There have been a lot of questions concerning "The Story" and we do not anyone to be uninformed. These are the questions we have heard from individuals and some questions we had as we were considering this material.
Please contact me if you have thoughts or concerns. This maybe one of our greatest outreach tools that we have come across in years. Contact by text or phone.Please attach your name if texting. I will answer every question that is sent to me.
Buddy Gray
Preaching Minister
Davis Park Church of Christ
209-380-3851
What exactly is The Story and
why are we doing it at Davis Park Church of Christ?
The Story is a book that condenses the Bible into 31 accessible chapters. Although it is not the Bible in its entirety, The Story is a tool that uses thoughtfully chosen and carefully excerpted
portions of Scripture. The Story also includes written transitions and reads like a novel that begins in
Genesis and ends in Revelation,
covering the Bible chronologically.
The idea is that after reading The Story together as a church we will all have experienced the
Bible
in a brand new way. Hopefully you will be glued to every page, wrapped up in the lives of the characters, want-
ing to know more about the Author
of this incredibly intense, heart-warming, life-changing true story.
For Davis Park, 2012/2013 promises to
be an incredible year as we all immerse
ourselves in the words on the pages of the Bible. We expect God to move in big ways in
the lives of our church family as our faith
grows stronger and deeper through inviting
His words of
redemption and hope into our lives.
Are
we using The Story instead of the Bible this year?
The book The Story is not meant to replace the Bible. It is simply a tool to help us experience the Bible better. As always, the Bible will be our ultimate guide and the final authority in our lives.
Why should I have a copy of The Story when I already have a Bible?
The Story includes written transitions, timelines, discussion questions, and other valuable resources that
we will be using all year long. We strongly recommend that everyone have a personal
copy of The Story. You won’t be disappointed. The Story presents the Bible in a very easy-to-read format that we will be referencing all year long at Southeast. In addition to reading the book, you will most likely use it as a workbook, writing all sorts of notes and thoughts in the margin and highlighting what sticks out to you.
Do
I need to bring both The Story and my Bible to
church with me?
We suggest
that you do. We will be referencing both throughout the service. We will be asking you to use it as a workbook during the messages, suggesting
you
make notes in the margins and underline/highlight
sections along the way. In addition, your children in third grade through high school will also want to bring both with them.
Where
can I get a copy of The
Story? Do my children need a copy?
We will be distributing one copy of The Story to each adult and student (3rd grade thru high school) free of cost. We will also be distributing copies of The Story for Little Ones (preschool age), for Children (K-2nd grade). We recommend
that children in third grade through high school have a personal copy of the edition for their age group. It is at the parents’ discretion whether or not the younger children have a copy. Additional copies
will be available to buy once initial distribution is over, if you choose to gift them to others.
Should I read a chapter of The Story before I come to church each Sunday?
Yes. We will Start on Sunday morning Sept. 16 You will know in advance which chapters we will be covering
when. It will be of great benefit to you to read the chapter before coming each Sunday.
Is
there a reading schedule I can follow?
Yes. We will release the reading schedule
in sections throughout the year as we release sermon titles.
When
are we beginning The
Story?
We will begin distributing
books
on Sunday, September 9th. You will not need to read anything for this
weekend. However, you will want to read chapter one for September 16th as we begin our journey.
Is
the entire church really studying the same thing this year?
Yes. From young to old, we will all be studying the same chapters of
The Story every week. We want to be threaded together
as a church family this year by studying the same parts of
the Bible at the same time. So you can go to the coffee shop and have a conversation with your friends in a different Small Group than you
and the stories will be reinforced. You can go home and have a conversation with your teenager or your third
grader and the stories will be reinforced. Do you see the benefit? God’s Word will be so ingrained
in us that it really does become living and breathing to us.
If I have children of different
ages, why is it that they may be learning different
Bible stories than my other children from week to week if we’re supposed to be
studying the same thing?
Each chapter
in The Story covers a large time span and often many people’s lives. For example, chapter one
covers creation to the flood. Your preschoolers will learn about creation in Bible class. Your elementary-age children will focus on creation in worship, Noah and the flood in K-3rd grade Bible study, and the fall and God’s plan in
4th-6th grade Bible study. The curriculum
has been thoughtfully
planned out to be age appro- priate.
If I hear the message during worship, what would
be the benefit of also
discussing the
same topic in my Bible Class and Small Group?
You might be thinking that studying the same chapter of a book in every area of the church may get re- dundant. We promise you, though,
it won’t. There is so much meat packed in
every chapter that we hope when you come to Sunday services you will get one perspective, your Small Group another perspective, your Women’s Group another, your Bible
Class another, etc. Through these different perspectives the Word will just continue to deepen inside
of us. You will still greatly benefit from attending Sunday services and a
weekly group study during this time.
What
are some ways I can incorporate The Story into my home
life?
Read
the weekly devotions
on our website & facebook. Read the chapters. Maybe go back and read the text
in the Bible. Reflect on how to apply the lessons we’re learning. If you have younger children, read their storybooks with them. If you have older children, encourage them to read on
their own. Ask them what they learned this weekend, and try to have a deep conversation with them that includes more than just one-word answers. Go over their memory verses. Just make The Story a part of your everyday conversations with your family.
