Freelance submissions due by January 15th. All about us: SEEK® is a magazine created to encourage adults in their walk with Jesus Christ. SEEK® corresponds to the topics of Standard Publishing’s adult curriculum line and is designed to further apply these topics to everyday life. How to write to this theme list: Please read the Scriptures listed so that you know what will be studied in class. Listed are the aims of the lesson— the points of the lesson that students will apply to life. Your story or article will be an example of how someone did or can apply these points to real life. REMEMBER TO MARK ON THE MANUSCRIPT THE ISSUE NUMBER AND DATE FOR WHICH IT IS BEING WRITTEN. Word count: 600 minimum, 1200 maximum. (Manuscripts without this information will be rejected as not written to theme.) Use the King James Version when quoting Scripture. No decision will be made on any manuscript prior to the submission due cutoff date. Please e-mail your submissions to seek@standardpub.com. Quarter titles for Winter 2012–2013: Jesus Is Lord; Unit 1, Victory in Jesus (Issues 1–5); Unit 2, Exalting Christ (Issues 6–9); Unit 3, Imitating Jesus (Issues 10–13). Issue 1: Blessed in Christ (Chosen and Claimed) December 2, 2012 Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14 Lesson Aim: Explore the truth that God wants every person as His adopted child, and that He’s had plans for our salvation before the creation of the world. Share accounts of what happens to people who don’t feel loved/chosen/wanted, and teach readers how to be proactive in such situations. Stories about adoptive families would be appropriate for this issue. Describe an occasion when you learned that you would one day receive an inheritance. How did that affect your attitude, life, or plans? Issue 2: One in Jesus Christ (Unity Not Uniformity) December 9, 2012 Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22 Lesson Aim: Breaking down racial barriers is an appropriate topic for this issue. The church worldwide is the Lord’s “holy temple” (v. 21); share cross-cultural stories of inspiration. Contrast the secular push for world peace with true, attainable peace that comes from drawing near to Jesus. As a foretaste of Heaven, delight readers with portraits of churches that thrive as congregations of mixed races, ages, and personalities. Encourage readers to accept—and enjoy!—diversity. Explore the hot topics of tolerance and inclusiveness, and show ways that people have exemplified those without compromising biblical truth. Issue 3: Part of One Body in Christ (Living Together) December 16, 2012 Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16 Lesson Aim: Show how Christianity is both a gift and a responsibility. Explore the idea of teamwork in various secular settings and how some of those principles would apply to the church. Suggest how the church can work harmoniously in spite of various strong preferences (such as contemporary services vs. traditional services). Challenge readers to be willing to volunteer for tasks that are “not my thing” while also making an effort to use their actual gifts. Share stories of unusual ministries working together in service to others (such as a project that combined teenagers with senior citizens). Issue 4: Alive in the Light of Christ (Living by Example) December 23, 2012 Scripture: John 1:1-5, 14; Ephesians 5:1, 2, 6-14 Lesson Aim: This issue is about light vs. darkness. Since the Word is a light to guide us (Psalm 119:105), suggest creative ways to receive that light and then “reflect” it to others. Expose the popular fallacy of secret spiritual knowledge (or “enlightenment”) against the truth that God’s light is available to everyone. Give an account of someone who traded a life of darkness for life in the light. Emphasize the strong characteristics of God and that being “followers of God” (Ephesians 5:1) is not a wimpy sort of “niceness.” Report on church-life situations in which older members have the opportunity to encourage the younger. Issue 5: Christ’s Love for the Church (Family Matters) December 30, 2012 Scripture: Ephesians 5:18–6:4 Lesson Aim: Expound on the idea of authority/submission—in the family, in the workplace, in legal settings, in the church. Christ’s love for the church is the model for relationships within marriage and within the church; show some specific comparisons. “Don’t bash the bride!”—Help readers understand how Christians can rebuke each other in truth while also not speaking ill of the church the Lord loves. Give statistics on the importance of marriage and how strong marriages help the church. Illustrate how God loves the whole world (John 3:16) and wants everyone to be part of His church.
