THe Bible pt 1
I grew up attending church, my mom made sure of that. I attended all the Sunday School classes I had, not out of a desire to, but because my mom made sure it was a priority and I didn’t really argue about that. I just did it. That doesn’t mean that I actually bought in or followed Jesus. I attended, had the knowledge and was exposed to Jesus, the Bible, and churchy things.
I remember people in my church always telling me I should read my Bible. I had no clue why I didn’t really see any need to do so. My main objectives at that point in my life included defeating Contra, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out (without getting knocked down at all) biking all around my hometown. Reading an ancient book that didn’t read like any other kind of book I’ve ever seen wasn’t on my priority list. It wasn’t even close.
So I ignored them! I challenged these people I know I frustrated these individuals some of them were patient, most of them were downright mad. Like really mad. As a kid, I set a record for making the most Sunday School teachers quit. The record I’m still pretty proud of!
When I actually made the decision to follow Jesus when I was 16 years old I remembered ‘you should read your Bible’ but really had no clue as to why. So I started asking leaders I knew why should I read my Bible. One of the leaders I asked was finally honest and told me because that’s what our pastor tells us to do.
After a couple of weeks of this, I started reading my Bible… well, because I gave into peer pressure and because the people I asked seemed happier, more centered in their lives, they were friendlier for sure. I also realized that what I had been doing with my own life for those 16 years wasn’t really panning out the way I wanted them to. I was a bitter young man full of angst for the world. So I started reading. Like most people, I started at page 1… Genesis chapter 1.
I started reading the first chapter of the Bible that God made the earth, everything in it. I came to Genesis 1:26 and stopped. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
The Bible says that God made me in His image… I had no clue why I was made, I had no clue who I was. If I could discover more about God by reading the book that He supposedly wrote through humans (Sunday School teachers told me that much) over the course of centuries and was broken down into 2 major parts, the Old and New Testaments. If the Bible says that God made me in His image, the more I discovered of God could tell me more about myself and my relationship with God.
As I kept reading my Bible I discovered what the Bible says about God and myself. God loves me, (Psalm 86:15, Psalm 136:1,26 John 3:16, 1 John 4:19 among so many others). I knew and understood conditional love. After I kept reading the Bible the first times and realizing what it says about God loving me, I finally discovered why I should read the Bible. I wanted to know how much God loved me, I wanted to discover more about what God thought of me. Being made in His image drove me to discover more about God. I also started to discover more about who I am.
This is the beginning of a mini-series on this blog, Reading the Bible. Our goal is to help people discover the benefit, helpful tips as far as translations, how often, how much should I read, how to remember it.
I remember people in my church always telling me I should read my Bible. I had no clue why I didn’t really see any need to do so. My main objectives at that point in my life included defeating Contra, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out (without getting knocked down at all) biking all around my hometown. Reading an ancient book that didn’t read like any other kind of book I’ve ever seen wasn’t on my priority list. It wasn’t even close.
So I ignored them! I challenged these people I know I frustrated these individuals some of them were patient, most of them were downright mad. Like really mad. As a kid, I set a record for making the most Sunday School teachers quit. The record I’m still pretty proud of!
When I actually made the decision to follow Jesus when I was 16 years old I remembered ‘you should read your Bible’ but really had no clue as to why. So I started asking leaders I knew why should I read my Bible. One of the leaders I asked was finally honest and told me because that’s what our pastor tells us to do.
After a couple of weeks of this, I started reading my Bible… well, because I gave into peer pressure and because the people I asked seemed happier, more centered in their lives, they were friendlier for sure. I also realized that what I had been doing with my own life for those 16 years wasn’t really panning out the way I wanted them to. I was a bitter young man full of angst for the world. So I started reading. Like most people, I started at page 1… Genesis chapter 1.
I started reading the first chapter of the Bible that God made the earth, everything in it. I came to Genesis 1:26 and stopped. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
The Bible says that God made me in His image… I had no clue why I was made, I had no clue who I was. If I could discover more about God by reading the book that He supposedly wrote through humans (Sunday School teachers told me that much) over the course of centuries and was broken down into 2 major parts, the Old and New Testaments. If the Bible says that God made me in His image, the more I discovered of God could tell me more about myself and my relationship with God.
As I kept reading my Bible I discovered what the Bible says about God and myself. God loves me, (Psalm 86:15, Psalm 136:1,26 John 3:16, 1 John 4:19 among so many others). I knew and understood conditional love. After I kept reading the Bible the first times and realizing what it says about God loving me, I finally discovered why I should read the Bible. I wanted to know how much God loved me, I wanted to discover more about what God thought of me. Being made in His image drove me to discover more about God. I also started to discover more about who I am.
