Beginning With Moses

The American culture is drowning in Bibles. We have them everywhere, even in our hotel rooms, but they mostly gather dust. But those who read the Bible don't always get its teachings, especially the readings of the Old Testament. "Beginning With Moses: The Big Picture! Discovering Jesus in the Bible!" is a theological study of the Bible in easy-to-digest devotions, putting Jesus in the heart of every character, story, person, place, and thing! Author Gary Schulte and his wife have taken all their experiences in Sunday Schools, Bible classes, and as a parish pastor to create this one-of-a-kind narrative—because the Bible is a story after all! The Bible's story is your story! Come and see! That is what 'Beginning with Moses' is all about!

The American culture is drowning in Bibles. We have them everywhere, even in our hotel rooms, but they mostly gather dust. But those who read the Bible don't always get its teachings, especially the readings of the Old Testament. "Beginning With Moses: The Big Picture! Discovering Jesus in the Bible!" is a theological study of the Bible in easy-to-digest devotions, putting Jesus in the heart of every character, story, person, place, and thing! During author Gary Schulte's last year at Concordia Seminary, he signed up for a class called "Biblical Theology," taught by Dr. Paul Raabe. The first day of class, he wrote on the board: Luke 24:27 – "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Dr. Raabe spent the next four months showing the class just how that statement was true. This class changed Schulte's life. He had never been taught that way before—anywhere—ever—not even at seminary! Biblical theology is simply the story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation, centered in Jesus Christ. God's story is made to be our story. Unfortunately, for decades in the Church, people have been taught disconnected propositional truths over very brief periods. They have not been engaged as part of the story. Dr. Raabe taught Schulte that Moses didn't teach the people that way at all. Moses was commanded to tell the story of God's saving work on behalf of his people to every succeeding generation. The story was called the "Haggadah." The whole Bible is Haggadah in the broader sense, with Jesus at the heart of it. After that one class, the focus of Schulte's ministry—and his whole life—completely changed. Schulte's ministry adventure began when he sent out daily teaching devotions by email to more than 700 people over a seven-month period, eventually going way beyond his congregation. "Beginning with Moses" now gives you updated editions of the original 187 teaching devotions. Each includes a "Digging Deeper" section with extra Biblical wisdom added throughout Schulte's years of teaching. Schulte and his wife have taken all their experiences in Sunday Schools, Bible classes, and as a parish pastor to create this one-of-a-kind narrative—because the Bible is a story after all! The Bible's story is your story! Come and see! That is what "Beginning with Moses" is all about!

Rev. Gary and Stephanie Schulte serve the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in West and Central Africa. As a theological educator for francophone Africa, Gary assists churches in eight West and Central African nations in the formation of their pastors primarily through teaching and curriculum development at three regional seminaries located in Togo, Guinea and the Republic of Congo. He also helps the 20-plus Lutheran church partners in these eight countries with the development and implementation of Theological Education by Extension (TEE), which has the dual objective of strengthening the laity in the faith and preparing the most gifted students for residential seminary education. The goal is to leave behind a cadre of faithful African pastors capable of training other African pastors. Stephanie serves as regional coordinator for mercy medical work. In this role, she envisions, facilitates, and coordinates Community Health Education (CHE) initiatives and the deployment of mercy Medical Teams (MMTs) to these parts of Africa. Gary was born in Lawton, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and his Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Gary served as a missionary in Togo from 1987 to 2000 and in Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 to 2003. He also served in the United States as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, Missouri, from 2005 to 2015. It has been these years of service in God's Church that have cultivated Gary's strong desire to give as many people as possible the big picture of the Bible – to help them understand that JESUS is at the center of it all beginning with Moses and going all the way to "Come, Lord Jesus!" at the end of the Book of Revelation. Stephanie was born in Cheverly, Md. She received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis; her registered nurse (R.N.) certification from Jefferson College, Hillsboro, Mo.; and a bachelor's degree in nursing (B.S.N.) from the University of Missouri—St. Louis. Stephanie has worked as a home health care nurse; a staff registered nurse in trauma/acute care surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis; and as an adjunct faculty member at Jefferson College. She also served with Gary in Togo and Côte d'Ivoire.