Issue 6: Proclaiming Christ (Motives and Messages) January 6, 2013 Scripture: Philippians 1:12-26 Lesson Aim: Give readers some perspective on personal evangelism: “If Paul could find ways to share the gospel even while he was a prisoner, then surely I can witness in spite of _____.” Suggest ways that we can practice mentioning Jesus more often (and in a natural way) as part of everyday conversation. Explore some not-so-good motives for being quiet about Jesus (such as fear of being politically incorrect). Share modern-day stories of how someone’s unfortunate situation advanced the gospel in an unexpected way. Since the power is the message and not the messenger, challenge readers to learn the Word. Issue 7: Imitating Christ (Attitude Counts) January 13, 2013 Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13 Lesson Aim: List specific ways in which a prosperous culture leads to individual feelings of entitlement and “my rights.” Relate true stories of people who gave up power and prestige for a life of service. This could include how they decided to submit to a call (toward a greater goal), even when it meant giving up a personal dream. Explore true humility vs. wimpiness (this could be a profile of various Bible characters). James 3:13 speaks of “works with meekness of wisdom.” Break that down for readers, in practical terms. Issue 8: Knowing Jesus Christ (Gain and Loss) January 20, 2013 Scripture: Philippians 3:1-11 Lesson Aim: When a natural disaster occurs, people’s priorities suddenly change. Encourage readers not to wait for a disaster to put Jesus first. Prove with true stories that it is possible to live as if we believe that our most prized possession is knowing Jesus. Give examples of short-term suffering for long-term spiritual gain. Elaborate on the kinds of things people tend to think are important, depending on their ages/stages of life. Explore what Paul gave up when he followed Jesus (see his credentials in vv. 4-7). The topic of getting rid of physical and spiritual clutter would be appropriate in this issue. Issue 9: Standing Firm in Christ (Gaining the Prize) January 27, 2013 Scripture: Philippians 3:12–4:1 Lesson Aim: In verse 13 Paul speaks of forgetting the past. Explain how “looking back” can interfere with progress/growth in the Christian life. Contrast the “straining” and “pressing on” idea of life that Paul advocates vs. the dream home/vacation/comfortable retirement we tend to long for. Illustrate the flawed theology behind serving Jesus to earn salvation/merit and compare the freedom and joy that result from a life of serving Jesus out of love. Share inspiring stories of people who make good use of what resources/talents they have been given. Issue 10: Focused Solely on Christ (Awed by Greatness) February 3, 2013 Scripture: Colossians 1:12-23 Lesson Aim: Many people will acknowledge some version of “God” but won’t go as far as to accept Jesus. Explore the lack of a “Jesus counterpart” (that is, God in the flesh) in world religions and in a secular worldview—and give scriptural evidence for the supremacy of Jesus. Detail the way people sometimes idolize celebrities—or even angels—and propose the remedy. Answer the criticism: “To say ‘Jesus is the only way’ is a narrowminded view” (see John 14:6). Compare our sometimes mixed-up ideas about authority, power, miracles, and greatness with what the Bible teaches about those things. Verse 13 (“delivered us from the power of darkness”) conjures up images of a superhero scenario. Explore the qualities of popular superheroes that mimic (and fall short of!) Jesus. Issue 11: Raised with Christ (It’s a Wonderful Life!) February 10, 2013 Scripture: Colossians 2:6-15 Lesson Aim: Verse 8 describes other systems/traditions/philosophies as “vain deceit, after the tradition of men.” Paul wrote many other warnings against false teaching. Review those and arm readers with ways to distinguish false teachings from God’s truth. Illustrate the conflict Christians can have when required to follow authorities that may put them at odds with Christian values. In verses 14, 15, Paul fairly shouts Christ’s victory on the cross. Challenge readers to accept that Jesus’ blood covers all sin . . . and to live in that victory. Issue 12: Clothed with Christ (Breaking Bad Habits) February 17, 2013 Scripture: Colossians 3:5-17 Lesson Aim: This is an opportunity to help readers with some of the most subtle “addictions” that plague us—malice, greed, impatience, etc. Highlight how the enemy uses such things against us, and give instruction on how to take a stand against his schemes (see Ephesians 6:11). Specifically show how believers can exhibit love and sympathy to other believers struggling with weaknesses while also challenging them to a higher standard. Illustrate how a believer might help an unbeliever take responsibility for breaking bad habits—and in a way that shares Christ but isn’t “judgmental.” Tell stories of people who cried out to the Lord for help.
Issue 13: Disciplined for Life (Support Through Mentoring) February 24, 2013 Scripture: Colossians 4:2-17 Lesson Aim: Paul stresses prayer. How did he make time, since he had work to do! Offer testimonies of people who accomplished more because they devoted themselves to prayer. Paul’s writings often mention other people he was encouraging/reprimanding. Help readers distinguish between mentoring and interfering. (The idea of the words “seasoned with salt” [v. 6] might be useful here.) Paul instructs believers to be wise in the way we act toward “outsiders.” Explore situations in which a Christian would behave differently toward a believer and an unbeliever . . . and still be authentic. Outline a plan that mature Christians can use to help new Christians brace for attacks on their young faith. Paul lived “that [he] might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Share testimonials of people who have gone to great lengths to save others.