Journeying together through the Bible

worship5438
Jan 7
2 min read

This congregation confesses the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments

as the inspired Word of God,

through which God still speaks,

and as the only source of the Church's doctrine

and the authoritative standard for the faith and life of the Church.

[Article II, Section 3 of the FLC Constitution]

Dear Friends,

We live in a world full of information. It’s not just newspapers and the evening news anymore. It’s 24-7 streaming news, podcasts, internet, AI, social media (Instagram, FaceBook, TikTok, Twitter). There is no shortage of knowledge. On the other hand, most of what we find is “filtered” through someone else’s perspective, circumstances and biases. Often times, it is filtered through several people. This makes it hard to figure out what the primary source or event actually was. In this world where it can be hard to figure out what is factual and what is not, a good practice is always to go to primary sources for one’s information.

What is a primary source?

A primary source is the original, first-hand account, preferably in the original language.

For us Christians, our shared primary source for knowing and learning about God is the Bible. We believe it is inspired by the Holy Spirit. God still uses it to speak to us. It’s the place we go to resolve theological differences. We pattern corporate and personal lives on its teachings.

As an ordained pastor, I am trained in providing faithful, informed and responsible interpretations and applications of the biblical texts. That is what my reflection/message/sermon on Sunday mornings is all about. My message is not a replacement, however, for your personal engagement with Scripture. My preaching and teaching is intended to be a supplement to your own devotional reading of the Bible. When you read the Bible yourself, you are giving the living Word of God a chance to speak to you in your own circumstances.

This is why I am inviting you to journey with me and your other friends and FLC members through the Bible each year. For a couple of years, I have been using videos from the Bible Project to introduce books of the Bible to the confirmation class and the Tuesday Morning Bible Study (Digging into the Word). The Bible Project has collaborated with the Bible App (YouVersion) to provide a Bible reading plan that utilizes the insightful Bible Project videos. I plan on starting journey this coming Sunday at 10am in the Prayer Room (room right outside the sanctuary). We’ll watch the first video and begin our journey. Each Sunday, I’ll plan on gathering with others who are taking on this challenge. To see the whole plan, click here. You can also find more information on the YouVersion website. If you are interested, just scan the QR code to download the Bible app!