Dear fellow shepherds of God’s flock,
In one of Jesus’ post-Easter appearances to the disciples, he made the point to single out Peter, to confirm him in his faith and as one of the apostles. Three times Jesus told Peter to care for his sheep (John 21:15-17). Jesus’ commission to Peter applies also to us pastors today. The Lord wants his believers of all ages to be well-fed with his life-giving, faith-strengthening Word. We do that as pastors as we teach others and as we oversee in a general way all the Christian instruction that takes place in our congregations in a variety of ways. The three Bible study materials we are highlighting in this letter apply to three of those ways: traditional adult Bible study, family Bible study at home, and women’s Bible study.
ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
For traditional adult Bible study groups, our newest study from NPH is Elephants in the Room: Theistic Evolution Versus the Message of Scripture. This seven-lesson study provides an in-depth look at the incompatibility between Scripture and the theories of evolution. Attempts to combine Scripture and evolution (theistic evolution) always result in the compromise and denial of God’s revealed truth, not only regarding creation but God’s entire plan of salvation. Each lesson begins by reviewing a central tenet of the Christian faith as taught in Scripture and then compares that teaching with what theistic evolutionists teach (presented in their own words).
Author Robert Koester also wrote a companion book by the same title. While reading the book is not essential for either the students or the leader of the Bible class, leaders especially will find it helpful as they prepare for teaching the class. Pastor Koester also wrote a second book, One More Elephant: Evolution Versus the Text of Scripture, which provides further background on the topic. This Bible study will help confirm the faith of God’s people in God’s Word today as they are confronted with the theories of evolution and theistic evolution.
FIVE-MINUTE BIBLE STUDIES: FOR FAMILIES
We all benefit when we study God’s Word—in many ways. Families certainly benefit when they study God’s Word together. In 5-Minute Bible Studies: For Families, the author, Pastor Jay Bickelhaupt, addresses questions and challenges faced by families. He directs our eyes to the Scriptures to answer those questions and address the challenges in a way that connects with family members of all ages. By providing three messages each week for a full year, the book also adapts well even for those families whose schedules are overbooked. This book could become the first step for families in developing lifelong devotional habits. To learn more, click here.
FULL ACCESSORIES OF GOD: THE SPIRIT’S MAKEOVER FOR WOMEN
More and more women’s groups are gathering for Bible study and are searching for biblically solid resources for their study. Full Accessories of God is a Bible study your women’s Bible study group might want to consider. Author DeLyn Wagenknecht encourages women to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17). She uses lighthearted, relatable stories and soul-searching questions to help women explore how they are uniquely suited to serve God. The Bible study is a book—a format that is popular with the women in our churches—which works well for personal as well as group study. To learn more, click here.
God’s blessings to you as you continue to feed the members of God’s flock!
In Christ,
Curtis Jahn, NPH Professional Books Editor
Ray Schumacher, NPH Bible Study Editor