THE YEAR OF THE BIBLE 2012

Next Year: The Year of the Bible This coming year will be a special one in the life of our congregation. We are planning to give major emphasis to the Bible. It will be the focus of sermons, Fellowship Tea discussions, and many other activities in the life of our church.

The centerpiece for this emphasis on the Bible will be a call for everyone in our congregation to commit to read the entire Bible during the year. Many people say that they would like to know the Bible better, but they aren’t sure how to go about doing that. Reading the Bible straight through is one way that seems to help many people. Those in our congregation who have done it in the past can tell you how enjoyable and valuable the experience was for them.

It may sound like an imposing task to read the entire Bible in one year, but it can be done much more easily than you may think. It takes only twenty minutes or so a day to do the readings. Of course, it will take some energy and organization to plan reading time into your daily schedule. But even if you get behind on your reading occasionally, it’s not that difficult to catch up.

It will be an exciting adventure for all of us together to read through the pages of Scripture in this way. I am sure you will find this to be enriching and stimulating for your life as a disciple of Christ. I am looking forward to it. I hope you are too!

Pastor Jill

Check out the online discussion at OJCC Church Blogspot

Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith: Authority of Scripture*

Scripture. The Bible. The Word. Whatever you want to call it, this is has to be one of the essentials. The Reformation rediscovered the Bible. The force of the Reformation came from reading, studying, hearing, and understanding the words of the Bible in the language of the people. The Bible was the inspiration for the preaching and the teaching of Luther, Calvin, Knox, Bunyan. To the Reformers, the Bible was more than a book of moral stories, inspiring teachings, ethical rules. The Bible was authoritative for human lives.

Reformed Christians believe and affirm that Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are God’s uniquely revealed and written Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and are the church’s first and final authority in all areas of faith and life. This includes, but is not limited to, theological doctrine, mission, church order and organization, character, and ethical behavior.

The Bible speaks to us with the authority of God himself. We seek to understand, love, follow, obey, surrender, and submit to God’s Word. God’s Word is certainly Jesus Christ, the Living Word, and we come to know Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, the written Word of God, which bear true and faithful witness to Jesus Christ.

Confessing that the Bible is authoritative should have consequences for our daily living. The Bible speaks to what we say, what we do, where we go, and who we are. We don’t only need to understand what the Bible says. We need to stand under what the Bible says. We cannot comprehend God in all his majesty, his power, his wisdom and his glory. We may never understand all that the Bible teaches about who God is and what God wants us to do. But if our goal is to know and love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, then it stands to reason that we need to study the Old and New Testament, learn what they teach, so that we can live it out in our homes, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods.

This is precisely why we have decided that 2012 is the Year of the Bible at the Ogden Japanese Christian Church. If the Bible speaks to us with the authority of God, then we need to know it as completely as we possibly can. Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Church and of our lives and he rules the church and our lives through the written word of Scripture illuminated by the light of Holy Spirit.

Scripture. The Bible. God’s Word to me. God’s Word to you. God’s Word to me. God’s Word to God’s world.

+In Christ+

Pastor Jill

*With appreciation for the work of the Presbytery of San Diego