Paths v2n4 2013 fall

News & Views from Walk Thru the Bible

Old and New in Ukraine A Place of New Beginnings Weekly Devotionals for Fall

Fall 2013

Walk Thru the Bible 4201 North Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA 30341 www.walkthru.org Volume 2, Number 4 Fall 2013 Published quarterly President Phil Tuttle Vice President for Advancement/International John Houchens Editor Chris Tiegreen Designer Michael Koiner Contributors Chris Tiegreen John Houchens

Walk Thru the Bible ignites passion for God’s Word through innovative live events, inspirational biblical resources, and lasting global impact.

© 2013 by Walk Thru the Bible® Ministries, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form unless authorized in writing by the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

A

few weeks ago, Walk Thru the Bible was the featured ministry at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference in Muskegon, Mich. This wonderful conference center has weekly camp programs for families during the summer, and each week they spotlight a mission organization. Walk Thru the Bible was represented by several of us—I enjoyed teaching Detour, our new course on Joseph, while John Houchens taught Walk Thru the Old Testament for adults and other instructors taught it for students and children. It was a great experience.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the weekend for me was seeing several generations learning the Bible at the same time. Many three-generation and even some four-generation families were there. Each generation has its own unique style—youth add a lot of energy to the event and young children grasp the hand signs quicke r than any of us. The content never changes, but the learning proces s looks different for everyone. But no matter how the Bible is approached, one thing will always remain true: each generation has to discover it for itself.

That was true in Scripture, like when Josiah rediscovered the lost book of the Law (2 Chronicles 34) and when Ezra read the Law to the returned exiles (Nehemiah 8). But it’s also true today. People of every age have to rediscover the power of God’s Word for themselves and realize how relevant it is to the issues they are struggling with. That happen ed at Maranatha, it’s happening around the world, and it’s a joy to witnes s.

In this issue of Pathways, you’ll see how God’s Word sustained past generations of Christians in Ukraine and is empowering a new one; how it is overcoming addictions and renewing hearts in the U.S.; and how it can help you walk by faith every day. At Walk Thru the Bible, we hear story after story of how God is using His Word to change lives, build church es, and impact our world. I know you’ll be encouraged by these glimps es of His love and power. And I trust that His Word will continue to come alive in you every day.

Phil Tuttle President

If you are not currently receiving Pathways and would like to, email pathways@walkthru.org or use the attached envelope to let us know.

FALL 2013

VOL. 2

NO. 4

FEATURES

6

A Land Between

18

Changing Hearts and Lives

Ukraine in Transition Ukraine not only sits between east and west geographically, it bridges old and new—both culturally and spiritually. Where are its churches heading?

New Beginnings at America’s Keswick A conference center in New Jersey, like its English namesake, sparks spiritual renewal in those who hunger for a deeper life. It also offers many a brand new start.

22 Devotionals

Walking by Faith Weekly readings excerpted from indeed magazine

DEPARTMENTS

4

New at Walk Thru the Bible

5

Regional News

16

Country Profile

27

Step into the Story

29

Leader Profile

30

Donor Profile

A season of new devotionals

Highlights from around the world

Ukraine

The Power of Learning Together

Educating for a Different Direction

Robert Kusnadi, executive director for Indonesia

Spiritual Nourishment for the World Scott and Connie Griffin Cover: Ukraine is filled with ancient churches and various branches of Orthodoxy.

Above: The “Mother of the Motherland” has overlooked Kiev since 1981—late in the communist era.

What’s New @ Walk Thru Day by Day: B&H Publishes New Devotionals >

F

or years, Walk Thru the Bible has produced men’s and women’s devotional magazines for LifeWay Christian Resources. Stand Firm magazine equips men to be godly leaders in their homes, churches, and communities, and Journey helps women connect with God, take a moment to relax, and recharge their spirits. Both have nourished Christians daily with insights from the Bible.

Now some of the best material from these devotional magazines has been compiled into devotional books published by B&H Publishing Group.

Stand Firm Day by Day: Let Nothing Move You and Journey Day by Day: Living Life Well are scheduled for release in mid-October. Both are 365-day hardcover devotionals that will help readers stay in God’s Word throughout the year.

In Journey Day by Day, each daily reading begins with a verse or passage from Scripture, includes a short vignette that relates the Bible to daily experience, suggests a related passage for further insight, and concludes with a prayer. In Stand Firm Day by Day, each daily reading includes a verse or passage of scripture, a related quote or anecdote, some commentary on the scripture, a “bottom line” insight or application, and a suggested related passage for further study.

4

Devotionals in Your Pocket >

An Old Favorite in a New Form >

Like the Day by Day devotionals, 365 Pocket Devotionals: Inspiration and Renewal for Each Day is scheduled for release in October by Tyndale House Publishers. This easy-to-carry, quick-access book contains daily reflections beginning with an inspirational, thoughtprovoking reading and ending with a biblical promise.

The devotionals are adapted from previously published books from Walk Thru the Bible and Tyndale—The One Year At His Feet Devotional and The One Year Walk with God Devotional, both by Chris Tiegreen. The brief readings are perfect for readers with a busy schedule and a desire to connect with God each day. The durable leatherlike cover makes this pocket-size book a suitable gift for friends, family members, and coworkers.

F

or more than 25 years, The Daily Walk Bible has been helping readers understand and apply God’s Word.

With more than 700,000 copies in print, it’s the widest-read book in Walk Thru the Bible’s publishing history. The introductions and charts make the biblical story easily understandable, and the applications and insights draw readers deeper into the meaning of the text. Many people have remarked that The Daily Walk Bible is the first Bible they have been able to understand and read consistently over the course of a year.

Two new editions of The Daily Walk Bible—one in the New International Version and the other in the New Living Translation—are being published by Tyndale in October. The reorganized material in the new editions makes

the Bible even more user-friendly. The simple reading plan and tools will help readers understand how the parts of the Bible fit together as a whole.

For more information on The Daily Walk Bible, visit www.walkthru.org/ dailywalkbible Detour Released > Detour: Finding Purpose When Life Doesn’t Make Sense is Walk Thru the Bible’s new 6-session study on the life of Joseph. Many teachers around the world have been trained to teach the live event, and the DVD and workbook for small groups and the full-length book are now available. For details on the event, DVD, workbook, and book, visit www.biblicalcharacterseries.com. .

Regional News 10 Countries Represented at MENA ‘13 > More than 80 church leaders and family members gathered in Harissa, Lebanon, in July for the annual Middle East/North Africa (MENA) training conference. The training was organized by Walk Thru the Bible and partner ministry Middle East Leadership Training Institute (MELTI). Attendees came from 10 countries (plus the U.S.) to connect relationally, strategize ministry approaches, and be trained in Detour: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, Walk Thru the Bible’s newest course in the Biblical Character Series.

Most of the church leaders will teach the course to their congregations and many others, as well as train other leaders in the coming years. Courses like Detour and last year’s Crucible address key discipleship issues and help Christians in the Middle East live a distinctive lifestyle in a Muslim context.

