The next 789JAM is Friday, August 26th, a FREE MOVIE NIGHT:

THE BLIND SIDE

Jarred as our tour guide on the truth train

On Sunday we taught through the first five books of the Bible, the TORAH (aka, The Law, or the Pentateuch; ‘penta’ means five). Here we get a foundational understanding for who God is, who we are (made in His image), why the world is the way it is, and what He desires for His people.

There’s so much truth and history packed in these key books! Jarred was our helpful, trusted tour guide on the truth train as we saw the sights and sounds (and the highs and lows) in the first 5 books of the Story of God.

Here’s a summary from the ‘Weekly’:

Many of the students indicated they will be reading one of these five books starting this week.

On Sunday we taught an overview of the whole Old Testament (aka OT). We started with a QUIZ. How would you do?

Q1. The Bible is split into two parts, the ________________________ and the ________________________.

Q2. What do you already know about the Old Testament?

Q3. What are the first five books of the Bible?

Q4. How many books are in the Old Testament?

Q5. What is the last book of the Old Testament?

Q6. What is the point of the Old Testament?

ANSWERS:

ʇu & ʇo ‘ǝlqıq ǝloɥʍ ǝɥʇ ɟo ʇuıod ǝɥʇ sı snsǝɾ ˙6 ıɥɔɐlɐɯ ˙5 (ǝlqıq ʍǝɹqǝɥ ǝɥʇ uı sʞooq 42 sɐ pǝzıuɐƃɹo sƃuıʇıɹʍ ǝɯɐs) ʇuǝɯɐʇsǝʇ plo ɥsılƃuǝ ɹno uı sʞooq 93 ˙4 ʎɯouoɹǝʇnǝp ’sɹǝqɯnu ’snɔıʇıʌǝl ’snpoxǝ ’sısǝuǝƃ : (sʞooq 5) ɥɔnǝʇɐʇuǝd ˙3 ʇuǝɯɐʇsǝʇ ʍǝu ǝɥʇ & ʇuǝɯɐʇsǝʇ plo ǝɥʇ ˙1

Can’t read it? Here are the answers again: 1. The Old Testament & the New Testament. 3. Pentateuch (5 books): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. 4. 39 books in our English Old Testament (same writings organized as 24 books in the Hebrew Bible). 5. Malachi. 6. Jesus is the point of the whole Bible, OT & NT.

Then we considered some common misconceptions about the OT (misconceptions are wrong ideas/thoughts), such as:

1. The OT has nothing to do with Jesus, so we don’t need it.
2. The OT is just a bunch of Laws that we don’t need anymore.
3. The OT is full of stories of God before Jesus.
4. The OT is for the Jewish people, not for Christians.
5. The OT says in 3 pages what the NT says in a sentence. (Therefore we don’t need to read it; the NT is more like Cliff’s Notes.)

These are common mis-understandings — getting the facts and purposes wrong. No, no, no!

Chris Nye taught on the overall structure of the Old Testament, in the four kinds of writings/sections:

❶ Law (the Pentateuch, first 5 books) — Genesis—Deuteronomy

❷ History // Joshua—Esther

❸ Wisdom writings (poetry) // Job—Song of Solomon

❹ Prophets // major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekel & Daniel) andminor prophets (Hosea—Malachi)

We ended with some questions for discussion in small groups:

• What is the Old Testament about (main theme)?
• What is your favorite story in the Old Testament and why?
• Do you view the Old Testament differently now? Why? Why not?

New series: The Most Amazing Truths You'll Ever Learn

This Summer we are going back to school — old school that is. The new series, The Most Amazing Truths You’ll Ever Learn will take us through the whole Bible, to see the amazing true stories, promises, people, and faithfulness of God.
Excited?

A trip to Wild Waves was a blast last Summer, so we’re doing it again.

Price jumps to $65 on Tuesday, July 13th.

Sign-up right here…

We are excited to have Chris Nye join our Staff team as High School Pastor. This morning we borrowed him to teach our middle schoolers. Here are some of his closing remarks after preaching on “New Beginnings” from Colossians 2:6-10 [NLT, ESV].

What’s next …?

We are excited to welcome Chris and his fiancee Ali serve with the Willamette family. Chris has been faithfully helping to lead the youth since the New Year. (They celebrate their wedding this Summer, in case you are wondering what he was talking about in his story. Ali is the lady he mentions about the changing experiences of life to then live with his new wife once they are married.)

It was a blast last Summer, so we’re doing it again.

Check back this week for signups, with schedule and cost details.

We ended Sunday morning reflecting on the words of “The Door,” a song by Leeland (album: “Love is on the Move“). What powerful truth in this song! [Read about Sunday's teaching lesson.]

The song alludes to John 10, where Jesus is the door, the gate for His sheep, and John 15, where He produces fruit through the vines that depend on Him for their nourishment.
Consider the chorus:

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You
You’re the Love, the Way, the Life, the Truth
You’re the door I’m walking through

Watch:

THE DOOR
As the rain falls from heaven I’m lost in Your love
You’re overwhelming, Jesus
And we’re walking together, holding hands
Oh it’s just You and me, Jesus

Life is good hear food is growing
On the beautiful branches
There is rest and there is peace
Inside the shade of Your garden

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You
You’re the Love, the Way, the Life, the Truth
You’re the door I’m walking through

Angels are lifting songs of praise
Oh they’re just singing Your story
And nothing can take me away from this place
Lord, I’m just lost in Your glory

Your love is the reason that I am here
And I’m running to you ’cause You’re all I need

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You
You’re the Love, the Way, the Life, the Truth
You’re the door I’m walking through

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You
You’re the Love, the Way, the Life, the Truth
You’re the door I’m walking through

Jesus You’re the only One for me
There’s no way I’m leaving You

Our High School Pastor Chris Nye has a quick word for all the current 8th graders (going to be freshman in high school):

We will welcome incoming freshmen to high school this month. On Wednesday nights the high school group is enjoying a study of The Story of God (beginning with Creation).