This is a series of study guides on individual books of the Bible put out by The Navigators ministry. LifeChange Bible Study Series by NavPress. Not only will it help you understand the tough passages of Scripture, but it will also prepare you to engage many of the questions non-believers are currently raising about the Bible. One of the most valuable parts of the book is its eighth chapter, which offers useful criteria for interpreting culturally difficult passages (for example, Sabbath laws, commands regarding sexuality, and the issue of women in leadership).
Best bible to read and understand how to#
How to Read the Bible in Changing Times will help you work through the challenging art of interpretation, giving you a framework for approaching matters like the Bible’s ancient cultural context, its literary dimensions, and issues of worldview. That’s why I love Strauss’ book – it’s all about helping you grasp this concept of context in a deep and relevant way. You have to understand what each thought or passage meant in the context in which it was originally written. Whenever my students have questions about a difficult verse of the Bible, my response is typically going to be, “Let’s look at the context!” Context is key to understanding any book, and that includes the Bible. How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today by Mark L. It’s a short but helpful read definitely check it out.ģ.
It will introduce you to the major themes that tie Scripture together, such as God’s kingdom, his promises/covenants, and salvation through Jesus. God’s Big Picture will help you make sense of how all the parts of the Bible (yes, even all those laws and genealogies!) all come together to tell the one story of God’s plan for the world. If you’ve ever tried to read through the entire Bible and gotten lost or stuck because you couldn’t figure out where it was all going, this is the book for you. If Living by the Book will give you a method for studying the details of Scripture, God’s Big Picture will help you grasp – well, the big picture! Roberts’ book is a bit like a “CliffsNotes” on the Bible it summarizes the overall plot of Scripture so you don’t lose sight of the forest for all the trees. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts. Living by the Book is very practical, eminently readable, and includes simple exercises in each chapter that, if you do them, will definitely improve your study of the Bible. It’s worth your time because it will help you approach the Bible with a plan – a simple, reliable method that will make your Bible-reading effective, transformative, and enjoyable.Ģ. I worked through it before entering seminary and found that it laid a valuable foundation for me – in fact, my first-semester Bible Study Methods class was mainly a restatement of what this book teaches. This book is a fantastic starting-place for anyone looking to learn how to study the Bible. Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible by Howard Hendricks & William Hendricks. Here are a few of the guides I’ve found most helpful for learning how to study, interpret, and understand the Bible.ġ. I knew the Bible was God’s road map for the journey, but I also needed experienced guides to help me learn how to read that map and understand how it works.
That was certainly true for me when I first started out on my journey of faith. We all need a little help learning how to approach this book – the book of books, the record of God and his plan for our world. If it all seems tough to understand at first, just remember: that’s to be expected, because the Bible is about something much bigger than our limited understanding or experiences. It’s God’s Word to us, and in reading it we encounter the character and promises of the God of the universe. And though studying the Bible can be challenging, it also reaps eternal rewards. Even now, with 10+ years of theological higher education under my belt, I have to be honest and say even I still sometimes get intimidated!īut anything worthwhile is rarely easy. Time for me to make a dramatic understatement: Approaching the Bible can be intimidating. Home › Bible study › Best Books to Help You Understand the Bibleīest Books to Help You Understand the Bible