Breadcrumbs Ministries Women's Studies

Another Biblical Minute!

2012-01-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

Here it is, almost 3 weeks since its arrival, and I'm just now reminding you of the next issue of The Biblical Minute! Be sure to check it out - this one has a TON of great information and helpful study tools.
Here's a teaser from the Table of Contents:

Page 4: The "REST" of the Story -- learning to REST and not fear!
Page 8: Switching Off the Bullying Gene -- quick tips for children AND church members! (Designed to be printed and posted!)
Page 10: Growing Your Witness -- family tips for sharing Christ!
Page 12: I am NOT a Mormon -- do we stigmatize Mormonism unfairly?
Page 14: Who's Coming to Dinner -- reconsider what you think you know about The Lord's Table!
Page 18: Ring Out the New! -- "Christ makes all things new, but not all "new things" are of Christ!"

See! I told you it was jam-packed! And these are just the main articles! There are also pages of helpful hints, valuable resources, and (for those of you who follow the Steels' travels) updates on where the ministry is headed. You don't want to miss it!

Check it out now! The Biblical Minute.

Our Position in Christ

2011-12-01T07:16:00.001-08:00

I was reading this verse this morning:
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

And then I thought of this song. So I decided to share it with you! :-)

The little commentary under that verse (in my Bible) says, "Thus the believer's rule of life is Christ and not the law. It is not a matter of striving, but of trusting. He lives a holy life, not out of fear of punishment, but out of love to the Son of God, who loved him, and gave Himself for him..." Spend some time today thinking about that verse. Not only did Christ give himself for us, He LIVES in us, and we are positionally IN Him! We are not only saved from the penalty of sin in death, but also from its power over us in life!

Deathly Hallows, Indeed (or..."I need to stop looking at my blog reader")

2011-11-15T14:25:00.001-08:00

Every time I refresh my blog reader I am more shocked. Maybe I shouldn't be shocked. Maybe this is a sign of the times, as they say. Maybe the "Christian" world has just finally gone about as topsy-turvy as it can possibly go.

But just in case you don't feel fulfilled in your walk with Christ...just in case you are looking for one more substitute for actual study of the Word of God...you can now include (wait for it) the Harry Potter Bible Study to assist you in your "study" of spiritual things. Subtitle: "Enjoying God Through the Final Four Harry Potter Movies."

I am not joking. I really wish I was.

I will be honest - I have not read this book (although I have seen the HP movies). But it is $2.99 in the iTunes store, so I'm really tempted to...even though I'm pretty sure I know what it's going to say.

For now I just want to get this news out. I have more to say - but you'll just have to wait. Or say something yourself! ;-)

Why am I not surprised?

2011-11-10T07:23:00.001-08:00

I keep trying to think of something to say about this...but it really just speaks for itself.

And yes, that IS Joel Osteen's voice you hear welcoming Oprah over the roar of 40,000 church-goers.
According to the Houston Chronicle, one person sitting near Oprah at church tweeted, "I'm freaking out!! I can't breathe! It smells like money and amazingness!!"
Smells like something, all right, but it isn't "amazingness!"
Hmm! Looks like I had something to say about it after all!

It's here!

2011-10-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

The brand-spanking-new quarterly e-magazine, Biblical Minute has officially been published and is available for viewing!

From Biblical Intensives: "Biblical Minute is filled with articles that condense important biblical truths into a reader friendly format...In our effort to immerse men and women in the Word of God our articles are graded. Some material is elementary, some intermediate, and some is more advanced. In this way, we hope to grow folks by 'nudging' them into more advanced topics."

And having been part of the editing process for this issue of Biblical Minute, I can tell you that description is spot-on! Any time you spend with this little magazine will be time well-spent.

So head on over and have a look-see. Then share it with everyone and anyone!

Time Away...

2011-10-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year since I last posted! Can you believe it? I've been praying about starting up the blog again, so don't delete me from your reader just yet. :-)

Have You Done Your Job Lately?

2010-10-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

We know that our primary responsibility is to spread the Gospel, but one of the most powerful tools we have to do this job is to pray for those who we witness to who haven't yet trusted Christ. Hey ladies - we've got a job to do! One of our own has been witnessing to a friend (is it you?!). Would you stop and pray right now that this person would be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and trust Christ for salvation?

School's In Session! Do Your Homework!

2010-09-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

I caught this in the SacBee on September 10, 2010: "Sacramento Interfaith Leaders Plan 9/11 'Blessing of Peace' on Quran." I'm going to post the whole article at the end of this post, just in case it gets taken off the SacBee website, but I do want you to read it.

