Join our Community Study of The Gospel of Mark
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Follow the table below to catch up with Epiphany’s readthrough of Mark’s gospel, and learn more about the reading guide in the information below.
| Week | Email Guide | Podcast | Sermon |
| Introduction | Learning with the Lion | The Origin of Mark’s Gospel | |
| Week 1 Mark 1:1-15 | Mark’s Speedy Introduction | Son of God | Dancing With Myself |
| Week 2 Mark 1:16-45 | A New Teaching with Authority | Keeping Jesus’s Secret | The Cat in the Hat, Lady Macbeth, and Mr. Clean |
| Week 3 Mark 2:1-3:6 | Jesus Has Enemies | The History of Pharisees | Kick Off Your Sunday Rules |
| Week 4 Mark 3:7-35 | A New Family | The Unforgiveable Sin | Family Feud |
| Week 5 Mark 4:1-34 | Parables from a Boat | Parsing the Parables |
Sometimes the Bible can feel intimidating to read. It comes from an ancient time, the names and places are unfamiliar, and frankly, it can be quite boring without a little context and help.
At the same time, people seem to find a the Bible to be a deep well of spiritual comfort, hope, and encouragement. People will claim that the Bible, and the God who gave it to us, was instrumental in saving their marriage, healing them from childhood traumas, helping them sort out work conflict, all the while offering a whole host of other practical life benefits.
The Bible can feel boring and complicated. So how do people get so much out of it?
This summer, Epiphany will be starting a church-wide Bible readthrough of the Gospel of Mark. In art history, the Gospel of Mark was frequently depicted as a lion. It was a reference to The Book of Revelation, but moreover, the lion is a symbol of power and kingship. Mark’s great hope is that we read his gospel and walk away with this insight: Jesus of Nazareth is the true king of God’s people, and his kingdom is unlike anything on earth that we would expect or imagine. We won’t come to understand the good news of Jesus’s kingship, however, until we actually read his gospel.
All members of Epiphany, and everyone in the wider Ligonier Valley community, are invited to read along through The Gospel of Mark this summer. Each week across the 13 weeks of the season, starting June 4, will read through a featured selection from Mark’s Gospel. Those reading along will engage with the featured reading in four ways:
Mondays: Passage Day
Each Monday, the weekly selection from the gospel and a short summary of the text will be sent out, outlining the important details of the text for readers. With a guide in hand, the community is invited to read the selection from Mark and reflect on the themes they notice.
Wednesdays: Podcast Day
Each Wednesday, a short podcast episode will debut on Epiphany’s podcast feed offering a reflection into an important Bible reading principle. Here we will explore more details
Sundays: Preaching Day
Every Sunday, Pastor Bryan will preach on the selection, offering an application of the passage that remains relevant in our own time. For those who don’t attend Epiphany for Sunday Worship, and for those who are traveling, a recording of the sermon will be posted the following Monday on the church’s podcast feed.
Bonus Episodes
Throughout the summer, there will be bonus emails, podcasts, and teachings from the gospel to broaden our understanding of the Bible and how we might come to read it.
By reading through Mark’s gospel, not only will we learn about what it truly means that Jesus is king, but also, we will gain valuable insight into how we might read the rest of the Bible as well. It’s true: for those who are wrestling with the trials of life and need a good word, the Bible is filled with good news, sympathy, understanding, and hope. With the help of a community and a little context, it would be a joy to help you hear the good news afresh.