Theologian Karl Barth said, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” In this four-week study, we will explore how the Bible still speaks to the real-world concerns that we all see and experience every day.
The ancient stories of the Bible are not out of touch with our modern lives that are now filled with technology, travel, and the influx of ideas. In fact, the truths told in those stories are just as relevant to our lives as they have been to every generation that preceded us. Stories of jealousy, selfishness, greed, destruction, and betrayal – they can all be ripped right from our own headlines today – and the stories of compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice and faithfulness are needed just as much today as they ever were…
The constant voice of scripture within those ancient texts is one of discernment – “Where is God in all of this and where is God leading us?” Those are not questions the newspaper asks, but ones we can continue to ask as we read it.
Pastor Geoff Sinibaldo puts it this way: “We must hold the Bible in one hand, and our hand-held device in other – filled with Twitter feeds, Facebook updates, blog subscriptions, news articles from a variety of sources and perspectives, societal studies, and local gossip. We must open our own experiences to reflection and listen for God moments in the stories of others. We must look beyond our doors, books and screens, and spend some time in the real world, in our community among our neighbors and through our networks as we pay close attention to those voices too. Yet at its heart, scripture still interprets them all, interprets us all, and brings us into God’s timeless truth again and again to us…right now.”
For four Wednesday nights across March and April, we will gather to read Holy Scripture and discern “Where is God in all of this and where is God leading us?” Come, join us.
Location: Stilwell United Methodist Church – Fellowship Hall
Dates: March 6th & 10th | April 10th & 24th
Time: 6pm-7pm
Supplies: A bible and a newspaper (and/or a phone/tablet) – we have bibles if you need one too.
*** Childcare is provided - and children ages 0-12 will be able to spend time learning and having fun at their level with church volunteers and our Director of Family Ministries, Marissa Foran.
Contact Pastor Phil if you have any questions.