After you've read the article, here's your homework: The article mentions that in addition to reading from the Quran, several passages from the Old and New Testaments will be read (or were read, since this happened yesterday). From the NT a verse from Matthew 5, and from the OT a verse from Isaiah 2. Come on - do I even need to TELL you what I want you to do? Okay - I haven't blogged for a while, so you have forgotten how this works. :-) Look up those passages (and their contexts), and tell me what's wrong with using them for this purpose (other than the obvious "blessing the Quran" thing!).

Here, I'll make it easier for you: Matthew 5:9 and Isaiah 2:4.

Here's the article:

More than 50 members of Sacramento's interfaith community - including Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Quakers, Muslims and Druids - will meet at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of 9/11, for a "blessing of peace on the Quran."

The 7 p.m. event, on the steps of the cathedral at 11th and K streets, is designed to blunt the threats of Florida Pastor Terry Jones to burn the Quran.

Jones' associates said today that no Qurans will be burned, but organizers of Saturday's event "wanted to send an alternative vision from America - placing roses on the Quran as a symbol of peace and tolerance. The World Peace Garden in Capitol Park has agreed to supply us with three dozen roses," said the Rev. David Thompson, president of the Interfaith Service Bureau.

"Afterwards the roses will be given to Muslim families," Thompson said. "Whether or not the Florida pastor goes through with his scheme to burn copies of the Quran, we in Sacramento are hopeful of bringing cooperation and peace here as we try to undo the damage already done, to protect our troops and to affirm our Muslim brothers and sisters here in America and around the world."

Non-Muslims will give seven readings from the Quran.

"The passages are chosen to show there are peaceful, wonderful passages from the Quran," Thompson said.

Each reader will then place a rose on the Quran.

There will also be reading from Hebrew and Christian scriptures - "correctives from the faiths Terry Jones is supposed to be representing," Thompson said.

Father Michael Kiernan of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament will read from Matthew 5: "Blessed are the peacemakers. They shall be called sons and daughters of God."

The Hebrew scripture, from the second chapter of the prophet Isaiah, declares, "God will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many people; these will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war."

The seven blessings from the Quran each carry the message, "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me," Thompson said. "Everyone in Sacramento who cares about this issue and wants peace and to show kindness to Muslims is encouraged to bring the gift of a rose and place it on the Quran. Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with us."

Don't let your brains get rusty, ladies..."Renew your mind..."

I await your comments. :-)

Rudderless Faith!

2010-05-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is short and sweet, ladies!

I recently read an excerpt of a sermon by the late Pastor Dan Rodgers entitled "Noah's Ark Had No Rudder." Think about the implications: Noah's Ark - that big honkin' ark - had NO rudder. No steering mechanism!? Talk about faith! Of course, the Ark didn't NEED a rudder - it was guided by the Lord. Noah had faith that the Lord would take that Ark wherever He wanted it to go. And here's the part that really gets me: not only was its DIRECTION guided by the Lord...its SPEED was also guided by Him.

Are you struggling with the Lord's timing right now? Next time you start to wonder about the "speed" with which things are (or are not) happening in your life, remember Noah's Rudderless Ark and have faith in the One Who is guiding your direction AND your speed. :-)

Quit trying to steer the boat (excuse me -- ship)!

"Designer Babies" - The Next Stage

2010-04-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Saw this blog post by Al Mohler the other day and it has really been on my mind. The whole idea of aborting the "wrong baby" is appalling to begin with, but Mohler brings up the "bigger" issue here: the idea of using abortions as a "search and destroy" mission for babies who are somehow not what the parents want them to be. Now it's Down syndrome babies...next up: babies who carry the markers for Autism...after that, what? "This baby is going to have blue eyes and we want a brown eyed baby..."?

The implications are horrifying.

One more reason to continue in prayer for our unsaved (and saved) friends who are still struggling with the lie that abortion is okay...

A Little "Light" Reading...

2010-04-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

March was crazy! Between working on another Salvation video for BCM, prepping the house for sale/finding a new place to live, and trying to get all of Professional Development hours in at work, the time just FLEW by! Thankfully, we had Spring Break to allow us some time to settle down and get our heads back on straight. And while I don't have time to write the long, enlightening blog post that I'd originally planned to write, I did want to pop in, swap howdies, and give you a little "light reading" for your free time. :-) I'm nice like that!

We're going through Romans in our Wednesday night Bible Study, and it has been great. One of the great things we are constantly being reminded of is the amazing POSITION we have in Christ! Yes, we fight with our old nature, and yes we struggle, but isn't it comforting to remember that we are safe and secure in our salvation?!

Like I said - I'd planned on writing a long post on this, but I feel compelled to share ANOTHER blog post with you instead. This post was written by the man who teaches our Wednesday night study, and I think you'll find it interesting, to say the least. I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on it -- VERY. But I warn you - you may want to save it to your iPod, or print it out and read it on the bus or something - because it does require some "thinking." (gasp!) So, click the link and get reading -- then come back here and holler-back!