This year’s conference began one day after Egypt’s “second revolution” ousted President Mohammed Morsi. The Egypt delegation arrived with great optimism about the direction of their country and the spiritual openness that has developed from the disillusionment with the Islamic regime, even while expecting a tumultuous transition.

Countries represented at the MENA conference include: Egypt

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Worldwide > Churches in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Manila, Philippines, held kick-off events in June for God’s Grand Story, the church-wide Bible-immersion campaign currently in pilot phase in the U.S. and select cities worldwide. The campaign begins with a Walk Thru the Old Testament or New Testament event and then leads congregations in daily Bible reading and prayer for at least six weeks. The comprehensive campaign involves virtually every ministry of participating churches. Churches in key cities like Johannesburg and Manila, as

Lebanon

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia

well as in many cities in the U.S., will be evaluated for measurable outcomes.

Sudan

Syria

Tunisia

Dave Heasler has been appointed national director for Canada. Dave is a veteran Walk Thru the Bible instructor who has been leading events for many years.

being in a season of “testing, troubling, and teasing,” yet is finding many opportunities to teach and train.

Ten training events were held in India in May, some of which marked the South Asia region’s first work in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh near Tibet, as well as its first work with two regional denominations.

West Africa >

Central America >

Despite bad weather, a Crucible event in late April in Togo drew 189 participants representing 50 denominations.

Caminata Biblica (Walk Thru the Bible) Honduras has been teaching High Impact Church to various pastors’ networks since the beginning of the year and has reached at least 400 pastors and leaders. .

North America >

South Asia > Testing of Your Faith was taught in Daska, Pakistan, to a group of 200 in April. Over the next two months, this and other events were taught other regions of the country. Two recent evangelistic events in Pakistan drew crowds of 2,200 and 4,000. The Christian community reports

5

6

A Land Between Ukraine’s Shifting Landscape

F

ourteen people are seated around the table in one of the Armenian restaurant’s many private rooms. Normally the table seats about 10 comfortably, but the desire for fellowship tonight is far greater than the desire for comfort.

These are the key players at a pastors conference in Bila Tservka, Ukraine, and it’s the night before the last day of meetings. So this informal fellowship—organizers from several nearby churches and ministries, staff members from a sponsoring church in Texas, and speakers from partner ministries like Walk Thru the Bible—is crammed into the tiny room and enjoying a feast.

After the meal, the conversation turns to how God has used this pastors conference over the years. “It has probably had more impact on ministry in Ukraine than any other event,” says one of the organizers. That simple observation leads to story after story, example after example. Lives of leaders are changed.

Not only does the conference regularly result in God-stories;

7

the pastors who attend also bring rich backgrounds to the conference with them. “Like that guy I met today, the counterfeiter,” says one of the Americans at the table. “He told me he became a Christian while he was in prison. And now he runs a prison ministry.”

Yes, like him. And many others have been around long enough to have served underground during the Soviet era. One left Odessa for Moldova as a child during communism, and has now planted five churches in the area. But others were adults under the communist regime and kept pastoring even against opposition. Resources were scarce or non-existent, and conferences like this one were certainly not allowed. But they kept the torch of faith burning however brightly they could until freedom came.

Many attendees have sensed a call to missions during the conference, someone points out.

8

One couple is now in Syria as a result, another in one of the “-stans,” and others in nearby countries.

It’s much cheaper than American missionaries going there, says one of the leaders, and heads nod.

Yes, missionaries from Ukraine are a great asset to the church in this part of the world, and this conference has been a great asset in raising them up.

From there, the conversation turns naturally to specific needs in surrounding areas like Georgia, which is very open to mission workers from Ukraine. Oleg, one of local leaders organizing the conference, says that he knows of only 57 pastors in Georgia, and those pastors are split among seven unions that rarely associate with each other.

Whereas Ukraine has hundreds of Christian books in the Russian and Ukrainian languages, Georgia has only a handful in their language—maybe 10 or 11, says Oleg. They can’t understand Russian. He wants to translate some new materials for them,

Most Ukrainians consider themselves Orthodox, though for many it’s in name only.

9

including some of Walk Thru the Bible’s resources.

And perhaps a conference like this one could be planned in Georgia one day. A hopeful murmur of agreement encircles the table.

T

10

he next day, about half the attendees are expected to leave. That’s normally what happens at conferences in Ukraine, as many pastors need to get back to their ministries after being away for several days, and some have a long way to go. But this time nearly everyone stays for the last two sessions of Crucible.

They would have missed a significant moment of healing if they had left. In the last session of Crucible, Phil Tuttle led participants in an exercise aimed at one of the Ukrainian church’s biggest issues: the generational divide. Many of the older leaders of the church aren’t thrilled with the music and informality of the younger leaders—or what may be perceived as a lack of respect for denominational distinctives. And many of the younger leaders aren’t fully aware, or fully appreciative, of the sacrifices their elders made to preserve the faith in hard times.

Phil separated the attendees by generation, put them on opposite sides of the room, and gave them some instructions. They were to pair up—one member of the younger generation with one member of the older generation. The younger leaders were to thank their elders for their years of service

and sacrifice in keeping the faith. The older leaders were to pray for the young ones, bless them, and entrust the future of the church to their leadership.

Many expressed appreciation for the gesture, hoping it would become a catalyst for reconciliation wherever needed. But they didn’t know ahead of time that this exercise was going to take place on the last day. So why did they stay?

They like Phil’s teaching, for one thing.

And they like the print and video resources that go with the teaching. These are in Russian, which most Ukrainians speak, especially in Kiev and the eastern part of the country. Ukrainian church leaders find them to be effective tools for discipleship.

They meet a critical need.

Y

uri Shelestun, national director for Walk Thru the Bible Ukraine, sometimes gets requests about the ministry’s resources from unusual sources. Once he heard a knock at the door and was surprised when he opened it to find an Orthodox priest standing there. Yuri’s first thought was that the visitor might mean trouble—some complaint about the material or an attempt to discourage its distribution. But the priest said he loved Walk Thru the Bible resources. They were helpful to him, and he wanted some more.

Yuri has had other requests from priests, two of whom told him people had been asking them questions about practical concerns in their lives.

The material helped them answer the questions with practical application.

Ukraine is largely a secular culture in spite of its spiritual heritage. Most Christians are members of the Orthodox church, but there are several branches of Orthodoxy and some divisions within those branches. The same can be said of Catholic and Protestant churches too, with the result that many factions function within the country. Among this religious landscape, dynamic newer churches are emerging and often effectively reaching nonChristians—an encouraging sign, but one that can

create friction among more established groups.

Even so, Christianity is growing, and with the growth is a widespread need for leadership training. Thousands of new congregations need wellequipped leaders to lead them.

That’s where Walk Thru the Bible’s strengths intersect with Ukraine’s needs. Courses that train teachers and leaders to communicate biblical truth more effectively, as well as biblical courses readymade for pastors to adapt and use in their congregations, both address a gaping issue in many Ukrainian churches. They further equip leaders

Below: Walk Thru the Bible’s Ukraine team develops and translates resources in Russian that cross denominational lines and offer practical help for spiritual growth, marriages, and leadership skills.

