In this bonus episode we share a conversation from a Renovaré webinar called Shaped by the Word. Host Carolyn Arends speaks with Tim Mackie and Carla Harding about how Scripture functions in the lives of Jesus’ disciples to form us and draw us into a living relationship with Father Son and Spirit.
View the original video from this webinar and find the full show notes here. Stay connected with our community and receive resources and news each week through the Renovaré Weekly Newsletter.
Resources from Tim Mackie and BibleProject
- BibleProject Website — Free videos, podcasts, and study resources
- BibleProject Classroom — In-depth Bible courses and classes
- BibleProject Podcast
- BibleProject App
Resources from Carla Harding, Lectio 365, and 24 – 7 Prayer
- Lectio 365 App — Daily devotional prayer app
- 24 – 7 Prayer Website — International prayer movement
- Prayer Course — Free course on learning to pray
Other Resources Mentioned
- The Message by Eugene Peterson
- The story of Elijah in the cave (1 Kings 19)
- The story of Jacob wrestling with God (Genesis 32)
Questions
- What is the Bible? Do you each have a working conception or definition of what the Bible actually is? Is it a rule book, the word of God, or the unfolding story of God’s interaction with creation?
- How do I hold the circular nature of faith? I trust the Bible because I trust Jesus, while I trust Jesus because of the Bible — how do I explain and hold this better?
- How central should Scripture be? Should Christians prioritize the reading of God’s word over other spiritual disciplines? How central is scripture to our life with God?
- Can you give an example of looking“through” Scripture? What’s something you see differently in the world or your life because you’re looking through Scripture?
- How do study and meditation work together? How do I move from my head to my heart without losing my head? How do these practices integrate rather than compete?
- How can I trust my interpretation? What’s the best way to have confidence that how we’re interpreting scripture is true to the original context and perspective of the writers?
- How do I discern God’s voice? How do I distinguish between my thoughts and God’s voice? How do I avoid hearing in a selfish way?
- What about texts of terror? How do we deal with texts that seem to portray God condoning genocide or seem at odds with the picture of God we get through Jesus?
- What Bible translation should I use? What’s your favorite translation, and is there a place for paraphrases?
- Does God still speak today? Is there biblical basis for the idea that God speaks today both in reading His Word and in other ways?
- What if Scripture feels dry or has been used to hurt me? For those who find Scripture lifeless or who’ve been wounded by how it was used, what could they try tomorrow morning?
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Carolyn Arends
Carolyn Arends oversees the Renovaré Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation as well as several other Renovaré initiatives, including the Book Club. She is also a recording artist, speaker, author, and college instructor. She lives near Vancouver, BC, with her husband Mark and their two children.
Tim Mackie
Tim Mackie is the co-founder of the BibleProject, a nonprofit animation studio helping people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. He is the former pastor of Blackhawk Church in Madison, Wisconsin, and Door of Hope Church in Portland, Oregon. Mackie also served as a part-time professor at Western Seminary. His early research interests focused on the manuscript history of the Bible and the biblical canon. Mackie holds a bachelor’s degree from Multnomah University, a theology degree from Western Seminary and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Carla Harding
Carla Harding is the International Strategy Director for 24 – 7 Prayer and a writer and host on the Lectio 365 App. Her life was hijacked by God in the first 24 – 7 Prayer Room and since then she has spent over 25 years helping others learn to pray and encounter God like she did. Carla was born in Ireland but lives in England with her husband and two children. She loves prayer, worship, a good book, a great song, food with friends and a challenge to get her teeth into.
Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster is an author and host of Life With God, a Renovaré Podcast. Formerly, he was an Associate Professor of social work and served as the Andrews Chair in Spiritual Formation at Spring Arbor University. He was also a licensed clinical social worker and certified addictions counselor. Nathan has published two books, including The Making of an Ordinary Saint: My Journey from Frustration to Joy with the Spiritual Disciplines.