One word: Pentateuch

Over the past six weeks, the youth group has been trying out a new series called, "The Race to Revelation", where we take each youth group teaching and go at lightening speed through an entire book (except Genesis). I have never had a more difficult time studying as I have with the teachings I've had to do for this series (Genesis 12-50, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy - Richard's taught the others) but I've loved getting to dive in more to these books. Last week I finished up the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) and so tonight Richard and I had a service dedicated to these kids answering questions about the books. Asking for the theme of Leviticus, or what two things does the book of Deuteronomy emphasize are just some of the questions we threw at the kids. We've now decided to do it after every kind of breakdown through the Bible - so after Joshua, Judges, and Ruth and then again after the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and so on and so forth. It's awesome getting them to at least somewhat understand more than just the stories and really start to dive into the word and learn little by little how to draw things out of even what seem to be the least applicable passages. They've been taught about how "ALL Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" but they're just now really starting to understand how true that is.

I love the fact that our ministry here is 100% immersed in the Bible, and more than that, that we get to see the hunger people have to really know their Bibles more and more. I was thinking the other day about what it would be like to not be able to read. My whole day is reading - so much so that I actually need to get glasses now - I can't imagine or even begin to remotely fathom not being able to read the amazing things God has in His Word, yet so few people who have the ability to read and the access to the Bible neglect that beautiful privilege.