11

Below: A generation removed from church tradition and practices, Ukrainian youth are coming to Christ with a deep hunger for biblical truth.

12

13

who, in some cases, don’t have any seminary or Bible school training.

Churches need these kinds of tools, especially as they try to provide a biblical foundation for people who don’t have any Bible in their background. Many churches are welcoming new Christians into their fellowship—and looking for ways to ground them in scriptural truth.

A

THOUSANDS OF NEW CONGREGATIONS NEED WELLEQUIPPED LEADERS TO LEAD THEM.

natoly was a young pastor serving covertly during the Soviet era. He was one of the few ministers from the Soviet Union allowed to attend the Lausanne conference in Manila in 1989. While there, he obtained a copy of the Jesus film and somehow managed to get it back into the country. “The airport guards were looking for books, not video tapes,” he would later tell us. When the country opened up

14

in 1990, Anatoly advertised the film and showed it to large audiences.

Anatoly now leads a growing church in Kiev. The congregation is clearly further removed from tradition than many others in the country; more than half its members are relatively new Christians. There’s no hint of stagnation here, even though newer Christians are less rooted in Bible knowledge and moral foundations. It’s a dynamic fellowship of people who are still learning what it’s like to follow Jesus.

Some of the youth in the church have come through the church’s indirect school outreach. Schools are still open to churches in some respects, though there are limits to religious activity on campus, just as there are in most of Europe and North America. The church’s addiction program gives it access to students who need treatment, and in the recovery process, many decide

to attend youth worship service. Some choose to get further involved in small discipleship groups.

Anatoly’s son, Anton, is in his early 20s and is leading a small group of high school boys through the Crucible material. It’s perfect for them, he says, because his group is at about the age David was when his story begins in Scripture.

They understand the importance of their choices; a course on David’s choices hits them right where they live today.

This community of less-experienced Christians reflects a growing trend in Ukraine, as the shift from rich Orthodox tradition to communist secularism has stoked the spiritual hunger of the nation. As seekers seek, churches are helping them find what they are looking for.

spiritual need is universal, of course—it just looks different in each place—but the solution is equally universal. The Spirit and the Word change lives.

And both are making a difference in Ukraine. .

W

ell-attended pastors conferences, new church growth, young Christians with little biblical background—all point to a widespread hunger in Ukraine for spiritual truth. Centuries of Christianity has left the country with many traditional forms, but communist rule and a generation disenchanted with tradition has resulted in a spiritually needy landscape. This

15

Country Profile

Ukraine est in the world)

Population: 44.5 million (30th larg Ethnicity: Eurasian 97%; Turkic

1%; other 2%

Language: Ukrainian (official)

and Russian

Political system: Republic ntry in the world, slightly smaller

Geography: the 46th largest cou Texas

than

84%; patriarchates, and autocephalous) Religion: Orthodox (Kiev, Moscow ; Protestant 2%; Muslim 1%; Catholic (Roman and Greek) 10% Jewish <1%; other 2%

16

A

s a bridge region between Europe and Asia, Ukraine has often throughout history found itself in the middle of power struggles—independent and powerful at some times, conquered and controlled at others, and often torn between east and west. Since 1991 and the collapse of the Soviet empire, it has functioned as a democratic republic, but with an ongoing battle against governmental corruption. It was considered the breadbasket of Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union, and, in spite of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and a recession in the 1990s, it continues to be a fertile agricultural region with a growing economy. Ukrainians maintain a strong cultural identity.

Prayer needs: If there was a “Bible belt” of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was it. Traditionally strongly Orthodox, largely secular under communism, yet with growing evangelical Protestant churches, Ukraine is a dynamic mix of spiritual influences. Among evangelicals, it has become a mission-sending country influencing the entire region. Pray for continued growth and increasing unity. In addition: • Pray not only for unity among Christians but also within marriages. About 60 percent of Ukrainian marriages end in divorce, the highest rate among European countries.

• Many youth are coming to Christ. Pray for their spiritual condition—that they would love God and His Word and make lifelong commitments to serve Him. Pray for a new generation of Christian leadership to be raised up.

• Pray for an increasing number of church cell groups and for resources to meet their needs. Pray for the Walk Thru the Bible team in Kiev as it develops and translates resources and trains leaders. .

Sources: U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov), CIA World Factbook (www.cia.gov), and Operation World

by Jason Mandryk, 7th edition, ©2010.

17

Helping Others Receive from God A Shared Mission for Changed Lives

B

efore the session, a young man stood up and told the story of his heroin addiction and attempted suicide. This was his third experience as a resident at the Colony of Mercyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; hopefully the last one, he said tentatively. He had made progress and was growing in his relationship with God. Another man gave a testimony before the next session. He had been a rebellious teen and turned to the military to straighten him out. But after Iraq and Afghanistan came drugs and alcoholâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and a lot of recurring flashbacks. Now, after a few months at the colony, he had turned a corner.

18

The craving for drugs and alcohol had gone, and so had the flashbacks. Things were looking much better.

The testimonies went on throughout the conference. No, the conference had nothing to do with addictions and recovery. It was simply a pastors conference for church leaders who needed to be recharged and nourished with truth. But at Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keswick, the Colony of Mercy recovery program and the conference center are never completely separate. Residents of the program work in the kitchen, dining hall, and around the campus.

And they have opportunity to share what God is

doing in their lives to conference participants.

In both the recovery program and the conference center, the goal of America’s Keswick is for hearts and lives to change. It began when William Raws, an Australia-born, England-raised immigrant to the northeastern U.S. was divinely delivered from alcohol addiction. Raws had lost virtually everything to the bondage of alcohol, and he wanted other men in his situation to find freedom.

With only $1.87 and plenty of faith, he purchased land near Whiting, New Jersey, so men could get away from big-city temptations and be alone with God. More than 115 years later, the Colony of Mercy is the oldest residential addiction recovery program in the United States.

The Bible conference ministry was added in 1924.

Like the Keswick movement in England—the original Keswick Convention hosted speakers like Hudson Taylor, Dwight L. Moody, and many others— America’s Keswick conferences call Christians to deeper levels of commitment to Christ and emphasize victorious living. The ministry’s tagline is “Where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

Early in 2013, Walk Thru the Bible led a conference at Keswick for pastors and their wives.

With a low cost for registration and accommodations, busy pastors with smaller churches and/or bivocational positions are able to come and experience a time of renewal and refreshing. Phil taught Crucible, his series on the life of David, and John Houchens gave participants a brief taste of Walk Thru the Old Testament. Many participants came discouraged, struggling, or simply tired in their work, but left with a restored sense of commitment.

They also left with an awareness of Walk Thru the Bible and the ways it can support and supplement a pastor’s ministry. Walk Thru the Bible has long positioned itself as “a pastor’s best friend,” seeking to strengthen local churches and

equip leaders with the practical tools and training they need to minister effectively. The Keswick conference put events and resources within reach of many pastors who might never have encountered Walk Thru the Bible somewhere else.

Assisting pastors of small and mid-size churches fits Walk Thru the Bible’s core mission.

