FORTVILLE — Robin Keerns was looking for a greater understanding of the overall story of the Bible when she and two of her children attended a Walk Thru the Bible event four years ago.
“I like the historical perspective of the Bible. I thought it’d be an opportunity to get a historical picture of the chronological events that happened,” Keerns said.
With others at New Life Christian Fellowship in Fortville, they learned gestures that correspond with key people and moments in the Bible — making a circle with one’s hands for creation, wiggling fingers to show rain for the flood of Noah’s day, saying “MO-ses!” with a gesture for the Hebrew leader, and other motions.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
“It was a family event. I liked that we were all learning something,” Keerns said. “It was something that we did all together.”
She went into the event knowing major stories of the Old Testament, “but I didn’t know how it all connected,” she said.
“The motions just make you at least remember … I feel like I know it so much better now.”
The church offered another Old Testament event, also focused on the Bible books from Genesis to Malachi, in August 2017 in the earlier stages of a three-year sermon series going through the entire Bible.
On Jan. 11-12 — as the sermon series turns to the New Testament — New Life will offer the New Testament event, which focuses on the Bible books from Matthew through Revelation. Keerns said she and her children plan to attend this one, too.
Those who offer Walk Thru the Bible events and those who attend them say it’s a lively presentation of a big-picture view of the Bible.
“It’s not a class, a typical seminar, or a boring lecture,” according to the ministry’s website. “It is, however, a highly engaging, dynamic, and memorable event that helps … put the pieces of the Bible together in a way that connects with your head, heart, and hands.”
Keerns agrees the event is engaging. “It’s very interactive, and you learn a lot,” she said.
The Rev. Mark Adcock, pastor at New Life, said the organization often uses the term “connect the dots” to describe its events. He’s seen the presentation do that for people in his congregation, helping them put individual stories from the Bible into their sequence and larger context. The congregation reviews the gestures every few weeks during services up to the time period covered in that week’s sermon.
“It helped them to understand all the different pieces that we often let stand by themselves,” Adcock said.
“The Bible is more than just commandments. It’s a story — God’s story,” he said. “Walk Thru the Bible is just a way for … learning and understanding God’s story and how do they fit into that story.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
“Walk Thru the Bible — New Testament” will be offered to the community Jan. 11-12 at New Life Christian Fellowship, 1574 W. State Road 234, Fortville.
This is an event for elementary school-age children through adults. All will be together to learn the motions and history; then they will break into a children’s group, teen group, and adult group to look at how to apply what was learned. The fee to participate is $10 per person, with a maximum $40 out-of-pocket per family. Childcare for preschoolers is not provided.
The Jan. 11 session goes from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The Jan. 12 session is set for 9 a.m. to noon. To RSVP, call the church at 317-485-7472.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
