Word(s) of God: The Teaching Church Curriculum From the very beginning, humanity has been taught by the

words of God. Adam found instruction for how to live, and even his purpose for living from the spoken words of God; Abraham was guided and tested by the voice of God; and the description of Jacobs dream found in Genesis 28:10-22 provides the reader with a picture of Gods clear declaration of commitment and purpose in Jacobs life. In this dream, Jacob saw a ladder that was busy with angels moving between earth and heaven. God appeared, and told Jacob the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earthall the families of the earth [will] be blessed. God promised that He was steadfast to this end; and He established that the proper response to His word was a spiritual formation of devotion to God and obedient actions. Today, the word of God comes to us through the collected scriptures and by the voice of His Holy Spirit; and we remain in need of His directives to better know Him, and for guidance and reason. During the Patriarchal and preE/ Exilic /postE Periods, we find God relating to and instructing His people through spoken words, through symbols, and through other various means. Gods directions revealed His nature and His expectations on His people. In this way His words held intrinsic value; that people could know their God and learn how to live meaningful lives of obedience. As the Israelites came to trust Gods words they relied on them for practical living and for hope, for encouragement and for solace. Oral traditions of Gods messages were shared through generations; and through the work

of Moses, David, Solomon, and others, the words were recorded in writing. The Bible, Gods written word, stands as profound and extensive revelation of God and His connection to humanity. The Hebrews savored every utterance of their Lord. The words were memorized and read aloud in their communities and in their homes. The sacred lexis was threaded into all of Hebrew life; they were revered in gatherings, shared amongst close friends, and utilized for decision making. In Deuteronomy 6, we find the classic Hebrew confession of faith, describing who God is and what our response should be to Him. Their declaration of the unity of Gods character, and their commitment to Him alone, reflects the way they cherished His commandments. Their pledge to love God with all of their being expresses their sole devotion to God, and no other gods before [Him]. Their offering of response is loving obedience to His laws and judgments. And they seek to honor God by giving His words, and obedience to those words, centrality in their homes and society. God words must be laid upon and employed though them so that their soul will be overcome by their power. Parents were to make His decrees the curriculum for teaching in a family; and it is implied that they should be shared and taught with any person one would encounter. It would be that the Hebrews would invest so deeply into Gods words that His own message would define their own character. Throughout biblical history, the spread of Christianity, persecution, reformation, and modern-day experiences, Gods people turn to Gods directives for strength, purpose, guidance, and assurance. For those who trust God, His written words become the deepest well of truth. For example, Paul, the apostle wrote: The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of GodFor God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face

of Jesus Christ. Paul connects Gods enlightening our hearts to the work of creation Let there be light. Hes talking about people like us who did not historically see Jesus. What we see is the portrayal of Jesus in the scripturesand this, Paul says, is accompanied by Gods shining in our hearts and is the glory of God in Jesus. God promises that He will reveal His greatness and His ways for those who depend on His word. For Christian church congregations, the Bible has traditionally been held central in worship services through scripture reading and through preaching. These churches have held the study of the bible as core to their strategy for accomplishing His mission. But I have a fear that in todays commercial climate, many churches have attempted to price-match the competitors. Some have exempted the devotional nature of a relationship with God and His word, to replace it with memorizing a few man-made maxims. Many have traded the sufficiency of the omniscient Gods wisdom for insufficient advice from the latest guide-to-growth. As King Solomon finally found true wisdom near the end of his life, he realized that there is no new thing under the sun. He completes His writing, Ecclesiastes, by stating that everything should be tested against Gods truth; and His final conclusion is that all of lifes purpose is to fear God and keep His [words]. If we have recently been short of faith and devotion to Gods word, we must be reconciled to His words, holding them as confession and the way of our lives. And if we have sustained the scriptures as our core curricula, we should rejoice and dive even deeper into the well of His truth.