In an age when mega-churches take center stage in the Christian world, many less prominent ministries are overshadowed. Walk Thru the Bible seeks to streamline the job of pastors who, in many cases, are the only staff person at their church. Conferences like the one at Keswick connect these pastors with the ministry’s tools and resources.

This wasn’t the first time Phil spoke at an America’s Keswick event. In his teaching, he often uses illustrations from the testimonies of residents of Keswick’s Colony of Mercy.

“I’ve heard story after story of changed lives, sometimes even from wives who can’t believe the change they see in their husbands,” Phil says. “I realize no addictions recovery center has 100 percent success rate, but this one is significantly more successful than others because it teaches men to draw their life from Jesus.”

In one of his sessions from Detour on the life of Joseph, Phil shares the story of a woman who barely slowed the car down when she dropped her husband off at Keswick. She tossed his clothes out with him and planned never to see him again. Then she went home and changed all the locks at her house.

But later during a testimony time at a Keswick conference, while her husband was still in the program, she spoke directly to him in front of the audience. “I can’t believe how God has changed you. I know it’s still a struggle and that there’s still an attraction to the bottle. But I’ve seen a real change. I want you to know that I trust you.” She opened her purse, handed him some keys, and

“THIS IS WHAT MINISTRY AND LIFECHANGE ARE ALL ABOUT.”

19

said, “Here are the keys to the new locks on our house.”

It was a powerful moment, but another moment was even more personal for Phil and his wife, Ellen. The first time they attended a Keswick conference, Ellen opened up a brochure and realized it was the same ministry that had started a program in North Carolina, where years before, her grandfather finally met Christ and found freedom from his alcohol addiction after several failed rehab attempts.

Until they arrived, they had not realized that America’s Keswick played a vital role in her family story.

“It was almost like we were standing on holy ground,” Phil says. “This is

what ministry and life-change are all about. This is where people come face to face with brokenness and find an eternal solution for it.”

The secret to the Colony of Mercy’s success is simple, explains program director Jim Freed. “Usually by the time a guy gets here, he’s tried pretty much everything else. This is his last-ditch effort. We assign them to prayer groups and counselors. But the Holy Spirit is really the counselor; we’re just spiritual directors who help them discern God’s will for their lives.”

Men who enter the program are required to memorize one to three Bible verses each day, work a daytime shift in one of the conference center’s work details (kitchen, dining

“THEY LOVE GOD’S WORD, AND THEY LOVE TO SHARE IT.”

20

hall, maintenance, etc.), and, upon leaving, sign a covenant agreement with a local church for eight months to help him stay on track with spiritual, relational, and circumstantial goals. And the results, Freed says, belong to God. As inspiring as the Colony of Mercy is, Keswick’s retreats, conferences, and training sessions are where Walk Thru the Bible can have the most direct impact. And the two ministries continue to develop a relationship that will change lives and meet the needs of pastors and leaders faithfully working in local churches across the region and the country.

Says Bill Welte, president and CEO of America’s Keswick, “We believe in the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible. These guys are the real deal. They love God’s Word, and they love to share it.” .

21

Into the Word w e e k l y

d e v o t i o n a l s

o n

WALKING

BY FAITH

W

alk Thru the Bible exists to ignite passion for God’s Word wherever we go and to provide the opportunities and resources for eternal truth to work its way into people’s hearts. One of the best ways for the truth of scripture to sink in is to meditate on it daily. The following devotionals, adapted from indeed magazine, are a valuable tool to aid that process.

One devotional is provided for each of the next 13 weeks.

You can read the weekly reading any day during your week, but you may also want to revisit it every day of the week to make it a regular part of your time with God. If so, many have found this approach helpful: On Monday, read the devotional. Become generally familiar with the Bible verse, its original context, and the insights in the devotional reading. On Tuesday, look upward. How does this verse or passage apply to your relationship with God? What does it teach you about His will and His heart? What aspect of His character is He inviting you to experience and enjoy? On Wednesday, look inward. How does this truth apply to your heart

WEEK 1

September 30–October 6 John 6:26-29

THE WORK OF GOD “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29) IN WORD Have you ever wondered what it would take to do the works of God? Or why we seem so powerless in our Christian lives? Our prayers often lack effect. We are beaten and bruised by sins and attitudes that we can’t overcome.

We are battered by circumstances that seem to confine us. We know, beyond the shadow of a doubt sometimes, that we are not living the Christian life as

22

and your own spiritual growth? What does it teach you about yourself, your needs, or your goals in life? In what aspects of your personal life is God inviting you to grow and mature? On Thursday, look around. How does this truth apply to your relationship with others? What does it teach you about how to relate to them? What is God inviting you to do differently in your relationships? On Friday, look outward. How does this verse or passage apply to your ministry and mission in life—to your role in God’s kingdom, in society, and in the world? What does it teach you about God’s purposes? What part of His mission is He inviting you to participate in? On Saturday, look forward. How does this verse or passage apply to your future, both in this age and in eternity? What does it teach you about God’s plan for your life, now and forever? What aspect of eternity is God inviting you to participate in?

This approach can help you look at God’s Word from every angle and incorporate its implications into your life.

As you saturate yourself in scripture, God will shape your heart to align with His own.

portrayed in the book of Acts. Why not?

Jesus gives us the answer. Do we want to do the works of God, to live supernatural lives that are manifesting evidence of His Spirit’s presence? Then we must believe Him. We want a formula for super-spirituality or an understanding of His power that only the most celebrated saints have experienced. But Jesus is almost mundane in telling us the key to spiritual success.

It is stepping fully into belief in Him. Not only is this God’s plan for our salvation when we first come to Him; it is a lifelong pattern.

This kind of belief implies trust. We often can accept God’s will only insofar as we can understand it. But Jesus calls us further: Accept His will, even when we’re confused by it. It’s a matter of trust in His goodness.

This kind of belief implies action.

To say we believe in Jesus while

simultaneously ignoring His instructions, even the hard ones, is to attempt to bypass a relationship with Him. It is not true belief.

And this kind of belief implies faith in His power. He is the God who can move mountains, and He promises to do so in response to our faith. Do not doubt Jesus’ power. He is always able.

IN DEED This is the work of God: to believe in Jesus. Trust, obey, believe. Live as one fully united with Him. We are simply branches on the vine. When we rely only on Him, we can expect God to work miraculously in us, and in fact, we come to understand that He already has.

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

Hebrews 11:1-6

Galatians 3:22-29

Romans 4:1-25

October 7-13

October 14-20

October 21-27

THE BEST TESTIMONY

KINGDOM CURRENCY

INTENTIONAL REST

Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

(Galatians 3:26-27)

He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God. (Romans 4:20)

IN WORD Why is faith so emphasized in God’s kingdom? From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible makes faith primary. The invisible God could show Himself at any time and in any way, eliminating all the guessing about His nature. He could demonstrate His authority and make the importance of obedience obvious to us. But He doesn’t. He remains hidden to everyone who chooses not to see Him, revealing Himself only to those with ears to hear and hearts hungry for Him. Why? Why is faith so important to God? Perhaps it is because faith is the ultimate vote of confidence in the unseen Spirit. It is a profound statement of His worth by those who cannot prove that He even exists. It focuses on the character of the Almighty more than the authority His visible presence would command. It takes His Word at highest value, even when our own senses deceive us. In short, faith honors God’s faithfulness, His power, His love, and His wisdom in a world that has forsaken Him. It gives Him glory.

