Invitation to the Old Testament (Disciple Short Term Studies)

Understand your identity in God's vision for all things.

Explore the Old Testament's story of God and God's calling of the people of Israel through the many "voices" of the biblical text. Hear the magnificence of a Creation hymn, discover the law and wisdom teachings, listen to the warning of the prophets and explore the poetry of the Song of Solomon.

In the two weekly video segments, first gain insight from biblical scholars and then take a visual tour of archaeological sites, ancient artifacts, and other physical remains, related to and illuminating scripture and events.

Ideal experience for adults who are interested in the practice of prayer and worship and would like to connect prayer practice with Scripture. The study is accessible for adults with little prior Bible experience.

Participants gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Old Testament as an integral part of the Christian Bible and a renewed discovery of our identity in God and God's vision for all things.

This eight-week study includes a participant book outlining daily reading assignments for group preparations, a leader guide suggesting discussion activities for use in the 60–90-minute weekly meeting, and a video component providing interpretation and context for the biblical texts.
Sessions:

The Making of the Hebrew Bible
The Creation Story of Israel
Out of Bondage
Promise and Problem in the Land
Israel Has a King
Division and the Rise of Prophecy
Exile and Response
Restoration and Renewal

Celia Brewer Sinclair is a lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and adjunct faculty at Queens University. She holds degrees from Duke University and Yale Divinity School and is author of three books: A Guide Through the Old Testament, A Guide Through the New Testament, and Genesis. Sinclair is a writer of curricula for The United Methodist Publishing House and is the author of the Disciple Short-Term Bible Study on the Old Testament.

Dr. James D. Tabor chairs the Department of Religious Studies of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was chief editor of the Original Bible Project, an effort to produce a historical-linguistic translation of the Bible with notes. He is often consulted by the national media, particularly in connection with the Dead Sea Scrolls, and modern apocalypticism and millennialism. Dr. Tabor has been quoted by or appeared in such media publications and programs as Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NBC, PBS, and Frontline.
Dr. Tabor's recent books include: Why Waco? The Battle for Religious Freedom in America and the forthcoming Jesus Dynasty: New Historical Investigation of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity (Simon & Schust