Freelance submissions due by January 15, 2015 All about us: SEEK® is a magazine created to encourage adults in their walk with Jesus Christ. SEEK® corresponds to the topics of Standard Publishing’s adult curriculum line and is designed to further apply these topics to everyday life. Dos and Don’ts of writing articles/stories for this theme list: DO read the Scriptures (these will be studied in class), as well as the suggestions of What to Write. DO dig in deeper. DON’T use obvious material the students will likely have studied in class. DO employ supplemental Scriptures beyond the most well-known passages. DO quote from the King James Version. DON’T put words in God’s mouth or suggest what God thinks. Quote what He says. DON’T submit your first thoughts. DO some research (include the sources that verify your information). DO stick to the desired word count: 850 words minimum, 1000 maximum. DO use good grammar and spelling. DO rewrite, tighten, and proofread your work. DO put the intended issue number and its date at the top of your manuscript, or it will be rejected. No decision will be made on any manuscript prior to the submission due cutoff date. Please e-mail your submissions to seek@standardpub.com. Quarter titles for Winter 2015–2016: Unit 1, What We Bring to God (Issues 1–4); Unit 2, Four Weddings and a Funeral (Issues 5–9); Unit 3, Holy Days (Issues 10–13). Issue 1: The Sabbath Day (Holding on to Principles) December 6, 2015 Scripture: Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-16 What to Write: Explore the history of observing Sunday as “the Lord’s Day” and the differences between that and the Sabbath in the Jewish tradition. How can we maintain spiritual stability in a rapidly changing world? Address the physical and spiritual benefits of rest. Issue 2: Acceptable Offerings (Choosing the Right Gift) December 13, 2015 Scripture: Leviticus 22:17-25, 31-33 What to Write: Enticing ads and commercials convince people that substantial material gifts give evidence of one’s love toward another. Leviticus informs us that the best gift one can give is obedience to God’s commandments. Explain the connection between obedience to God and sacrificial giving of self and possessions. Expound on Psalm 51:17—the sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit. (Also read: Romans 12:1, 2; Isaiah 1:10-20; Hebrews 13:15.) Create and promote a “money-free” giftgiving experience for families. Is it possible to give God “money-free” gifts? Explain. Issue 3: Dedication of the Firstborn (Excitement of Celebration) December 20, 2015 Scripture: Exodus 13:13b-15; Luke 2:22-32 What to Write: People today celebrate holidays and special occasions as if they are routine and ordinary. How can we recapture the awe and joy when we first experienced what the birth of Jesus means to us? How can we pass this excitement and reverence on to future generations? Write about modern-day “Simeons” and “Annas” and ways they have expressed their faithfulness over the years. List scriptural evidences of the giving nature of God. Discuss ways that giving gifts to one another honors God by reflecting the divine nature. How can we emphasize this aspect of gift giving? Issue 4: A Generous Gift (Giving from the Heart) December 27, 2015 Scripture: Matthew 23:2-12; Mark 12:38-44 What to Write: Contrast the arrogance of religious leaders with the piety of a humble poor woman in today’s Scripture text. How do we become selfless in our giving? Why do adults struggle to do what they know is the right thing to do—especially when it involves personal sacrifice? Discuss tithing and stewardship. Expound on how to promote a proper understanding of the importance of giving what you can out of a pure heart within your church. Discuss to what degree it is appropriate to seek recognition for “a job well done.” How can we avoid the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees, which Jesus denounced, while still wanting our work recognized for what it is? Is any desire for recognition improper? Why or why not?
