We like stories here at the blog. We like the idea of preaching with story and we like the idea of understanding our life as part of God’s great story of re-creation and restoration of all things to him.
So I was pleased when Zondervan publishers sent a set of books to review all built around The Story. Developed by Randy Frazee, Senior Pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonia, TX, The Story is God’s story found in the Bible developed into a chronological narrative. The book is not scripture per se, but portions of scripture – the New International Version – carefully excerpted and then placed in chronological order. It also has sections that were written to summarize omitted scripture to help the storyline read smoothly.
The 31 chapters begin with the creation story and work their way through the Old Testament and into the New Testament. At the end of the book, an epilogue provides the reader with what kind of global impact The Story of God has had on the world.
The book comes in a version for adults as well as teens.
This would be a great book to use to get an overall understanding of scripture and God’s story. This is also part of a whole campaign churches can use to help the people understand The Story.
Additionally, another book will be available in August by Randy Frazee entitled, The Heart of the Bible. This book will help you see God’s Word in a new and inspiring light. This book’s goal is to help you discover one grand, unfolding epic—God’s story from Genesis onward, and your own story contained within it.
To understand the Bible, says author and pastor Randy Frazee, you need bifocal lenses, because two perspectives are involved. The Lower Story, our story, is actually many stories of men and women interacting with God in the daily course of life. The Upper Story is God’s story, the tale of his great, overarching purpose that fits all the individual stories together like panels in one unified mural.
Max Lucado wrote the forwards to all the books. Max Lucado is the former Senior Pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio.
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I just downloaded a copy of The Heart of the Story. It is definitely an easy an read and thus far I am enjoying the book. In fact, I am thinking of doing the campaign with my church. My only concern is that its a 31 week commitment and in my church we are so use to having several series within our church preaching calendar.