This is the beginning of a mini-series on this blog, Reading the Bible. Our goal is to help people discover the benefit, helpful tips as far as translations, how often, how much should I read, how to remember it.
bible part 2
Have you ever thought “I’ll find my future job, spouse, house or child’s name by reading the Bible”? The Bible might be helpful for some of these things, but for me, it’s never been my ‘go to’ book for those types of things (even though my oldest son’s name is Shad). I think there’s another reason God wrote the Bible.
When I first began the habit of reading my Bible each day, I started out strong but eventually fizzled out. I probably read Genesis a kajillion times. I was hoping to learn from my ancestors’ past in order to discover my future. The problem with Genesis was it was kind of boring to read. Parts of Genesis was also confusing and kind of strange. There are other parts of the Bible that can also be boring, confusing or strange to read. I came to realize that the Bible wasn’t written in America; therefore, it wasn’t written in modern-day language. It was written originally for a group of people that were part of the Eastern Culture in a time that’s considered ancient.
It was written in a place that’s different than ‘Merica to a group of people that had a mindset very different from mine. I realized though that there were new things I could discover by peeling back the layers of culture and ancient truths I found in the Bible. I never did learn who I was going to marry based on these truths, but I learned a lot though :)
I started reading the Bible for one reason, but quickly discovered what I think God’s intended purpose of writing the Bible was. I think the Bible was written so we could discover more about who God is and who God created us to become. Sometimes we read the Bible for the wrong reason. We might read the Bible trying to figure out who to marry, what job to take or hoping that God will point out a verse that will help us win the lottery. When we approach the Bible like that, we might struggle to find answers. I know I did. Changing my motivation for reading the Bible helped me understand who God is and who God created me to be.
Now the question became “HOW I should read the Bible?”. There are literally hundreds of translations in the English language of the Bible. Some are better than others. They each have their own history and benefits. I personally started reading the New International Version (NIV). The reason was simple. All of the pastors I knew read the NIV translation. When I attended college for pastoral studies, we read the NIV, so I stuck with it. There was one small problem for me, I couldn’t understand the NIV wording all the time.
I would secretly read the New Living Translation (NLT). The translation was accurate and the major difference was that I could understand it better. I now read a mixture of translations so I can hear the words of God in a fresh way over and over again. Here’s the list of Bible Translations that I personally read: NIV, NLT, The Message, English Standard Version (ESV) and recently one of my favorites is the New International Readers Version (NIRV).
I’ve heard people passionately argue why and how one particular version of the Bible is the only REAL translation, or they will put down other translations. Don’t buy into their craziness. Just because someone is passionate about something, doesn’t mean they are right. Just because someone can passionately argue their point, doesn’t mean their right either!
I used to feel really bad for jumping ship on reading the NIV, but I got over it. I’ve been a pastor for over 16 years now. I used to look for the biggest, most pastoral looking Bible I could find. I used to think that the size of my Bible actually meant something. (I’ll wait because I’m sure you’re thinking “Does size really matter?”. Now, you’re thinking of something completely different… like I said I’ll wait).
OK. Now that you’re back with me, let’s keep going. I got over that issue quickly because I hated carrying around a heavy book all the time! I started to read my Bible on my phone in secret because people around me would talk down about how reading your Bible on your phone can’t have the same effect. Really? You can’t learn and discover truths about God, how much He loves you and the kind of person He created you to be? I’m pretty sure the words are the same in the Bible as they are on my smartphone?
Every morning I wake up, put my earbuds in and listen to my Bible. The reason I listen to my Bible now is that I retain so much more truths about God and how much Jesus loves me. I use the SOAP method to help apply the truths I discover in the Bible. More on that to come in this mini-series.
The bottom line, when it comes to reading your Bible, make sure you are reading so you can become the person God created you to be as you discover Him and His love for you. Don’t read a particular version of the Bible just because someone else tells you to. Read a trusted version that you can understand. If you’re like me and listening to your Bible is more beneficial than reading your Bible, don’t feel bad about it. It’s ok. It’s also ok to utilize technology and read your Bible on your smartphone. At one point printed words on paper was considered new technology.
When I first began the habit of reading my Bible each day, I started out strong but eventually fizzled out. I probably read Genesis a kajillion times. I was hoping to learn from my ancestors’ past in order to discover my future. The problem with Genesis was it was kind of boring to read. Parts of Genesis was also confusing and kind of strange. There are other parts of the Bible that can also be boring, confusing or strange to read. I came to realize that the Bible wasn’t written in America; therefore, it wasn’t written in modern-day language. It was written originally for a group of people that were part of the Eastern Culture in a time that’s considered ancient.