In the meantime...Happy Easter!

Starting with the BIG topics right away!

2010-02-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Here’s an interesting article: Kentucky Crack Mom Faces Jail for Endangering Unborn Baby

You can read it yourself or just trust my summary: a Kentucky mother is facing jail time (in fact, she has indeed pled guilty) for endangering her unborn child’s life by using crack cocaine while she was pregnant. Her attorney is making the obvious (and ironic) argument that it doesn’t make sense to charge her with this crime if it’s “okay to kill” an unborn child through abortion. The Kentucky case is not the only one, either. Part of the issue regarding this case relates directly to a nearly identical case waiting to be considered by Kentucky’s Supreme Court - a case that goes back to 2006, but a brief Internet search will quickly show that this has been an issue since abortion became legal. If it is legal to kill a baby via abortion, how can it then be illegal to endanger it (and possibly kill it) via drug/alcohol use or other lifestyle choices during pregnancy?

Why this topic? Aren’t we already on the same page on this? Here’s why: I think that way too many godly women are taking the attitude that abortion, while it is a problem, is not “our” problem. It is the World’s problem, right? Christian women don’t have abortions! Think again. Would it surprise you to know that 37% of women who have abortions identify themselves as Protestants, and about 18% specifically as “Born Again/Evangelical”? And since over 90% of abortions are done for “social reasons” (as opposed to medical reasons or rape/incest - which I’m not saying is okay!), that means that a LOT of Christian women are having abortions, and that makes it our problem indeed!

Have we become hardened? Have we become so used to the sin around us that our spiritual senses have become dull? Have we begun to compromise? How did we - as Christian women - get this way?

What should our response be to those statistics - to the whole issue in general? Sure, we can expect the World to condone abortion, but does it disturb you that upwards of a quarter of a million children in the United States are murdered by their “Christian” mothers every year? Do we just shake our heads and click our tongues and thank the Lord that we don’t go to “that kind” of church?

I suppose, as blog posts go, this is probably a crazy one to start with (are you wishing I’d have stuck with Systematic Theology?), but it’s been on my heart so much lately that I just had to say something.

If you know me at all, you know that abortion is a big deal with me - and I am not ashamed to admit that I’m a single-platform voter when election time comes around (much to the chagrin of my more politically-minded friends); however, I find the statistics about “Christian” women and abortion to be quite troubling on a grander scale. I think it is indicative of a much larger problem within the Church today - the tendency to compromise so much that that line between us and the World gets blurrier and blurrier and eventually we just can’t find it at all. We compromise in the name of “love” and even in the name of “witnessing,” and it has finally gotten the best of us. We’ve stopped standing up for what is right - for what is RIGHTEOUS. We’re so afraid of being considered judgmental and fundamental and pharisaical that we have become willing instead to sacrifice righteousness on the altar of compromise, and I think Satan is pretty thrilled with that, don’t you?

We’ve gotten so used to compromising with the World that we’ve started doing it in the Church. We need to open our eyes and open our mouths and stop acting like dumb sheep following the rest of the World off a cliff in the name of compromise! We need to stop letting the World’s way of thinking infiltrate our spiritual lives and our homes and our churches.

I’m not suggesting that we go to the other extreme (even though my extremist nature is just screaming at me right now!) and all turn Amish! But I am suggesting that we start paying attention to those fundamentals that we supposedly hold to, starting with the inerrancy and authority of scripture and the importance of a literal hermeneutic!

Oh, and if you just said to yourself “literal-hermeneutic is such Christianese” then pause for a minute to smack yourself on the head! I’ll wait. Because seriously, THAT’S the kind of compromise that made 250,000 Christian women think it was okay to kill their children last year!

So the moral of the story is: don’t be afraid of being judgmental, right? :-) But “...judge with a right judgment” (John 7:24) and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). But at least speak!

♥ I’m memorizing 2 Peter 1:3-10. I would like to encourage you to memorize it with me if you don’t already know it. I’m focusing right now on that first line: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,” because it ties in so nicely with my current rant! We already have what we need - EVERYTHING we need. We don’t need to compromise or settle for the World’s idea of “good” - we already have “His precious and very great promises...”!

How can YOU respond to a Christian friend when it looks like she’s making sinful choices?

Rethinking Things...

2010-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Okay - I said January...it's February 1st. So close! Hopefully you'll understand why once you finish reading this post.

I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying about this Blog, this Study, my general reasons for even wanting to do all this, and what we should actually be doing.

