Echoes of the Bible - Riverwood Church Community

How should we interpret the Bible? | ECHOES: Catechism in a Year

June 30, 2024 • Todd Petkau • Genesis 15:12–16, 1 Peter 2:18, Ephesians 6:5, 1 Timothy 2:11–15, 1 Samuel 15:3

Have you ever been embarrassed by a verse in the Bible? There is a category of verses labeled as ‘atheist makers’ – on the surface they appear ridiculous, offensive, draconian, and illogical. In this message, we’ll use three such verses as case-studies in an attempt to learn skills for interpreting the Bible.

What is the Story of the New Testament? | ECHOES: Catechism in a Year

June 23, 2024 • Jon Courtney

The New Testament is the pivotal document of Christianity, telling us of the life of Jesus and much of the early church. A collection of 27 books that together form the New Testament. As we look to discover the story of the New Testament, we discover that this question cannot be answered without being placed into the first century world of the Jewish people long awaiting their king to restore the kingdom God has promised. We will discover that the New Testament was really about the arrival of the Kingdom of God on earth and that Jesus in his death displays the kind of kingdom God was establishing. But ultimately, we discover that it was the resurrection which ushers in the inauguration of God’s Kingdom here on earth!

What is the Story of the Old Testament? | ECHOES: Catechism in a Year

June 16, 2024 • Jared Siebert • Isaiah 66:1–2, Jeremiah 29:5–11, Ezekiel 33:28, Deuteronomy 6:5, 1 Samuel 8:11–18

“In essence, the story of the Old Testament is a “Will they or won’t they?” dramatic love story. The story follows a 9 part plotline depicting the progression of Israel’s history with God through songs, poems, plays, accounts, stories, collected wisdom, and books of prophecy. Have you ever heard the story of the Old Testament from beginning to end? When you read books, chapters, and verses from the Old Testament do you know what part of the overall story you are reading from? Answering these questions is vital to understanding the words on the page.”

Is the Bible reliable and really the Word of God? | ECHOES: Catechism in a Year

June 9, 2024 • Dunstan Gomes • Exodus 4:1, Galatians 6:16, John 18:31–33, John 18:37–38, Matthew 5:18–19

We have incredible evidence that the word of God is reliable not only in the canon of scripture but also in the scientific and historical community. It is evidence that every believer needs to know that can result in our confidence in our creator and grow in our love and obedience to him. Together let’s take a closer look at the index and factors that allowed us to have access to God’s word.

What is the Bible? | ECHOES: Catechism in a Year

June 2, 2024 • Todd Petkau • Psalm 137:9, Deuteronomy 25:11–12, 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19:7

It is easy to dismiss such a simple question as ‘What is the Bible’? However, are you able to name the 7 different answers to that question? Do you know the 8 literary genres contained in the Bible? Are you equipped to deal with the offensive verses in the Bible (you know, the ones like ‘blessed are those who dash babies on rocks’ Yah - those ones!) And, can you name who was burnt at the stake and then blown to 1000 pieces for first translating the Bible into English? “What is the Bible?” is no simple question!