For the Body Video Study Guide

By Seedbed Publishing

For the Body Video Study Guide examines God's design and purpose for the human body in eight sessions, promoting the wonder of our bodies serving as physical pointers to deeper spiritual realities.

This easy-to-follow companion guide will showcase the seven building blocks of a positive vision for the body, as well what the Bible has to say about sexuality. Discussion questions will foster dialogue for how we can practically live as disciples while still maintaining our biblical and Christian distinctiveness.

Learn how a biblical view of the human body can help heal a host of cultural dilemmas facing us today through this study guide and accompanying videos by Timothy C. Tennent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seedbed
• Release date: Dec 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781628248784

Book preview

Introduction

This book serves as the companion study guide for individuals and groups watching the video series by Timothy Tennent based on his book For the Body. The goal of this eight-session video series is to lay a foundation for Christian teaching on the human body. Though currently one of the most neglected topics in the church, by recapturing a positive view of the body, the church can once again speak prophetically to our surrounding culture on a host of issues that confront our society. But above all, a positive theology of the human body can heal and realign the experience of the church itself. By recapturing a biblical, historic, and integrated view of the body, individuals, families, and local churches can live out the compelling vision that will restore members to one another. Nothing short of this will persuade the world to look in with curiosity. But when it does, it may just discover a beautiful testimony to the merging of heaven and earth in the good news of Jesus Christ—the person to whom our bodies ultimately testify.

Some of these sessions may be more difficult to take in than others. The richness of Scripture and the theological points made herein are worth exercising patience with as you mull them over. Indeed, everything worthwhile takes time. Consider pausing the video if you need to ask questions of one another or to reflect further. Also, consider that the lengthier book, For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body (Seedbed/Zondervan, 2020) serves as the basis of this teaching. It is available from Seedbed and includes further explanations and footnotes for those wanting to explore this matter further.

Finally, it must be said that this work touches on several issues that relate to the stories of people in your community. Since everyone has (or is!) a body, there will be at least one session that challenges or comforts every individual as we open ourselves to reflect biblically on the human body. We need to exercise humility, patience, and compassion as we strive to absorb these important truths. Our posture, therefore, must be one of love, even as we strive for the holiness which God sets before us.

Each chapter has several sections:

The first, Summary Reading, is a shorter, written version of the presentation by Timothy Tennent in the videos. It is worth having as a reference to see terms, concepts, or Scripture references alluded to in the video. This part may be read at home or in person before watching the video. Engaging at this level will help make sense of the presentation as it reinforces the points made there.

The Video Presentation Outline also provides a guide for the points made in the videos.

The Discussion Guide sets up several elements where you can reflect on a relevant Scripture, draw out theological points, or consider the practical dimensions of what is being taught. Use those as a basis for going deeper in your conversations.

Finally, you will find Further Reading if you are looking for resources to deepen your understanding of the concepts in each chapter.

May you and your group be enriched as you pursue this rewarding topic together.

1

session

Our Bodies Are Speaking to Us

SUMMARY READING

Your group may choose to read this section individually at home or together at the beginning of your meeting. Consider having volunteers take turns reading a paragraph at a time.

Today’s church faces a major dilemma in attempting to answer the pressing challenges to the biblical moral framework: Should it tackle these issues one by one, or is there an underlying foundation that