The Bible Story Family

  Everyone has heard the hymn “Amazing Grace.” But not everyone has heard the story behind the hymn. John Newton was a slaver whose life transformed dramatically when he became a Christian. He became a pastor and ardent abolitionist. To commemorate the 300th anniversary of his birth, Minneapolis-based composer Josh Bauder wrote a new oratorio telling Newton’s amazing grace story. Newton will be presented October 3 and 4 under the direction of composer-conductor Josh Bauder. It can be seen on Saturday, October 3, at Bethel University and Sunday, October 4, at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie. The Saturday performance will be in Benson Hall at 7:00 p.m. and the Sunday performance will take place at 3:00 p.m. The oratorio is sponsored by the Christian non-profit LimbFit and will be presented by Deo Cantamus of Minnesota. It features Gerard Sundberg as Newton and Tim Sawyer as William Cowper along with the chorus and orchestra. The long-time friendship between John Newton and the poet ...

  Sell your house. Quit your job. Take your family and move to Scotland. Explore castles and bogs and the beaches on the North Sea. No, it’s not a Hobbit-like adventure. It’s a creative educational adventure. Study and earn a PhD in Biblical Hebrew. That’s what Christopher Allen will be doing for the next four years. Just over a week ago he and his wife Katie, along with nine-year-old Lewis, arrived in Aberdeen. The University there will be home until the dream of a lifetime has been completed. Why Scotland? Adventure for the entire family, and former visits by Katie. Why Aberdeen? The opportunity to study at an institution dating back to 1495. The fifth-oldest University in the English-speaking world. Why Biblical Hebrew? Because of a love for God and His Word. Because of a desire to serve the One who initially introduced Himself to us in that language. Because God has led every step of the way. “Not all those who wander are lost.” Bilbo Baggins in J. R. R. Tol...

  The Bible Story Family now offers free resources for use by families, churches and schools. You are already on the website. Go to Home, scroll down to Free Resources and click on the title to go to the Downloads page. All the resources on the download page are available free of charge. You have permission to make copies for personal or group use. Study Guide to Knowledge of the Holy consists of twenty-three lessons based on the classic book by A. W. Tozer. Study Guide for Discipleship includes ten lessons on preparing disciples for leadership. The way in which Christ developed the character of the Twelve Disciples becomes the pattern for growing disciples today. The Expository Sermon: Cultural or Biblical? This article explores the origins of the expository method of sermon preparation and delivery in the light of cultural effectiveness. He Came with the Lambs is a contemplative hymn written by Carmen Allen and appropriate for any season of the year, but especially Eas...

  At our church we have had the privilege of participating in a three-week Bible study on the subject of “The Heart and Anger.” Dr. Jeff Newman has been the speaker. He serves with Baptist Mid-Missions as a sort of pastor to missionaries. The program he oversees is called Safe Haven for Missionary Soul Care.             Safe Haven has been in place for several years now. It fills a void in Missions work which had become increasingly apparent. Jeff and his wife provide counseling and encouragement for those who are serving around the world. They also maintain a home in Illinois which offers short-term refuge for those arriving back in the states or leaving for their overseas assignments through Chicago.             “The Heart and Anger: Beyond Anger Management to Heart Transformation,” is based mainly on a study from the epistle to the Ephesians. The epistle is compared ...

              We sent our son off to college and he came back with a beautiful wife who loves Scotland and with a love of Biblical Hebrew. Now those two loves have led to the pursuit of a PhD in Aberdeen, Scotland.             Hiking through the moors, exploring castles, walking on the beach near the North Sea.             Chris, Katie and Lewis leave for Scotland in less than two weeks. The plan is to stay there for the school year and return each summer until the PhD program in Biblical Hebrew is completed. God has led in some amazing ways already, providing an apartment close to campus and putting Katie in touch with a home-school group which Lewis can enjoy.             In order to keep people updated on the big adventure, Katie has started a blog on Subst...

