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    The Grand Sweep Leader Guide: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation
    The Grand Sweep Leader Guide: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation
    The Grand Sweep Leader Guide: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation
    Ebook169 pages2 hours

    The Grand Sweep Leader Guide: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation

    By Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas

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    About this ebook

    Study the whole Bible in a year with J. Ellsworth Kalas.

    The Grand Sweep is designed for personal use. The added component of a Leader Guide enables congregations and study groups to share the experience. It provides an overview of how to use the book as a study, along with specific content for weekly, monthly, or occasional group meetings.

    The Grand Sweep guides readers through the Bible in a year by having them read three - four chapters daily. The Psalms and Proverbs are scattered throughout the readings as devotional elements. Because the reading plan moves through the Bible in biblical sequence, readers grasp the grand sweep of the Scriptures—something missed in most Bible studies. Daily readings are manageable allowing someone just beginning a serious devotional life to have the positive experience of developing a new spiritual discipline. Individuals can start reading at any time of the year. When the year of reading ends, they will have a grasp of the biblical story from beginning to end and a stronger devotional life. Kalas also provides a faithful daily summary of readings, but with a devotional quality to encourage warmth of spirit as well as knowledge of mind. Includes selected quotations from Kalas's 35 books.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAbingdon Press
    Release dateNov 8, 2016
    ISBN9781501836497
    The Grand Sweep Leader Guide: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation
    Author

    Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas

    J. Ellsworth Kalas (1923-2015) was the author of over 35 books, including the popular Back Side series, A Faith of Her Own: Women of the Old Testament, Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament, I Bought a House on Gratitude Street, and the Christian Believer study, and was a presenter on DISCIPLE videos. He was part of the faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary since 1993, formerly serving as president and then as senior professor of homiletics. He was a United Methodist pastor for 38 years and also served five years in evangelism with the World Methodist Council.

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      Book preview

      The Grand Sweep Leader Guide - Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas

      USING THE GRAND SWEEP PROGRAM

      The Grand Sweep program offers individuals and congregations opportunity for all adults—youth too—to read through the Bible in a year. The five components of The Grand Sweep make possible a range of ways individuals and the congregation may participate in reading and studying the Bible.

      The centerpieces for the program are the Bible and The Grand Sweep: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation. This Leader Guide offers suggestions for directing weekly, monthly, or occasional group study and discussion on the Scripture read daily.

      The material is not dated; so congregations, groups, and individuals can begin The Grand Sweep at any point in the calendar year.

      GROUP MAKE-UP AND PROCEDURE

      Groups who study The Grand Sweep will be made up of persons who make the commitment to read assigned Scripture daily, to write a daily response to the Scripture in The Grand Sweep, and to attend and participate in a weekly, monthly, or occasional study group.

      Groups can be of any size, but the most effective number for small-group study and discussion is twelve to eighteen persons. The important factor is to have enough people for lively discussion and for variety in the interchange of ideas.

      Groups will use small-group process. Participants will study and discuss in groupings of two, three, four, and sometimes more persons, allowing everyone opportunity to talk and to hear the views of others on the Scripture they have read. The leader will participate in the small-group discussions and will direct the process, paying attention to time in order to move the group from one activity to another.

      Both weekly (one hour) and monthly (one and one-half hour) session guides include the same elements and follow the same pattern and sequence of activity each week or month:

      Following the Biblical Story—activities that trace the progress of the central story line in the Scripture participants have read

      Opening Scripture Together—small-group study of a selected portion of Scripture

      Scripture Day by Day—discussion of daily Scriptures using participants’ written responses to the questions and directions in The Grand Sweep

      Seeing Life Through Scripture—response to comments and questions in this section of The Grand Sweep

      Prayer Time—group prayers picking up emphases from Scripture and practicing various methods of praying

      GETTING THE GROUP STARTED

      • Read the explanations at the beginning of The Grand Sweep: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation about how to use the book.

      • Describe the elements and explain the pattern that will be followed in the weekly, monthly, or occasional sessions (see above).

      • Expect every participant to read and respond daily to the assigned Scripture—about thirty minutes each day. Caution against putting off reading until the end of the week.

      GUIDES FOR GROUPS

      MEETING WEEKLY

      Weekly study groups might meet during the Sunday school hour or for an hour on a weekday or weeknight. Some weekly groups may decide to meet longer than an hour. Study and discussion during the weekly meeting will concentrate on the Scripture participants have read during the previous week and on their written responses in The Grand Sweep.

      All weekly session guides include the same elements and follow the same sequence of activity (see page 4). Adhering to time allotments indicated for each element in the session guides will enable the group to give attention to the large portions of Scripture being studied. More procedures are provided than can be used in the times allotted. Choose and adapt accordingly.

      Use time efficiently by writing the instructions and questions on large sheets of paper ahead of time and displaying them for easy reference as you move from one activity to another.

      In selecting a location for groups to meet, keep in mind the need of participants to have space to spread out their Bibles, The Grand Sweep, and writing materials.

      Weekly meeting guides are designated by the week number that corresponds to the week number for the material in The Grand Sweep: 365 Days From Genesis Through Revelation. The Scripture reference under the week number indicates the block of Scripture covered in the week’s assigned reading.

      FOLLOWING THE BIBLICAL STORY

      (10 minutes)

      Follow the sequence of the biblical story from its beginning to the settling of Abraham in Hebron (Genesis 1–13). In groups of four or six, work through the Scriptures chapter by chapter to identify where and how God acts. Identify the people in the story and describe how they act and react. Trace the course of the ongoing conversation between God and human beings. When is the communication going well, and when and why does it falter? Where are the signs of hope in the story?

