Living Participant Guide (Student/Study Guide)

This Covenant experience will guide participants in a comprehensive, in-depth study of the Bible over twenty-four weeks. Unlike the learning participants may have experienced in other groups, this in-depth study of the whole Bible emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant as a unifying pattern through all the books in the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the unique relationship that God chooses to have with us as God’s people. This relationship is grounded in the faithfulness of God’s love and on our ongoing commitment to stay in love with God while we share signs of that love with others. Each episode connects to an aspect of this covenant relationship, which is summarized in the heading of each participant guide. COVENANT TRANSLATES INTO ACTIONS-into how we behave in our everyday lives. That’s why the second module, Living the Covenant, focuses on how the community lives out their covenant in faithful love-how it’s applied to actual relationships in daily life. The books included in these eight episodes examine the practical challenges of faithful covenant life. We explore leadership problems among tribal chieftains, kings and prophets, and spiritual and political crises. They look for practical wisdom and guidance in the teachings of Israel’s sages, the letters of Paul, and more. And by demonstrating how people of vastly different cultures came together in a common purpose, they show how faithful love is the root of the covenant life. Each participant in the group needs the Participant Guides and a Bible. The CEB Study Bible is preferred. The Living Participant Guide is 8 weeks long, and has a lay flat binding making it easy to take notes in the generous space provided on each page. The Living Participant Guide contains the following episodes: Episode 9: Ruth, Esther, Song of Songs Ruth, Esther, and Song of Songs are a part of the “Festival Scroll” and linked to sacred celebrations in Israel’s life. In the story of Ruth, both Ruth and Boaz risk caring beyond conventional expectations, displaying faithful, expansive love with consequences for Israel’s royal future. Esther risks everything to identify with her people and rescue them from a genocidal plot. Song of Songs displays the power and passion of a “crazy love” that also helps us understand God’s love. Episode 10: Luke and Acts Luke and Acts offer a vision of who God is and what salvation means. For the writer of Luke, Jesus is a prophet who reveals God’s heart and intention to r