  Ted Weinberg has hosted more than six hundred volunteers on mission field construction projects since his first overseas trip in 1983. The projects started when he taught building skills at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and occupied an office across the hall from Missions Professor Sam Telloyan. Sam would receive letters from various fields concerning construction projects and just casually drop them on Ted’s desk. If you know Sam, nothing he did was ever just casual. Eventually Ted and his wife Diane joined ABWE as career missionaries overseeing building construction in South Africa, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Togo and Papua New Guinea. Many months were spent in each location and those were the places where volunteers joined them. They attracted volunteers from supporting churches by means of prayer letters. They handled the arrangements of getting a group to the field and housing them during the time they worked. The greatest blessing was to see lives changed both with t...

    Last January Anthony Boardwine made a trip to Nairobi, Kenya, with some unusual luggage— laptop computers. He donated them to the family of Fred Imbayi. But that’s only part of the story. Fred and his wife Irene have five-year-old boys with severe autism. Mental disability in Kenya has a definite stigma. Some Christians think mental issues must be a direct result of sin, while non-believers credit it to witchcraft. The laptops help the boys study after being dismissed from schools because of their handicap. But that’s only part of the story. Irene leads a regular Bible study with women whose husbands have left them due to the disabilities of their children. Most of the families are unsaved but are learning and hearing the gospel as a part of Irene and Fred’s ministry. She and her husband have started a ministry called Hope Beyond Disability to aid not only those with disabilities but also those pastors and teachers who work with them. Hope Beyond Disability is regist...

  Out west we used to claim that we got something “straight from the horse’s mouth.” I have often wished there was a way to do that when I watch the news today, especially concerning the Middle East. Jayson Casper and his family have lived in Lebanon for many years. He has begun to write posts from there which he calls “Middle East Harmony.” The interviews he conducts are with the Lebanese community because that is where he lives. But what he writes is not filtered through the western news media. One of the most recent articles is called “How Once-Displaced Christians Help Now-Displaced Shiites.” It recounts the story of Maronites who were driven from their homes by Muslims in years past and are now providing shelter for Muslims who have fled from the fighting in the Lebanese south. The link to the article is:  https://middleeastharmony.substack.com/p/lebanon-damour-maronite-christians-shiite-muslims-displaced-civil-war-israel-hezbollah You can subscribe to Middle East...

  250 Years of Freedom. I wish I could have been in Washington, D.C. for the Fourth of July Celebration. But it was almost as good to hear from someone who was there. Rachel Hubbard was one of my drama students during Pillsbury days. For more than twenty years she has had the privilege of working with active-duty service members, veterans, wounded warriors, military families, and veteran service organizations from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. During America’s 250 th birthday celebration she helped coordinate military guests and escort officers for the national concert activities in the Capitol. During this year’s events several of her guests were service members injured during Operation Epic Fury. Their courage, resilience, and quiet humility reminded everyone there that freedom truly isn’t free. “To be part of America’s 250 birthday celebration surrounded by service members, veterans, military families, and leaders from across our nation was both humbling a...

  God is at work in Central Asia. Just ask Pastor Pat Thompson. “My burden to serve the persecuted church has grown with each trip,” he writes. Pat has made four trips to an undisclosed location (for security purposes) and plans to return in October. While there he teaches courses like Ecclesiology, Christology and Eschatology. His last class had thirty-three students with twelve of them graduating in June from a one-year program. A second-year course of study began at the same time with thirty-one students enrolled. While the first-year studies focus on ten major doctrines, the second-year focus will be on leadership. Many of the students already serve house churches throughout the region. Some of them plan to return to home countries which will be dangerous for them. But God has given them a Spirit of faith and not of fear. Please pray for the persecuted church. When we visited Turkey recently, we heard similar stories of God at work in Central Asia. Visiting with Pat Tho...

