Written by: host
3/5/2009 7:00 AM 

First Light features well-known biblical scholars Marcus Borg and Jon Dominic Crossan, two experts who are generally the "go-to guys" when it comes to biblical interpretation in progressive congregations these days. The unique element in this series is that it was shot on location in Israel, and it features extended lectures by the two of them. Thematically, the material will be mostly review for their ardent fans, mostly new for past participants of LTQ 1 or 2, and possibly overwhelming for those new to the journey through contemporary biblical scholarship.

LTQs pricing is very different from most other companies, in that a church purchases a license to use a particular resource for 1 year, then must re-license the material to (legally) reprint the handouts in future years. In the case of First Light, that 1-year fee is $295. (The fee for years 2 and beyond is $50, and there also is a lower cost for additional copies.)  LTQ does occasionally offer sales of their resources. This 12-session study includes a DVD (with video sessions averaging about 25 minutes each), plus access to online, reproducible materials (a leader's guide, a 57-page participant guide, and assorted publicity materials. It's important to keep in mind that you cannot order and preview LTQ resources unless you're willing to pay a 20% restocking fee.

OK, enough of the basics. Here's what I thought about it...

• The content of the sessions is fabulous - an excellent summary of the work of Borg and Crossan. Sure, you could read just about everything they have to say in their last few books, but it's always great hearing it directly from the two of them. Throughout the study, they both pay great attention to the historical realities surrounding Jesus and the disciples, and all of that is enhanced to a degree by shots of historic biblical sites and artifacts, works of art, and (occasionally) on-screen text. (Will someone please, though, inform Marcus that he needs to work on his sense of humor and hypnotic vocal quality? Please?)
  
• Likewise, the participant's text is truly terrific and first-rate. Written by Crossan, it is packed with historical and biblical facts and commentary. The text is readable without being too obtuse, but there's no doubt that it is written with a well-educated audience in mind. I can imagine participants going back to this text again and again.
  
• Can you imagine a more interesting trip than going to Israel with Borg and Crossan? Sadly, the video makes too little use of the terrific opportunity for on-location filming. Shots of ancient ruins are sometimes included here and there, but there is seldom any direct explanation of what the viewer is seeing beyond a basic textual description. The end result is too many "talking head" shots (in the case of episode 1, that's very literally true!) and a presentation that feels overly formal. (If you are familiar with the very conservative but better edited "That the World May Know" series, you'll understand that a tremendous opportunity was only partially realized in First Light.)
  
• The video makes frequent use of both canned background music as well as the light jazz used in some other LTQ resources. The music is helpful in bringing a bit of life to the rather extended, formal presentations, but I found it to frequently be distracting and overbearing.
  
• The questions in the leader's guide are well-written and will generally get discussions going, but they are almost exclusively informational and factual in nature. This is good in the sense that there is so much information to absorb that questions like this help with comprehension. However, the guide lacks any other teaching resources: prayers, multi-sensory learning activities, DVD extras, PowerPoint slides, Bible verses to discuss in breakout groups, and so on. Thus, First Light has a very strong bias toward informational—rather than formational—small group experiences. For me, this is the resource's greatest weakness, because it targets and will appeal mostly to highly literate, verbal, logical learners.
  

Like many of our readers, I've been very anxious to take a look at this resource, and I'd absolutely love to lead it with a group some day. But is it right for your particular setting, especially considering the price? That's not something I can answer, but I certainly would encourage you to take a close look at all of the samples, think about who in your church could lead the study in a fun and engaging way, and to carefully consider how many people in the congregation will participate.

~ Tim Gossett

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