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From CRC PublicationsFaith Alive Christian Resources

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this publicationare from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permissionof Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Faith Alive Christian Resources published by CRC Publications.Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible. Church school materialsfor high school students, © 2005, CRC Publications, 2850Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560. All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America on recycled paper.

We welcome your comments. Call us at 1-800-333-8300 or e-mailus at editors@faithaliveresources.org.

ISBN 1-59255-201-3

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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CONTENTS

The Trip in Brief 5

Session 1 9What Christians Believe About the Bible

Session 2 15The Old Testament—Now I Get It!

Session 3 21The New Testament—Good News in Three Voices

Session 4 27It’s About Jesus

Session 5 33God’s View of History

Session 6 39Covenant

Session 7 45Can You See the Kingdom?

Session 8 51So Where to Now?

First Mentoring Session 57

Second Mentoring Session 61

Reproducible Resources 65

5

THE TRIP IN BRIEF

Welcome to Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible, aneight-session Bible survey course for high school youth.If this brief overview of your tour doesn’t answer all yourquestions, please feel free to call us at 1-800-333-8300or e-mail us at editors@faithaliveresources.org.

Compass Needed!As with any trip, we need to know what direction we’reheaded. This course is designed to “connect the dots” forteens and help them see how the sixty-six books of theBible together reveal to us the good news of God’s lovefor us through Jesus, our Savior.

People and PlacesThis course was road-tested with ninth and tenthgraders, but it’s designed for traveling with youth ingrades 9-12. You might even try it with young adults orwith an intergenerational group. Even though adultsmight not be as open to some of the more fun activities,they’re more willing to play when younger people areinvolved. If you’ve ever chaperoned a youth trip, you’llknow all about this!

Every trip has its point of origination. We suggest aSunday school setting, youth group meetings, or Bibleclasses in Christian high schools. If you’re really cre-ative, turn your meeting place into a travel agencyoffice, a bus, or . . . let your imagination run!

CheckpointsThis course aims to help high school youthn become acquainted with the structure and content of the Bible.n understand the major themes that unify the books of the Bible.n see how the Bible focuses on Christ.n read the Bible and respond to its message in their lives.

In addition, this study is designed to help teens whoare new to the faith learn how to find their way throughthe Bible. In the student book “Traveler’s Guides”provide specific tips to help new travelers find their waythrough the Bible, and “FAQs” (Frequently Asked Questions)

provide further help. In this leader’s guide you’ll findmany ways to help and involve students who are new tothe Bible, including two special mentoring sessions atthe back of the guide.

Every now and then, you’ll want to stop and ask yourselfand your students this question: Are we thereyet? Then “keep on truckin’”—responding tothe Bible’s message is a lifelong journey!

F O R Y O U , T H E T O U R G U I D EAs you travel along Route 66, likely you’ll feelsomewhat like a tour guide. We’ve given you adetailed itinerary in this leader’s guide. Here aresome highlights included in every session:n Multiple Scripture references to point you to the

biblical basis for each session.n Clear and realistic session goals to give you

specific direction foreach of the eightphases of the trip.

n A Session Overviewchart that summarizeslearning activities,materials needed, andthe time allowed.

n “Finding Our Way,”the biblical backgroundexplaining what youneed to know, writtenby Rev. Robert DeMoor, theologicaleditor for Faith AliveChristian Resources.

n Step-by-step direc-tions based on the authors’ teaching of their own highschool class. You’ll know right away that these easy-to-usesession plans are the real thing. They’re creative and

SCRIPTURE2 Samuel 22:31;Proverbs 30:5;Isaiah 55:8-11;Romans 1:16-17;2 Timothy 3:16;Hebrews 4:12;2 Peter 1:16, 18-21;Revelation 22:18-19

SESSIONGOALSStudents willn recognize Scripture’sclaims about itself as alegitimate starting point forexploring what the Bible is.n explore four claims theBible makes about itself.n identify implications of theclaims the Bible makes aboutitself.n reflect on personalexperiences that may confirmthe Bible’s claims.

SESSION OVERVIEWSLearning Activities

1. Observations: Product Claims.Students make statementsabout products that they thinkare true.

2. Bible Exploration: Claims inScripture. Small groups read,reflect, and report on claimsScripture makes about itself.

3. Survey: Checking It Out.Students reflect privately ontheir experience with Scripture,then share reactions with others.

4. Prayer: Thanks and Questions.Students spend time in prayerand reflection.

Materials

*Packaged food (bags of chips or carrots,bottles of soda, and so on) with printedinformation on the package, paper and pensor pencils, board or newsprint and markers

Bibles, student books, pens

Student books, pens, week 1 “Check It Out”cards

None needed

*If you choose to take the “Shortcut” option (p. **), youwon’t need the packaged foods.

Time

5-10 minutes

25-30 minutes

5-15 minutes

5 minutes

interactive, and they appeal to a variety of learning styles.Best of all, they’ll make your trip successful.

The following “road signs” are used throughout thesession plans to alert you to some tour guide tips:

Before You Hit the Road (directions for majorthings to do ahead of time)Alternate Route (slightly different ways toaccomplish an activity)Shortcut (tips to save preparation and travel time)Road Test Notes (notes from the authors basedon their field-test experiences)Side Road Trip (optional activities)

Reproducible resources are also included in the backof the guide. These worksheets, game cards, and so on areused in various ways throughout the course. You’ll want tophotocopy these pages ahead of time for your students.

