Ever wonder if there is more to a passage than you have been seeing? Would you like to re-energize your teaching, preaching and Bible study? There's more, and you know it. Come experience it!

Conference Schedule

June 12th

Day 1, Monday (12:45PM-9PM)

Setting the Stage

  • The History of Biblical Context: The Context of Context
  • Frameworks: Five Questions to Ask of any Passage
  • Gospel Geography
  • Contextual Implications of the Intertestamental Period
  • Reading the Gospel of John from the First Century Perspective
  • Jesus and the World of the Rabbis
  • Faculty Favorite Contextual Vignettes 
    • Parable of Unforgiving Servant
    • Baptism (Immersion) of Jesus
    • Lifting Up the Vine – John 15:2
    • Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus

June 13th

Day 2, Tuesday (9AM-9PM)

Rest of the Story

  • A Mosaic of Near-Eastern Village Contextual Realities 
    •  The Village Setting, Honor and Shame, Social Reciprocity, Mandatory Hospitality, Ritual Purity
  • The Faculty’s Favorite Gospel Passages 
    • Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
    • Woman Caught in Adultery
    • Parable of the Good Samaritan
    • Healing of Hemorrhaging Woman
    • Parable of the Midnight Visitor
  • More Faculty Favorite Contextual Vignettes
    • Parable of Rich Man and Lazarus
    • Jesus’ Healing of Lame Man at the Pools of Bethesda
    • Last Words of Jesus – A Remez
    • Raising of Widow’s Son in Nain
  • Contextual Issues Associated with Luke 2: 1-20
    • Roman Census, Housing, Caesar Augustus, Shepherds, Other Issues – Sheep, Angels, Shame, Manger

June 14th

Day 3, Wednesday (9AM-5PM)

Sequence Context

  • A Rage Builds in Nazareth, Luke 4
  • Calling of the First Disciples, Luke 5
  • Healing of the Leper, Luke 5
  • Forgiving & Healing a Paralytic, Luke 5
  • The Stunning Call of Levi, Luke 5
  • The Rescue and Restoration of a Demoniac, Luke 8
  • “Do and Teach” Insights into Jesus’ Discipling Making Pedagogy

Wrapping Up

  • Faculty Discussion of Helpful Contextual Resources
  • Where to From Here?  Some Tutorial Options
  • Overview of the 2018 Conference

The Ibc 2017 Conference Faculty

  • Doug Greenwold

    Executive Director & Senior Teaching Fellow, “Preserving Bible Times;” author of nine books on biblical context; study program leader to Israel and Italy (Roman World).

  • Dr. Gary Burge

    Professor of New Testament, Wheaton
    College and Graduate School,
    author of numerous books on topics of
    biblical context.

  • Brad Gray

    Founder and Executive Director of “Walking the Text,” author of “Make Your Mark,” study program leader to Israel and Turkey, attended Jerusalem University College.

  • Rev. Dr. Chad Pierce, Ph.D.

    Received Ph.D. from the University of Durham specializing in Early Judaism,
    pastor who leads study programs in Israel. Attended Jerusalem University College.

  • Stacie Post

    Campus Ministry at Grand Valley State
    University, Conference Worship Leader, attended Jerusalem University College.

  • Dr. Cyndi Parker

    Professor at Biblical Theological Seminary (Hatfield, PA), Adjunct Professor for Bible Intensives at Jerusalem University College.

About The Institute Of Biblical Context

The Institute of Biblical Context’s (IBC) vision is to preserve and present biblical truth and meaning through integrating the biblical text with its visual, geographical, literary, historical and cultural context. The Institute’s approach utilizes an expert faculty gathered in one place at one time to share their respective areas of expertise – favorite contextual tools, frameworks and resources – as well as their unique thematic insights into the context of God’s Word. IBC’s purpose is to allow the Scriptures to increasingly come alive in fresh and new ways for pulpit and pew. Distinctives of an IBC Conference include:

  • Developing contextual frameworks, not only the communication of fascinating facts.
  • Integrated contextual exegesis that weaves together the cultural, historical, literary, geographical and visual context of passages to reveal/discern the original meaning and the intended transformational power of the passage.
  • A learning paradigm that allows us to step outside of our 21st century Western mindset to hear, think and understand God’s Word as people in the Bible did.
  • Equipping people with tools, frameworks and resources to engage the Scriptures in truly refreshing ways.
  • Renewing the mind and transforming the heart as people discover the original meaning and purpose of Bible passages that rekindle their excitement and enthusiasm for studying God’s Word.

ABOUT BIBLICAL CONTEXT

For the words of Scripture to be transformational, they need to be heard and understood as the biblical writers intended them to be. The Bible writers conveyed precise meanings through their words, idioms, sites, names and images used. They assumed their audience would know what they were describing, together with its intended meaning. To more fully appreciate that meaning, a passage’s context needs to be restored in order to (re)discover the transformational impact originally intended by the Holy Spirit.

 

The Institute of Biblical Context is a Ministry Affiliate of Preserving Bible Times.