What exactly is The Story and why are we doing it at Centreville Presbyterian Church (CPC)?
The Story is a book that condenses the Bible into 31 accessible chapters. Although it is not the Bible in its entirety, The Story is a tool that uses thoughtfully chosen and carefully excerpted portions of Scripture. The Story also includes written transitions and reads like a novel that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation, covering the Bible chronologically.
The idea is that after reading The Story together as a church we will all have experienced the Bible in a brand new way. Hopefully you will be glued to every page, wrapped up in the lives of the characters, wanting to know more about the Author of this incredibly intense, heart-warming, life-changing true story.
For CPC, 2014 promises to be an incredible year as we all immerse ourselves in the words on the pages of the Bible. We expect God to move in big ways in the lives of our church family as our faith grows stronger and deeper through inviting His words of redemption and hope into our lives.
Are we using The Story instead of the Bible this year?
The book The Story is not meant to replace the Bible. Rev. Eyde Mabanglo has aptly described The Story “as curriculum that is heavily Bible infused.” It is simply a tool to help us experience the Bible better. As always, the Bible will be our ultimate guide and the final authority in our lives.
Why should I have a copy of The Story when I already have a Bible?
The Story includes written transitions, timelines, discussion questions, and other valuable resources that we will be using all year long. We strongly recommend that everyone have a personal copy of The Story. You won’t be disappointed. The Story presents the Bible in a very easy-to-read format that we will be referencing for the next several Growth Group seasons at CPC. In addition to reading the book, you will most likely use it as a workbook, writing all sorts of notes and thoughts in the margin and highlighting what sticks out to you.
Do I need to bring both The Story and my Bible to church with me?
We suggest that you do. We will be referencing both throughout the service. We will be asking you to use it as a workbook during the messages, suggesting you make notes in the margins and underline/highlight sections along the way. In addition, your children in third grade through high school may want to bring it with them.
Where can I get a copy of The Story?
The Story is available at the Connection Center in the lobby of CPC. One book is free for every household. Extra copies are available for $5.
Should I read a chapter of The Story before I come to church each weekend?
Yes. You will know in advance which chapters we will be covering. It will be of great benefit to you to read the chapter before coming to Sunday services.
When are we beginning The Story?
The kickoff Sunday is February 16th. You will not need to read anything for this weekend. February 16th will just present an overview of The Story and where we are headed with it for the next couple of years. However, you will want to read chapter one for February 23rd.
If I hear the message on the weekend, what would be the benefit of also discussing the same topic in my Growth Group?
You might be thinking that studying the same chapter of a book in every area of the church may get redundant. We promise you, though, it won’t. There is so much meat packed in every chapter that we hope when you come to Sunday services you will get one perspective, your Growth Group another perspective and your discussions with other readers another viewpoint. Through these different perspectives the Word will just continue to deepen inside of us. You will still greatly benefit from attending weekend services and a weekly group study this year.