Originally, I wanted a place where we could do some Bible studying together - even though we may be miles apart, but I wanted it to be more than just a milky, application-only, quasi-study...I never enjoyed those kinds of studies myself, nor have I ever found them truly useful. :-) But I also wanted a place where we could talk about things that are important to Christian women -- but not some place that was exactly like every other Christian women’s blog out there.

I still want those things.

After much thought and discussion (way back at the beginning), I decided to do the Systematic Theology study -- which I've enjoyed doing. And I still believe that the study of Systematic Theology is important and relevant. However, if you will recall (or just slide on down to the April 11, 2009 post), I tend to be an extremist. So even though I've enjoyed the ST study, it has become much more extreme than I planned (or anticipated!)...much larger in size, I mean (obviously it's a huge topic to begin with!). It’s been feeling more like I was writing a curriculum rather than a bi-monthly (okay, monthly!) Bible study, and that's not where I wanted to go with this ministry. Maybe it’s the extremist in me; maybe it’s the teacher in me; who knows. But I know that I was struggling and, I admit (gulp) sometimes dreading writing the studies.

The need is still there; the desire is still there; I’ve just been struggling with a way to give it a new start. ;-)

Praise the Lord for my amazing husband, Bob! For whatever reason – either because he sensed my reluctance and disquietude or because of some connection he has with the Lord’s will (I swear that guy has a direct line to God’s timeline sometimes!) – for whatever reason, he suggested to me that I might want to rethink this Blog and this study and this ministry as a whole.

Praise the Lord for Bob! (I needed to say it again.)

So...(you knew it was coming, right?), after much prayer and thought, I’m going to make some big changes. Hopefully you will be on the same band-wagon as I’m on…if not, well, I’ll probably finish that ST curriculum in the next decade or so – maybe I’ll sell it to a Bible college and you can take it as a regular class!

I still want this Blog to be a place we can come for Bible study, but on more of an informal scale, and I also want it to be a place where you can learn about things that are going on in the world – things that affect us, as Christian women, or things that we need to be aware of. There will still be actual Bible studying going on, but it will be more casual…less like school. :-) But I think there are things that need to be said (it IS a Blog, after all!), sites and articles that we need to look at, and issues that need to be discussed in a Biblical context.

What does this mean for YOU?

Well first of all, it means you’ll have to check in a little more regularly. Some of you already receive notifications when I update the Blog – let me know if you want me to add you to the list (or remove you); you can also add this Blog’s link to your feed reader (and if you don’t know what that is, well…just pretend I didn’t say it); you can just check in every now and then to see if I’ve added anything new; you can “Follow” this Blog; there are lots of things you can do to keep up with us here.

Second, just because we’re not doing the download-and-complete type of study anymore doesn’t mean you don’t have any “assignments” to do – be prepared to participate in what goes on here, whether by commenting on the site, talking with a friend (ooh – or a stranger!) about what you’ve learned, or just sending me cookies. :-)

Ultimately, I want this to be a Ministry – and as such, it’s important to me that it, well, MINISTERS to you in some way. So let me know your thoughts, will ya?

Did you think you were going to get off without any homework? Here’s a passage from 2 Peter that has really been on my heart lately. I’m thinking about memorizing it. Want to join me? Either way, read it, and see if you can figure out why it’s been on my heart. I’ll give you a hint: the answer is somewhere in the between-lines of this Blog post!

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall." (2 Peter 1:3-10, ESV)

Talk to you soon!

Resolutions, Anyone?

2009-12-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

I just realized that there are people who follow this Blog who aren't part of our "daily lives," so they may not know why we seem to have fallen off the grid! So, here's your update: We are on a hiatus from our Systematic Theology study until January. In the meantime, please keep Kim and Mark in your prayers as Mark continues to recover from brain surgery.

Rest up and enjoy your Christmas...because we start full-force in January - no foolin'!

Merry Christmas!

"Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer"

2009-09-29T09:45:00.001-07:00

Here's something else to think about...

More later..
kt

No Surprises, Part 1

2009-09-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a very cool thing: NOTHING surprises God.
Ruminate on that for a few days while I get my head back in the game.

Oh, and this, too...

I made it for Kim, but you should all be be able to enjoy it. :-) And if you want to see how Kim is doing, check her out here: Standing on the Rock

No More Introductions? INCONCEIVABLE!

2009-08-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

First, a little Field Trip down Memory Lane. Remember "The Princess Bride"?

I love the irony of this Lesson's blog title. I had always planned to title this one "No More Introductions," but I didn't think you'd believe me...after all, we've had nothing BUT Introductions in our first lessons! So I added the "Inconceivable" part as an afterthought, and then I realized that it fits perfectly with our lesson this week. This week's lesson starts off by looking at some theological terms that are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. Don't be like poor Vizzini in "The Princess Bride" (who I'm sure must have also struggled with his theology). Don't use the words Revelation, Inspiration, or Illumination interchangeably. Want to know why? Then get busy and get to studying!

