These studies guide you through the storyline of Scripture-each following a person, place, or thing in the Bible. Maybe you are practiced in dissecting a passage and pulling things out of the text to apply to your life. But now you may feel as though your faith is fragmented. The Storyline Bible studies help you put the pieces back together. You'll discover cohesive, thematic storylines with literary elements and appreciate the Bible as the masterpiece that it is. Each study is five weeks long and can be paired with its thematic partner for a seamless ten-week study to fit in a church semester. Every study features:
• Gospel presentation at the beginning of each Bible study • Full Scripture passages included in the study so that you can mark up the text and keep your notes in one place • Insights from female scholars and scholars of color • Free resources for preaching and leading small groups
Every tree, bush, or vine in the Bible is deeply embedded in an ancient, symbolic-driven world where imagery of the story didn't just matter-it had meaning. The Sticks Bible study will guide you through five Bible stories where trees point us to how we can seek godly wisdom and make hard choices that honor God. In Sticks, we're going to explore
• Genesis 2—3, where the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil show us how to choose wisely and not to take matters into our own hands; • Exodus 3, where the Burning Bush helps us choose to notice when God is trying to get our attention; • Isaiah 1, 6, 11, 53, where the Messiah Tree helps us choose to branch out from our shady family trees; • John 15, where the True Vine teaches us how to choose to stay connected to Jesus for a fruitful life; and • Revelation 22, where the Tree of Life helps us to choose to reframe our views from the treetops.