Perhaps another reason for the primacy of faith is that the very act of trusting God has a purifying power like nothing else. If we persevere in believing God’s goodness, we have to see through the lies about Him that once corrupted our souls.

Where once we wondered whether He cared or was able to help us, or whether He even existed, faith compels us to decide once and for all that He does care, He is able, and He is still on His throne. A visible God would have lots of superficial followers. The more we grow in faith, the more we have to let go of our inward suspicions, rebellions, and self-deceits.

IN DEED Have you considered that your faith is an act of worship? It does have invaluable benefits for you personally, but it also blesses the heart of your Father.

It is a witness to the world that there are unseen realities more real than this temporal world can offer. In this midst of darkness, it points to light. Nothing could please Him more.

IN WORD How do you relate to God? Most people, after being saved by grace through faith, then quickly embark on a hybrid life of faith and legalism. It isn’t that we don’t believe in God, or even that we don’t trust Jesus for salvation; the problem is that our belief is often based on the quality of our works. When we serve God well, we assume He looks on us favorably.

When we stumble, we assume He turns His back on us until we repent.

There’s an element of truth in that; we know God looks with favor on the righteous, and that He disciplines His children who tolerate sin and rebellion in their lives.

But in accepting these truths, we often take it a step further: We begin to relate to God on the basis of what we have and haven’t done. We pray with more confidence when we’ve been good, and we serve with more enthusiasm when we’ve been obedient. We forget how dependent we are as children of grace. We begin to base our faith on how well we’ve done rather than how good He is. We begin to think of obedience as a means to stay in His good graces and not as a result of being united with Him. We stand holy before God. No, we aren’t righteous in ourselves, but we’ve been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

We’ve been given a sacred right to speak to the Eternal about the problems of today.

And while we speak, we dare not assume that the quality of our works procured that right. God only accepts one currency in His kingdom, and there is no exchange rate.

Our business with Him must be done only with the currency of faith.

IN DEED What currency do you try to pass off in the kingdom of God? Is it ever anything other than faith in the righteousness of Jesus Himself? If so, remind yourself daily: Only Jesus is acceptable to God—for prayer, for ministry, for anything.

And we are only “in Jesus” by faith.

IN WORD On the surface, the grace life should be easy. All that’s required is belief in God’s mercy, His power to save, and His ability to sustain. But in fact the grace life is difficult, not because of the effort required, but because of our tendency to default back to what we can do for ourselves. We must intentionally set our minds to live by faith.

The Galatians, for example, had problems balancing grace and works, and they had lapsed back into their traditional form of legalism. They knew they had been accepted by God in His mercy, but forgot that mercy was to sustain them daily. They tried to live their life in the Spirit by the strength of their flesh. That’s not God’s plan.

We do that too. We well understand that the blood of Jesus was spilled as payment for our sin, a holy sacrifice for an unholy race. We also understand that obedience is required of us. But when it comes to relating to God daily, we neglect our dependence on grace and revert to the self-reliance of our best performance.

All of our obedience may be good and pleasing to Him, but only as an outcome of our dependence on His mercy, never as a means to earn it. His grace put us in good standing with Him; our good deeds are to be done out of love.

IN DEED Regardless of how long you’ve been a Christian, your human nature will tempt you to revert to works. Saved by grace, you’ll be tempted to live by your ability to be righteous in your own efforts.

You’ll do all sorts of gymnastics to get God’s approval and keep it—unless, that is, you remind yourself frequently that Jesus won His approval and invited you into it by faith.

If you’re burdened by the Christian life, remember that just as God has given you grace for salvation, He will give you grace for obedience through faith. Live in dependence on God—for everything—and rest. The grace walk is relaxing when we learn it. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and be at peace.

23

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

Romans 4:1-25

Romans 5:1-11

James 2:14-26

October 28–November 3

November 4-10

November 11-17

FAITH VERSUS SIGHT

PEACEFUL FAITH

TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS

God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. (Romans 4:24)

Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

The scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (James 2:23)

IN WORD The world lives by sight; the body of Christ lives by faith. That, more than anything, explains why there will always be enmity between the two.

Think about the world’s dependence on sight—human reasoning as the key to solving humanity’s problems. The world thinks the scientific method will correctly analyze social problems and find solutions for them, and that it will correctly diagnose biological and environmental pathology and find appropriate cures. The right human leadership, endowed with enlightened political philosophies and compassionate intentions, will presumably take us where we need to go. And social capital—the common efforts of a tolerant and hardworking society—will pull us together to conquer any evil and establish peace. But for all its focus on sight, the world doesn’t understand sin. It overestimates our ability to succeed. The world doesn’t get it; life in this world, without God, is futile. And it always will be.

Christians, on the other hand, have nothing against the scientific method, human leadership, and social capital. We just don’t see them as the answers. Under the guidance of a God with a plan and infinite wisdom, they are useful tools. But the solution? Never. Living by sight, on those terms, is blind.

IN WORD Faith equals peace. That’s the principle God gives us, even centuries before Jesus justified us through His Cross.

God had made the equation especially clear to us in Abraham, who believed God’s promise, and it was counted as righteousness. “Against all hope,” we are told in Romans 4:18, “Abraham in hope believed.” And because of that—because of Abraham’s simple insistence on the fact that God was telling the truth, though all appearances contradicted the promise—he was considered righteous.

That’s the key to the “shalom” of God, the peace and wholeness that saturate His Kingdom. When we believe what God has said, regardless of what people and circumstances tell us, we are righteous in God’s eyes. That hinges on the Cross, of course, the central event in all of salvation history. If we don’t believe Jesus paid for our sins and was raised from the dead, it does no good to believe all of God’s other promises. We can’t logically reject the big one and cling to the little ones. But if we believe that one, we can believe all the others. And that kind of faith equals peace.

Shalom can saturate our lives.

That’s the life of the believer who has his or her eyes on the fullness of God’s Kingdom. That now-invisible Kingdom starts to become visible. Those who walk by faith, not by sight, will begin to see.

While others declare that they will not believe it until they see it, we declare that we will not see it until we believe it. Our faith in the things that make for peace and wholeness actually leads to peace and wholeness.

IN WORD Think about what it really means to believe in Jesus. If we really believed—not just agreed with Him in principle, but really bought in to whatever He said—it would radically transform our lives, wouldn’t it? When He said something like, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42), or “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44), we would struggle and strain over exactly how to fulfill those commands. We would not take them as good suggestions or as optional add-ons for really serious disciples. We would take them to heart and consider them imperative. After all, if the Lord of the universe tells us to do something . . . well, how could we not?