Stapled into the center of the leader’s guide you’ll finda large wall chart that you’ll use in sessions 5, 6, and7—first as a poster, then as a game board, and finally asa kingdom road map. (Be sure to save it for the durationof your trip.) You’ll also find several sheets of gamepieces and game cards for use in sessions 6 and 7.

The sessions are designed to take 45-60 minutes. Ifyou have less time, you’ll want to scale down or omitsome activities. (Watch for Short Cuts in the margins.)

You’ll need a small number of standard supplies tolead the sessions:n Bibles (one per student—encourage kids to bring their

own if possible)n pens or pencilsn papern markersn board or newsprint

By session 3, you’ll need a few study Bibles (the kindwith chapter introductions and notes). In session 8 wesuggest making available a variety of Bible translationsfor students to compare.

If you prefer to gather the materials all at one time(or if you can find someone to do it for you), here are theadditional items you’ll need:

n *packaged food (bags of chips or carrots, bottles of soda, andso on) with printed information on the package (session 1)

n *novel, rule book or set of instructions from a game,songbook, advice column from a newspaper (session 2)

n small prizes or wrapped candy (sessions 4 and 5, optional)n video camera (session 4, optional)n Play-Doh (session 6)n two large bowls, two mixing spoons (session 7)n paper cups, margarine tubs, or resealable sandwich bags

(session 7, one per student)n yeast and flour (session 7)n powdered milk, cornmeal, whole wheat flour

(session 7, optional)n large measuring cup of water (session 7)n two dish towels (session 7)

*If you choose to do the “Shortcut” options forsessions 1 and 2, you won’t need these items.

Additional Resources for LeadersA good study Bible with notes can be invaluable,especially as you lead the Bible studies in session 3. The authors recommend the NIV Study Bible (availablefrom Faith Alive Christian Resources, 1-800-333-8300)and Quest Study Bible (available at most Christianbookstores).

Optional: Mentoring SessionsThese two session plans might be considered directions fora side trip off the beaten path. They’re intended to helpteens who are new to the faith learn how to find majordivisions, chapters, verses, and so on in the Bible. Designedas a follow-up to this course, they can also be adapted foryouth with more Bible study knowledge and skills.

For Your Teen TravelersTravel anywhere with a group of teens, and you’ll findmost of them with a bag of souvenirs, postcards,brochures, and the like. To make this Route 66 tripmemorable, we’ve designed two resources—all wrappedinto one package.

The Route 66 Traveler’s Guide (student book) is fullof exercises designed to keep teens engaged andtraveling the same road together as they become morefamiliar with the Bible and its message of salvation.

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THE TR IP IN BR I E F

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You’ll want one book for each student and one foryourself as well.

Check It Out cards challenge students to read andstudy the Bible on their own during the week. Theseeight cards are bound into the Traveler’s Guide andperforated for easy removal.

“Call Home!”That’s probably the last bit of advice every parent givesas their son or daughter leaves on a trip. Parents wantto feel connected with their teens, and you can encour-age that on this Route 66 trip as well. Here are somesuggestions for involving parents:n Mail a letter to each student’s family before you beginthis course. Explain what it’s about, and ask for theirprayers and support. Include your phone number and e-mail address.n Or make a phone call rather than sending a letter.n Invite parents and teens to a kick-off meeting. Buildon the travel theme, and give a brief overview of thecourse. Sell the trip!n Encourage families to use the “Check It Out” cards forfamily devotions.n Invite parents of teens new to the faith to join youfor the mentoring sessions.

F R O M T H E A U T H O R SDear Route 66 Tour Guides,Years ago the two of us (Jane Vogel and Mary Sytsma)signed up to be small group leaders at a youth conven-tion. When our resource materials came in the mail,included was a note we suspected to have been writtenspecifically for us. It encouraged us not to worry if weweren’t “young, cute, and athletic”—God could still useus in youth ministry.

We laughed about that letter many times (and so havethe young people we work with), because if there’sanything we aren’t, it’s young, cute, and athletic. Theletter was right on that score. It was right in its conclusiontoo: God can still use us.

That’s one reason we’re writers for this course. To putit bluntly, if we can do this, so can you. We have certainqualifications for writing this material, but we also havemost of the limitations anyone else might have whohopes to teach it: outside jobs, other volunteer commit-ments, busy families, school-aged children.

Real Teachers, Real KidsWe’ve road-tested every lesson in this leader’s guide onreal high school students. You’ll find tips about what welearned along the way in Road Test Notes printed in themargins. We owe a debt of thanks to the ninth- and tenth-grade teens at Wheaton (Illinois) Christian ReformedChurch who willingly served as first-time travelers andwhose contributions shaped much of this trip.

Sometimes our editors, after reading our students’responses, asked whether we were traveling with unusu-ally gifted and spiritually mature kids. We tend to bebiased in our teens’ favor, but on most counts they’repretty typical. We did have a few advantages, though,that we’d like to share with you.

