Scripture is the avenue to encounter Jesus Christ and to be transformed in one’s faith in that experience. Entering the New Testament opens to the door to experience the variety of scriptures from the New Testament. The key scripture passages are presented with short, provocative meditations and questions for daily reading. More than just study plans, these Entry Points are designed to encourage deep-level engagement with scripture in the spirit of lectio divina. Sensing the Divine alive in these pages, readers will be drawn to respond with prayer, imagination, and feeling as well as study, insight, and thoughtful journal writing.
This 8-week study is published in two volumes. The Participants’ workbook includes the daily readings as well as excellent introductory articles on reading scripture devotionally and journaling. The Leader’s Guide details the weekly meetings so minutely that any leader will feel well-prepared. It also provides helpful background material on group management, spiritual formation, and a concise, substantive overview of the books of the New Testament used in the study.
These Entry Points are so engaging that a reader could easily use them for lectio-based personal devotions. Whether used by groups or individuals, this is valuable resource for growth in God.
“Living for God’s new world, as Jesus did, requires us to change. But none of us is good at being good. Will power fails us, and faith is seldom strong.
God, in Jesus Christ, assures us that nothing we do can separate us from God’s love or keep God’s promises from being fulfilled. God accepts our feeble attempts at obedience and brings from them new communities grounded in the glory of God’s amazing grace. In relationship with Christ, we are transformed—from corrupt to pure in heart, from false to true, from dead to alive in the love of God.
As you read the New Testament scriptures, encounter the Lord Jesus. Look to him for guidance. Find in him a new way of living. Listen for God’s word, and let it change you.” -From Participant’s Workbook Introduction