It was written in a place that’s different than ‘Merica to a group of people that had a mindset very different from mine. I realized though that there were new things I could discover by peeling back the layers of culture and ancient truths I found in the Bible. I never did learn who I was going to marry based on these truths, but I learned a lot though :)
I started reading the Bible for one reason, but quickly discovered what I think God’s intended purpose of writing the Bible was. I think the Bible was written so we could discover more about who God is and who God created us to become. Sometimes we read the Bible for the wrong reason. We might read the Bible trying to figure out who to marry, what job to take or hoping that God will point out a verse that will help us win the lottery. When we approach the Bible like that, we might struggle to find answers. I know I did. Changing my motivation for reading the Bible helped me understand who God is and who God created me to be.
Now the question became “HOW I should read the Bible?”. There are literally hundreds of translations in the English language of the Bible. Some are better than others. They each have their own history and benefits. I personally started reading the New International Version (NIV). The reason was simple. All of the pastors I knew read the NIV translation. When I attended college for pastoral studies, we read the NIV, so I stuck with it. There was one small problem for me, I couldn’t understand the NIV wording all the time.
I would secretly read the New Living Translation (NLT). The translation was accurate and the major difference was that I could understand it better. I now read a mixture of translations so I can hear the words of God in a fresh way over and over again. Here’s the list of Bible Translations that I personally read: NIV, NLT, The Message, English Standard Version (ESV) and recently one of my favorites is the New International Readers Version (NIRV).
I’ve heard people passionately argue why and how one particular version of the Bible is the only REAL translation, or they will put down other translations. Don’t buy into their craziness. Just because someone is passionate about something, doesn’t mean they are right. Just because someone can passionately argue their point, doesn’t mean their right either!
I used to feel really bad for jumping ship on reading the NIV, but I got over it. I’ve been a pastor for over 16 years now. I used to look for the biggest, most pastoral looking Bible I could find. I used to think that the size of my Bible actually meant something. (I’ll wait because I’m sure you’re thinking “Does size really matter?”. Now, you’re thinking of something completely different… like I said I’ll wait).
OK. Now that you’re back with me, let’s keep going. I got over that issue quickly because I hated carrying around a heavy book all the time! I started to read my Bible on my phone in secret because people around me would talk down about how reading your Bible on your phone can’t have the same effect. Really? You can’t learn and discover truths about God, how much He loves you and the kind of person He created you to be? I’m pretty sure the words are the same in the Bible as they are on my smartphone?
Every morning I wake up, put my earbuds in and listen to my Bible. The reason I listen to my Bible now is that I retain so much more truths about God and how much Jesus loves me. I use the SOAP method to help apply the truths I discover in the Bible. More on that to come in this mini-series.
The bottom line, when it comes to reading your Bible, make sure you are reading so you can become the person God created you to be as you discover Him and His love for you. Don’t read a particular version of the Bible just because someone else tells you to. Read a trusted version that you can understand. If you’re like me and listening to your Bible is more beneficial than reading your Bible, don’t feel bad about it. It’s ok. It’s also ok to utilize technology and read your Bible on your smartphone. At one point printed words on paper was considered new technology.
The Bible part 3
I get asked a lot of questions about the Bible. Which Bible is right for me? Which Bible is right for my 15-year-old son who doesn’t like sports, people or sunlight? In fact, he only likes dark rooms with large flat screen tv's with an attached Xbox…. You get the picture. Well, my responses vary quite a bit.
The Bible industry is a crazy industry for sure. There’s the metal Bible, Duct Tape Bible, pink camo Bible, pocket Bible and really big Bibles, I mean like really big Bibles! Just google it. It can be confusing as to which one might work for you.
In our previous blog in this mini-series, we discussed briefly the comparison between paper Bible and digital Bible. To me, it doesn’t really matter. I enjoy the digital Bible more than a paper Bible. My wife prefers her leatherbound Bible. The mode doesn’t really matter.
Another question I often hear is, “Should I just start reading anywhere or follow a Bible reading plan?”
The Youversion Bible App is a great platform to use especially when just getting started. I enjoy reading through the various plans on the app. After a while, a person should be able to read the Bible on their own but you might also enjoy reading with a guided plan. In fact, if you only read with a guided plan, don’t feel bad or “less than” because of it. Another great option is That Christian Vlogger’s course.
