Snake Crusher Bible Discussion #1
THE CREATION STORY
Consider dinner — chip in for pizza/Doordash? or see dinner ideas on the Resources page.
Get a timer (or timer app) ready.
Go through the Crossing Culture Quiz so you know what to expect.
Find an audio Bible — like on this Bible app! Look up Genesis 1:1-2:4 so it's ready to play.
Gather supplies:
Paper for the group — computer or notebook paper is fine!
Pens or pencils
Read this whole section out loud to the group before you start. It will help set up the discussion!
The Book of Genesis is considered a holy book by both Christians and Jews. The name means “beginning” and it tells the origin story of the universe, humanity, and the Jewish people. The stories in the first three chapters form the foundation of the Bible’s teachings on who God is, who we are and why the world is as it is.
Here are some group norms for our times together:
Everyone’s voice is important.
The format of the study allows for different processing times and learning styles.
I am the facilitator, not the teacher! In fact, we will decide some things together as a group about how we proceed.
Explain this to the group:
Each week we’ll engage with a ‘tool’ which will help us read the Bible and other stories like it. First, we should recognize that the Bible was written a long time ago to an ancient culture in another part of the world. In order to understand the Bible better, we’ll need to think cross-culturally. Here’s a fun quiz to help us do that.
Send the link to the quiz to your group.
Ask them to fill out the quiz in 4 minutes — and set a timer!
After the timer goes off, go through it out loud.
For each question:
Ask what people put down.
Notice any differences? Say something like: “Why do you think that is?”
For Question #4, share the following: All of the answers can be important in understanding a story. But “the original audience” and “who or what the story is about” are important starting places.
Explain this to the group:
Now let’s dive into the story! We’ll start by reading the first chunk of the story. If you have a Bible, you can follow along. We’re looking at the Book of Genesis, chapter 1 and the first 4 verses of chapter 2. If you don’t have a Bible, no worries! I’m going to play an audio version of the story, so you can just listen.
Open your audio Bible and find Genesis 1. Hit Play!
Pause when it comes to Genesis 2:4.
Explain this:
Now I’ll play it a second time so we really soak it in. If you have a Bible, just listen this time. We’ll see if something else sticks out that way!
Set it back to Genesis 1:1 again. Hit Play again!
Pause when it comes to Genesis 2:4.
Explain this to the group: You guys are welcome to look at the passage while we discuss some questions.
Ask these questions, one at a time. Leave some silent space for people to process! (Note: as people start discussing, try to respond with follow up questions.)
What happens in this story?
What does God do?
What do people do?
What happens with nature (land, sea, sky, etc.)?
What questions come to mind as you hear this story?
What important ideas do you see in this passage?
How would you describe humanity’s purpose or identity as seen in this story?
What do you want to learn more about?
Explain this to the group:
Now we’re each going to rewrite the story to experience it in a different way. It doesn’t have to be linear, or cover every aspect of the story. We’ll have 5 minutes. You can also look at the story in the Bible or app. I have paper and pens/pencils if you need. Does that make sense?
Pass out paper and pencils.
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Everyone ready? And Go!
Afterward, ask a few people to share their story.
Ask: What additional insights, if any, surfaced as you rewrote the story?
Decide as a group about next week’s lesson: Should we continue discussion on this passage or move on through the text for next week?
Ask participants to read and/or listen to next week’s text 3-4 times before you meet again. If they continue the discussion, they would use the same passage as this study.
Share this link with everyone for feedback (ask them to complete before leaving)
Mention and/or share the optional resources below.
The BibleProject video Who is the God of the Bible? (~8 minutes)
Knowing Faith podcast #6 In the Beginning: Overview and highlights of Genesis 1-2 from Kyle Worley, JT English, and Jen Wilkin (31 minutes)
Nancy Guthrie on Biblical Theology (~1 hour)
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders To Better Understand The Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien (purchase)
Photo credit: Luca Bravo on unsplash