  I recently received a message from a young friend in Nebraska who had found one of my books at Goodwill. It seems that a former church member had passed away and her books had been donated. He was excited to find a copy of “Dare to Walk On Water: Treasuring God.” Our family at the recent reunion, and our church all summer, has been studying the names of God. “Dare to Walk On Water: Treasuring God” reviews those names along with the attributes of God. But the book does more than just provide knowledge about God. Each chapter ends with one or more DARES, practical actions you can perform because of what you have learned. You don’t need to wait until “Dare to Walk on Water: Treasuring God” shows up in your local thrift store. You can own it today. For the next five days the ebook will be available through Amazon free of charge. Go to Amazon. Type in the name of the book along with the author’s name, Robert A. Allen. Download the free ebook and start your adventure. Learn to kn...

  The Allen Family 2026 Reunion must qualify as one of the most creative reunions in history. ·        The most creative place – Tranquille Resort in Georgia, discovered by Wendy Daniels and Dorinda Allen. ·        The most creative family puzzle, featuring every face in the family, created by Chad Allen. ·        The most creative Allen Trivia Game, along with reunion stickers, created by Brea Hanson. ·        The most creative outdoor U.S.A. World Cup game viewing, prepared by Kent Allen. ·        The most creative worship time, organized by Lanie Allen, with devotions on the names of God from Chad, Chris, Kent, Lance and Bob. ·        The most creative fellowship, with Bob, Carm, Chad, Sarah, Jacob, Evie, Genevieve, Joe, Wendy, Brea, Josh, Lauren, Grey, Evan, Kent, D.J., Lyric, Danie...

  As a speech and drama professor, I was fascinated by the production of DAVID by Sight and Sound in Branson, Missouri. The speed with which sets were changed as well as simply the size of those sets. The twenty-two-foot-tall Goliath. Costumes, made from 24,000 yards of material. The sound and lights and action. We attended Sight and Sound this week, during the final run of this show in Branson. Every part of the production ran smoothly. The story of DAVID also proved impressive. With so many Biblical accounts of the events of his life, choices had to be made. The script emphasized the Psalms, from David’s first musical experiences while shepherding to the moving confession and repentance of Psalm 51. By making that choice, the attention of the audience focused on mercy and forgiveness. David did not become a man after God’s own heart by being perfect. Instead, he sought the Lord because of his need for redemption. Shamefully aware of his own transgressions, his heart appeale...

  God is at work in Latin America. For many years missionaries have been sent to countries like Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, and Brazil. They have served faithfully, establishing churches and schools. Now a new aspect of the God’s work has been undertaken. Baptist Evangelistic Missionary Endeavors is building on the work of those missionaries by investing in the lives of those who have been trained in the schools they started. BEME takes the graduates of those schools who desire to plant a church and supports them for two years so a new work can be established. Director Andrew Counterman presented the success of this approach to the Golden Agers last week. He shared numerous stories of men like Natanael Aguilar in Mexico and Julio De Santis in Peru. He described the building project progress of Jesus is the Rock Baptist Church in El Milagro, Peru, headed by Pastor Josue Rodriquez. Through the work of BEME many churches have been planted throughout Latin America. Supportin...

  One of my most heartbreaking experiences as a pastor was to conduct a funeral for a child. Shelly Kolwinska, Director of Programs for the Child Loss Foundation, helps provide support for parents facing that same situation. Shelly oversees the Child Loss @ Work program. Today more than thirty organizations participate in the program ensuring that grieving parents receive the support and resources they need from their employers during difficult transitions. In addition to the program which Shelly directs, the Child Loss Foundation sponsors a BeliEve Fund which provides immediate financial assistance to Minnesota families facing hardships related to the death of a child. They also provide Child Loss Retreats at their lodge in Danbury, Wisconsin. The retreats are tailored to different experiences of loss including stillbirth, infant and toddler loss, medically complex loss, youth loss, teen and young adult loss, suicide loss, homicide loss, bereaved mothers, bereaved fathers and ...

