The Soul of a Nation

The Fall Quarter (September–November 2026)
Beginning with a study of Joshua, this quarter looks at ancient Israel’s entry into the Promised Land (Unit I). Establishing ancient Israel’s presence in Canaan is as much a spiritual task as a military or political task. Still, Joshua never achieved unity for God’s people by any measure. What Joshua leaves undone at the end of his life sets the stage for the period of Judges. The three lessons on Judges (Unit II), highlight Israel’s propensity to ignore God and God’s ways. Living without God’s law meant “all the people did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6). In the five lessons of Unit III, we meet Samuel. His faithfulness to the Lord as prophet and judge plays a pivotal role in Israel’s history. It sets the stage for the glorious reign of King David. As God’s anointed ruler, David will unite the biblical kingdom of Israel geographically, politically, and spiritually. Noteworthy, too, is the contrast of David, who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 15:5) against the backdrop of the godliness and disorder the people experienced in the period of Judges.

Unit I, “From Nomadic Tribes to Settled People”
Unit II, “Lacking Leadership and a Moral Compass”
Unit III, “Samuel: Prophet, Priest, Judge, and King-Maker”

Product Description
The Leader’s Guide is very user friendly, it cross-references materials in both the Participant Book and Worship Leaflet. This guide gives your leader the background information they need to feel confident in leading the session.

Series Description
The Present Word is an in-depth Bible study for adults that dives deep into God’s Word, studying the Bible over a six-year period and focusing on a specific theme each quarter. Adults read the Participant Book lesson during the week, and a no-prep Leader’s Guide provides instructions to lead a 45-minute session. Worship leaflets are also available to wrap the session in prayer and song. Designed by an ecumenical collaborative so that participants in multiple denominations are studying the same passages together, the goals of The Present Word curriculum are to engage in a serious study of Scripture in order to discover its deeper meaning and how it is relevant to our world today.

To learn more about The Present Word curriculum  visit our informational page.