Could you use a summertime sermon energizer that also whets appetites for more in-depth Bible study in the fall?
Pastor Barry L. Mueller of Christ Lutheran Church in New Baltimore, Michigan devised just such a program — and it worked to great success. Below, Paster Mueller shares with us his formula for stoking his people's hunger for the Word.
I used See Through the Scriptures® as a summer sermon series on Sunday mornings. The parishioners appreciated it greatly and it boosted enrollment for fall Bible study significantly.
I planned a series of 20-minute sermons during the summer months, using one or two of the STS transparencies each time. I focused on a particular theme each week, such as, "The Church's God-Given Purpose," "God's Attitude: Grace," and "Contemporary Themes from Ancient Times." Because the transparencies are so colorful and loaded with meaning, they really captured everyone's attention and helped to clarify and reinforce the Word.
My hope for the summer sermon series was three-fold:
- To introduce people to Crossways International's materials;
- To help people perceive the richness of the Bible's story;
- To instill interest in a more in-depth biblical study in the fall.
As a follow-up to the summer STS series, we began 13 one-hour sessions of See Through the Scriptures® each week in the Sunday morning adult Bible study from September through November. On Tuesday mornings, I do a Matins prayer service followed by one of the Crossways units (specifically, one of the units from Section 5: The Gospels and Acts). Our confirmation class of seventh and eighth graders also use CI's materials. These in-depth studies provide us with a rich array of topics for group discussion and insights into how the Bible's message applies to contemporary life today.
My hope all along has been for people to experience a whole new level of joy in reading and learning the Scriptures. And I do see it happening!
For more on See Through the Scriptures®, click here.
Please contact us with your questions (& pictures!) and tell us about your own experiences with Crossways International's materials and resources.
