We study the bible to be with God, to dwell with Him, to grow in our love for Jesus and our knowledge of His word.  We study God’s word as invitation to delight in His presence, so that our joy may be full.

At the end of creation, man and woman stood naked and unashamed (Gen. 2:25). Sin entered in and broke fellowship with God, causing them to hide in His presence (Gen. 3:9) and cover their guilt and shame.

The result of sin?  Being cast out of God’s presence.

The result of the Cross?  Being brought back in.

Let’s look through the first 3 chapters of the bible at the devastation sin brings in the relationship between God and mankind and let’s look to the hope we have in Jesus and the Cross that brings us back in.

We are getting ready to launch the second part of our Genesis study this week.  We’ve creatively titled it: Genesis: Part 2!  Last fall, we studied the first 11 chapters of Genesis, known as the planks.  We call those chapters the planks because like the foundation to a home, they are the foundation to our faith—the solid beams upon which everything else is built.

This semester (Jan-Mar) we will study the patriarchs.  In this 8 week study, we will look at the beginning of a nation, how God called these fathers of our faith to walk in obedience and trust, living what they believe.  We will follow the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.  We will see in the family of origin of our faith things like fear, doubt, trust, obedience, confusion, bitterness, jealousy, lying, stealing, sibling rivalry, grudges and more!  That’s right friends, that’s our family lineage.  We are a hot mess of a people, and God still loves us, redeems us, renews us, and uses us.

So if you’d like to journey through this second part of Genesis and through the lives of the fathers of our faith, you can download the bible study here.  We will upload the teaching videos each week.  Or you can join us in real life at The Well’s North Campus on Tuesday evenings 1/26-3/15 or Friday mornings 1/29-38.  Sign up here to get into a group: The Well Women’s Equipping Class

The study is designed so that you first complete the homework, spending time with God alone and allowing His Spirit to illuminate the text.  Then listen to the teaching, followed by discussion with a group or friend.  Discipleship happens best when we study, learn, connect, and grow with others.

Again, you can download the study and follow along here: Genesis: Part 2

Make sure you subscribe to my email list if you haven’t already, to receive the weekly teaching videos.

Looking forward to growing with you over these next few weeks!

-Melissa

Hello friends!  We just wrapped up our fall bible study on the first part of Genesis.  It was a 7 week study on Genesis 1-11, going verse-by-verse through those 11 chapters and covering topics such as creation, biblical womanhood, sin, redemption, and more. The study is now available for download, including all of the teaching sessions!

You can click here to download the PDF and access the videos, or look to your left and click on the Genesis study!

These are some of the most foundational chapters in all of Scripture, they show us the starting place for the rest of the Bible and what God’s story was built upon.  So grab some friends and dig in over these next 7 weeks!  Feel free to share and pass along the link to anyone who might be interested.

I’d love to hear from you as you study, let me know how you’re growing and how God is changing you over these next few weeks!

-Melissa