On September 28, I had the great honor of attending The Great Adventure Bible in A Day event presented by Jeff Cavins. The event was help in the auditorium at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. The event was sold out, and I was able to learn about the Bible with 700 of my closest friends from one of the world’s greatest Bible teachers.
A book can be written about all of the information that was presented, but I will simply say that the event left me with a deeper appreciation for scripture. As a former ordained Protestant minister, I always had a deep appreciation for scripture, in fact it was reading the scriptures and the writings of the church fathers about them that drew me to the Catholic Church. The event was truly lifechanging.
Mr. Cavins said from the outset that walking into a Catholic church can be intimidating for someone who has never been, and likewise the Bible can be intimidating if we try to read it straight through from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible Timeline that Mr. Cavins created breaks it down, in color coded form, the periods of salvation history, and the books that are required reading to understand the story. Under the required reading, are the recommended books that elaborate on the story of salvation history.
The event provided the opportunity to learn the whole story of the Bible in one day. I have been studying scripture and theology for the better part of eight years, and I took so much away from the event that has enhanced my understanding of everything that God has done for us. The great thing about this event is that it was for everyone, one need not be a bible scholar to attend. As I looked at those in attendance I saw teenagers, young adults, middle age, and elderly. Everyone in attendance learned about scripture and what the Catechism calls the four pillars of the creed, sacraments, life in Christ, and prayer. The background of the four is told in scripture and that is why it is important to have a basic understanding of what is going on. As Jeff Cavins said, “A sacraments class with no story is like toast with no butter”.
The event taught a love for scripture and how important it should be in our daily lives. Jeff Cavins made a statement that resonated with me. He stated, “There is nothing like a worn-out Bible that testifies to our relationship with God”. We were implored to shape our day around the sacred page and prayer. That is how we grow in relationship.
Lastly, Jeff discussed how important it is to share our faith. This isn’t something that is only for the priest or deacon, but for every baptized Catholic to do. The world is hurting and people are trying to find meaning in things that will only make the pain worse. He left us with a seven step blueprint to evangelize, and he said it is one that he uses daily. Here are the seven things to tell people:
1. God loves you and has a plan for your life.
2. Sin messed up our lives and broke our relationship with God.
3. Jesus died for our sins.
4. We must repent of our sin.
5. Get baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
6. Join the Church.
7. Make disciples.
There is much more that can be said about the event. It is one that I learned much from and was convicted by the Holy Spirit for what I had not done. 97% of Catholics don’t share their faith and that is a number that must change. It changes by understanding the story laid out in scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, and spreading the word about the love of Christ. This event is one that I encourage you to attend if you can. There are a couple more left on Oct 19th and 20th at the Museum of the Bible. If you can’t attend, then I recommend checking out The Great Adventure studies available by Ascension Press.