If someone is going to simply start reading the Bible, I recommend starting with the book of Mark. It’s a fast-paced book and covers the life of Jesus by describing His teachings and miracles. The second book I recommend reading is Acts. I always encourage an individual to read the Bible in a community like a small group, however. I think that’s one of the most beneficial ways of reading the Bible.
The third most common question I receive is “How much of the Bible should I read each day?”
The person who asks this question is usually a driven type A personality. He/she is probably used to getting a gold star in elementary school. Just kidding. Kind of. I know it’s a daunting question. I remember thinking I had to read chapter after chapter each day in order to belong, like really belong, to the "in group". My response is usually a combination of sarcasm and genuine concern. Here’s why. I’m not sure how much of the Bible the original disciples would have read each day. I don’t think that God measures our level of discipleship by the quantity of Bible we devour each day.
I do believe that God measures our love for Him in regards to our daily obedience of what He writes to us in the Bible. If we follow Jesus’ command to “Love God with all of our heart, soul strength and mind”, we’ll be doing great. If we also follow His command to “love our neighbor as ourselves”, we’ll be doing even better!. Wonder how the world would be if Jesus’ followers were to only read the amount of the Bible we could actually live out?
Another fact that influences my response to “How much should I read my Bible every day” is related to the fact that the chapters and verses haven’t been part of the Bible for very long. They were first introduced in the Geneva Bible which was published in 1560.
I typically suggest reading enough of the Bible so that you learn something new about God and who He says you are and how it applies to your life. I always suggest journaling along with reading scripture. The method of journaling I suggest is called S.O.A.P.
S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.
We’ll cover S.O.A.P. in the next article of this series.
The Bible industry is a crazy industry for sure. There’s the metal Bible, Duct Tape Bible, pink camo Bible, pocket Bible and really big Bibles, I mean like really big Bibles! Just google it. It can be confusing as to which one might work for you.
In our previous blog in this mini-series, we discussed briefly the comparison between paper Bible and digital Bible. To me, it doesn’t really matter. I enjoy the digital Bible more than a paper Bible. My wife prefers her leatherbound Bible. The mode doesn’t really matter.
Another question I often hear is, “Should I just start reading anywhere or follow a Bible reading plan?”
The Youversion Bible App is a great platform to use especially when just getting started. I enjoy reading through the various plans on the app. After a while, a person should be able to read the Bible on their own but you might also enjoy reading with a guided plan. In fact, if you only read with a guided plan, don’t feel bad or “less than” because of it. Another great option is That Christian Vlogger’s course.
If someone is going to simply start reading the Bible, I recommend starting with the book of Mark. It’s a fast-paced book and covers the life of Jesus by describing His teachings and miracles. The second book I recommend reading is Acts. I always encourage an individual to read the Bible in a community like a small group, however. I think that’s one of the most beneficial ways of reading the Bible.
The third most common question I receive is “How much of the Bible should I read each day?”
The person who asks this question is usually a driven type A personality. He/she is probably used to getting a gold star in elementary school. Just kidding. Kind of. I know it’s a daunting question. I remember thinking I had to read chapter after chapter each day in order to belong, like really belong, to the "in group". My response is usually a combination of sarcasm and genuine concern. Here’s why. I’m not sure how much of the Bible the original disciples would have read each day. I don’t think that God measures our level of discipleship by the quantity of Bible we devour each day.
I do believe that God measures our love for Him in regards to our daily obedience of what He writes to us in the Bible. If we follow Jesus’ command to “Love God with all of our heart, soul strength and mind”, we’ll be doing great. If we also follow His command to “love our neighbor as ourselves”, we’ll be doing even better!. Wonder how the world would be if Jesus’ followers were to only read the amount of the Bible we could actually live out?
Another fact that influences my response to “How much should I read my Bible every day” is related to the fact that the chapters and verses haven’t been part of the Bible for very long. They were first introduced in the Geneva Bible which was published in 1560.
I typically suggest reading enough of the Bible so that you learn something new about God and who He says you are and how it applies to your life. I always suggest journaling along with reading scripture. The method of journaling I suggest is called S.O.A.P.
S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.
We’ll cover S.O.A.P. in the next article of this series.
The Bible part 4
You might not know this, but I am a record holder. To my knowledge, this record has stood the test of time for almost three decades. I’d say that’s pretty good! What is this record you might ask? I have made more Sunday School teachers quit after teaching me on Sunday mornings from Plymouth Wesleyan Church (the church my family and I attended while growing up). Most pastors probably wouldn’t be proud of this, but I am if I’m honest.
