Spiritual Journey Press
P.O Box 3041, Mercerville, NJ 08619 USA
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P.O Box 3041, Mercerville, NJ 08619 USA
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Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover Bible Studies, Retreats and Seminars
Dr. Spitzer can customize a Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover experience for your church.
ORGANIZING YOUR JCCC STUDY
Most people will read Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover as part of a small group experience. I believe this to be an optimal course of action, because study groups provide a sense of accountability and companionship which encourages us to finish what we have started. It also accords well with Jesus’ own strategy with his disciples. Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover can be studied using a variety of strategies and levels of congregational involvement. A great deal of flexibility is built into this study in order to permit churches to pursue it in light of its other commitments and scheduling needs. Studying Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover The Bible’s portrayal of Jesus’ Messianic journey is comprehensive and multi-faceted. Reading it from cover to cover can be a daunting task! To make it more achievable, I have broken it up into seven modules, each of which can be completed in less than two months:
The Old Testament can be covered in a minimum of sixteen weekly discussions and the New Testament in nineteen. In just thirty-five weeks, the whole Bible can be surveyed! Beginning in September and meeting weekly, a group could complete the course by summer of the next year. If the group commenced its journey in January, the study could be completed by year’s end. Of course, there is nothing magical about the one year time frame; there is no reason why a church could not take more than a year to complete its reading through the Bible. In order to encourage attendance, I would suggest offering each section as a mini-course or elective. In this way, people who did not start the course could join in later, and people who do not desire to complete the whole study can participate in just those modules that interest them. I believe there is a great spiritual value in encouraging an entire congregation to focus on Jesus’ Messianic journey for a year. This can be accomplished in four ways:
For churches that wish to engage in the studying of Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover on a smaller scale, the study can be used in two ways:
Focusing on Jesus’ Journey in the Gospels It is my hope that readers will not be content with spending only one week on each Gospel. Their presentation of Jesus’ Messianic journey is too richly detailed for such a cursory reading to be entirely satisfying! Accordingly, in Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover, I have included an in-depth investigation of Jesus’ life according to the four Gospels based on my Endless Possibilities model of spiritual journeying. It is not a difficult model to grasp, and its basic points are included in the introduction of the section. As an alternative to the above study schemes, I would recommend that each Gospel be covered as a free-standing module. This would allow for in-depth study and discussion of specific passages. Mark can be covered easily in less than a month. I would encourage six to eight weeks for the other three Gospels.
What the Reader Brings to this Journey I have sought to provide the main dish for this spiritual feast, but I do ask the reader to bring the rest of the meal! Since most of the readers will be studying the lessons as part of a learning group, I trust that the leaders will encourage discussion regarding how the themes should be applied to our lives. Leaders should also be prepared to provide illustrations appropriate to their setting to make the discussions more personal. Each chapter intentionally provides far more material than can be absorbed in an average study session, and so the group leader will need to pick and choose according to the needs and interests of the group.
Here is a sample retreat idea:
Exploring Jesus’ Messianic Journey
An 8 week Discussion of the Four Gospels Based on Jesus Christ from Cover to Cover By Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer ABCNJ Senior Regional pastor
“Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Jesus is the central figure of Christianity.
The 4 Gospels chronicle Jesus’ spiritual journey – each in a unique way – and contain a mysterious pattern that can help us unlock the true meaning of his life.
Join your friends from church and discover. . .
· The phases of Jesus’ spiritual journey – and how his spiritual progress can serve as a foundation for our journey faithfulness. · The reasons why the church needed four gospels to cover one awesome life – and what each gospel uniquely contributes to our appreciation of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. · How Jesus fulfilled the Messianic hopes of the Hebrew prophets and the Old Testament. · Jesus’ teachings concerning the Kingdom of God and many other topics. · The significance of Jesus’ many signs, miracles, healings, parables and friendships. · Why the Jewish leaders and people had so much difficulty accepting Jesus’ Messianic claims. · Why Christians believe that Jesus is not only our Messiah and Savior, but also divine.
Give Jesus eight weeks of attention – and grow in your appreciation of his love! |
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