Resources

This fall we will be focused on three important chapters of the Bible: Genesis 1, 2 and 3.

The Bible is one story. It began with the creation of a world with a “very good”  design, but then it went off course; paradise was lost. Since that moment, God has never stopped loving all of creation. God has been working to save it. 

What exactly do we need to be saved from? What needs to be restored? What did we lose in paradise? 

This series will help us understand the big problem God has been actively working to solve.

Our journey exploring these chapters will begin in our Sunday Services through teaching, prayer and worship. 

But Sunday service is the beginning.  There are also lots of resources available to help us further learn and apply these important verses.

An important part of our spiritual growth is being part of a community group where we get to know each other, can help and pray for each other and apply the truths in the Bible to our daily lives.

For each teaching we will post a range of books, podcasts, videos, and sermons. For those looking to dive deeper, these resources could be a big help. See these resources below.

Whole Series:

  • Sermons: 

    • How WE Use the Bible (2021) - 47min 

      • CCA sermon discussing our core belief about the Bible. 

      • Video

  • Books

    • Asking Better Questions of the Bible: A Guide for the Wounded, Wary, and Longing for More - Marty Solomn

      • Too often when we come to the Bible, questions make us uncomfortable. But questions are often a good thing. When we stop viewing the Bible through the lens of our own agendas and ask the questions the Bible is asking, something extraordinary happens. We form a new and deeper way of thinking about Scripture and understanding the Bible. As we do, we move further into the depths and mystery of God.

      • Order on Amazon 

    • Wisdom for Faithful Reading: Principles and Practices for Old Testament Interpretation - Dr. John H. Walton 

      • The church has too often lost its way in reading the Old Testament for lack of sound principles of interpretation. When careless habits get us off track, we can lose sight of what the Bible is really saying, derailing our own spiritual growth and even risking discredit to God’s word.

      • We need a consistent approach to give us confidence as faithful interpreters.

      • Order on Amazon

    • Genesis for Everyone, Part 1 - John Goldingay

      • The book of Genesis is a lively read featuring familiar biblical tales such as the creation of the world, Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit, Noah and the flood, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, the Tower of Babel, and Sodom and Gomorrah. While readers may know the facts of these stories, Goldingay's work will instill in them a deeper understanding of their spiritual and theological significance.

      • Order on Amazon

    • Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again - Rachel Held Evans

      • If the Bible isn't a science book or an instruction manual, what is it? What do people mean when they say the Bible is inspired? 

      • Order on Amazon

Part 1: Very Good

    • Experience it: 

      • A New Liturgy // 05 Here are my Hands - 30 minutes

      • This two-part liturgy is all about recapturing the holy possibility of our commutes. 

        • 15 min - On the way to work, Part ONE helps us to pray "God, here are my hands. What do You want to do through me today in my job? May my hands, voice, and heart help to bring Your Kingdom here on earth."

        • 15 min - And on the way home from work, Part TWO helps us reflect on the day, confess our sins, forgive those who have wronged us, and let it all go.

        • Listen on Spotify

        • Purchase for $5

  • Podcast: 

    • BEMA //  Introduction - 38 minutes 

      • Introductory conversation about the world of the Bible, investigating the differences between eastern and western perspectives.

      • Podcast

    • BEMA // Trust The Story - 51 minutes

      • About the creation story in Genesis 1 and the foundation it lays for understanding the scriptural narrative correctly.

      • Podcast

    • Bible Project - Cosmology - 35 minutes 

      • What does the Bible really say about the origins of the universe? The biblical authors had a completely different framework for this question than we do. When we expect the Bible to settle our debates, we close ourselves off from understanding the text as they intended it.

      • Podcast

    • Bible Project - Abundance 1 & 2 - 1 Hour 

      • Trace the theme of generosity and abundance through the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis 1 & 2. 

      • Podcast 1

      • Podcast 2

  • Videos

    • Bible Project: Genesis 1 - 7:43 Minutes 

      • Watch an explanation of the story of God's creation of the universe in Genesis 1. Learn how these key bible verses are designed to show us God's purpose.

