Jan-Feb 2023 / Portland Mennonite Church / David Holcomb

BIBLE STUDY – GENESIS 1-11
Join us in January and February as we explore the literary artistry of the
first eleven chapters of Genesis, and as we consider what this text has to do with Jesus and with our
current world. These earliest chapters in our Bibles contain stories that many heard as children in
Sunday School and that are still deeply embedded in the larger culture. So, they are familiar – perhaps
too familiar and in need of another look. Let’s take a look together!

Week 1: Genesis 1 - The First Creation Story
 Reading the text and making some observations
Week 2: Genesis 1 - The First Creation Story
 Reading the text again and some comparisons with other Ancient Near East creation accounts
Week 3: Genesis 2 - Adam & Eve
 Reading the text and making some observations
Week 4: Genesis 3 – Adam, Eve, and “the fall”
 Reading the text and making some observations
Week 5: Genesis 1-3 Theological Reflections
 Time on your own to think about one of the questions on the reflections sheet
 Some time for sharing and discussion
Week 6: Genesis 4 – Cain and Abel
 Reading the text and making some observations
 Connections with Genesis 1-3
Week 7: Genesis 6-9
 Reading the text and making some observations
 Connections with Genesis 1-4
Week 8: Genesis 10-12 – Tower of Babel and the call of Abram
 Reading the text and making some observations
 Discussion for all 8 weeks – what have we learned?