We may not realize it, but what we really believe about God, and especially about His work through His Son, will find its way out into our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Every attitude will be shaped by what we think of Him. If we think of Him as a taskmaster, we will be afraid of Him, even when we’re obeying Him. If we think of Him as a sentimental Father of love who would never make us feel bad by telling us to repent of something, we will be awfully casual about our relationship with Him. If our thoughts are out of balance with regard to His holiness and His grace, leaning to one side or the other, our lives will reflect the imbalance.

IN DEED That’s why faith is held in contempt by secular society. Christians approach life from a different vantage point: the world strives for independence; we strive for dependence. We know deep down inside that we are subject to a greater will.

It is the responsibility of the body of Christ to live by faith in this visionimpaired world. We are the only ones who see—not by our own eyes, but through the eyes of Scripture—the direction of history.

We are the only ones who see—again, through the Word—the will of the Father.

We are the only ones who know the design of this universe and the divine heart that designed it. Faith calls us to live boldly— hope against hope—as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

24

IN DEED Remember that. The Christian life is built on faith. Never agree with people or circumstances that contradict God’s revelation of reality. The truth of a situation is always what God says about it—not emotions, not rationalism, and not apparent impossibilities. God’s many promises, including the promise of your justification, will bring you peace.

IN DEED That’s why God looks at what we really believe, as He did with Abraham.

James says that Abraham believed God and was therefore considered righteous— he quotes the same verse as Paul on this point—but he points out that Abraham’s beliefs had real results, like obedience and sacrifice. There was nothing theoretical about Abraham’s faith, and there’s to be nothing theoretical about ours. Righteousness begins within, but it works its way out. That’s how our faith can fulfill the Scripture just as surely as Abraham’s did.

WEEK 8

WEEK 9

WEEK 10

1 Peter 1:3-9

2 Corinthians 5:1-7

2 Corinthians 5:1-7

November 18-24

November 25–December 1

December 2-8

REAL FAITH

FLEETING EMOTIONS

FALLIBLE LOGIC

Though you have not seen him, you love him.

(1 Peter 1:8)

We live by faith, not by sight.

(2 Corinthians 5:7)

We live by faith, not by sight.

(2 Corinthians 5:7)

IN WORD That’s what faith is all about, isn’t it? Loving without seeing. Believing before observing. Hearing the voice of God with your heart rather than your ears. Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God, but it doesn’t spend like cash. It’s more like an electronic transaction—we don’t see the currency change hands, and we have to trust the one with whom we transact. We love a very real, but invisible, God. Peter, of course, was writing as one who had seen. He was with Jesus for at least three years, witnessing miracles and gawking at the holes in the hands of a risen Savior. But the Christians to whom he wrote, for the most part, had not been there. They weren’t eyewitness of the Incarnation. They knew what they had been told, what the Spirit had done in their hearts, and the miracles of transformation that were taking place in their community.

But the visible Jesus? No, He wasn’t making many appearances.

But if human hearts have truly been reborn, His physical appearance isn’t necessary, is it? Peter’s readers had all the proof they needed. “You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” verse 8 goes on to say. Which leads us to a startling observation, but one that the New Testament affirms over and over again: belief and joy go hand in hand.

Faith results in fulfillment. It is never blind and empty. Or joyless.

IN WORD We fallen humans generally make decisions by sight, and sight usually takes one of three forms: (1) We let our emotions be the guide. In other words, we do what we want to do, and pride and feelings rule; (2) we take a commonsense approach, evaluating the pros and cons and the risks involved in each course of action; and (3) we seek supernatural guidance, often in pagan ways—by stars and horoscopes, mediums and spiritists, and even best-selling self-help gurus.

There are profound problems with each approach. Consider the first one this week. It traps many believers. God created our emotions and He intends for them to be fulfilled in sync with His own emotions.

But our feelings can’t rule our faith. If they did, our lives would be roller-coaster rides, up and down with every whim and trend. There can be no consistency in such an approach to life, and the temptation to elevate them above His wisdom causes us to place ourselves on the throne of our own heart—where only He belongs. Exclusively emotional guidance is a disastrous way to live. It sets the course of our lives based on the mood of the moment. We end up living with immeasurable regrets. Sooner or later, we find out: He who does whatever he wants at any given moment is like an animal—and a fool.

IN WORD Consider the second approach of human wisdom this week—common sense. It seems higher and more noble than the self-centered life of those who are subject to their emotions and desires. It is based on the best logic we can muster. We make lists of pros and cons; we evaluate the risks involved in each course of action; and we determine the clearest, safest, most profitable direction. It is perhaps the best, most reliable path that human reasoning can offer. But it is still profoundly human.

And it is still sight, not faith.

In essence, the commonsense approach is an intellectual way of “playing the odds” in life. It is not much different than a gambler at the track who has thoroughly studied the horses and calculated the best candidates to win, place, and show. We can approach life with the same mind. We aim for the best education, locate in the safest, most comfortable area, plan for the most satisfying career, and save for the future. Nothing is wrong with any of those activities if they are built on a foundation of eternal wisdom and under the guidance of God. But we often skip the foundation and miss the guidance. We trust in our own devices and place our bets on the best life we can. In short, we exalt our limited logic over the voice of the Eternal. Even if we succeed in the eyes of men, we fail in the eyes of heaven.

IN DEED If we have a problem with love and joy—and many Christians do—then we probably have a problem with belief.

Think about it: If we really embraced the promises that the New Testament gives us—of which Jesus Himself assured His disciples—then discouragement and apathy would be rare exceptions, not common conditions.

Do you struggle with love and joy? Then check your faith. Do you really believe what He tells you? Then let your heart feel what He tells you. Faith is meant to work its way out into our works, our perspectives, and our attitudes. Let it.

IN DEED God’s prescription is for us to align our thoughts and feelings with His mind and heart. He is constant, eternal, and deeply rooted in reality—the way things really are. His wisdom is not trendy, and it is not superficial. In short, His wisdom is everything our independent emotions are not.

A believer who forsakes his or her own whims for the much more reliable guidance of the eternal God has become wise. That believer must realize that feelings play a vital role in our relationship with Him; He created us to feel His heartbeat and to be emotionally fulfilled.

But we are much more fulfilled when He fills us, not when we try to fill ourselves with our own shortsighted cravings. Sight is limited; faith is not. We must walk by faith, not sight.

IN DEED As we have learned, God’s prescription for our wisdom is to find His. His is thoroughly sensible, but it only appears so with the eyes of faith. Eyes that see beyond the ambitions of this world to the true values of the eternal kingdom will have different criteria for making decisions.

Faith often forsakes the things of this world for the lasting treasures of the kingdom.

Faith looks not for the longest physical life possible but for the most fruitful life possible. Faith understands that God’s wisdom often appears absolutely senseless to those with worldly sense. His Word is full of examples: Conservative sight does no miracles; “risky” faith does nothing else.

25

WEEK 11

WEEK 12

WEEK 13

2 Corinthians 5:1-7

Joshua 3:9-17

John 3:16

December 9-15

December 16-23

December 24-30

FALLEN FAITH

THE RAGING RIVER

REAL BELIEF

We live by faith, not by sight.

