin with the most familiar part, the New Testament. This also helps reinforce that Jesus is the center of the whole biblical narrative."
Questions you may have:
- Why Immerse Bible: Beginnings instead of your regular chapter-and-verse Bible? Answer: This special reader’s edition restores the Bible to its natural simplicity and beauty by removing chapter and verse numbers and other historical additions. Letters look like letters, songs look like songs, and the original literacy structures are visible in each book.
- How is Immerse Bible: Beginnings different than a "typical" small group Bible study? Answer: Immerse is designed for groups to encounter large portions of the Bible together for 8 weeks—more like a book club, less like a Bible study. By meeting every week in small groups, pairs and/or triads and discussing what you read in open, honest conversations, you and your community can come together to be transformed through an authentic experience with the Scriptures. Here is the easy format of questions suggested by Immerse Bible:
1. What stood out to you this week?
2. Was there anything confusing or troubling?
3. Did anything make you think differently about God?
4. How might this change the way we live?
- What if I am already in a Bible study during the time we are reading Immerse Bible: Beginnings? Answer: Even if you are in a group going through a particular study, you could meet in pairs or triads (making for a more flexible schedule) to talk through these readings each week. Or maybe within a small group, group members could pair up or break into triads (outside of the regular small group meeting time) to talk through the readings together. This would strengthen our discipleship making at St. Paul.
