Zooming Out
I mentioned in a previous post how I've been reading through the book of Colossians over and over because I want to put myself into the story and it into me), instead of taking one verse and "applying it to my life". But even that method is probably incomplete. I've been studying through the book of Acts for a few months with my small group from church. We're to chapter 9 and so far it's been a rich and encouraging experience. We've gotten into the life of the early church...both the story of the early community of Jesus-followers and the specific stories of some individual like Peter and Stephen. But someone told me about a practice that he does with his seminary students recently that got me thinking about zooming out. Regularly they ask each other to tell the Gospel story in 5 minutes. But "Gospel story" does not refer to the 4 spiritual laws, the "Romans road' or how to pray a pray so you can go to heaven when you die. Rather it refers the the entire Biblical narrative...the story of God in the world. What would you include? What would you leave out? What is the big picture? We had a good discussion about it tonight with my small group. I think we are going to make it a regular practice. So go ahead, zoom out.
posted by justin ubel at 11:05 PM
2 Comments:
Your two posts on zooming out, and reading for the whole were great. I'm am glad and refreshed with this new passion and skill myself. I hope that the pendulum doesn't swing too far so that I can't see the parts too.
Sounds like a modern day sermon by Stephen.....his sermon that he gives before his stoning is the narrative story of God, working with people.
Though it was specific to its audience, Stephan tells the story of God in 5 minutes.
I wonder what an audience specific story of God would look like today...in the Pacific NW.
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