(2 Corinthians 5:7)

When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. (Joshua 3:14-15)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16)

IN WORD Have you ever wondered why God chose a harvest time for the Israelites to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land?

The Jordan is a less-than-formidable barrier for much of the year, and forty years of wandering would have provided ample opportunity for them to cross at a more convenient time. But no, Moses’ death and the Israelites’ arrival on the eastern bank of the river took them to their boundary at exactly its highest moment. Why? God wants us to follow His wisdom—His guidance, His timing, His purposes. But we often let our circumstances dictate the path we take. The circumstances are formidable? Then we go another direction. The situation is an easy one? Then we follow the path of least resistance. Those whose lives are guided by this dynamic are following the ways of the world. The ways of God will lead us to the Jordan at its highest level. He will promise us deliverance in our darkest moments. He will provide for our needs most abundantly in a barren land. He will be for us a God of the impossible.

IN WORD What does it really mean to “believe” in Jesus? Is it simply an acknowledgment that He is Lord and Savior? Does it just pertain to eternal life—the sweet by-and-by? Or is it more comprehensive than that?

Jesus said that the work of God is for us to believe in the One He has sent (John 6:29). But what does it say of our belief when we: • ask for His forgiveness and then work for His favor and wonder if His grace is enough to cover all we’ve done?

• ask Him to take care of our burdens and then fret about them incessantly and wallow in insecurity?

• ask Him to intervene in our circumstances and then manipulate them ourselves in order to get a better outcome?

• ask that His kingdom come and then panic about current events and prophecies of the end times?

• ask that His will be done and then tell Him specifically what our will is and why He ought to accomplish it?

These are all inner contradictions we’ll find in our faith from time to time.

We say we believe in Jesus—not just for salvation, but all it entails—but we might do well to ask ourselves occasionally if we really do. For people who have been promised provision, protection, comfort, guidance, forgiveness, salvation, and more, we spend an awful lot of time concerned with just those things. If we say we believe, but act as if we don’t, which is a truer reflection of our real beliefs? Words or the attitudes of our hearts?

IN WORD Of the three approaches to decision making we usually take, the third—supernatural guidance—can be the most rewarding. It can also be the most dangerous. It all depends on where we place our faith. Just as it is possible to walk by faulty sight, it is possible to walk by faith and still be wrong. Living by faith rather than sight is no guarantee; faith can be misplaced.

Consider all of the supernatural offerings our world lays before us: seances, mediums, horoscopes, channelers, spirit guides, psychics, and more. The more overt of these are laughable to the ordinary believer. But they can also take highly subtle forms. Don’t believe it? Go to a bookstore and read excerpts from the selfhelp section. Some of it is human or even biblical wisdom dressed up as something new. But much of it has cultic connotations.

Our age is not lacking in mystics proclaiming the way to happiness, the way to fulfillment, the way to self-actualization. The problem is that unless it comes from God’s revelation of what’s really real, it’s always the wrong way.

All supernatural sources of guidance apart from God are forbidden in Scripture—even when dressed up as “advice” and marketed to a general audience. The Christian who seeks them is an idolater. It is a slap in God’s face to seek advice from horoscopes, unbiblical gurus, and anyone else falsely claiming wisdom from above. It suggests that there might be a higher—or at least more accessible— source than God. But He is the ultimate authority and He is available. Why go anywhere else?

IN DEED Seeking supernatural guidance is a biblical mandate. But we must take this mandate with care and discernment. It cannot be just any supernatural guidance; it must be God’s revelation. Do not trust your emotions, your common sense, or the spiritual seductions of this age. Depend on God alone. Dare to live by genuine, exclusive faith.

26

IN DEED Do not let the currents of your circumstances dictate the direction you’ll take. That’s God’s domain. His voice is to speak more loudly to us than the boundaries that box us in. We must learn to see Him as the unconstrained God, the God who is not limited by the gaping need of our situation or the restrictiveness of our circumstances.

Why does God work this way?

Maybe simply because it brings Him greater glory. When we take only humanly possible steps, we give our humanity the credit. God alone can be praised for overcoming an impossibility. Miracles point to Him. Expect them. Ask for them. Never let the raging river drown out His voice.

IN DEED Paul strongly warned the Corinthian believers: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). It’s good advice, no matter how long we’ve been Christians. Our human tendency is to walk by sight, not by faith. But genuine belief is God’s only accepted currency. Check yours frequently.

Step into the Story

Passing the BATON From One Generation to the Next

I

n a classroom on the shores of Lake Michigan, 200 adults are diligently practicing the Old Testament hand signs. A few buildings away, 70 students are doing a youth version of the same routineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with enough energy and flair to emphatically distinguish them from their parents. And in yet another building, the younger children are learning them faster than everyone.

Later in the day, after class is over, these same groups of learners will informally rehearse the Bible overview with various friends and family membersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;some on the wooded grounds along the lake, some during mealtime, and some in the course of normal conversation. It becomes

a challenge, a game, even a friendly competition.

By the end of the week, several generations will understand the key people and events of the Old Testament in a way they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t likely to forget anytime soon.

Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference in Muskegon, Mich., hosts visitors from around the country and beyond for spiritual retreats, conferences, performance events, and vacations. And each week for its summer programs, the center hosts Bible teachers and focuses on a mission organization. Walk Thru the Bible provided the teachers and was the focus ministry for a week in early August.

27

Step into the Story

(Contd.)

Designed to give families a “vacation with purpose,” the summer weeks have plenty of recreation time built into them. But during the mornings, Walk Thru the Bible instructors John Houchens (also senior vice president), Matt Plunkett, and Tami Thurber led the adults, youth, and children through Walk Thru the Old Testament.

And in the evenings, President Phil Tuttle taught the ministry’s newest course, Detour: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, on the life of Joseph.

Displays and resources from Walk Thru the Bible created awareness of the global reach of this ministry and how it helps meet a gaping need for discipleship in many parts of the world.

One of the highlights of the week for Walk Thru the Bible staff was seeing several generations learning the Bible simultaneously. Adults, youth, and children were in separate classes during the day, but they were covering the same material, which reinforced the learning process for all family members.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” said one grandmother to Phil, “and this is the first time my family has had so many impromptu conversations about the Bible.”

Board member Lisa Geeting was encouraged by the interaction. “You could see how the people, both young and old, felt a bond with the instructors by the way they interacted and greeted them as they saw each other. God really was moving in the people the whole week. It was fun to walk along the beach in the afternoons and see groups of families and friends practicing the hand signs and recounting the stories that went with them.”

One of the benefits of age-segregated classes in churches is that all age groups get teaching targeted to their specific needs. But some discipleship experts note drawbacks to this approach. Families don’t learn together and tend to have fewer conversations about spiritual matters. Though the teaching time at Maranatha separated adults, youth, and children from each other, the process fostered ongoing learning outside of sessions. Participants looked to each other for feedback.

“It’s hard to describe the synergy that is coming from that,” says Phil. “Families are practicing together, showing off their hand signs to each other, and best of all, talking together about what they’re learning.”

