The Story

What could happen if we took a journey as a whole community through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation? What if that journey wasn’t just for adults, but encompassed all ages, from oldest to youngest, all walking in the same direction? How might our stories change, as individuals and as the St. Luke family, by leaning into His Story together more intentionally? And how would we approach the everyday stories and relationships around us differently after walking together along the Bible’s overarching story of grace? We would experience the Holy Spirit’s shaping and see more clearly with the eyes of Jesus.

The Journey

This October we begin a 31-week journey through the Bible using The Story, an abridged, chronological Bible, whose translation is the NIV (New International Version). The Story reads like a novel as it presents the continuing story of God and His people.

Beginning October 6, we’ll read a chapter of The Story each week, taking a short break around Christmas. While celebrating Holy Week and Easter, we’ll read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ passion and resurrection. And at the end of our journey in May, we’ll look back and see His Story, and ours, differently. God will show us more fully how to live out the St. Luke mission of “Seeking Everyone’s Story … Sharing in His Story,” seeing the world more clearly through the eyes of Jesus.

More Than Reading

Engaging The Story is more than simply reading the Bible at home. Our Sunday mornings will follow The Story from week to week, with the sermon functioning as the introduction to the following week’s corresponding chapter. Discipleship hour, including our children in Sheepfold Sunday School and Youth, will dig deeper in the chapter, and then Home Groups will take each chapter into the week, meeting over food and deeper discussion of The Story. In short, as a faith family we’ll be all-in with The Story!

The Power of Together

Imagine riding home after worship and discipleship hour, talking about what you experienced that morning. Now imagine that everyone in your vehicle is discussing the same topic, the same character, and the same theme. This will be powerful!

From Lamb Lot and Sheepfold Sunday School, to Youth Ministry and Adults, to Home Groups and informal gatherings, we’ll all be hearing and exploring the same Bible story each week. Imagine the benefit to our community of hearing this variety of responses from slightly different angles, ages and experiences! While many of the stories will be familiar, they all offer a unique experience of the greater story of God’s work to redeem and restore His creation through Jesus.

 

How Should I Engage The Story?

While there’s no one right way to engage The Story at St. Luke this year, we think you’ll benefit the most by focusing on the following:

Own a copy of the Book. Purchase a copy of The Story (grade 6 thru adults) or The Story for Kids (grade 4-5) through St. Luke. You may preorder your copy by clicking here or pay in person in the St. Luke lobby beginning September 22. Books will be available for pick up or purchase in the lobby on September 29 & October 6.

The sale price of The Story ($5) and The Story for Kids ($10) merely covers the cost, though we don’t want cost to stand in the way. Please see a staff member if you’d like a copy and are unable to purchase one. Alternatively, if you’d like to help provide a copy for someone else by giving more when you purchase your own, we’d be happy to receive your gift.

To purchase The Story as a digital book, click here.

In addition, listening to The Story can be a great way to take in each chapter, listening in the car as you run errands, at home as a family, during a workout, etc. The following versions of The Story are available as a digital audio book:

Read. Each week’s chapter of The Story will have you encountering the grand story of God’s mission to redeem and restore His world, focused uniquely through each individual story from Scripture.

Worship. We know that we’re on the right track when we’re regularly receiving from Jesus through weekly worship. Plan to attend worship as often as you can. Each week we’ll preview the chapter to be read the following, providing context and creating curiosity.

Discipleship Hour. Being part of a class during discipleship hour is a great way to dig deeper into each week’s theme, together with others from St. Luke. Children and youth will be doing just that in their respective classes. Adults, plan to be part of one of the following adult classes:

  • Men’s – Rooms 104/105
  • Women’s – Rooms 101/102
  • General – West Wing

Home Group. Taking worship into the week, especially through a Home Group, has been a significant rhythm at St. Luke for many years. Home Groups meet in someone’s home for food, relationship, and discussion about the chapter, creating a space to dig deeper together. We know Jesus will be shaping you by His Spirit as you encounter The Story. Your Home Group is one place where you’ll experience the power of someone asking you, “What’s Jesus speaking into your life through this chapter of The Story? What response to it is he shaping in you?”

What if I’ve Already Read The Bible?

Fantastic! We can’t wait for everyone at St. Luke to join you in being able to say that! Whether you’ve read through the Bible one time, ten, or barely ever, God promises that His word is living and active. Count on discovering something new and fresh every time you open The Story. Not only that, someone else needs you to take this journey of discovery with them. Count on Jesus using you to help them see with new eyes. Count on Jesus using to help you see His story even more clearly. We’re all in this together, and we need you for the journey!

Here we go!

We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a significant year of being shaped by Jesus through His Word. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would work powerfully among us as we lean into His Story, and that His Story would make us even more intentional about seeking the stories of those around us, people that Jesus has placed on our path. We’re so glad you’re coming along!