We personalized our sessions. As we wrote eachsession, we had these real, specific teens and their real,specific situations in mind. As you prepare to teach, youcan do so with your real, specific teens in mind too.Spend more or less time on steps according to theirneeds, or follow a plan that goes beyond the scope ofthe printed material.

We know our teens. That’s the only way to personalizethis material! We have the advantage of working with ourchurch high school youth group, so we already had

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contact with the sophomores in our tour group. If youdon’t have that advantage, don’t lose heart. We’ve foundthat the focused time in class helps us know our youth aswell as or better than time spent with them in the largeryouth group. Build relationships with your teen, and yourtrip will be an exciting adventure. Just ask our teens!

We pray. When we met to write these sessions, wetried to make a point of praying for each teen by name.One side benefit was that if we didn’t know what to prayabout for a specific teen, we knew we needed to paymore attention to that person. But more important isthat praying puts the ownership of your class in theright hands: God’s.

Attractions or Tourist Traps?If you’ve traveled with a carload of kids, you know thatwhat attracts one’s attention may totally bore a sibling.That’s the way it is in teaching too.

It’s a simple fact that different people learn best indifferent ways. You may have heard these various wayscalled learning styles or multiple intelligences. On this tripthrough the Bible, we’ve tried to engage teens in a varietyof ways—through words, movement, art, drama, and soon. Sometimes a learning activity that doesn’t appeal toyour strengths may look like a “tourist trap.” We encour-age you to give it a try anyway.

Somewhere along the line, some teachers havebought into the notion that we can’t be serious aboutlearning if we’re having fun. We’ve heard enoughresponses to previous courses we’ve written to be ableto anticipate some concerns you might have aboutpotential tourist traps. We’ll share a few FHCs (frequent-ly heard comments).

“Aren’t you just entertaining the kids?”Believe us—we’re not that entertaining! If that were

our goal, we’d take our teens to an amusement park andturn them loose. Our goal is to engage them. Before youwrite off simulating a TV show to learn about Christology(session 4) or playing a board game to trace God’scovenant with his people (session 6), read the RoadTest Notes to see how teens respond to this kind ofengagement.

“I don’t have time for all that introductory stuff; Ihave so much to say about the topic of the session.”

If you are one of the rare gifted speakers whosestudents learn best by listening to you, go ahead andlecture. But you’ll probably be disappointed in oursession plans, because we haven’t built in much time totell your teens what they need to know. We’ve designedthe activities to lead students to uncover and exploreand apply for themselves. And “all that introductorystuff”—session openers, thought-starters, games—arepart of the process. If you skip the appetizer, your teensmight not be ready for the “meat.”

“You have teenagers drawing, using Play-Doh, andplaying with Hot Wheels—isn’t that stuff too immaturefor high-schoolers?”

That’s exactly the question a leader raised with acourse we’ve written on the Heidelberg Catechism(Questions Worth Asking, Faith Alive ChristianResources). She wrote to say that she had decided togive it a try anyway and discovered that her teensresponded more positively than she could have imag-ined. Sometimes playful props can be just the spring-board to launch mature thinking about deep concepts.

But don’t just take our word for it—try a few “off thebeaten path” ideas for yourself. And remember that forall our commitment to doing our best, when it comesright down to it, the Spirit is a better teacher thananyone around, and the Word is as powerful as a full-throttled engine. You can trust the power of the Spirit,the Word, and prayer.

Blessings!

Mary and Jane

Session 1

9

WHAT CHRISTIANSBELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE

SESSION OVERVIEWSCRIPTURE2 Samuel 22:31;Proverbs 30:5;Isaiah 55:8-11;Romans 1:16-17;2 Timothy 3:16;Hebrews 4:12;2 Peter 1:16, 18-21;Revelation 22:18-19

SESSIONGOALSStudents willn recognize Scripture’sclaims about itself as alegitimate starting point forexploring what the Bible is.n explore four claims theBible makes about itself.n identify implications of theclaims the Bible makes aboutitself.n reflect on personalexperiences that may confirmthe Bible’s claims.

Learning Activities

1. Observations: Product Claims.Students make statementsabout products that they thinkare true.

2. Bible Exploration: Claims inScripture. Small groups read,reflect, and report on claimsScripture makes about itself.

3. Survey: Checking It Out. Studentsreflect privately on theirexperience with Scripture, thenshare reactions with others.

4. Prayer: Thanks and Questions.Students spend time in prayerand reflection.

Materials

*Packaged food (bags of chips or carrots,bottles of soda, and so on) with printedinformation on the package, paper and pensor pencils, board or newsprint and markers

Bibles, student books, pens

Student books, pens, week 1 “Check It Out”cards

None needed

*If you choose to take the “Shortcut” option (p. 11), youwon’t need the packaged foods.

Time

5-10 minutes

25-30 minutes

5-15 minutes

5 minutes

F I N D I N G O U R W A YSome claims are fairly easy to prove or disprove. If yournew brother-in-law claims to have six fingers on eachhand then you can easily check to see if he’s fibbing.You just ask him to haul his hands out of his pocketsand you can tell rather quickly if you’ve just welcomedanother windbag into the family. But other claims aremuch harder to assess. Your brother-in-law mightprofess undying love for your sister. But does he reallylove her? How can you tell? How can he prove it to you?The only way you can test this claim is to observe howhe treats her over the years. As they say about suchreally significant claims, only time will tell.

