Disciple III Remember Who You Are: Study Manual

The Prophets - The Letters of Paul

The Disciple III Remember Who You Are: Study Manual combines direction and information enabling study of the text – the Bible.

Two titles in the commentary section of the manual reflect ideas central to the prophets and Paul's letters. "The Word of the Lord" picks up a familiar phrase from the prophets – a clear statement of their calling: They spoke (and speak) for God.

Each member of the group needs a study manual and a Bible. The Bible is the text for the study and the study manual will guide group members in their study and preparation for the weekly group session. The study manual also includes suggestions for individual research and study-related activities. Space is provided for taking notes while reading Scripture, for recording thoughts and questions arising out of daily study, and for notes during the weekly group session.

The titles of the sessions along with theme words and theme verses, and major persons, events, and topics will set the sequence of the biblical story in the minds of the participants. The principal Scripture for each session follows the chronological movement of the biblical story.

Disciple III Remember Who You Are is the third study in the four-phase DISCIPLE program. The driving idea in this study is the connection between memory and identity as the people of God. The word You in the title is meant to be heard both in its singular form (the individual) and its plural form (the community). We are a community of memory. Participants in this 32 week study will read the major and minor Old Testament prophets, with the exception of Daniel, and will read the thirteen Letters traditionally attributed to Paul. To establish the historical context in which the prophets spoke for God, daily reading assignments draw also on the books of Deuteronomy through Chronicles.

Several themes weave their way through the study – the call to remember; the call to repentance; the need for renewed vision; and the place of community. The prophets and Paul are continually calling hearers and readers back to their God and to a sense of who they are as a people"set apart."

Commitment and Time Involved

• 32 week study
• Three and one-half to four hours of independent study each week (40 minutes daily for leaders and 30 minutes daily for group members) in preparation for weekly group meetings.
• Attendance at weekly 2.5 hour meetings