Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Tuesday Tome - Story of Stories

Tomorrow night, we'll be getting started on new book in my Pathways Class at Valley Christian Church. The book is called Story of Stories: A Guided Tour from Genesis to Revelation. The idea is to help people see an overarching narrative that runs through the entire Biblical canon.

For years, the main focus of my Pathways class has been on reading through the Bible and journaling. We set goals for how much to read, how often to read, strive for consistency, and aim for quality and depth of experience as we seek to understand and apply what we have read.

With the start of a new year, I want to see if the literacy gained by reading Story of Stories will help those who haven't read the Bible feel more able to do so. My hope is that by getting a clearer overview of the Scriptures as a whole, they will get more from their personal Bible reading.

From the Publisher's Description:
The Bible contains many of the most memorable stories of all time--the great flood, David and Goliath, the empty tomb. These stories are packed with enough drama to astound and inspire readers on their own. Yet when read as parts of a larger, grander story, each of these stories reveals added depths of artistry and meaning. Still, it is easy to lose sight of how the Bible's narrative threads weave together into one great tapestry.
In Story of Stories readers join Karen Lee-Thorp on a guided tour of Scripture where she retells the Bible's major stories, draws out the significance of overlooked subtleties and shows how individual vignettes contribute to Scripture's overarching story of redemption. Readers will find a renewed appreciation for the breadth and depth of the greatest story ever told. Written with both individuals and groups in mind, this revised and expanded edition includes end-of-chapter reflection questions and a leader's guide for facilitating discussions.
Praise for Story of Stories...
"Karen Lee-Thorp invites the reader into the drama of the biblical story. Her masterful hand guides us to a clear understanding of the flow of the text, and we stand in awe as we see, perhaps for the first time, how the Bible truly is an organic whole with One Author." (Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College)

"Story of Stories is one of the most valuable books I have ever used for helping new Christians grow. As they grapple with the complexities of biblical truth, this book can quickly give them the big picture. Karen Lee-Thorp has conveyed the dramatic plot that flows from Genesis to Revelation with keen insight and wit. I've lost count of how many copies I've given away." (Jim Petersen, associate to the general director of The Navigators)

"Most of our Bible originated in acts of storytelling, but somewhere along the line many of us lose the story line and end up with a file drawer full of doctrines and dates and study notes. But God, in his Scriptures, is first of all a storyteller, elaborating the plot of his saving ways among us and pulling our stories into The Story. Karen Lee-Thorp recovers the story for us." (Eugene H. Peterson, professor emeritus of spiritual theology at Regent College and author of The Message)

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