Click here to download Lesson 3. There are a few study questions and three "Think About It" questions. When you are ready for the Key, click here. And, as usual, if you just want to go over to the Breadcrumbs site and get it all there, you can click here.

Try to get your original comments posted by the end of August, and then your responses done by the end of the Labor Day weekend. Don't be shy about responding to each other's comments. If someone says something that makes you think (or makes you question), shout it out! We're all ears!

If you have prayer requests that can be shared with the general public, go ahead and "comment" on those, too. Otherwise, feel free to email me with them and I'll make sure they're only seen by our "regular" followers. Which reminds me - if you're not "following" this Blog, or if you want to participate in our Study - there's no time like the present to get started!

Talk to you soon!

Lesson 2: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Doing the Bible Study...

2009-06-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

First, I muse: Sitting here in the office, working on this study, I’m reminded of that old object lesson about the frog in the pot of water. You remember the one: if you try to put a live frog in a pot of boiling water, he’ll jump out (smart frog!); but if you put him in the water when it’s cool and slowly raise the temperature, he’ll be unable to perceive the danger and he’ll be cooked to death. I know what you’re thinking - you’re thinking that I’m going to make some great connection to the study of the Word, to sin, or to some other really cool spiritual thing. But I’m not. Nope. I’m simply reminded that this room is very HOT, but if you get in here in the morning and heat up “with” it (like the frog), you don’t even notice it.

Oh, I suppose I’ll make a spiritual connection before we’re through…so be patient.

Second, I apologize: I think in hindsight it would have been better for me to wait until summer to start the study, but I was just too excited! As a result, I got us off to a rocky start last month, and I apologize for that. When I was helping Mom clean out her garage a couple of weeks ago, we found a piece of paper she used to use to “help” her with her busy life: it had daily schedules, so to speak. Things like, “Monday: wash sheets; Tuesday: dust knickknacks; Wednesday: vacuum…” You get the idea. Bottom line: it appears I come by my need to really-sit-down-and-plan-my-days naturally! Thanks, Mom! :-) Now, if I could only find my to-do list!

Third, I thank: THANK YOU for your perseverance and patience with me and with this study as we’ve tried to get it off the ground. For what it’s worth, I am SO thankful for each of you and for the way that you are sticking with this. Also, the praying thing – I was so encouraged by it, and I hope you were, too. In fact, I agree with Trish - I think we should make the praying thing a regular part of our study! We can post prayer requests here, or if you want to keep them more private, just do it through the email.

Fourth, I remind: Just a quick recap of our “routine” (can you call it a routine if you’ve only done it once?):

1. Read the Blog Post. Where else will you find my scintillating wit?

2. Download and try to complete the study within the first two weeks.

3. Try to post your responses to the “Think About It” questions by the end of the second week. Use the “comments” section on the Blog to do this. You may also post other thoughts/comments/questions, etc.

4. Use the third week to check back and comment on responses left by others.

5. The original #5 was “rinse and repeat,” but I’m going to change it to “pray for each other.” You don’t mind, do you?

Finally, I get to the point: I was just about to tell you that this lesson was an “introduction,” when I remembered that I told you that last time! Uh-oh! Problem is, it’s true! It IS an introduction – to the first “official” section of our study of systematic theology: Bibliology. I know you’re probably thinking: “When does the ‘real’ study start, sister?” Hah! Fooled ya! You ARE studying – I’m just so good at writing these that you hardly notice it! :-) You think this “introduction” is tough? Wait ‘til we get to the seven theories of Inspiration! Yeah! How d’ya like me now?! Look on the bright side: Chafer’s entire Systematic Theology is 2,300 pages. Haha…Bob…sucker! The abridged version we’re using is smaller, but it still uses a lot of Chafer’s arcane language. So, if you ever get to feeling like there’s too much to read, just remember the number 2,300. That’ll be our buzzword for when we start to feel the pain! :-)

So, if you’re ready to get to work, click here to download Lesson 2. When you're ready for the Key, click her e. And, of course, if you just want to get all this from the Breadcrumbs site (or if you need the .docx file), click here.

Oh. Were you hoping I’d come back to the boiling frog thing again? Well, your patience shall be rewarded! As I was doing this study, I found myself reminded of how often I take for granted what I know about the origins and structure of Bible – especially having been raised in a Christian home and attending Christian schools all my life. And I realized that, in a way, I’d become like that frog – just sitting there, oblivious to my surroundings, unable to see anything from another perspective...not for lack of desire, but for the sheer laziness of it. This part of the study sort of took my frog-self and threw it into a pot of already-boiling water…and bam! I shot straight up! I started looking around…looking at things from a new angle…and realizing that there is a lot more going on with this Book than I’ve ever noticed before. And I’ve made the decision to stop letting myself be cooked in the juices of my own complacency, and instead get in there and really find the new and refreshing truths the Bible has to offer.

