September 8, 2019 - June 28, 2020
Indeed, each of us is a work in progress. Individually and collectively, we are unfinished.
This is the greatest comfort for us as believers; wherever we are, whoever we are,
Jesus isn’t done with us yet. Join us this year as we explore the Book of Acts and the beautifully unfinished life.
The most important part of our story is
that which hasn’t yet been written.
Acts is a book about the church trying to discover what it means to be the church. In Acts 1:8, Jesus leaves his disciples with a mission: to be his witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. This mission shapes the development of the church, as the disciples strive to determine who they are, and how they live out the call of Christ.
UNFINISHED SERIES
Sept 9 - Oct. 6
“THIS IS US”
Oct. 13 - Nov. 24
“THE NEXT RIGHT THING”
Dec. 1 - 29
“UNEXPECTED CHRISTMAS”
Jan. 5 - Feb. 23
“UNCOMFORTABLE CHANGE”
March 1 - April 12
“ON THE ROAD AGAIN”
April 19 - May 24
“UNAFRAID & UNABASHED”
May 31 - June 28
“FAITH ON TRIAL”
The Book of Acts is, quite literally, unfinished; it ends bizarrely with Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, and strongly conveys the impression that the author stopped right in the middle of the story. It does not include the deaths of Peter and Paul just a few years later in the city of Rome – the natural ending of a story which is primarily about the Acts of Peter and Paul.
More significantly, the story of the church is itself unfinished. 2,000 years after Paul’s house arrest in Rome, the church is still trying to discover what it means to be the church. We have learned so much, and we have so much to learn.
In each era, as the church has sought a deeper understanding of its identity and mission, we have returned to this first community of Christian believers, and this book of their Acts.
Acts is the powerful story of an unfinished Spirit-led community, striving to do the next right thing. Today, we want to live into that same identity; we don’t know all the answers, or even the final picture of who we will become in the ongoing revelation of Jesus Christ. Like the first Christians, we are beautifully unfinished. But we are committed to doing the next right thing, and the next, and the next, as the Spirit leads us.
Here is a breakdown the additional readings, as they connect to the Book of Acts and to our Unfinished series.
Sept. 29-Oct. 5: 1 Peter (Acts 2:14-36)
Oct. 13-Oct. 19: 1 John (Acts 3:1-26)
Oct. 20-Oct. 26: 2 & 3 John (Acts 4:1-22)
Nov. 24-31: Hebrews (Acts 7:1-8:1a)
Dec. 22-Dec. 28: 2 Peter & Jude (Acts 9:32-42)
Feb. 16-22: Galatians (Acts 14:8-28)
Feb. 23-29: James (Acts 15:1-35)
Mar. 1-7: 1 Timothy (Acts 15:36-16:10)
Mar. 8-14: Philippians (Acts 16:11-40)
Mar. 15-21: 1&2 Thessalonians (Acts 17:1-15)
Mar. 29-Apr. 4: 1&2 Corinthians (Acts 18:1-23)
Apr. 5-11: Ephesians (Acts 18:24-19:20)
Apr. 19-25: Revelation (Acts 19:21-41)
Apr. 26-May 2: 2 Timothy (Acts 20:1-38)
May 24-30: Romans (Acts 22 : 30-23:35)
May 31-June 6: Colossians & Philemon (Acts 24:1-27)
June 21-27: Titus (Acts 27:1-44)
This year, instead of reading through the entire Bible, we will read together through the story of the early church, found in the Book of Acts and the letters of the New Testament. Acts will give us the foundation and framework for our year. And as we come to the relevant passages of Acts, we will read the letters of Peter, Paul, James, and John.
This will not be a chronological grouping of the letters, but rather a thematic one. So, as we discuss Paul’s visit to Philippi in Acts, we will also read Paul’s letter to the Philippians. As we discuss James’ leadership of the Jerusalem church, we will also read the book of James.