In today’s Back Page we will be discussing two items of importance: for one, I want to introduce you to the preaching series that (Lord willing) we will soon begin and second, to ask everyone to consider allocating $20 for a book – now hold that thought.

        As I have mentioned before, after our study of Jude, we will begin a series studying a book of the Bible each Lord’s day – meaning we will study Genesis one Sunday, Exodus the next Sunday, and so on. This means we will get through the whole Bible in roughly 67 to 68 Sundays.

        Now why: why this series? There are a lot of reasons why. For one, a number of godly pastors that I respect, as well as some solid theologians, all recommend or have preached such a series and have seen the fruit produced in people as a result. Consider this: we can spend 20 or 30 years in church and never hear a sermon on the Book of Obadiah; or have an understanding of the relationship between the Book of Jonah and Nahum; or know that Esther is the only book in the Bible that doesn’t mention God. And what’s more, knowing the main themes, characters, and key passages in God’s Word are matters critical to Christian growth. This upcoming series will give us sure footing and the broad brush-strokes of Scripture – it will give the “big picture” of the “whole counsel of God.” Someone once said understanding God’s Word without the “big picture” can be compared to trying to find our way around a strange city without a map! One theme of the Old Testament is “Promises Made” and of the New Testament “Promises Kept.” So: if we aren’t familiar with promises God made in the Old Testament then, in a sense, we are reading the New Testament with one arm tied behind our back. And I could go on and on talking about the benefits of this upcoming series – I am that excited about it.

        So there’s why – why we’ll be embarking on this particular path through God’s Word and now here’s the second reason for this morning’s Back Page: I want to ask you to consider putting aside $20 to cover the cost of a workbook that I have been using as part of my study to preach this series. This workbook will be delivered to you 3-hole punched and in a 3-ring binder. My sermon notes for this series will be on a full-page of paper and also be 3-hole punched. This will produce a single and personal resource summarizing what we will learn about each book of the Bible, the themes, major characters and so on, and then be a reference resource we can use for many years to come – should the Lord tarry. What I would have given to have such a resource all these years!

        Beginning next Sunday we will have a sign-up sheet in the foyer for anyone interested in making this purchase. I encourage you to prayerfully consider getting this resource – it will be a blessing!

        Pastor John