I’m sure there were many reasons as to why those amazing volunteers, who sacrificially and generously gave of their time and energy to teach me the basics of the Bible, decided to quit. One particular teacher told me that I asked too many questions about the Bible, especially when I discovered the books of Songs of Solomon and Ezekiel. Those are some pretty graphic books. I would read those newly discovered passages loudly and proudly wondering why the author of Songs of Solomon talked about a ladies breasts being like the fawns of a gazelle. I’d ask the teacher what fawns of a gazelle look like and if they really compared to breasts.
All joking aside, no one really ever explained to me, in a way I could understand, WHY and HOW I should read the Bible so that it would add value to my life. I simply started reading the Bible when I got bored in church.
Years went by. I kept reading my Bible in church when I was bored. I’d ask questions sometimes. Sometimes I would receive an answer and others, I didn’t. I didn’t really know why I was reading the Bible other than to occupy my mind
When I was a teenager a volunteer leader in our church named Ed, started hanging out with me. We would go to Burger King every Wednesday and talk about my week. One week he mentioned to me about reading my Bible in church. He informed me that he knew of my reputation for Sunday School mishaps. We both laughed about my standing up proudly and reading Songs of Solomon in front of the whole class.
Ed asked a question about how I applied what I was reading to my everyday life and how the scripture added value to my life. I didn’t know what he meant. He opened his old Bible to the book of Mark. We started reading all the way to chapter 5. I thought I was big stuff for reading five whole chapters of the Bible at once. I thought for sure I was going to get a gold star from God that day.
Ed asked me what I noticed or what I observed while reading. One of the things I noticed, among several others, was that people were possessed by evil spirits. Ed and I had a great discussion about that while I ate my Whopper with cheese. I noticed that in chapter one and in chapter five Jesus encountered people who were possessed by these evil spirits. The strange thing to me was that these evil spirits recognized Jesus. They knew who Jesus’ real identity was. The Holy One of God. While religious leaders were confused about who Jesus was. This was odd to me. Ed and I continued to talk about all the other things we noticed and observed in these five chapters.
Ed then asked me one of the most important questions of my life, “Marc, how can you apply that to your life?”. I stared for a long time, took at least three bites of my Whopper, ate my french fries and looked him and said, “Uh, I don’t know.” He asked the same question again and I still responded the same way.
After a few attempts, Ed started blurting things out to help me apply my observations. He said, “The evil spirits knew exactly who Jesus was right?” “Were they right with God?” “Was God happy with them?” I looked at him with french fries hanging out of my mouth like they were fangs realizing for the first time in my life that I was on the verge of maturing. I didn’t know how I felt about ‘maturing’! Ed patiently waited for me to defang my french fries and waited for my answer.
I looked at him and simply replied, “No, God wasn’t happy with evil spirits.” “But they knew who Jesus was, right?” Ed replied. “The Bible says they did,” I said. Ed pointed out that knowing Jesus and knowing who He is doesn’t mean that a person is right with God. It’s only part of the equation.
Over the next several minutes, Ed and I talked knowing Jesus. I honestly assumed that I just needed to know the right answers, like my faith was basically a standardized test like the SAT or something. Realizing that knowledge wasn’t enough rattled me. Ed and I had several conversations sitting in a booth at that Burger King and this was one of the most impactful conversations of my life. It’s probably why I remember it 20 years later.
Ed helped me to not just read the Bible but to understand what I was reading in ways that would actually apply to my life. By reading the Bible and applying what I read, it helped me mature in my new relationship with Jesus.
He explained the S.O.A.P. method to me.
S. Stands for Scripture. The part of the Bible I was reading. (Mark 1-5) I don’t recommend reading that much on a typical day, but it worked for Ed and me.
O. Stands for Observations. Things I noticed. For example, I noticed that the evil spirits were in church and they recognized Jesus.
Stands for Application. How would I apply what I read to my life? What next right step should I take to put into action that application? After my conversation with Ed and reading Mark 1-5, I realized that knowledge wasn’t enough to be right with God. I discovered that it took a personal relationship with Jesus to be made right with God.
P. Stands for Prayer. Praying that Jesus would help me apply what I read.
I strongly believe that the amount of the Bible a person reads is not important. I think the amount a person applies to his or her life is the crucial part. I have kept a S.O.A.P. journal for several years now. I think this is one of the most helpful tools as I read the Bible and mature in my relationship with Jesus.