The same is true of the Bible. Its claim to be the Wordof God that leads to salvation cannot be directly proveneither right or wrong. Like most of the really importantclaims in life, its truth can only be verified throughlong-term experience. The proof is in the pudding.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that there’s no good,solid evidence to support the Bible’s claims. There is.Unlike all the other holy books that claim to be God’sWord, the Bible offers concrete evidence of its veracity.It bases its claim on a unique historical reality thatcould have been easily verified when the claim wasmade. That reality is the resurrection of Jesus from thedead. If he died and rose again (as predicted inScripture itself), then he must be who he says he is,God’s Son, our Savior and Lord. Conversely, if he waseither a lunatic or a liar, his claims could have beeneasily proven to be false. People would only haveneeded to produce his body, and Christianity would havebeen snuffed out in its infancy.

A Sure WordBut that’s not what happened. Those who carefullyinvestigated what happened to Jesus (see Luke 1:1-4)were overwhelmed with the evidence and became ardentbelievers. Just as in a court of law the jury must deter-mine what happened on the basis of the testimony ofthe eyewitnesses, so we must base our judgment of theBible’s claims on the eyewitnesses whose words arerecorded there. Does their testimony ring true? Is itconsistent? Is it convincing?

Over thousands of years, honest inquirers whocarefully read the Scriptures for themselves acknowledgethat the Bible is indeed what it claims to be: the Wordof God that leads us to a saving, everlasting loverelationship with God. Through immersing ourselves inits message, the Holy Spirit confirms its truth in ourhearts and we come to faith. That’s the great miracle ofrebirth that happens every time the Word takes root inour hearts and lives.

In this session, we present the Bible’s own claimabout itself—that it is God’s saving Word to all whobelieve. Will your teens buy it? That’s up to the HolySpirit. Your job is to encourage them to see for them-selves and to share with them your own faith. Youyourself have experienced the reality of these claims inyour life. Don’t be shy in sharing them with these teens.

Enough Is EnoughWhat exactly are the Bible’s claims about itself? We’lllimit ourselves to just a few that are key.

n The Bible is God’s inspired Word.Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is God-breathed.” That doesn’t mean that God dictated it wordfor word, but that God supervised human writers toaccurately write down and explain what God did andsaid. Technically the Scripture Paul refers to is the OldTestament, since at the time of his writing this letter toTimothy, the New Testament did not yet exist in writtenform. But in Romans 1:16, Paul makes very clear thatthe gospel he and the other apostles preach is also God’sWord. And so does Peter in 2 Peter 1:16-21. Oncewritten down in gospels and pastoral letters, theirpreaching was consistently affirmed by the early churchas being equally God’s holy Word, brought into beingthrough the work of the Holy Spirit. For all practicalpurposes, it’s consistent with the Bible’s own claims toapply the 2 Timothy 3:16 passage to Old and NewTestament alike.

n The Bible is the infallible Word of God.From passages such as 2 Samuel 22:31 and Proverbs30:5 we learn that the Bible is never going to let usdown. The word infallible means unfailing. The Bible iscompletely reliable and trustworthy as our guide for

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faith and life. We can stake our life here and now andforever after on its truthfulness.

n The Bible is redemptive.Passages such as Hebrews 4:12 and Isaiah 55:8-11clearly confirm that the Bible is effective in bringing usto salvation in Jesus Christ. It’s not just a book ofhistory, ethics, moral teachings, or theology. It’s a bookthat creates faith in our hearts, connects us to God, andtransforms us, bringing us into eternal life in Christ.

n The Bible is sufficient.Other Christian literature may enhance our understand-ing of Scripture, as might sermons, Bible studies, andthe like. But the Bible itself remains the one and onlyprimary Source that leads us to a full revelation of andrelationship with God (Rom. 1:16-17). We may extendthe warning of Revelation 22:18-19 not to add anythingto “the prophecy of this book” to the entire Bible aswell. We may neither take away from nor add anythingto God’s holy Word. We may only receive it in faith andlive it. And in the living, through the Spirit’s testimonyin our hearts, we meet Jesus. That’s all the proof we’llever need.

L E A D I N G T H E S E S S I O N1. Observations: Product ClaimsMaterials:Packaged food items (bags of chips or carrots, bottles ofsoda, and so on) with printed information on thepackage, paper, pens, board or newsprint and markers

Time: 5-10 minutes

Form groups of three or four. Give each group one of thepackaged items, a sheet of paper, and a pen. (It’s OK ifmore than one group has the same item.) Give instructionslike these: Write as many true statements about your

object as you can in twominutes. Your goal is toget a lot of statements onpaper, so abbreviate wordsand phrases.

After two minutes, askeach group these questions

(record their answers on yourboard or newsprint):n Share one true statementabout your food item.n How do you know that it’strue?

After each group has had achance to respond, point tothe list you’ve compiled andask, How could you test thatthese claims are true?

Summarize by sayingsomething like this: We do thisall the time. We first listen toa claim that a product makesabout itself; then we check itout. We test it to see if theclaim holds up.