      • Video

Part 2: Mankind

Part 3: Stop & Rest

  • Videos:

    • Bible Project: Sabbath- 5:26 Minutes

      • On page one of the Bible, God orders a beautiful world out of chaotic darkness within a sequence of six days. And on the seventh day, God rests. This introduces the major biblical theme of patterns of seven that conclude with God and humans resting together as partners. In this video, we explore the theme of seventh day rest and the biblical concept of Sabbath. We also look at why Jesus adopted this idea as a major part of his own mission to bring God's Kingdom to earth.

  • Books:

    • A Theology of the Ordinary: Julie Canlis

      • A theological foundation for celebration based upon the Father's blessing of ordinary life, the Son's incarnation in ordinary life, and the Spirit's re-creation of ordinary life.

      • Order on Amazon

    • The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: John Mark Comer

      • Within the pages of this book, you’ll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.

      • Order on Amazon

  • Podcast:

    • Seventh - Day Rest: 13 Episodes from the Bible Project

      • What is the Sabbath? It's more than an antiquated law. It’s about the design of time and the human quest for rest. The Sabbath and seventh-day rest is one of the key themes that starts on page one of the Bible and weaves beautifully all the way through the biblical story.

Part 4: Partnering with God for Flourishing

  • Videos:

    • Bible Project: Royal Priests of Eden - 6:04min

      • Did you know that Israel’s tabernacle tent was designed as a symbolic garden of Eden? And did you know that Adam and Eve were proto-priests who lived and worked in the sacred space? In this video, we explore God’s plan for humanity to serve as royal priests over all creation and how the story of Jesus brings this priestly drama to its ultimate resolution.

  • Books:

    • Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society: Amy Sherman

      • God calls Christians to participate in his redemptive mission in every sphere of life. Every corner, every square inch of society can flourish as God intends, and Christians of any vocation can become agents of that flourishing.

      • Order on Amazon

    • Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life: Tish Harrison Warren

      • In the overlooked moments and routines of our day, we can become aware of God's presence in surprising ways. How do we embrace the sacred in the ordinary and the ordinary in the sacred?

      • Order on Amazon

Part 5: Rules for Flourishing

  • Experience it:

    • Pray these prayers this week - prayers.

  • Videos:

    • Bible Project: Biblical Law - 6:18min

      • Have you ever wondered why there are so many ancient biblical laws in the first books of the Bible? What are modern readers supposed to do with them, and why are some of them so odd? In this video, we explore why the laws were given to ancient Israel and how they fit into the overall storyline of the Bible.

  • Books:

    • The Me I Want to Be - John Ortberg

      • God's vision for your life is not just that you are saved by grace, but that you also learn to live by grace, flourishing with the Spirit flowing through you. And this book will show how God's perfect vision for you starts with a powerful promise: flourishing.

      • Order on Amazon

  • Podcast:

    • Tree of Life: 10 Episodes from the Bible Project

      • On the first pages of the Bible, God places humans in a lush garden to rule with him. There are two trees in the garden, and humanity is presented with a choice: trust God and enjoy his good gifts or take the knowledge of good and bad for themselves. The tale of two trees tells us something profound about the human condition and the choice we all face.

  • Sermon:

Part 6: Flourishing Together

  • Videos:

    • Bible Project: Image of God - 6:16 Minutes

      • This video on the Image of God traces the idea of humans as co-rulers alongside God, who are commissioned to develop the world and its resources and take it into new horizons. How has this human vocation been compromised by our selfishness and evil, and how did Jesus open up a new way of being human through his life, death, and resurrection?

      • Video

  • Join a Group

  • Group Questions

Part 7: What went wrong?

  • Videos:

    • Bible Project: Story of the Bible - 5:37 Minutes

      • This video summarizes the overall story of the Bible as a series of crossroad decisions. All humanity, followed by the Israelites, redefine good and evil and end up in Babylon. They are followed by Jesus, who takes a different path that opens up the way to a new creation.

  • Prayer Activity

  • Podcast

    • Bible Project: Great Blessings - Listen

      • The word “blessing” brings to mind a variety of images for all of us. But what exactly does it mean when God blesses someone? And where did the curse come from?

  • Group Questions