When we read anything, we are always thinking through these 4 things: #1: Purpose of the author #2: Place in time #3: People it’s for #4: Practical application The Bible is made up of many literary genres – that means different types of writing. Here’s a brief list of some of those types of writing: –Historical narrative: True stories that are compacted to instruct us –Laws: Ethical guidelines –Genealogies: Family history and heritage –Psalms: Poetic reflections and personal prayers to God –Proverbs: Wisdom for daily life in a complex world –Eyewitness accounts: Reporting of events and conversations –Parable: Made-up story to make a big truth bite-size –Epistles: Letters to encourage, instruct, and guide friends in need of direction The whole Bible is the inspired Word of God, but to understand it, we have to know what kind of writing we are reading. You can’t read a psalm like a law anymore than you could read a shopping list like a mortgage contract. Sample questions for GCs: Historical narrative: The Bible talks about Abraham and Jacob practicing polygamy (marrying multiple wives). Is that in the Bible because God approves of it? Why or why not? Laws: What is the difference between the moral, ceremonial, and ethnic laws in the Old Testament? Because of Jesus Christ, which two types of law no longer apply and why? Psalms: How do the psalms help us strengthen our prayer lives? Proverbs: The proverbs give us wisdom for living in our complex world. Is every proverb a promise? Prayer: Praise Jesus together for being being: -wisdom in the flesh -the heart of the psalms -the fulfillment of the law -the story that makes sense of all stories