Junior epistle project
I. Why we do it:Reason
A. You are the future leaders of the church; you will be leading Bible studies, Sunday school, VacationBibleSchool, Catechism classes, small groups, maybe even speaking to large audiences.
B. If one is to lead, one must either have the facts or have access to them. It is my goal as a teacher to help you to learn how to research the Bible, to nurture your ability to interpret scripture, so that you may lead more effectively in the future.
II. Who the paper is for:Target Audience
A. Ultimately for you. This is practice at using Biblical tools.
B. Your paper is going to be written to another Junior in High School who knows little to nothing about your epistle.
III. What your goal is in the paper:
A. To learn how to use accessible Biblical tools to increase your ability to understand and share your faith with others
IV. How to go about completing the paper:
A. We will spend some time in the library doing research using Biblical tools (more on those tools below).
B. You will read your epistle through several times in at least 4 different translations. Why?
1. To get a feel for the beauty and difficulty of translation.
2. To appreciate the necessity for constant renewal and translation work that must be done for each generation.
a. To accomplish that, I will have you read different translations. For example:
1. Start in the familiar- NIV- most accessible translation in English speaking history today.
2. Get in touch with another modern translation (those done within the last 50 years) such as the:
-21st Century King James Version (KJ21 Bible)
-Contemporary English Version (CEV)
-New American Standard Bible (NASB)
-The New International Version (TNIV)
- This list was far from exhaustive, if there are others, run them by me. These all can be found for free on
C. Rules for read throughs
V. What a finished product will look like: (You may either do a paper or a speech)
A. Title page- including a catchy title, name, class period, and due date
B. Your read through sheets which are numbered already.
C. Your written report which will be 5-7 pages long, typed, double spaced, one inch margins, Times New Roman font, and numbered. Your first page of your report should start on the page where your last completed read through leaves off. Your title page and works cited page should not be numbered. If you do a speech you will need to hand in your read through sheets, an outline of your speech, and your Works Cited page. Remember you must cite at least four separate sources during your speech. Speech length? 10-15 minutes
D. Your works cited page which will include at least four sources (see below for your possible sources). 3 of those four must be commentaries! For the fourth, I suggest Biblical Dictionaries, Biblical Encyclopedias, Biblical Handbooks. Consult your Writers Inc. book to follow proper formatting.
E. Your GRADE SHEET will come last in your report. Allow this to act your check off list to make sure you are meeting all the requirements.
F. Attached your report will be ___ note cards
VI. What is required and what is up to me in those 5-7 pages?
A. Required:
1. A catchy opening, a story that is worthy your title, an opening that ties into the main ideas of the Epistle. The more personal it is the more interesting and relevant. Please don’t spend over a page on this. Remember Hook, Book, Look, Took? Hook them in with a catchy story; Book- walk us through your chosen passages and give us some background; Look-take us into what scripture meant for the original audience; Took- what does it mean for you or me?
2. A strong closing paragraph that take us back to your beginning paragraph. Use a statement(s) that summarizes your main points, or finishes the story, that ties into your title.
3. One paragraph on your author: Background, history, when he lived and died, where he preached, who he traveled with, what he ate for breakfast, that kind of stuff (that last one was a joke).
4. One paragraph on the audience or the city that the epistle is written to: What are they like? Who are they? Where are they? How many people live there? What is the dominant religion there? Are there any major obstacles for a missionary there?
5. Choose two or three topics/chapters that you found particularly interesting and research those. You most likely will not be able to research an entire epistle in four library periods, nor cover all the topics in 5-7 pages, and besides that might be a slightly boring paper. Make it personal.
6. Proper scholarly attention to details, such as:
a. Have at least four citations from different authors.
b. Use at least 4 cross references (other places in the Bible that are speaking about the topic). For example, Paul talks about being just or justified in Romans, I Corinthians, Galatians, and Titus. Use these passages to show that certain topics are so important in the Bible that they are mentioned multiple times.
B. Up to me? Suggestions:Ideas of different things you could do with the paper. Remember your task is to persuade another Junior to want to read your epistle. What would you need to be convinced to read the epistle?
1. Write a short sermon exposing the truths of your passages.
2. Write a Bible study (no longer than two pages)
3. Write it in first person like you were a personal friend of Paul
VII. The tools you will use:
A. Primary sources- You will read your epistle 7 times through in at least four different translations. You will use the read through sheets to accomplish this. You will only be allowed two read through sheets at a time until you get to the last three. You must show me that pages 1-2 are completed before I give you 3-4, and then once you have completed 3 and 4 you will receive 5-7.
B. Secondary sources (reference tools)
1. Bible Commentaries: Entire books written by a scholar dedicated usually dedicated to just one book of the Bible. It will walk you through verse by verse, chapter by chapter. (Warning: Don’t get bogged down in detail here, these guys are scholars and do this for a living. Just study a few topics that interest you.)
2. Bible Dictionary- a quick and general reference both to your epistle, and places/people/ideas in it.
3. Bible Encyclopedia- about the same as a dictionary but usually the entries are longer and more scholarly.
4. Bible Handbook- same as Bible Dictionary except they are typically easier to read and have more pictures
5. Bible Concordance- to look up a specific word and see how and where it was used. Two types usually: a) a concise concordance, which hits the most famous passages with the word in it, and b) an exhaustive concordance, which list every single time that word is used in the entire Bible.
6. Study Bibles- Invaluable- they will usually have a commentary, a concordance, maps, helpful study guides, and a helpful introduction to each book of the Bible.
VIII. Last Remarks: This is a course requirement, which means you have to complete it in order to pass your Bible III. That being said, this will most likely be the most memorable experience of Bible III; you will most likely still remember this paper ten years from now. What you put in you will get out. Make it a forgone conclusion that you will do this well, with pride, and with the expectation that will be able to repeat these steps in the years to come, when you are leading others in a Bible Study. It is my prayer for you, that although this will be a difficult experience, that it will also be a rewarding and enriching one.
DUE DATES
-Reading sheets 1 ______
2 ______
3 ______
4 ______
5 ______
6 ______
-Library Days (Days, we as a class, are given in the library during class period) Suggestion- use library time to do note cards and not read through sheets.
-Day 1 ______How many note cards per day
-Day 2 ______
-Day 3 ______
-Day 4 ______
= ____ Total amount required
-Rough Draft due date ______
-It may be hand written, but preferably typed- it is easier to makecorrections, not only for those who will proof read your paper,but also for your self when doing your final draft)
-Rough Draft Proof Read due date- ______(Corrections and Signature at the end of the draft)
-Final Paper due date ______