I’m sure there were many reasons as to why those amazing volunteers, who sacrificially and generously gave of their time and energy to teach me the basics of the Bible, decided to quit. One particular teacher told me that I asked too many questions about the Bible, especially when I discovered the books of Songs of Solomon and Ezekiel. Those are some pretty graphic books. I would read those newly discovered passages loudly and proudly wondering why the author of Songs of Solomon talked about a ladies breasts being like the fawns of a gazelle. I’d ask the teacher what fawns of a gazelle look like and if they really compared to breasts.
All joking aside, no one really ever explained to me, in a way I could understand, WHY and HOW I should read the Bible so that it would add value to my life. I simply started reading the Bible when I got bored in church.
Years went by. I kept reading my Bible in church when I was bored. I’d ask questions sometimes. Sometimes I would receive an answer and others, I didn’t. I didn’t really know why I was reading the Bible other than to occupy my mind
When I was a teenager a volunteer leader in our church named Ed, started hanging out with me. We would go to Burger King every Wednesday and talk about my week. One week he mentioned to me about reading my Bible in church. He informed me that he knew of my reputation for Sunday School mishaps. We both laughed about my standing up proudly and reading Songs of Solomon in front of the whole class.
Ed asked a question about how I applied what I was reading to my everyday life and how the scripture added value to my life. I didn’t know what he meant. He opened his old Bible to the book of Mark. We started reading all the way to chapter 5. I thought I was big stuff for reading five whole chapters of the Bible at once. I thought for sure I was going to get a gold star from God that day.
Ed asked me what I noticed or what I observed while reading. One of the things I noticed, among several others, was that people were possessed by evil spirits. Ed and I had a great discussion about that while I ate my Whopper with cheese. I noticed that in chapter one and in chapter five Jesus encountered people who were possessed by these evil spirits. The strange thing to me was that these evil spirits recognized Jesus. They knew who Jesus’ real identity was. The Holy One of God. While religious leaders were confused about who Jesus was. This was odd to me. Ed and I continued to talk about all the other things we noticed and observed in these five chapters.
Ed then asked me one of the most important questions of my life, “Marc, how can you apply that to your life?”. I stared for a long time, took at least three bites of my Whopper, ate my french fries and looked him and said, “Uh, I don’t know.” He asked the same question again and I still responded the same way.
After a few attempts, Ed started blurting things out to help me apply my observations. He said, “The evil spirits knew exactly who Jesus was right?” “Were they right with God?” “Was God happy with them?” I looked at him with french fries hanging out of my mouth like they were fangs realizing for the first time in my life that I was on the verge of maturing. I didn’t know how I felt about ‘maturing’! Ed patiently waited for me to defang my french fries and waited for my answer.
I looked at him and simply replied, “No, God wasn’t happy with evil spirits.” “But they knew who Jesus was, right?” Ed replied. “The Bible says they did,” I said. Ed pointed out that knowing Jesus and knowing who He is doesn’t mean that a person is right with God. It’s only part of the equation.
Over the next several minutes, Ed and I talked knowing Jesus. I honestly assumed that I just needed to know the right answers, like my faith was basically a standardized test like the SAT or something. Realizing that knowledge wasn’t enough rattled me. Ed and I had several conversations sitting in a booth at that Burger King and this was one of the most impactful conversations of my life. It’s probably why I remember it 20 years later.
Ed helped me to not just read the Bible but to understand what I was reading in ways that would actually apply to my life. By reading the Bible and applying what I read, it helped me mature in my new relationship with Jesus.
He explained the S.O.A.P. method to me.
S. Stands for Scripture. The part of the Bible I was reading. (Mark 1-5) I don’t recommend reading that much on a typical day, but it worked for Ed and me.
O. Stands for Observations. Things I noticed. For example, I noticed that the evil spirits were in church and they recognized Jesus.
Stands for Application. How would I apply what I read to my life? What next right step should I take to put into action that application? After my conversation with Ed and reading Mark 1-5, I realized that knowledge wasn’t enough to be right with God. I discovered that it took a personal relationship with Jesus to be made right with God.
P. Stands for Prayer. Praying that Jesus would help me apply what I read.
I strongly believe that the amount of the Bible a person reads is not important. I think the amount a person applies to his or her life is the crucial part. I have kept a S.O.A.P. journal for several years now. I think this is one of the most helpful tools as I read the Bible and mature in my relationship with Jesus.
The bible part 5
For this installment of the miniseries we are going to link to Justin at That Christian Vlogger's Youtube channel.
Justin Khoe is a digital missionary. Known online primarily as, “That Christian Vlogger,” his Youtube videos have been seen around the world by over a million people. With over ten years of preaching, literature evangelism, and teaching experience under his belt, Justin’s current focus is to leverage social media to help reach unchurched young adults.
Cohosting the show with him is his wife, Emily. Justin and Emily aim to equip young adults to have a stronger and deeper relationship with God and to help them discover who God has created them to be. They call this way of living, “experiencing faith in the first person.”
Justin Khoe is a digital missionary. Known online primarily as, “That Christian Vlogger,” his Youtube videos have been seen around the world by over a million people. With over ten years of preaching, literature evangelism, and teaching experience under his belt, Justin’s current focus is to leverage social media to help reach unchurched young adults.
Cohosting the show with him is his wife, Emily. Justin and Emily aim to equip young adults to have a stronger and deeper relationship with God and to help them discover who God has created them to be. They call this way of living, “experiencing faith in the first person.”
The Bible part 6
I grew up attending a local church most of my life. Every Sunday we would wake up, get dressed, walk into the church building, attend a Sunday School class and then attend a normal service. Everyone that was there carried their Bible like badges of honor. The larger the Bible and the more worn out the Bible appeared, the holier the person must be.
Large Bibles were in, like really in. Someone even made a music video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTYr3JuueF4
There is nothing wrong with having a giant Bible, but shortly after that video was made, technology made some amazing advancements. I’ll admit, I may have resisted the technology advancements that allowed me to read my Bible on my phone when it first started.
At the time, I was a student ministries pastor. I was leading a group of tenth-grade guys. One of the guys asked me this question, “is it ok for me to read my Bible on my phone?” I responded quickly and said something like “it’s ok at times, but you should read the Bible on a real Bible…”
A few months after that conversation, I found myself needing to look something up. I realized I didn’t have my ‘real’ Bible but I did have my iPhone in my pocket. So, I downloaded the You Version Bible App and looked something up. I found it so convenient to read the Word of God on my cell phone. I went back to the group of students and told them I changed my mind. I believe that I screwed up and made a mistake when I judgmentally told them to read the Bible on a real Bible.
I’ve been asked several times if it’s ok to read God’s Word on a mobile device. It’s made me think through this whole process of how we ended up with the Word of God in our hands.
I think it’s crucial we realize that the Bible isn’t actually one book. It’s a library of books that have been collected over thousands of years. God spoke through several men (and possibly 1 lady... the author of Hebrews, who knows). The Bible is God’s mega-narrative love story between Him and humanity. While it’s tempting and even possible to try and read the Bible from page one to the last page, that’s not how it’s designed. The Hebrew Rabbis describe reading the Bible and its passages like looking at a diamond. Every time you look at it, the viewer will discover something new.
The early church didn’t have the Bible (in any form that was usable and portable like a book) for several hundreds of years. It amazes me when I think through how these individuals matured and grew into the potential God had for them from the beginning without the Bible.
They learned about Jesus through other humans telling the story of what their lives were like before they knew or met Jesus, how they encountered Jesus and what their lives are like now after meeting Jesus. In spite of not having an official Bible or proper training, Paul, Peter and other church leaders discipled other people and those people discipled others. Eventually, the Bible as we know it was formed, but not for several hundreds of years in a painstaking process.
The method that was used to write and read the Bible was handwritten documents that were copied and dispersed out among the followers of Jesus. It wasn’t until the invention of the printing press in 1436 by Johannes Gutenberg that the ‘real’ Bibles were even possible. This one invention revolutionized humanity and empowered regular people to understand truth and God with clarity. Individuals could actually read the Bible in a language they understood and challenge the authorities and ask questions. This seems so strange to us today. It’s crucial we remember Gutenberg, Tyndale, and Luther among so many other reformers.
I honestly don’t see an issue with using technology of any form to put the Word of God in the hands of regular people. The printing press was the latest and greatest form of technology at one time. Mobile cell phones are the technology of our day.
There are some dark sides of technology. I have found a few things to be helpful in avoiding the dark side of using technology to read the Word of God, however.
If there is a dark side of technology, there must be a bright side of it as well.
Here are some of the most practical ways to use technology and it’s ‘bright side” while avoiding the dark side of technology.
To sum it all up, yes a person can use technology to read the Bible. The ‘real’ Word of God isn’t in a platform or method. It is in the actual text and meaning of the text.
Large Bibles were in, like really in. Someone even made a music video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTYr3JuueF4
There is nothing wrong with having a giant Bible, but shortly after that video was made, technology made some amazing advancements. I’ll admit, I may have resisted the technology advancements that allowed me to read my Bible on my phone when it first started.
At the time, I was a student ministries pastor. I was leading a group of tenth-grade guys. One of the guys asked me this question, “is it ok for me to read my Bible on my phone?” I responded quickly and said something like “it’s ok at times, but you should read the Bible on a real Bible…”
A few months after that conversation, I found myself needing to look something up. I realized I didn’t have my ‘real’ Bible but I did have my iPhone in my pocket. So, I downloaded the You Version Bible App and looked something up. I found it so convenient to read the Word of God on my cell phone. I went back to the group of students and told them I changed my mind. I believe that I screwed up and made a mistake when I judgmentally told them to read the Bible on a real Bible.
I’ve been asked several times if it’s ok to read God’s Word on a mobile device. It’s made me think through this whole process of how we ended up with the Word of God in our hands.
I think it’s crucial we realize that the Bible isn’t actually one book. It’s a library of books that have been collected over thousands of years. God spoke through several men (and possibly 1 lady... the author of Hebrews, who knows). The Bible is God’s mega-narrative love story between Him and humanity. While it’s tempting and even possible to try and read the Bible from page one to the last page, that’s not how it’s designed. The Hebrew Rabbis describe reading the Bible and its passages like looking at a diamond. Every time you look at it, the viewer will discover something new.
The early church didn’t have the Bible (in any form that was usable and portable like a book) for several hundreds of years. It amazes me when I think through how these individuals matured and grew into the potential God had for them from the beginning without the Bible.
They learned about Jesus through other humans telling the story of what their lives were like before they knew or met Jesus, how they encountered Jesus and what their lives are like now after meeting Jesus. In spite of not having an official Bible or proper training, Paul, Peter and other church leaders discipled other people and those people discipled others. Eventually, the Bible as we know it was formed, but not for several hundreds of years in a painstaking process.
The method that was used to write and read the Bible was handwritten documents that were copied and dispersed out among the followers of Jesus. It wasn’t until the invention of the printing press in 1436 by Johannes Gutenberg that the ‘real’ Bibles were even possible. This one invention revolutionized humanity and empowered regular people to understand truth and God with clarity. Individuals could actually read the Bible in a language they understood and challenge the authorities and ask questions. This seems so strange to us today. It’s crucial we remember Gutenberg, Tyndale, and Luther among so many other reformers.
I honestly don’t see an issue with using technology of any form to put the Word of God in the hands of regular people. The printing press was the latest and greatest form of technology at one time. Mobile cell phones are the technology of our day.
There are some dark sides of technology. I have found a few things to be helpful in avoiding the dark side of using technology to read the Word of God, however.
- Don’t multitask. There really is no such thing as multitasking. When we try to multitask we are really just multi distracted. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb. Don’t attempt to answer texts, read your Bible and post a sweet pic selfie on Instagram. You’ll go through the motions of reading your Bible and wonder why you’re not maturing as you do so.
- Realize that the purpose of reading your Bible, no matter the platform, is to learn new insights and apply the insights. Each day, I encourage people to find one or two things from the Word of God and apply them.
- Because multitasking is really a false sense of reality, realize that reading your Bible should be done at a time and place you won’t be easily interrupted. We can read our Bible and ignore the people around us without realizing we’re doing it. When we ignore people around us, they feel lonely and less important. Carving out a specific time and place where you will be uninterrupted, will ensure that you are able to engage and read the Word of God and still treat others you encounter with respect and dignity.
If there is a dark side of technology, there must be a bright side of it as well.
Here are some of the most practical ways to use technology and it’s ‘bright side” while avoiding the dark side of technology.
- Using the You Version Bible app to find free devotionals is an amazing way to learn how to read the Bible. It’s also a great way to find community with your friends in your online world. You can follow, like and even read through the same devotional plan together from the ease of your smartphone or tablet.
- If you struggle to read, you can find a translation of the Bible that has an audio icon and listen to the Word of God. This has been a game changer for me in my life.
- If you are part of a local church and the local church utilizes the You Version Bible app, you can actually follow along with what your children are learning in Kids Ministry. Not ever church utilizes that but at RE.THINK Church we do. We are currently going through a parenting message series as a church. R|C Kids ministry is also going through a family message series. We encourage parents to find the devotional on the You Version Bible App so they can facilitate conversations throughout the week with their children about what they are learning in R|C Kids.
To sum it all up, yes a person can use technology to read the Bible. The ‘real’ Word of God isn’t in a platform or method. It is in the actual text and meaning of the text.
