Sumatra with the Seven Churches takes readers back in time to the ancient Roman province of Asia, where we consider messages from Jesus messages to some of the earliest churches.
Sumatra with the Seven Churches is an eight-week study in the Coffee Cup series. It explores the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation–a section of the Bible that contains letters to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia (ancient Turkey). The focus in this study is on Christ’s messages to those seven churches and how his words are relevant to all believers today.
In Ephesus we remember our first love; in Laodicea we learn what makes Jesus want to spew. In each city we consider background information that helps us understand the message crafted for them. In the process we find timeless truths that apply to our own lives in the here-and-now.
While most of the Book of Revelation is apocalyptic, the first few chapters contain letters or messages to seven churches. It is these chapters that are the focus of Sumatra with the Seven Churches. So grab a cup of your favorite brew and gather some friends—or study alone if you prefer.
This and all the Coffee Cup Bible Study books contain Monday-through-Friday Bible studies with devotional thoughts for light reading on the weekends. A free leader’s guide is available below.
For this study Dr. Glahn teamed up with a former student, Crickett Keeth. She loves Keeth’s Bible studies, and wanted to introduce her to a broader audience. Glahn thinks you’ll love what she adds, too.
“I picked up a copy of Sumatra with the Seven Churches and am absolutely loving it! I love the research and expertise–meat, not milk!”
Rachel Lee Carter
author, Bible teacher, speaker, professional model
Meet the Authors
Dr. Sandra Glahn
Sandra L. Glahn (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) is Professor of Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary, where her emphases are first-century backgrounds related to women, culture, gender, and the arts. She has authored or edited more than twenty books, including Vindicating the Vixens, Earl Grey with Ephesians, Sanctified Sexuality (coeditor), and Sexual Intimacy in Marriage (coauthor).
Crickett Keeth
Janene “Crickett” Keeth holds an M.A. in Christian Education with a focus on Women’s Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). For eighteen years (until she retired) she served as director of Women’s Ministry at First Evangelical Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
Resources for Sumatra with the Seven Churches
Further Resources
The Book of Revelation was intended for an aural audience. So consider finding a copy on CD and listening to it.
Notes
Bible.org has wonderful textual notes on Revelation 1-3.
DVD
The Seven Churches of Revelation Rediscovered
You can find a number of video series about the Roman Empire on Netflix, Amazon, or perhaps through your public library.
You can find at least three DVDs available that explore the seven wonders of the ancient world, such as the History Channel’s “Ancient Mysteries” documentary on the subject. Consider ordering one and viewing the segment about the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Bear in mind, though, that views of Artemis varied through time. In the first century she was not considered a fertility goddess, but a goddess of midwifery.
Technology
Look for the seven church locations on Google Earth. All are located in modern-day Turkey: Kusadasi (Ephesus), Izmir (Smyrna), Bergama (Pergamum), Akhisar (near Thyatira), Sardes (Sardis), Philadelphia, and Laodikeia (Laodicea).
Books
The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Novel by Bruce W. Longenecker and Ben Witherington is a work of biblical fiction that introduces readers to the style of New Testament writings. It also presents the social and political world of Jesus and his first followers.
For Ephesus, Glahn especially like Trebilco’s thick, academic work, The Early Christians in Ephesus from Paul to Ignatius.
Seven Deadly Spirits by T. Scott Daniels
Feature
Coffee Cup Bible Series feature in DTS Voice.
Other Books in the Coffee Cup Bible Study Series