That’s what we’re going todo with the Bible. We’regoing to look at four claimsthe Bible makes about itself.Maybe you already acceptthese claims. Maybe youwant to check them out.Either way, it’s good to knowwhat the Bible says aboutitself.

2. Bible Exploration:Claims in ScriptureMaterials:Student books, pens, Bibles

Time:25-30 minutes

Hand out the student books and pens. (If students don’thave their own Bibles, provide them for each person.)Ask everyone to turn to page 5, and point out theTraveler’s Guide and FAQ boxes so that your teens knowwhat these elements are when they encounter themthroughout the course.

Have everyone work in the same groups of three orfour as in step 1. (If space permits, have groups work in

WHAT CHR I S T I ANS BEL I EVE ABOUT THE B IBLE

11

If your group is small, worktogether as one group.

ALTERNATEROUTE

Not enough time to gather theproducts needed for step 1?To convey the same idea andhelp students get to knowone another better, play thegame “I’ve Never.” Eachperson tells something he orshe has never done but thinksthat many others in the grouphave done. For example, youmight say,“I’ve never ridden abus to school.”The speaker getsone point for every person whohas done that thing. (Keepscore on your board ornewsprint.) The person withthe most points wins.

Make a transition to the restof the session by sayingsomething like this: For thisgame to work, we had to trustthat others in the group weretelling the truth. That’s not sodifferent from the way we get toknow people in real life. Peopletell us about themselves, aboutwhat they like to do, about what’simportant to them. As we spendtime with them, we check outwhether what they said aboutthemselves is true or not.

Conclude with the explanationin step 1 about how thissession will introduce claimsthe Bible makes about itself.

SHORTCUT

different areas of the room orin the hall.) Assign each groupone of these four claims (it’sOK for more than one group towork on the same claim):n The Bible comes from God; it’sinspired (pp. 6-7).n The Bible is trustworthy; it’sinfallible (pp. 8-9).n The Bible effectively accom-plishes God’s purposes (pp. 10-11).n The Bible is complete. It tellsus all we need to know to besaved (pp. 12-13).

Tell groups they will haveonly about five minutes tocomplete questions 1 through3 of their claim. If they havetime, they should also discussquestions 4 and 5. (Encourageeach person to fill in the pagein his or her own book as oneperson records for the wholegroup.)

After about five minutes,call the groups back together.Invite a reporter from the firstgroup to read aloud the Biblepassages and share the group’sconclusions. If more than onegroup worked on the samepassages, have reporters fromthose groups alternate givingtheir responses and adding

anything new to the other group’s ideas. If the smallgroup didn’t get to questions 4 and 5, briefly discussthem with the whole group.

Encourage students to write the first group’s conclu-sions in their own books so that they can look back atthese claims for themselves.

When the first group is finished reporting, ask thesequestions:

n What questions do youhave or have you heardother people ask about thisclaim?n Do you have any experi-ence that leads you tobelieve that this claim istrue?

Record the questions,and assure students thatyou will try to answer themthroughout the next severalweeks. Allow students toshare experiences, butdon’t worry if no oneresponds; you’ll follow upon this in step 3. Repeatthe reporting process forthe other three claims.

3. Survey:Checking It OutMaterials:Student books, pens,week 1 “Check It Out”cards

Time:5-15 minutes

Say something like this: Ibelieve all the claims theBible makes about itself.I know that they’re true.And I suspect that youmay have more experi-ence to evaluate theseclaims than you mightthink. Then have students turn to the survey on page 14of the student book and complete the survey privately.When most students are finished, invite volunteers toshare their reactions and responses.

12

If your teens aren’t used toworking in small groups,consider assigning thefollowing roles to encourageeveryone to participate:n reader (reads aloud theinstructions and the Biblepassages).n reporter (reports theteam’s conclusions to thewhole group).n encourager (makes sureeveryone gets a chance tocontribute to the discussion).

A group with more than threemembers can divide up thereading responsibilities.Assignthe role of encourager to ateen who might be uncom-fortable reading aloud orreporting to the full group.

ALTERNATEROUTE

ROAD TEST NOTESAt first glance, question 2 foreach claim may seem toosimple for your students. Butthe multiple-choice answersare a result of road-testingthis session with ninth andtenth graders. When weasked them to come up witha statement on their own, ittook more time than wewanted to allow, and some ofthe students missed the mainpoint.As it’s written, thestudent book guides studentsto a correct understandingbut still gives them a chanceto put each principle in theirown words in question 3. Ourfavorite rephrasing was thissummary of claim 3:“God’sWord gets to people.”

ROAD TEST NOTESWe have some students withrather strong preconceptionsabout being forced to givethe “right” answer at church.So we work really hard to letstudents know that we wanthonesty, not hypocrisy, evenwhen that means expressinghonest doubt or skepticism.We can do this with confi-dence because we know that,by the working of the Spirit,God’s Word gets to people.For proof, read the Road TestNotes on page 13 about theimpact of the week 1 “CheckIt Out” cards.

If you have fewer than eightstudents,work through all fourclaims together as one group.To keep on schedule, allown about five minutes to readand answer the questions foreach claim.n a minute or two after eachclaim for the follow-upquestions on page 12 of thisguide.

