The Story

Read the Story…Experience the Bible.

The Bible tells the greatest and most important story of all time. It is the story of the one true God and His children. It is the story of the God who speaks; the God who acts; the God who listens; the God who sacrifices; the God who forgives. It is the story of redemption and new life. It is the story of God.

We want to know the Bible as understandable and fascinating. We want to experience the transformational message of the Bible as we learn and re-learn the story of God. Beginning in January we are going to do just that.

We hope you will Join us.

What is The Story?

The book called The Story is an abridged chronological NIV Bible. There are no verse references in the text, and the segments of scripture are woven together with transitional text written to connect the storyline into one seamless story. For people new to the Bible, this way of reading scripture gives them a holistic and sequential picture of the storyline of Scripture and reduces the intimidation one can feel when approaching the full-length, unabridged Bible. For seasoned Bible veterans, the chronological arrangement of the essential texts reveals the single grand narrative of the Bible.

The result is a fresh perspective on the Upper Story of God and the Lower Story of humanity. As we journey through The Story together, we will learn that heaven and earth are woven more closely together than we ever dreamed. All through the story of the Bible we see two parallel and beautiful dramas unfold.

There is the Upper Story. God is real, He is present, and He is working on our behalf. Heaven is breaking into the world more than we recognize. God speaks. God acts. God listens. God forgives. God's story is a beautiful one of redemption and new life.

There is also the Lower Story. We live on earth. We make mistakes, run from God, and resist His overtures of love. Sometimes we get so caught up in the Lower Story that we fail to recognize God's presence breaking into our world. We forget that the God of Heaven longs to have a growing relationship, a friendship, with us.

In the beginning of God's story, He walked with his first children in a beautiful garden…in harmonious relationship. At the end of God's story, He will walk with us again in heaven.

The question is: what will happen in the pages in between? As we walk through The Story together, we will see how the Upper Story and Lower Story are intertwined. All through history God has encountered, loved, sought, disciplined, and redeemed His children.

How can I participate in The Story?

In Our Sunday Worship Services.
During our Sunday morning services, we'll be diving into one chapter of The Story each week. This will begin on Sunday, January 8, when Pastor Vincent will cover chapter 1 of The Story.

With your family or on your own…
We encourage you to journey through The Story together as a family or even on your own. Each Sunday, you will hear a message from a particular chapter of The Story. We would really encourage you to read that same chapter during the coming week and interact with it on your own or with your family.
DOWNLOAD DEVOTIONS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
DOWNLOAD DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS/TEENS.

In a Small Group…
All of our Small Groups are following the weekend services with a deeper look at the same chapter from The Story. This is a chance to interact with The Story, ask questions, get answers, and be encouraged. Small Groups are a great place to be challenged and transformed by the message of The Story. Each Small Group is coordinating their walk through The Story a little differently, so be sure you know your Group's plan.

What resources are available for The Story?

Books. Some of the books for your journey through The Story will be available at a reduced cost in the church welcome center.

• The Story is intended for adult readers, using the latest NIV translation.
• The Story: Teen Edition is designed especially for teenagers using the same NIV translation as The Story.
• The Story for Kids is great for kids 8-12 years old. It uses the NIVr translation making it easier for young readers to understand.
• The Story for Children is a unique collection of Bible stories accompanied by vibrant illustrations. This is intended for children 4-8 years old.
• The Story for Little Ones is filled with vibrant illustrations and simple text that bring 31 pivotal Bible stories to life for children. This is a great resources for little ones 2-5 years old.

Devotional Materials. The Story also includes chapter discussion questions that could be used in any setting. In addition, both adult, teen and family devotions are available for download in the links mentioned above.