Welcome to the Story E-Book

Stephen J. Nichols

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Stephen Nichols wants to help readers experience the Bible more fully. He writes: "We have been given a book that is unlike any other book in human history, a book that transcends all human wisdom, insight, and expertise. We have been given the Word of God, the words of eternal life. And we, all of us, are invited to take up and read these words." Welcome to the Story teaches believers not only how to read the Bible, but how to read it in such a way that it permeates their lives—reading, loving, and living God's Word. Discussion includes an explanation of the four "chapters" of the biblical narrative—creation, fall, redemption, and restoration—guidelines on how to interpret Scripture, why we're to love God's Word, and how we're to live and proclaim the story in word, deed, and mission. This practical guide to reading the Bible is a great resource for young and new believers and those wanting to get more out of God's Word. 

Leseprobe

“Welcome to the Story reads, well, like a story—full of many interesting and important characters. The reader will find intrigue and mystery, striking beauty and hideous ugliness, noble and courageous heroes along with wicked and contemptible villains, all depicting the richness and sweeping breadth of this story. Along the way, one encounters many testimonials from others who likewise have been involved in this story, and the reader is invited to consider how he or she also should enter this story. In the end, Nichols shows how this Story is the story of all stories, since its central character is none other than the King who is over all kings, the Creator and Author of the story in which he plays the leading part. I encourage you to read this story, enter the story, and join in making this Story—the story above all stories—your story.”

Bruce A. Ware, Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Nichols has written a delightful and inviting book on how to understand and live out the Bible. The storyline of the Scriptures is sketched in, and the book is full of wise advice on how to read and live out what God requires. I recommend the book with enthusiasm.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

WELCOME TO

THE STORY

OTHER CROSSWAY BOOKS BY STEPHEN J. NICHOLS:

The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 Other Heroes of the Faith

Ancient Word, Changing Worlds: The Doctrine of Scripture in a Modern Age

The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World

For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church

Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards’s Vision of Living in Between

Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God’s Word

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Nichols

Published by Crossway                       1300 Crescent Street                       Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Studio Gearbox

Page design and typesetting: Dawn Premako

First printing 2011

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-2230-7

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-2231-4

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-2232-1

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2242-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Nichols, Stephen J., 1970–Welcome to the story : reading, loving, and living God’s word / Stephen J. Nichols.          p. cm.  Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-1-4335-2230-7 (trade pbk.)—ISBN 978-1-4335-2231-4 (pdf)—  ISBN 978-1-4335-2232-1 (mobipocket)—  ISBN 978-1-4335-2242-0 (epub) 1. Bible—Reading. I. Title.

BS617.N45 2011

220.6'1—dc222010045598

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

C H1918 17161514131211151413121110 9 8 7 6

To the Memory of

Ella Jean Detwiler

My fourth grade Sunday school teacher who

read the story with grace,

loved the story her entire life,

and

CONTENTS

   Acknowledgments

11

   You’re Invited

15

1 The Story

19

2 It Was Good: Creation

29

3 Trouble in Paradise: Fall

43

4 Unto Us, a Child: Redemption

55

5 Hope’s Comin’ round the Bend: Restoration

69

6 The Story within a Story: Peter, Paul, and Mary

91

7 God’s Story, God’s Glory: Adventures in

Not

Missing the Point

105

8 Loving the Story: What the Bible Does

to

Us

119

9 Living the Story: What the Bible Does

through

Us

131

10 Digging Deeper: This All Sounds Good, but Now What?

147

   Cheat Sheet for Reading the Bible

165

   Notes

171

   General Index

173

   Scripture Index

175

Acknowledgments

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK the team at Lancaster Bible College who tackled the freshman course that spawned the idea of writing this book: Penny Clawson, Gordon Gregory, Deb Hinkel, Rick Rhoads, and Dan Spanjer. Thanks for the camaraderie, for the conversations, and for those summertime workshops.

Thanks to those who read parts or all of this, especially Keith and Bev Haselhorst. Who knew that in-laws could be gracious critics? Ned Bustard, Jeff Trimbath, and Gordon Gregory also gave kind encouragement and helpful comments.

Thanks to all my friends at Crossway, who treat their authors like family and make writing a pleasure.

And thanks to my real family, Heidi, Ben, Ian, and Grace. Your graciousness and love know no bounds.

Oh that I knew how all thy lights combine,

      And the configurations of their glory!

      Seeing not only how each verse doth shine,

But all the constellations of the story. 

YOU’RE INVITED

I’VE HAD ONE SMALL brush with the movie business. Well, actually, it really wasn’t much of anything, but I enjoy telling the story. My friend Pete Bargas, at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California, arranged for me to have a tour of the Disney Studios in Burbank, led by our very gracious host Rick Dempsey, vice president for creative at the home of Mickey.

We went into the studio while they were recording the voices for the new Winnie the Pooh movie, visited the animation archives, walked through some of the sets and through stages in warehouse-like buildings as large as football fields, and saw the engineers at work on the sound mixing for one of the shows on ABC.