♦ Why I Stopped Calling Parts of the Bible ‘Boring’
When I announced that we were spending the next six months in Jeremiah, I said something I’d heard many Bible teachers say before me: “I know this book is boring. But we’re going to learn something.” I think I was trying to lower the stakes for them—or maybe for me. I was setting the bar low so that if Jeremiah held their interest even a little, that was a success.
But looking back, I regret saying it. It’s not true. Jeremiah isn’t boring. The Bible isn’t boring. Even the parts that people always say are boring are weird, gripping, and awe-inspiring. If we let them, they will absolutely command our attention.
♦ Reading the Bible as One Story
One helpful way of describing how the Bible is organized is commonly called the four-chapter gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration.
All of human life is told and interpreted through this narrative. The story of the Bible seen in this four-chapter gospel context gives meaning to all people, places, and things. It answers the questions that plague our hearts: Why am I here? What is God’s purpose for my life? Why is the world so broken? This four-chapter gospel is not just a way to read the Bible. It’s the framework through which we live our lives.
♦ 3 Reasons to Use Better Bible Study Resources than Strong’s
James Strong’s 1890 Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is one of the most frequently cited Bible study resources out there—perhaps because it is freely available in many places online. But its dictionary portion is often misused. I humbly offer three reasons why you should use better resources if you can. (And suggest better options.)
♦ More than Doing: Categories for Applying God’s Word
“Why is our time in God’s Word not as life-transformative as it should be?”
One response in particular stood out to me. A new believer who recently started reading the Bible said, “Sometimes, I just don’t know what to do with what I’m reading. I’ve been going through the book of Judges in my devotions, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to apply this.”
♦ Do Unto Authors: Four Principles for Reading Well
When people ask what I do for a living, I often say, “My job is to teach college students how to read.” This is only half a joke, because the reality is that our educational system and society has left many people incapable of reading well. That’s why, at Bethlehem College & Seminary, our approach to education centers on imparting to our students certain habits of heart and mind.
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