The Epic Adventure
Featuring Pastor Steve Whitney
Summary:
The Bible is a big and complex book. But have you ever realized that it really tells one story? Have you ever looked at it as the story of God’s people and the adventure that God has been leading them on since the beginning of time? We could say that the Bible is the story of God’s People, Places and Promises. Angie Smith wrote a study for women called Seamless. In that study she brilliantly takes people on a journey through the entire Bible, and we are grateful for the amazing work she has done. Since it was designed only for women, we have revised her study to be used for groups of both men and women. We call it The Epic Adventure.
In this revised study, we are looking at the entire story of the Bible as an Epic Adventure. It is as if you were going on a long trip and stopping along the way to observe key moments in story of God’s People, Places, and Promises. Pastor Steve Whitney took some guys backpacking to the summit of Mt Whitney, and along the way gave some illustrations of how God’s story impacts our lives. You will follow him along this journey as he shares some of these key moments in God’s story. Be ready for a fly-over view of the Bible that can help your group see the entire Bible as one story, an Epic Adventure. You will also have the opportunity to see how your life story connects with God’s story.
Features:
-Discussion Guide: The Epic Adventure is made up of 8 Segments, like 8 sections of a trail. There is a link to a discussion guide for each Segment or study right above the video screen. Use this guide to prepare for the study in advance, and / or use it to guide your weekly group discussions. Some segments have more questions than you may be able to discuss in one week’s meeting. If so, consider continuing that segment at the next week’s meeting. Remember, there is no required completion date for your study! Some questions have Bible passages listed. We encourage you to read those passages as you discuss that question. Remember, this is an overview, so you will not read everything in the Bible or even out of every book in the Bible. This study is designed as an overview. Take your time and try to get the big picture of the Epic Adventure! You will also find a trail map to go along with Segment 1 and a diagram of the Tabernacle to go along with Segment 4. You can print the discussion guides right off the website or contact the Church office to get access to pre-printed discussion guides.
-Video Teaching: In your group, watch the video of Pastor Steve Whitney together, as he describes experiences from his backpacking adventure and weaves it into the Story of God’s People, Places, and Promises, The Epic Adventure. You can also watch the video on your own before the meeting if you would like to have time to think through it more carefully. But don’t avoid watching it together with your group, as it will inform your discussion during your meeting. You can watch it on your TV by going to the website and opening the video or screen mirroring the video from the website through your cell phone.
-SOAP Journal Exercise: Included with each Segment is a SOAP Journal Exercise. Use the SOAP Journal Exercise provided as homework during the week to prepare yourself for the following week’s discussion. Use this Bible study tool each week to study the passage of scripture listed which goes along with the next week’s discussion. This tool will not only help you to consider some important truths that are tied into our study, but it will also help you develop an important skill of discerning what God may be saying to you through His Word. For more information about the study, See the Tips for Leaders page at the beginning of the study.