And incidentally, according to the Internet, that whole frog-boiling thing doesn’t really work in real life, so no crazy homeschool science experiments, please! :-)

Talk to you soon!

Lesson 1, in which we read a lot and answer only a few questions.

2009-05-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

SORRY for waiting so long to post again…If you’re keeping up with my crazy life, you know that I was on Jury Duty for SEVEN weeks. It was amazing to me how tired I was at the end of each day! Anyway, I have concluded my civic duty, and am ready to get back on track.

Here are my opening thoughts, in no particular order:

…Chafer notes that “acquiring the knowledge of the spiritual content of the Bible is a lifelong task.” I hope it doesn’t take us that long to do THIS study! :-)

…Systematic Theology is a huge topic.

…It’s okay to be a little nervous. I know I am.

…Pass the chocolate. Oh, wait. That’s a whole new train of thought. :-)

Okay, this lesson covers both the Preface and the Prolegomena; the main distinction between the two being that the first one introduces the book(s) as a whole, and the second one introduces the specific study of theology. Chafer’s definition of prolegomena is “what is said before the main subject is discussed” (37), but both sections are being covered together in this lesson because they are both introductory in nature.

How to do this study:
I told you last time that I’d lay down the “instructions” for how to do the study and how to interact online, so let’s talk about that right now.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we’ll run on a three-week cycle. For those of you keeping track, that’s more than once a month, but less than twice. Hopefully it’s short enough to keep you from forgetting what we’re doing, but long enough to keep you from bailing out because you’re oh-so-busy. Yeah, I’m calling you out. :-)

Step 1: Read the Blog post: I’ll blather on for a while in the initial post: you know, try to give you an introduction, crack a few jokes, give a pep-talk, etc. Then, once you’ve read the Blog post, download the lesson and get to work, sister! In case you’re wondering, it’s not practical for me to post the whole “lesson” in a Blog post, so that’s why I’ve set them up for you to download. Plus this way, you can do the lesson from wherever you’re most comfortable. That’s right - no excuses!

Note: If you set yourself up as a “follower” of this Blog, you’ll be notified when there are new posts. This, of course, means you are my follower, so that makes you, um, “Kristians…” [pause for lightning bolt strike!] Hey, I said I’d crack a few jokes; I never promised they’d be GOOD jokes!

Step 2: Download and complete the study during the first two weeks. You can “check your answers” by downloading the Key, but don’t cheat. Cheaters never prosper.

The studies do require you to read, by the way. In fact, they are mostly reading with a few questions thrown in to keep you from falling asleep. If you think there’s too much reading, consider this: I could make you read Chafer’s Systematic Theology all by yourself, but instead I’m doing the heavy lifting for you. I’m just that nice. I’m reading the book and creating the study from what I read. Besides, a little reading never hurt anyone. Mostly.

Step 3: Throughout the lesson there are sections called “Think About It!” Post your responses to these questions by the end of the first two weeks (or sooner, if you finish sooner… overachiever). Use the “comment” section on the Blog post to do this. Don’t feel like you have to be as verbose as I am, but don’t skimp on your comments, either. Consider that your comments serve as a tremendous encouragement for everybody doing the study.

Note: DON’T post your answers to the Study Questions (just the “Think About It!” questions), but DO use the “comments” as a place to ASK questions if you need help or got stuck on something (or the Key didn’t make sense).

Step 4: Use the third week to check back and comment on responses left by others. (We can “talk” to each other that way…remember: it’s interactive.)

Note: If you want to be notified (by e-mail) when people comment, let me know and I’ll add you to the list. Otherwise, just check back often during that week.

Step 5: Rinse and Repeat. My goal is to post the next lesson at the beginning of the fourth week (which would technically be the first week of the next cycle, but I don’t want to confuse you…). If something is going to prevent me from getting the study up on time, I will let you know so you don’t have to wonder. For example, I’ll tell you right now that I’ll have the next study posted on time (May 31), but the one after that will probably be about a week late because the Mister and I are going on vacation. If you’re smart, you’ll take your vacation then, too! :-)

Okay, that’s about it. If you’re ready to proceed, click here to download Lesson 1. If you need to download it in "docx" format (why - because pdf isn't good enough for you?), you'll have to click here to be taken to the magic-download-site. When you're ready for the key, click here..

Talk to you soon!

