The Bible is where Christians expect to hear God speaking—but reading it isn’t always easy. Open the Bible at random and you may land on a psalm, which is a human song addressed to God, rather than God speaking to us. Or you may open to a bit of history, or a proverb, or a parable, or one of those famously long lists of names. But you might just wonder what the heck God might be saying to when you read, “You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). Sometimes reading the Bible can feel like reading someone else’s mail!
This winter, come join the “How to Read the Bible” group as we go back to the basics and learn how to read Scripture in ways that help us hear what God is saying to us today. Together, we’ll explore the different genres of the Bible—history, poetry, theology, wisdom sayings, and more—and learn how historical, cultural, and context of the ancient world shape what we read.
Along the way we will answer questions like: Did this really happen (did God really command Israel to kill all the Canaanites)? Why did God tell Israel not to eat shellfish, but Christians still do? What is Jesus’ Parable of the Unjust Ruler all about?
We will also give special attention to using a study Bible, so bring one if you have one! And if you don’t we are more than happy to make recommendations. Join Dr. Matt Bruce in the Recreation Room between worship services (10-11 a.m.).
If you aren’t able to attend class, or want to see it again, watch the videos below: