Grace Center Women’s Ministry is excited to begin our next round of Bible study on Tuesday evenings beginning March 21! Over the course of 7 weeks, we will spend time connecting, watching a video study by Kristi McLelland, and discussing it at tables together.

The cost of the study is $20 and includes light refreshments each week.

Please feel free to contact lindsay.wenth@gracecenter.us with any questions.

about the study

In The Running Father, Biblical culturalist and teacher Kristi McLelland leads through Luke 15. In this story, Jesus is eating with the tax collectors and sinners, while the religious leaders look on in disapproval. In response to their contempt, Jesus tells 3 parables: one of the lost sheep, one of the lost coin, and one of the lost son (or “the prodigal,” as many of us may know it).

By offering us a glimpse through the Middle Eastern view and context of that day, Kristi unpacks Jesus’ powerful definition of “repentance” found in this passage. Where our Western view is to focus on what is lost in these parables, the Middle Eastern context is to focus on the God who finds—and this includes the parable of “The Running Father.” The story of the Bible is not about us cleaning ourselves up and finding our way home; the story of the Bible is about a living God Who will leave His throne to pursue each of us and lovingly return us home.

Watch Kristi’s description of the study here.

additional resources

The Running Father is drawn from Kenneth Bailey’s book The Cross and the Prodigal. For those who would like to dive deeper into the study, that book is available for purchase on Amazon.