  Jeff Freeman has been in jail for ten years, but he still goes home every night. He is a chaplain for Hennepin County in Minnesota, serving in the correctional facility in Plymouth. Besides conducting Sunday services, Jeff ministers throughout the week. He teaches Trauma Healing classes as well as Bible studies in both the men’s and women’s sides of the facility. He serves under the auspices of the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry as well as his home church, Parker’s Lake Baptist. Recently Jeff shared some of his experiences with the Golden Agers at Fourth Baptist Church. During the Trauma class the residents were asked to write their own laments based on Psalm 13. One of them wrote this lament to God. “How am I supposed to complain to you, when I am so obviously the problem? Will my pain ever go away? Would you so willingly take it from me when I know I deserve it? I wish I wasn’t such a failure. I wish you could change that for me.” Those are some of the very reasons ...

  “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” (A quote attributed to Ernest Hemingway although that source is much debated.) I expect that I have “bled” or put myself into every book I have written. But perhaps, most of all, into the novel Revival In The Rockies . The book involves a new church being planted in Montana – That is what my father did for many years: plant churches in the West. The book follows the journey of a gospel quartet and their pianist – I traveled with the Swordsmen Quartet for several summers as their pianist. The book recounts the bombing of the United States Capitol Building in 1983 – an event I remember well. The book starts at a Montana State Girl’s Event – I attended as a delegate to the Montana Boy’s State. The book records an attempt to set off a super-volcano explosion in the Yellowstone Park caldera – I have visited the park on numerous occasions. The book ends with a young man returning to Montana...

  “Things are just things.” That was the message we received from our niece in Nebraska last Sunday night. Their home had just been hit by one of the many tornados which stormed through that state. The entire family was safe, but the house was a total loss. By the time we arrived to help with clean-up, Nebraska neighbors had done what the Midwest does best. A friend in the sheriff's office had called a friend in the fire department. Neighbors descended on the property, removed the downed trees, brought supplies and boarded up what was left of the house. Inside, it looked as if a giant eggbeater had stirred up the contents of every room, mixing their possessions with corn stalks from the field across the road, and broken glass from their own windows. In exchange for the corn stalks from across the road, the tornado had added their belonging to the corn field behind their house. Whatever is salvageable will be preserved, the rest will be totaled. “Things are just things.” “...

  167 years of history looks down on Minnesota Baptists. This summer when the Minnesota Baptist Association holds its annual meeting it will celebrate 167 years as a Bible-believing, Baptist association of churches. The book you see in the picture contains a record of that first year which concluded with an annual meeting in 1850. Berean Baptist Church of Brooklyn Park has graciously provided a home for the archives which record and celebrate this amazing history. The collection includes annual reports for those many years as well as bound copies of the state magazine “The North Star Baptist.” My father, Dr. A. W. Allen, edited the North Star from 1966 to 1985, compiling around 200 editions of the magazine. The board of the Minnesota Baptist Association is seeking to organize the archives so they can be made available for research. In addition to the minutes of annual meetings and the copies of the North Star, the collection includes pictures, historical documents, and record...

  When Shelia McLeish first contacted me about having the Golden Agers join the fifth and sixth grade classes from Fourth Baptist Christian School on a river cruise, my first thought was that they needed chaperones. Nothing could be further from the truth. They simply wanted us to enjoy a ride on the Mississippi with them. They had their own chaperones and we were just along for the ride. And a great ride it was. We boarded one of the Padelford Riverboats on Harriet Island in St. Paul. The day was chilly, not unusual for May in Minnesota, but the interior cabin was warm. The students, and some of our Golden Agers, enjoyed brief forays out to the upper deck as well. We headed down the Mississippi past the Smith Avenue High Bridge and the Omaha Railroad Bridge. We observed the Pig’s Eye Parrant Cave and learned that St. Paul was once known as Pig’s Eye. We navigated the Mighty Mississippi down as far as Fort Snelling, the site of the oldest existing building in Minnesota, the C...