Mr. Raymond Rossell, a lay evangelist in the Southern Baptist Church, has found The Biblical Tell-Tale Time-Line to be a tremendous help in his community outreach.

His method is simple: He spends a lot of time in the community diner, just being available. He has, over time, become known as a Christian and a seeker of lost souls, which tends to draw searchers to his table. He now uses Crossways International’s Biblical Tell-Tale Time-Line as his primary evangelistic tool. He draws and explains some of the symbols (shown) on the timeline, and then works through the timeline to show people the way to salvation.

Says Mr. Rossell, "Crossways International has had a tremendous impact in not only my daily Bible study, but in my outreach in the community. Due to my position in the community, I have many people who stop and inquire about the Bible. Here is where the CI materials have been most helpful. The timeline has become the standard instrument to present the Gospel message. With its detailed graphics and easy-to-identify- and-remember icons, I lead people through the entire timeline and offer them a panoramic view of God’s divine plan that was fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ. I have given away many copies of The Bible’s Big Story as a follow-up to their questions and/or comments.

"Dr. Wendt’s insight and straightforward presentation of the unfolding drama of God’s Word through Crossways [International] has been the most rewarding time I have spent in Bible study, whereby the Bible’s message is brought into clear focus."

More Ideas on Psalm-Writing and a Contemporary Approach to the Prophets

Last month we reported on a Crossways class in California whose members wrote their own psalms. Here's another approach to psalm writing offered by Crossways instructor Marge Franzen, of Peace Lutheran Church in Lombard, Illinois. Franzen's classes compose psalms during unit 35 ("Psalms") of the Crossways manual. The class first goes through outlines of the Psalm categories. Then they study the material in the Psalms themselves in order to understand the Psalmic cycle. For the last 25 minutes of the period, Marge has her class compose a song of praise or a lament. She says having her students compose their own psalms makes them think about where they are in their lives, while reinforcing the ideas and themes of the class. The students take their work home to finish it. The next week, there is an opportunity to share what they have composed, although it is not mandatory. Some of the compositions are very private and therefore are not shared with the class, although students will sometimes give Franzen these compositions to read privately. Franzen says, "Writing Psalms can very quickly put them through the structured process, where they feel active healing and feel the prayer dynamic, as well as the poetic element. It helps them to develop their prayer life." Marge also has a technique she uses when the class is studying the  prophets. Students to bring in an ad or newspaper clipping that echoes an issue found in one of the prophetic books. Techniques like these help to underline the eternal — and therefore contemporary — truth that the Bible contains.

For more on The Biblical Tell-Tale Time-Line, click here.

Please contact us with your questions (& pictures!) and tell us about your own experiences with Crossways International's materials and resources. û