Ostriches and Puzzle Pieces

2009-04-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

Subtitled: Finally, the Introduction! :-)

PC Study Bible Data

I have a confession to make: I’m an extremist. I struggle with seeing the “big picture” and instead tend to focus so intently on what’s facing me at the moment that I end up making it much bigger than it really is. Once in a while, this lends itself to bouts of deep creativity and productivity…but more often than not it just causes me to freak out, freeze up, and ultimately stick my head in the sand like some kind of human-ostrich. It’s one of the reasons I am so blessed to have Bob - he is forever reminding me to settle down, back up, and look at the situation from a broader perspective. When I’m busy focusing on one piece of the puzzle, he holds up the box and shows me what it really looks like. I love him for that.

And so, when I decided I wanted to do a Women’s Bible Study, of course I went extreme, and of course Bob came to my rescue once again. Originally, my plan was to go through a book of the Bible (if you’ve followed my life at all, you know I was focusing on 1 Peter), but that wasn’t happening…because I went into extreme-me mode. Yes, it’s only five chapters, and yes, I’m a teacher, so why would it be difficult to do that study? Hello?...Did you read the first paragraph of this post? I took one look at the opening phrase in verse one: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,” and freaked out. Too much! My inner extremist shouted. You’ll never get through it! You’ll need to study for weeks just to get people to understand how Peter is an apostle! How are you going to make THAT applicable to a Women’s Study?

And, while I was wasting time fretting about studying, Bob actually was studying. (He’s back in school, for those who don’t know, picking up another Master’s - this one in Apologetics.) His first few classes are all on Systematic Theology, and he’s working his way through Chafer’s VERY LENGTHY 8-volume set on the subject. Every time he reads, he tells me about some new thing he’s learned; some interesting aspect about God that I never knew (yes, even though I was raised in church and went to a Christian college); some new insight that has strengthened his faith.

And in the Lord’s perfect timing…at exactly the same time I was about to scrap this whole study-thing and just do one of those Nav Press “LifeChange” studies (not that there’s anything wrong with that)…Bob said to me, “You know what you should do for your Women’s Study?” Please don’t say Systematic Theology, I thought to myself. But he tapped his finger on the open volume in front of him and said it anyway: “Systematic Theology!”

Obviously, I balked. If I got so freaked out over the first phrase of the first verse of 1 Peter, how in the world did he think I was going to feel about Systematic Theology? And how in the world could I make THAT pertinent to the needs of a Women’s Study? Oh, but didn’t I mention how Bob is blessed with the ability to see the big picture and the ability to show it to me? And that is just what he did. He started reminding me of our daily conversations about what he’s learning, again pointing out the ways in which his study of Systematic Theology has renewed his mind (Romans 12:2), strengthened his faith (Romans 8:31; Philippians 4:6-7), and helped him provide a ready defense for the Hope within him (1 Peter 3:15). Really, how much more relevant does it get than that? Ultimately, he reminded me, looking at the bigger picture was a much better way to go.

Of course I’m stubborn, and when my ostrich-head is in the sand it sometimes takes more than simple coaxing to get it out. So, as I prayed about it, the Lord graciously put some situations in my path that really highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of the broader, deeper study of Theology. I won’t break them all down for you here (I want to use some of them for illustrations later!), but ultimately it came down to this: More and more Christians - good ol’ God-fearin’, Jesus-lovin’ folks - are more and more unable to explain WHY they believe what they believe. And while I could ramble on about whose fault that might be, it really doesn’t matter at this point (or for this study) - because regardless of how we got in this situation, we’re here now. And in this postmodern age, the truth is seen as more pliable than reliable, so if we can’t rationally and logically explain the facts behind our faith, then we are on a steep precipice. Satan would like nothing better than to see our faith be based on feelings…feelings, after all, are so fleeting. But ours is a faith based on fact…faith that may produce certain feelings, to be sure, but not faith based on feelings. Don’t mix them up.

Why Systematic Theology? As opposed to what, Unsystematic Theology? Systematic Theology is just a systematized way of studying theology, so don’t make it fancier than it is. But the real response to this question goes back to all those conversations I had (and am still having) with Bob about his studies, and the realization that the “big picture” view is a much better way to go. What is it we always hear people saying (and say ourselves): “I just don’t understand. I pray. I read the Bible. Why am I still X?” or “Why don’t I understand Z?” or “Why isn’t God making His will clear to me?” Could it be because we’re only looking at one or two pieces of the puzzle? Bob and I did a puzzle together once - it hangs over the fireplace now…because it was a feat, let me tell you! It was a photo-mosaic puzzle, so the “big picture” itself was actually a bunch of smaller pictures put together…and then broken into even more pieces as a puzzle. We’d complete one small section, and that section would seem complete in itself, but outside of the big picture it could not make complete sense. It wasn’t until we systematically completed the entire puzzle that we were able to see how all the little pictures made up one really cool picture!

