We are doing Zondervan's The Story material at MV beginning October 9.  I've been asked to teach the adult class through December.  This is the first episode in which I announce that we won't be following the material as Zondervan intended, but we will instead be following the bible and using it as God intended. 

There are three principles we established in this first episode:

The bible is inspired

The bible was written FOR us - but not TO us

Moses wrote the Torah - to (and for) Israel who was escaping Egypt

The trick to understanding scripture is to be able to put yourself into the context: what was the original audience's situation?  What was their world-view, their culture, and their history?  Until we can read Genesis like they read (or heard) it - we will fail to understand it. 

Homework: get with someone and talk about what it would feel like to be living in the desert for months & years ... and to have come from Egypt, what they knew about this God "Yahweh," and how they saw themselves in the world.  Then ... review Genesis 1-11 and try to read it as they did - with their eyes.