Issue 5: A Bride Worth Waiting For (Bait and Switch) January 3, 2016 Scripture: Genesis 29:15-30 What to Write: Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his older daughter, Leah; Jacob willingly agreed to work for seven additional years in order to marry his beloved Rachel. Marriages can be marred by unforeseen circumstances. How might husbands and wives patiently work through tradition and undesirable circumstances to reach their personal goals? How does a healthy relationship with God become the foundation for enduring relationships with others? To maintain healthy relationships with others, one must acknowledge and practice the power of forgiveness and love. How do relationships survive and thrive even in the midst of difficulties? Describe ways to handle conflict so that positive changes are made in relationships. Issue 6: The Most Beautiful Bride (The Eye of the Beholder) January 10, 2016 Scripture: Song of Solomon 6:4-12 What to Write: When marriages are grounded in love, adoration can become the lens through which a couple perceives one another. The writer of Song of Solomon eloquently describes mutual adoration for the matchless inner and physical beauty of one another. Provide a how-to article on expressing appreciation for the inner and outer beauty of the ones you love. Why is it important to express our love (to a spouse, a child, or anyone else) in a “language” they can appreciate? Discuss how praising God for the beauty one sees (whether it be a natural vista, a human being, or any other created thing) gives a proper, godly perspective by which to appreciate it. Issue 7: An Unfaithful Bride (Broken Relationships) January 17, 2016 Scripture: Hosea 1:1-11 What to Write: Unfaithfulness in covenant relationships leads to brokenness and alienation. God uses Hosea and Gomer’s marriage and the naming of their children as symbolic of Israel’s alienation from God and God’s plan for restoration. How does one survive and heal the hurts of brokenness and alienation because of marital unfaithfulness? Compile a list of steps for restoring a strained or broken relationship. Consider all the victims of adultery—don’t think solely about the cheated-on spouse or the children, but about other individuals or groups that suffer because of marital unfaithfulness. What does infidelity do to the families, communities, or congregations involved? Why is adultery an apt metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness to God? Issue 8: A Wedding in Cana (Instilling Faith) January 24, 2016 Scripture: John 2:1-12 What to Write: Jesus instills faith in His disciples. Suggest ways in which the reader can demonstrate his/her faith in Jesus. Encourage readers to seek opportunities to demonstrate their spiritual gifts and talents on behalf of others. Discuss whether it is appropriate to pray to God for “little things.” Jesus transformed 120–180 gallons of water into wine. What does the abundance of Jesus’ gift reveal about the nature of God? about God’s concern for our everyday lives? Expound on how believers can practice hospitality in ways that are appropriate for their culture. Issue 9: The Death of a Friend (Matters of Life and Death) January 31, 2016 Scripture: John 11:38-44 What to Write: Our human nature allows us to struggle with the finality of death. Expound on how to discuss issues of death and dying. Explore the story of Lazarus to find comfort in times of grief. Explain how the believer can mourn the loss of loved ones while confessing that, through Jesus, death is not final. The believer has hope because of eternity. Discuss stages of grief. How can we comfort those who mourn? Issue 10: Passover (Free at Last!) February 7, 2016 Scripture: Exodus 12:1-14 What to Write: Reflect on the meaning of Passover and what it says about God. Develop a festival of praise to God for salvation. Explain how believers find ways to praise God for deliverance from oppressive situations. Discuss how Jesus reinterpreted the symbolism of Passover to teach His disciples about the significance of His coming death on the cross. Explore how the Christian celebration of Easter draws on imagery and rituals originally associated with Passover. Compare similarities between the Lord’s Supper and the Feast of the Passover.
Issue 11: Feast of Weeks (A Bountiful Harvest) February 14, 2016 Scripture: Leviticus 23:15-22 What to Write: People celebrate the harvest of their labors with thanksgiving and share the fruits with others. The Lord commanded the Hebrews to offer God joyful praise and thanksgiving and to share their harvest with the needy. Expound on community service projects that have been done to help those less fortunate and to assist the poor in given communities. Using these words—harvest, grace, and Holy Spirit—reflect on how each of these categories represents a blessing given by God for which we can be thankful. Discuss how each of these also represents blessings we can share with those who need them. Explain why it is important to serve others. Compare and contrast the way the poor are treated today and in the time of the Scripture passage. Issue 12: Day of Atonement (A Clean Slate) February 21, 2016 Scripture: Leviticus 16:11-19 What to Write: Often people regret wrongful actions committed against another and because of their guilt seek to make amends. In Leviticus, God commanded the Israelites to set aside a day in which to sacrifice animals for payment of sin’s debt; Hebrews says that the blood of animals is no longer sufficient and that God has provided Jesus as the supreme sacrifice for atonement. Reflect on the meaning of atonement for sins and its relevance today. Compare and contrast various biblical images for what sin does and what it means to be delivered from sin (e.g., a stain to be cleansed, a debt to be paid, a crime to be pardoned, etc.). Compare and contrast the difference between the personal sacrifice (vv. 11-14) and the sacrifice for the people (vv. 15-19). Issue 13: Feast of Tabernacles (Heritage and Hope) February 28, 2016 Scripture: Leviticus 23:33-43 What to Write: Families need rituals of celebration to remember their heritage and to pass it on to their children. The Israelites’ celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles assisted them in renewing their commitment to the God who guided and protected them and in passing on their faith to their children. Explain the importance of passing on to the next generation a legacy of faith that God will always guide and protect. Share stories of God’s presence and provision during times of physical, emotional, or spiritual deprivation. How do we become aware of God’s presence when we wander in our own figurative wilderness?