FAQ
What is it for?
- It shows how the 66 books of the bible are all one brilliantly woven epic story.
- It shows how hundreds of Bible stories are actually scenes within great theme-stories that flow through the whole Bible.
- It is a Biblical Theology degree in picture form.
- It unveils the coherence and beauty and genius of the very best book.
Who is it for?
- Bible home-groups, Sunday School classes, home-schoolers and seminarians who want to see the biggest big picture of all.
- 3rd world pastors who cant pay for classes - the poster is their bible degree (no kidding).
- People who want to find sense and joy in reading the Scriptures.
- People who want to know God rather than 'Three steps for the Christian life'.
Is this a poster or a curriculum?
Yes, both! It can unpack to fill a library but the core all fits on a poster roll.
Teaching notes, handouts, posters and a book are free to download - see the DOWNLOADS tab above.
Is it for kids or for adults?
Yes, both! Kids love and 'get' the stories, while adults can spend decades mining the connections and implications.
Is it just a seminar or a whole series?
Yes, both! A group can cover the whole scheme in 6-10 hours, or it can unfold to more than a year of weekly hours.
Is it just a Bible chronology class?
No! And there is no such thing as 'just chronology'!
Your chronology or lack thereof dictates the meaning of everything you read.
Our tragic lack of chronological knowledge is a prime cause of our Bible boredom!
We are often taught to read the bible in search of lessons,
which is so moralistic and soul-destroying and boring!
(imagine reading Shakespeare, Homer or Tolkien for lessons?!)
We take the Story of Yahweh and turn it into another Aesops Fables
because our chronology is so weak!
The SSoG certainly is a chronology class, but much more:
- it gives meanings to the different eras in the chronology;
- it teaches how to interpret any passage in light of salvation history and core gospel themes;
- it shows how the bible is a chronological tapestry rather than a single line.
- it draws full attention to God as the protagonist of every bible text.
Why is it visually laid out like that?
The top line shows the great Eras or Milestones of bible history.
The left-most column shows seven great Themes that run through all of bible history.
Together they are ‘The Matrix’ or tapestry of the bible.
The artwork at each intersection in the matrix shows how each Theme (row) is developed and fulfilled in each Era or Milestone of revelation (column).
Together, it shows bible history as a gradual restoration of seven blessings lost from Eden.
Over thousands of years, each Eden-born theme is transformed into something much greater than could have been appreciated in Eden.
What does it cost?
Nothing. It is all free on the web. All the teaching materials, handouts to print - the whole lot.
To teach it for fees and income, just write to me for a nice surprise about a license.
Folks like you provide for my family’s needs to do all this.
Whose theology & denomination is this?
Everyone’s. The theology is entirely orthodox, historical, biblical, consistent with all the ancient creeds and reformation catechisms, and radically free of semi-Pelagianism!
HOW CAN I USE IT BEYOND MY OWN PERSONAL ENJOYMENT?
The Seven Streams can work for teaching children from as young as 4 or 5 right through to adult classes and university classes.
- It began its life as ~100 ten minute Childrens Talks/ Dramas in front of a congregation.
- It has been used as a Sunday School curriculum.
- Younger kids and youth can enjoy setting all the cards out and answering a million quiz questions (What story is this picture about?Where does it come in the whole Bible? What promise is coming true? What does it tell us about God? etc.) They will eagerly compete in achieving the correct sequencing of a particular row, and therefore would show off to their parents and grandparents by explaining how they know what each image means and how they go together. Even secular kids in Religious Education classes might rush off and preach to their parents and others in this way.
- It can be run as a Vacation Bible School or as an evangelistic vehicle.
- Teens might find it cool because it is so cleverly connective, yet still visual and tangible.
- Students can prepare a paper or a talk on a card or on a theme.
- Adults in home groups or Bible classes can be asked to present cells or lines of the matrix to one another.
- Adult students (university, etc.) can be told, ‘Your class assignment is to explain/ evaluate/ improve one of the theme/ era cells on the basis of your own biblical reading, and even to Create an extra row showing a different theme that you see in Scripture.”
- The entire scheme can be delivered in 5-6 hours (a day program) using a light projector (perhaps even with voice-over), with people then taking the card-packs and mini-posters home to play with, to use as references, to use for group studies, Sunday Schools, Youth Groups, etc. (In case this seems impossible, it will take you only an hour or so to read and comprehend all the handouts. I took over a year at 15-20 minutes per cell to teach it to children, but a biblically literate (or well-rehearsed) person could talk through every cell with a biblically literate adult in an hour or so.)