READ YOUR BIBLE (and understand it)

Tim Mackie has been featured in adult Sunday school the last couple of weeks, and the Bible Project, which he co-founded, has been mentioned a few times. The three Bibles concept – that we read the Bible primarily in one of three ways, as a moral handbook, theological dictionary, or a spiritual grab bag, leads to the question: how do we integrate the three? The easy answer is by reading the whole Bible. But that is more complicated than it sounds. It is hard to stick to it without a guide. The Bible Project is a series of videos on each of the 66 books, and the many themes and literary devices of the Bible. You can find these videos at www.bibleproject.com or on YouTube. The content is available for free.

YouVersion is another source for Bible Project content and some good devotionals. This is a free (and ad-free) Bible app for your phone, tablet, or computer. It has over 500 million app installs worldwide and an impressive number of Bible translations in an amazing number of languages, several of which can be played in audio mode. The Bible Project has a Bible in a year plan on YouVersion that includes over 150 videos (5-6 minutes each) that correspond with the books and themes in the plan. The videos are visually stunning and quite helpful in explaining the choices the Biblical authors made and how they enhance the theme. The name of the plan is “One Story that Leads to Jesus.”

Another good Bible in a year plan on YouVersion is called “Bible in One Year 2021 With Nicky Gumbel.” Gumbel, the developer of the Alpha Course, is a reliable guide. You can learn a lot and gain a deeper understanding of the Bible with either plan.

Click here to learn more about YouVersion and find the link to download the app to your device. To find either of these plans, go to “Plans” [at the bottom center] then “Find Plans” [at the top right]. Scroll down to “Through the Bible” and tap or click on “Whole Bible.” Then you can scroll to find the plan you’d like. If you need help, call or stop by the church office and we can get you started.