Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A Book Review - Leona

The Great Story and Your Story:
Connecting the Bible to Everyday Lives
by Richard Morgan and Beth Sanders

Before the beginning of time, God has been writing His story. It is one that weaves grace, love and meaning into the lives of His children.

In this unique study guide, The Great Story and Your Story: Connecting the Bible to Everyday Lives, Rev. Richard Morgan and Beth Sanders provide a template for recording your story as you reflect on the Great Story -- God's Story.

Each lesson opens with a study of Scripture and the real-life stories of some of the Bible's most notable characters. For example, the first chapter spotlights the men on the road to Emmaus following the exhilarating then devastating events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion. The encounter with the living Christ transformed their lives and God's story became a part of theirs.

The Great Story and Your Story not only provides a study of Scripture, it also challenges participants to reflect and share their own stories. In chapter two, the scripture lesson focuses on the account of the prodigal son and father in Luke 15. Following a discussion of this powerful Bible story and Beth Sanders' reflections from her own father/daughter experience, participants are encouraged to reflect on their own fathers through questions such as, "How would you describe your father to someone who had never met him?" and "What are some skills, talents, attitudes, values, or beliefs you feel that you've inherited from your father?"

Another example is in chapter 10 when the book explores Paul's life changing experience on the road to Damascus, with Richard Morgan explaining his own turning points of life and how he relates to the story of Paul. The study group is then asked to "Describe a profound turning point in your life. What happened? How did life change?" The questions are skillfully written to allow readers/group participants to reflect on and share their own stories and build lasting relationships.

This is an incredible and dynamic tool that makes the Bible stories that many have loved and studied through the years come alive in a new way. There are twelve chapters making it ideal for adult education classes or small groups. In the back of the book, there is a leader's guide as well as additional templates for developing a faith story in more detail.

The study guide is ideal for people of all ages and would be perfect for intergenerational groups as well as family gatherings. The goal of each lesson is to celebrate God's story and your story!

To order, call LifeBio at 1-866-543-3246 or request an order form by emailing info@lifebio.com.

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