Throughout the story of Scripture, God is constantly shaping and molding his people.  You could say that the people of God are always under development.  The word “development” is used in various contexts today: in the civic realm, communities have economic development directors.  In the financial realm, universities and non-profits have development officers.  In film, we develop photos.  In literature and cinematography, there is plot development.  Psychologically and educationally, we talk about child and adolescent development.  In communities, we watch as new housing developments go up.  Throughout the fall, we’ll be looking at the development of God’s people both in the Old Testament and the New Testament.  And through it all, we echo the Apostle Paul’s desire that “Christ is formed [developed] in you” (Galatians 4:19).