New Lent Courses 2012 - The Way of The Desert by Andrew Watson: connecting the Exodus to the Everyday

Drawing informative and insightful parallels between the four desert books of the Exodus and the four gospels, Andrew Watson’s new Lent course is one of the most original and engaging explorations of Jesus’ wilderness experience. ‘The Way of the Desert’ is the new Lent course that explores the experience of the Israelites and their desert wanderings and relates it to Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness. Leading you step by step through their journey, this Lent course gives you daily Bible readings and mediations that directly connect the Old Testament stories of Moses and the Israelites to the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

Connecting the 4 desert books through the 4 Gospels to the 21st century

For personal or small group study, the series of 10 minutes-a-day meditations is supported by readings from the gospels and from the four desert books of the Old Testament. ‘The Way of the Desert’ opens up the meaning of each incident from the crossing of the Red Sea to the crossing of the Jordan and shows how the lessons learned by the Israelites are echoed, perfected and completed in the teachings and mission of Jesus.

Each of the 47 meditations is followed with a prayer based on a further Bible reading and a collection of questions and discussion starters that explore the continuing relevance of the Exodus desert experience for Christians today. Each week of daily readings are collected into one overall theme making the course practical as a Sundays only or once-a-week Lent course with scope for personal study between group meetings.

A unique and helpful feature of ‘The Way of the Desert’ is the series of video-clips posted by the book’s author, Andrew Watson, on the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF) website and on Youtube. In each clip, Andrew Watson explores the background, theme and content of that week’s meditations. The author’s down to earth approach to his own material makes an engaging and reassuring introduction and discussion starter for members of a Lent group study course.

Eden.co.uk Author Snap-shot: Andrew Watson

Andrew John Watson is the Bishop of Aston with a ministry to the culturally diverse City of Birmingham and its of more than a million. Author of ‘The fourfold Leadership of Jesus’ and ‘Confidence in the Living God’ Andrew Watson was educated at Winchester College and Corpus Christi, Cambridge. He studied theology at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He came to public notice early in his clerical career for a quip about the church not needing bishops; an stretching by the press of his belief that church growth is more dependent on the ideas and vision of the congregation rather than the leadership. With three church plants established while vicar at St Stephens, East Twickenham, Andrew Watson has seen an increase in the congregation of all his previous churches. Bishop of Aston since October 2008, Andrew Watson with his wife, Beverley, have four children, a dog and six chickens.