ALTERNATEROUTE

Ask,n Which verses have already proved true in your lives?n Which ones might make you wonder right now aboutwhat the Bible says about itself?

Encourage teens to behonest. Assure them againthat you know these versesto be true—you’ve experi-enced them in your ownlife. Give specific examplesif you have time.

Conclude by remindingstudents, Truth is notsomething we determineby a vote. If we allagreed that fire is cold,that wouldn’t make ittrue. For that matter,agreeing that fire is hotisn’t what makes it hoteither. If we’re reallyserious about findingout, we can check outthe truth of the state-ment “Fire is hot.” Butwe have to spend sometime with fire to do it.

In the same way, we’renot going to arrive at thetruth about the Biblesimply by sharing ourown experiences. If we’re

serious about it, we cancheck out the claims of the Bible. But we have tospend some time with the Bible to do it.

Hand out the week 1 “Check It Out” cards from thestudent book. Invite students to use them to check outthe Bible this week, and encourage them to keep thecards in their Bibles to use in class each week. (If somestudents don’t have Bibles of their own, privately givethem Bibles after this session.)

4. Prayer: Thanks and QuestionsMaterials: None needed

Time: about 5 minutes

If your students are comfort-able praying aloud together,suggest that they do one ofthe following:n Give thanks for an experi-ence that helps them believethe Bible’s claims (possiblysomething they thought ofduring the self-survey).n Ask God to provide ananswer to a specific questionabout God or the Bible.

WHAT CHR I S T I ANS BEL I EVE ABOUT THE B IBLE

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In our group, we’ve estab-lished a pattern that hascome to be known as “prayerthe way we usually do it.”Two people volunteer torecord praises and prayerrequests, each on a separateindex card or piece of paper.When all the praises andprayer requests have beenmentioned, we pass the cardsaround. Each person canchoose one or more cards orno cards. Students who mightotherwise be nervous aboutpraying aloud are morecomfortable because theyhave something in front ofthem that they can read.

ALTERNATEROUTE

ROAD TEST NOTESWe tested the effectiveness ofthe “Check It Out” cards byasking our students tocomplete a confidential,anonymous questionnaire thefollowing week.They wereasked to tell whether theyused it or not, which partswere helpful, and so on.Just under half of the studentsused the card for devotionsduring the week.A few moresaid they meant to and askedfor another shot at it.Before you decide that 50percent is a failing grade,consider this:nMost students kept the cardsas bookmarks in their Bibles,and we were able to refer tothem throughout the course.n One of our students, a newexchange student,who hadindicated in the self-surveythat she had no experienceshowing that the Bible is true,read the “Romans Road” andcommitted her life to Christ.At this writing, nine monthslater, her commitmentappears strong and genuine.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this publication are fromthe HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSIONS, © 1973, 1978, 1984,International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Faith Alive Christian Resources published by CRC Publications. Route 66: A Road Trip Through the Bible. Church school materials for highschool students, © 2005, CRC Publications, 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, GrandRapids, MI 49560. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States ofAmerica on recycled paper.

We welcome your comments. Call 1-800-333-8300 or e-mail us ateditors@faithaliveresources.org.

ISBN 1-59255-200-5

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Session 1 | 5What Christians Believe About the Bible

Session 2 | 15The Old Testament—Now I Get It!

Session 3 | 25The New Testament—Good News in Three Voices

Session 4 | 27It’s About Jesus

Session 5 | 38God’s View of History

Session 6 | 45Covenant

Session 7 | 47Can You See the Kingdom?

Session 8 | 55So What Now?

THE TRIP IN BRIEF

3

Session 1

5

What Does the Bible Say About Itself?One way to find out about a new product is to read orhear the claims the product makes for itself. Then checkout these claims to see if they’re worth believing.

You can take the same approach with the Bible. If youwant to know what Christians believe about the Bible,see what the Bible says about itself. Some of thoseclaims are on the next pages. Read through them.Answer the questions to help you think through them.Then, if you’re serious, spend some time with the Biblelater this week to check them out further.

WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE

You’ll be seeing “Traveler’sGuide” boxes often in thisbook. Think of them as e-mails from the travelagent who’s planned thisfantastic road trip for you.

If you haven’t used theBible much, the “Traveler’sGuide” should give youenough tips to help youdo whatever the activity isasking you to do.So buckleup, and enjoy the trip!

If you’ve already usedthe Bible a lot, you proba-bly won’t need all the tipsyourself. But read them toremind yourself of what itwas like to take a road tripthrough the Bible for thevery first time.Then offer ahelping hand to fellowtravelers—you’ll probablybe amazed at what you re-discover along the way!

TRAVELER’SGUIDE

Answers for Frequently AskedQuestions will appear in boxesthroughout this book.You don’t have to read themunless they address questionsyou happen to wonder aboutyourself.They also make good reading ifyour group finishes an activityearly and you’re waiting for othergroups to catch up.

6

Claim 1The Bible says, “ _______________________________________________ . ”

1. Look up and read these passages from the Bible:n 2 Timothy 3:16n 2 Peter 1:16, 18-21

2. Once you’ve read the two Bible passages, choose thestatement that best describes the claim the Bible ismaking in these verses:n The Bible is full of breathy hot air.n You need to be careful not to get carried away.n The source of the Bible is God.