Problem is, as believers, we look at the deeper study of the things of God in much the same way as we look at puzzles -- and I’m moving past the little-pieces-make-big-pictures analogy here. We look at puzzles and say, “Whoa! Too many pieces!” Or we start them, but get bored because it really takes a lot of work (and concentration) to do a big puzzle. Or we make fun of puzzle-people…wonder why they don’t get a life and all that! Or we focus on one little piece and ignore the rest -- I have a student who makes earrings out of puzzle pieces. One puzzle piece may be beautiful and useful (as jewelry), but all by itself it is inadequate for helping me see what the big picture is. But if I am unwilling to put all the pieces together - to take the time and make the effort to study the deeper things - then I am left with a whole lot of costume jewelry that looks nice, but lacks meaning.

So again, why Systematic Theology? Because too many of us lack the training to even understand what we believe, much less defend or explain it to someone else! A systematic study of these very broad and very deep things about God will help us put that puzzle together. And take it one step further - beyond defense of the faith - to everyday life (we’re always falling back on the old “how does this apply to my life” thing anyway)…Seeing the big picture leads to understanding, and that understanding shapes our Christian Walk! So rather than simply throwing up our hands and saying, “Jesus, take the wheel!” We understand - in a big picture way - WHY we can ask Him to do that, and why He can even do it to begin with!

Want a relevant study? A systematic study of the things of God is one of the most relevant things we can do! The study of systematic theology forces you to see the big picture…God’s whole plan laid out for you. Studying that whole plan forces you to truly understand your place in that plan, and once that’s done, then you can REST from so many of those things that you struggle with! For example, we say, “Yes, I know I’m saved. I know the plan of salvation, the Romans Road, etc,” but knowing that on an intellectual level, and knowing that as part of the big plan is different! You can know the words and their definitions, but can you tell what they mean for you (no touchy-feely emotionalism, please!) and how they relate to God’s big picture? You know, most of our daily life problems come from a lack of resting in Christ. Meaning what? Meaning that we aren’t resting because we spend all our time fretting and stressing and saying things like, “I’m a lousy Christian,” or “I’m supposed to be perfect,” not understanding that you’re already perfect -- in Christ! We worry about the temptations of the Devil, not truly understanding that Christ has already conquered the Devil. Sure, we know those things as small pieces of the puzzle. We wear our “perfected in Christ” and “Jesus conquered the Devil” earrings, if you will, but until we see them in connection with the big picture - with the rest of the pieces of the puzzle - we have no understanding of their relevance. And once we see the big picture, we see the relevance. And once we see the relevance, we rest. And I’ll tell you something else - when I look at that photo-mosaic puzzle over my fireplace, I have the option now of looking at the tiny pictures or at the big picture - because it ALL makes sense now. And I no longer wonder about how each little picture is going to relate. I can rest and enjoy it, because I see it for what it is.

Talk about having a REASON for the HOPE within you!

But won’t the study of Systematic Theology make us legalistic and pharisaical? Why? Because that happened to someone you know? Listen, I know someone who choked on a piece of bread, but you don’t see me blaming the bread, do you (or worse, avoiding bread all together)!? Talk about extremism!

Want to know what makes us legalistic and pharisaical? Sin.

How’s that for big picture!

So, we now embark upon a great-big-honkin-study…granted, we’ll use the abridged version of Chafer’s work, but it’s going to be big. Oooh - like our God. He’s big, too! Remember that old song, “My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty - there’s nothing my God cannot do!” And believe me, if He can get me to write this study, He can get you to do it!

My next post will include the actual-and-official Lesson #1, along with instructions on how to do it, how to “interact online” with each other, etc. But before we begin, I want you to read and think about the following verses: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and 2 Peter 2:2-4. After you read them, meditate on them, and pray about them. Then post your thoughts here, using the comment section. This is just to get the juices flowing; and also because I doubt you followed my instructions in my last post (about reading the whole Bible in 2 weeks). :-)

What's going on here???

2009-04-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

There's been a change of plans...but change is a good thing! After much prayer and consideration, I've decided to switch to something MUCH broader than 1 Peter. Not that ol' Pete doesn't have good things to say (I mean, come on, who doesn't want to learn about suffering?!)...but I think I'd like to paint with a broader brush for our first study.

So...where does that leave us? Well, the book(s) I'm interested in studying just came in the mail TODAY, so once I get into them a bit I'll give you more info. In the meantime, here's a hint: it's a study that will cause you to think, but will also give you reason to be encouraged and to encourage others.

In preparation, read the whole Bible. Go on - read it. You have until Tuesday next. Ready? :-)

Here We Go!

2009-02-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

We will be starting our study in the book of 1 Peter. Ready? Set? Go!