People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. A recent Barna study revealed that 75% of Christians polled say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay [spiritually] connected but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.”
Group Publishing and Tyndale House Publishers have heeded that call and joined together to provide a unique interactive Bible reading experience called God SightingsTM where people can experience God in a refreshing and non-traditional way. For the first time ever, the complete tools needed to make the pages of Scripture come alive and see God manifested in everyday life and events are now available. By reading God Sightings: The One Year Bible and God Sightings: The One Year Companion Guide, whether in book form or online, users will become participants in something so profoundly simple and powerful that it changes their lives. Through the first-of-its-kind free website, www.MyGodSightings.com, users will encounter something that is already out there but is often missed: God’s expressed love in the lives and circumstances of others. Materials for God Sightings are available for individuals to use alone, with groups, as a church-wide campaign or even in online communities.
By using the God Sightings website, groups or individuals can publicly or privately share their thoughts about Scripture and captured “God Sightings” with other people anywhere in the world at any time. The private online community also offers a unique opportunity for groups or families separated by distance or time to look for God together. It is ideal for military spouses separated by war, parents whose children are in college in another city or distant friends who want to stay in touch. It’s a chance to witness and share God’s presence even when separated by hundreds or thousands of miles.
The God Sightings products include The One Year Bible (New Living Translation
or New International Version ), The One Year Companion Guide, The One Year Small Group Leader Guide, and The One Year Launch Kit for Pastors and Ministry Leaders. When used, these beautiful and inviting books along with the easy to access website will provide a renewed faith and passion for the Word. The One Year Bible, today’s #1 selling annual reading Bible, leads people to experience God on a daily basis. And when paired with The One Year Companion Guide, they will begin to see God’s magnificent presence reaching out to change their lives in ways that will startle awe and excite them as never before.
My thoughts:
I received the God Sightings Companion Guide, and the God Sightings One Year Bible to review. The Bible is basically the One Year Bible, with a new cover, and has the God Sightings insignia on each day's reading. I am familiar with the One Year Bible, and recommend it if you have never checked it out. It has daily readings from different Scripture portions. This is not a Bible that goes from Genesis to Revelation - it is geared for a daily Bible reading to read the Bible through in one year.
The Companion Guide: Since this is for a year, I obviously didn't go through the whole book, but I have looked through it, and think they have a really good idea here. It is set up for 52 weeks, and each week gives you something to watch for, and reflection questions. Example for week one:
This week watch for beginnings. For new life, fresh starts, clean slates. You'll see them everywhere. And each beginning is an echo of God's creative work in the world - a God sighting.
God is a big fan of beginnings. he created a sprawling universe - a hotbed of beginnings - and then kept rolling. Kept crafting new starts and a new life... including yours.
So keep track of new beginnings this week. See them....celebrate them....jot a list here in your journal. Catch God at work.
Reflection questions:
1) If God is speaking to you, how would you describe God's voice? Why do you think God sounds that way to you?
2) How have you seen God work in other ways this week?
3) What are you waiting to hear from God about right now? Imagine waking up tomorrow morning to find that God had miraculously solved your problem. What do you think God's solution would be?
Each week has something different to watch for, a God sighting, and a few reflection questions. I can see where a tool like this would be very helpful to Christians.
Thanks to Audra from B&B media group for the review copies, which I received in return for posting my review.
People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. A recent Barna study revealed that 75% of Christians polled say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay [spiritually] connected but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.”
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