There are many ways to make Bible-learning intergenerational. Walk Thru the Bible often leads Old and New Testament events for entire congregations—children and adults together. Resources like Story Thru the Bible provide material for family devotions with age-appropriate questions for each member. And with reading plans like the Daily Walk Bible and The Great Rescue Bible, every member of a family or church can progress through scripture at the same pace.

Some who study spiritual development believe intergenerational spiritual relationships are a key variable that affects whether children retain their faith as they grow into adults. Regardless, the learning process is a great bonding time for families and churches—and a prompt for great conversation. .

“THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MY FAMILY HAS HAD SO MANY IMPROMPTU CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE.”

28

For more information on Walk Thru the Old Testament and New Testament events, Story Thru the Bible, The Daily Walk Bible, and The Great Rescue Bible, as well as many other Bible study aids, visit www.walkthru.org.

Leader Profile

Educating for a Different Direction ROBERT KUSNADI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR WALK THRU THE BIBLE INDONESIA

I

ndonesia’s Muslim government is investing a lot of money—about a fifth of the nation’s budget— in education. It’s a “golden moment,” say the country’s current leaders. By 2025, they hope to have raised a generation of highly educated young adults.

Robert Kusnadi has a passion for education too, but he wants to make biblical teaching principles available to all educators, Christian and Muslim alike. He sees the value in training an entire generation, but he doesn’t want to leave it to Muslim influences. So Robert is developing strategies for teachers, students, and children. He is meeting with Christian educators to develop web-based training that can impact a generation of students.

Doing so will involve adapting Walk Thru the Bible training materials to reach both Christian and non-Christian educators. There aren’t many other high-quality resources for training teachers in Indonesia, so he believes courses like Teaching with Style and Seven Laws of the Learner will continue to be powerful tools. They have the capacity to transform how teachers pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

Robert is also working with students directly through small groups and social media. He finds that relationship-oriented courses like Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships are particularly helpful.

“Not many churches in Indonesia have materials like this or are able to produce them on their own,” he says. He has found that youth, as well as young married or soon-to-be-married couples, have responded very well to teaching series that present a biblical perspective on relationships. And all ages benefit from the overview of Scripture provided by Walk Thru the Old Testament and Walk Thru the New Testament.

Robert loves leading Bible studies, especially with young people. He has used a variety of resources from Christian publishers and found many of them to be helpful. He believes Walk Thru the Bible plays a significant role in equipping cell group leaders in local churches with solid, relevant materials. In a Muslim-dominated culture, churches need all the support they can get. Training resources are among the most important.

And if the training resources influence key leaders who in turn can influence a generation, a nation can be profoundly changed. .

“NOT MANY CHURCHES IN INDONESIA HAVE MATERIALS LIKE THIS.”

29

Donor Profile

Spiritual Nourishment for the World SCOTT AND CONNIE GRIFFIN

I

t took a few years of prodding for Scott and Connie Griffin to go to a Walk Thru the Bible donor event—they didn’t want to take advantage of the invitation without being able to give back immediately. But when they finally experienced the ministry up close at an event, they connected deeply.

That was more than 15 years ago, and the Griffins have only missed a couple of annual events since then. Why? “This ministry is amazingly efficient in what it does,” says Scott, who owns a commercial real estate company.

“Not just from a cost to benefit ratio, but in terms of the speed it can move into a country, set up leadership, train from there, and experience dynamic growth through multiplication of teachers.”

The Griffins have seen few ministries that do what Walk Thru the Bible does. They were once encouraged to narrow their major giving down to two or three ministries they could fully support and get to know well. They only got down to about five or six, but Walk Thru the Bible was one they insisted on keeping.

“We knew the leadership, we loved the work, we felt that it was an extremely efficient organization,” Scott says. “God has allowed us to be stewards over certain things, and we’re going

to be held accountable for it. So every time we look at a giving decision, we ask ourselves if it’s something God would want us to do with His money.

We felt that Walk Thru the Bible was something we could very easily defend our decision with.

“We’re charged with doing a number of things with our money,” Scott says. “We’re to evangelize, disciple, and take care of the poor and widows.” The Griffins believe Walk Thru the Bible does at least two of those while impacting even more. “Our gifts go to countries that need spiritual nourishment as well as food and water.”

Now the Griffins invite others to come to Walk Thru the Bible events just as they were invited long ago. They find it hard to put the impact of the ministry into words, so they want others to see it for themselves.

“When we see how ministries like Walk Thru the Bible are affecting the world, we want to be a part of that. And we want others to be a part of it too.” .

“THIS MINISTRY IS AMAZINGLY EFFICIENT IN WHAT IT DOES.”

30

The Last Word

I

love a parade. Growing up in my small hometown of Salem, Va., I looked forward every year to two parades: Christmas and our high school homecoming parade.

The Christmas parade was fun, of course . . . marching Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, floats built by businesses and civic groups, and last of all, the Salem Fire Department Hook and Ladder Truck. And who was on the back of that truck throwing out candy? Santa Claus.

We enjoyed the bands and the floats, but we were really waiting for one reason: the fire truck with Santa.

The homecoming parade was the best. All the silly floats built by each class to demean the opponent in the football game . . . high school clubs burning the opposing mascot in effigy . . . booster club sponsors in decorated cars . . . the “Pride of Salem” marching band playing our high school fight song, the cheerleaders, the homecoming king and queen and their court—all of it adding to the excitement. But just like the Christmas parade, the best was saved for last, the reason we were all there: The Andrew Lewis High School Wolverine football team. The whole team was dressed in blue jerseys, sitting on a big flatbed truck, waving at the crowd, helmets stacked in a pyramid. As a 10-year-old kid playing sandlot football, they were my heroes. It just didn’t get any better than that.

Parades always seem to save the best for last.

I grew up in a church that had a parade every Sunday too. Mom didn’t like it when I called it a parade; she said it was a “procession.” Parade, procession, whatever. Down the center aisle, the acolytes brought the light for the Christ Candle. Then the choir would sing a hymn—my favorite was Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise—and then the bread and cup for communion. Next the pastor in his robe and stole reflected the color of the church season. And last, as if to say, “But the reason we’re all really here,” was the Bible. The person carrying it would go to the front of the auditorium, turn around, face the audience, hold it high for all to see, and then say, “Let us hear from the Word of God.” And then the big, open book was placed on the pulpit.

The pastor would walk up to the pulpit, turn the pages, find these verses, and read for all to hear: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” It was last not because it was an afterthought but because it was the book that taught us where we came from, why we were here, how to know God, and what to do about it.

It has always been that way, but we can’t learn any of those things if we don’t engage the book. That’s why Walk Thru the Bible exists—to help people everywhere know His Word. To help people understand the reason we’re here. And to encounter the God who loves to save the best for last.

John Houchens Senior VP for Advancement/International

31

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Walk Thru the Bible Ministries 4201 North Peachtree Road Atlanta, Georgia 30341-1207

Electronic Service Requested

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF PATHWAYS: A region always on the edge of crisis? The last missions frontier? However you see it, God is at work in the Middle Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;often in ways few people see.

Discover more about Walk Thru the Bible at

WWW.WALKTHRU.ORG