      OPENING SCRIPTURE TOGETHER

      (15 minutes)

      Explore the Cain and Abel story. Ask someone to read Genesis 4 aloud while others follow in their Bibles. Then in groups of three or four, study the chapter using these questions: How are the various kinds of alienation introduced in earlier chapters at work in this story? Where do you see the consequences of the sin of Eden? What understandings of God and God’s relationship to people do you draw from this story? What would you like to ask God about this account of Cain and Abel? Where do you see evidence of God’s grace extended to human beings? Recall insights into this story from your reading of the daily and weekly commentary on Scripture.

      SCRIPTURE DAY BY DAY

      (20 minutes)

      Form pairs or threes to talk about the responses called for in The Grand Sweep to each of the week’s Scripture passages. Quickly review the Scripture assignment for Day 1. Read the question or direction and allow persons to say how they responded to the question or direction. Follow the same procedure for Days 2–7, reviewing Scripture, reading the question, and responding in turn individually. Keep an eye on time in order to cover the seven questions in twenty minutes.

      SEEING LIFE THROUGH SCRIPTURE

      (10 minutes)

      Consider what it means to be made in the image of God. Work in pairs. Begin by silently scanning the two accounts of Creation in Genesis 1-2. Then describe to each other the God portrayed in these chapters. What constitutes God’s image? What is God like? Now talk about the responses each person made to the questions and comments in this section of The Grand Sweep. Join another pair and continue the discussion using these questions: What do we mean when we speak of God as person? What is the relationship between our understanding of the personhood of God and the way we define who we are as persons? In what sense is sabbath the basis for successfully living in God’s image? What clues about the promise and the difficulty of living in God’s image come out of the stories that follow the Creation accounts? How do the concepts of God as a covenant maker, a giver and keeper of promises, and a demander of accountability relate to how we live as human beings in relation to others? How does a person intent on expressing God’s image live in a world at odds with God’s purposes? What are the priorities?

      PRAYER TIME

      (5 minutes)

      Lead the group in a brief time of directed prayer. Concentrate on praise to the Creator for the good creation and on seeking guidance in faithfully expressing the image of God. Invite sentence prayers from the group.

      Close the session by reading aloud together The Sum of It All.

      FOLLOWING THE BIBLICAL STORY

      (10 minutes)

      Concentrate on the covenant relationship between God and Abraham. To get the story in mind, work in groups of three or four to identify the various persons who appear in Genesis 14–27. Recall how the persons are related and how they fit into the covenant promise. Then consider what is included in the covenant. Locate and list the various promises God makes to Abraham. What is the sign of the covenant? What actions do you see God and Abraham taking to protect the covenant and to care for its future? What concerns, actions, or requests of Abraham and Sarah indicate times of difficulty in trusting God’s promises? How does the story of Sarah and Hagar fit into the ongoing relationship of God, Abraham, and covenant? What points are being made through this story? What gave the relationship between God and Abraham such strength that it could tolerate doubting, questioning, testing? What is the significance of Abraham’s purchase of a burial plot for Sarah?

      Now review Isaac’s story from God’s promise of Isaac through Isaac’s blessing of Jacob. Why, do you think, did Abraham plead with God to consider Ishmael his heir? What was behind God’s insistence that the covenant would be carried by Isaac? How is the story of Isaac’s near-sacrifice more about Abraham and God than about Isaac? What was at issue? Why did Abraham insist his servant go get a wife for Isaac rather than sending Isaac himself? At what point does the promise pass from Abraham to Isaac?

      OPENING SCRIPTURE TOGETHER

      (15 minutes)

      In the total group, hear Genesis 18:1-33 read aloud. Then in pairs or threes work on the passage a few verses at a time: 18:1-8, 9-15, 16-21, 22-33. Use these questions to guide the study of each group of verses: What is going on here? What is the mood or tone of the passage? Where and how is the covenant present? What insights do you get into the relationship between God and Abraham? Then discuss these questions in relation to the whole passage: Where do you see evidence of God’s regard for Abraham? What glimpses do you get of God’s patience? How do you account for Abraham’s boldness in confronting and bargaining with God?

      SCRIPTURE DAY BY DAY

      (20 minutes)

      Work through the responses called for in the The Grand Sweep. In pairs or threes read the question or direction for Day 1. Together recall the Scripture that lies behind the question or direction. Then hear each person respond individually. Follow the same procedure for Days 2–7, always keeping the question or direction connected to the biblical context.

      SEEING LIFE THROUGH SCRIPTURE

      (10 minutes)

      Consider how we all move ahead and fall back in our faith struggle. Ask group members to decide which person from this week’s Scripture they most identify with in their faith struggle. Instruct them to choose one event in that person’s life through which to look at their own life. Allow time for silent reflection. Instruct groups of three to tell one another which person they chose and what they learned from that person’s faith struggle. Then discuss some of these questions: At what points in your life do you find your faith wavering? When are you most aware of inconsistencies in how you live your faith? When, if ever, are you aware of God’s dealing with your inconsistencies? What most convinces you that God uses persons in spite of their mistakes and weaknesses? How do you react to the fact that the Bible doesn’t hide the truth about the people it portrays? Hear persons’ written responses or reflections from this section of The Grand Sweep.

      PRAYER TIME

      (5 minutes)

      Invite persons to pray silently for someone they know who is wavering or searching in their faith. Then lead the group in thanking God for God’s faithfulness in our moments of weakness, for grace when resolve fails, and for strength to make new commitments to obedience.

      Close the

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