Write the statement you’ve chosen in the blank at thetop of this page.

3. Another way to say “God-breathed” is “inspired.”That’s what claim 1 is about. Based on these passagesand drawing on what you may already know, summarizewhat this claim means in easy-to-understand language.

Finding a PassageThe Bible is divided inton books(2—or Second—Timothyis a book.)n chapters(The 3 in 2 Timothy 3:16is the chapter.)n verses (The 16 in 2 Timothy 3:16is the verse.)

Just like most books, theBible has a table of contentsat the beginning that liststhe books of the Bible andthe page number whereyou’ll find each book.

Try This:Instead of just flippingthrough the Bible to findthe passages you need,usethe table of contents tofind them. If you alreadyknow how to do this,help someone else find 2 Timothy and 2 Peter.

TRAVELER’SGUIDE

POINT OF INTERESTNote: The words Scripture and prophecy refer to

what is now the Bible.

7

4. If you believe that claim 1 is true, how will itaffect the way you read and study the Bible?

5. If you believe that claim 1 is false, how might itaffect the way you read and study the Bible?

Q. How did God inspire the Bible?A.People have different ideasabout that.n Some say God’s inspiration wasmechanical. They think Goddictated the words or used peoplelike keyboards or tape recorders.This means that the writers’hands were involved but not theirminds. But this doesn’t accountfor the different writing styleshuman writers used in the Bible.n Others say God’s inspiration wasdynamic.These people think thatGod influenced the writers butdidn’t directly influence what theywrote. (Check out claim 2 forsome problems with this view.)n Still others—including theauthors and publishers of thisbook—believe that God’sinspiration was organic. Godinspired the writers to use theirown personal strengths and stylesand guided them in what theywrote.As a result, the Bible showsboth the individuality of thedifferent writers and is alsocompletely trustworthy becauseGod safeguarded the process andthe product.

Q. How much of the Bible isinspired, and how much is simplyhistorical record or other humanwriting?A.Check out again what the Bibleitself claims in 2 Timothy 3:16:“All Scripture is God-breathed.”Some people want to pick andchoose,but if you’re going to acceptthe Bible you have to accept all ofit—even the parts that are hardto believe or understand.

8

Claim 2The Bible says, “ _______________________________________________ . ”

1. Look up and read these passages from the Bible:n 2 Samuel 22:31n Proverbs 30:5

2. Once you’ve read the Bible passages, choose thestatement that best describes the claim the Bible ismaking in these verses:n If you go into the military, take a Bible because it will

make a good shield.n God has perfect pronunciation.n We can completely trust what the Bible says.

Write the statement you’ve chosen in the blank at thetop of this page.

3. These passages talk about the Bible as “flawless.”The Christian church often uses the word “infallible.”That’s what claim 2 is about. Based on these passagesand drawing on what you may already know, summarizewhat this claim means in easy-to-understand language.

Finding a PassageThe Bible is divided inton books(2—or Second—Samuel isa book.)n chapters (The 22 in 2 Samuel 22:31is the chapter.)n verses(The 31 in 2 Samuel 22:31is the verse.)

Like most books, the Biblehas a table of contents atthe beginning that liststhe books of the Bible andthe page number whereyou’ll find each book.

Try This:Instead of just flippingthrough the Bible to findthe passages you need,usethe table of contents tofind them. If you alreadyknow how to do this,help someone else find 2 Samuel and Proverbs.

TRAVELER’SGUIDE

POINT OF INTEREST“The Word of the Lord” or “of God” includes God’s

written Word, the Bible.

9

4. If you believe that claim 2 is true,how will it affect the way you read andstudy the Bible?

5. If you believe that claim 2 is false,how might it affect the way you readand study the Bible?

Q. If the Bible is trustworthy, how can it makereference to things like “the four corners of theearth”when the earth doesn’t have corners?A. That’s such a good question that we’regoing to talk about it in detail in the nextsession. Keep your seat belt buckled!

Q. If the Bible is true, how do you explain thecontradictions between different books of theBible?A. Interestingly, many historians think thatminor variations are evidence for the truth ofan account.The theory is that writers whowant to lie would likely get together to makesure that their stories matched perfectly.What seem to be contradictions may just bedifferences in writers’ perspectives. (Checkout organic inspiration in the FAQ box on p. 7for more on that.) In session 3, we’ll talk alittle about some differences that may seemto contradict each other.

10

Claim 3The Bible says, “ _______________________________________________ . ”

1. Look up and read these passages from the Bible:n Hebrews 4:12n Isaiah 55:8-11

2. Once you’ve read the Bible passages, choose thestatement that best describes the claim the Bible ismaking in these verses:n The Bible is sharp enough to give you paper cuts.n The Bible fits inside God’s mouth.n The Bible effectively accomplishes God’s purposes.

Write the statement you’ve chosen in blank at the top ofthis page.

3. Based on these passages and drawing on what youmay already know, summarize what this claim means ineasy-to-understand language.

Finding a PassageThe Bible is divided inton books(Hebrews is a book.)n chapters (The 4 in Hebrews 4:12 isthe chapter.)n verses(The 12 in Hebrews 4:12is the verse.)

Like most books, the Biblehas a table of contents atthe beginning that liststhe books of the Bible andthe page number whereyou’ll find each book.

Try This:Instead of just flippingthrough the Bible to findthe passages you need,usethe table of contents tofind them. If you alreadyknow how to do this,help someone else find Hebrews and Isaiah.

TRAVELER’SGUIDE

POINT OF INTEREST“The Word of God” includes God’s written Word,

the Bible.

11

4. If you believe that claim 3 is true, how will itaffect the way you read and study the Bible?

5. If you believe that claim 3 is false, howmight it affect the way you read and study the Bible?

Q. If God is all-powerful, whydoes he need to use a book toget his work done?A. First, think about thedifference between needing to usethe Bible and choosing to use theBible. Could God have chosenanother means to accomplish hispurposes? Sure. But God chosethe Bible.That doesn’t make Godless powerful.Second, it’s clear that the Bible ismore than just an ordinary book.It’s God’s Word. Even though wedon’t fully understand it, God’sWord is an extension of Godhimself. God created the worldwith Word (see Genesis 1). Jesusis the Word—the same Wordthrough which the world wasmade (see John 1:1-3). And Godcares enough about you andwhat goes on in your life to giveyou access to that same Wordthrough the Bible.

12

Claim 4The Bible says, “ _______________________________________________ . ”

1. Look up and read these passages from the Bible:n Romans 1:16-17n Revelation 22:18-19

2. Once you’ve read the Bible passages, choose thestatement that best describes the claim the Bible ismaking in these verses:n Having a Bible will get you saved.n You shouldn’t write in your Bible.n The Bible is complete. It tells us all we need to know

to be saved, and nothing more should be added.

Write the statement you’ve chosen in the blank at thetop of this page.

3. Based on these passages and drawing on what youmay already know, summarize what this claim means ineasy-to-understand language.

Finding a PassageThe Bible is divided inton books(Romans is a book.)n chapters (The 1 in Romans 1:16-17is the chapter.)n verses(The 16-17 in Romans1:16-17 are the verses.)

Like most books, the Biblehas a table of contents atthe beginning that liststhe books of the Bible andthe page number whereyou’ll find each book.

Try This:Instead of just flippingthrough the Bible to findthe passages you need,usethe table of contents tofind them. If you alreadyknow how to do this,help someone else find Romans and Revelation.

TRAVELER’SGUIDE

POINT OF INTEREST“The gospel” here means the message of the Bible.

13

4. If you believe that claim 4 is true, howwill it affect the way you read and studythe Bible?

5. If you believe that claim 4 is false, howmight it affect the way you read and studythe Bible?

Q.Does the passage in Revelation about notadding or subtracting anything apply to thewhole Bible or just to the book of Revelation?A. John,whom God inspired to write the bookof Revelation, almost certainly was thinkingjust of that book.After all, he could have hadno idea that his letter would be bound into avolume with 65 other books and be called theHOLY BIBLE one day. But it makes sense torealize that if one part of God’s inspired Wordis too important to be tempered with, all of itis. So it’s safe to say that the principle of thispassage applies to the whole Bible.

Q. Are paraphrases of the Bible wrong?A. We know that the Old Testament wasoriginally written in Hebrew and the NewTestament in Greek. So any time we read theBible in any other language, someone hastranslated it from the original languages.Aparaphrase rewords a translation to make itmore clear or contemporary sounding.Some Christians stay away from all para-phrased versions of the Bible. Most Christiansthink that paraphrases like The Message orThe Living Bible can be helpful, especially ifBible scholars have checked them to be surethey are faithful to the original languages.The point of God’s command not to add tohis Word is not that we must always quotethe Bible word-for-word. If that were true,then we’d still be using the originallanguages.The point is that we are not tochange the message God gives us in his Word.

Q. How do we know that the Bible has beenpassed down correctly?A.People have written whole books on thissubject! Evidence suggests that God has takengreat care to inspire the Bible and then tomake sure that it has been passed downcorrectly from generation to generation.

14

Checking It Out Read the verses below, and check thebox that best describes your ownexperience.

Bible Passage

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthyman keeps a secret (Proverbs 11:13).

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but akind word cheers him up (Proverbs 12:25).

Even though I walk through the valley of theshadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you[God] are with me; your rod and your staff, theycomfort me (Psalm 23:4).

And we know that in all things God works forthe good of those who love him, who have beencalled according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

For I am convinced that . . . [nothing] in allcreation will be able to separate us from thelove of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord(Romans 8:38-39).

For God so loved the world that he gave his oneand only Son, that whoever believes in him shallnot perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,and he will flee from you. Come near to God, andhe will come near to you (James 4:7-8).

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow tospeak and slow to become angry, for man’sanger does not bring about the righteous lifethat God desires (James 1:19-20).

I know that nothing good lives in me. . . . For Ihave the desire to do what is good, but Icannot carry it out. For what I do is not thegood I want to do; no, the evil I do not want todo—this I keep on doing (Romans 7:18-19).

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, butwith humility comes wisdom (Proverbs 11:2).

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