Read the Bible for Life by George Guthrie - Chapter 16 - Cameron Jungels 5-2-2013

Read the Bible for Life by George Guthrie

“Reading the Bible with the Church” Chapter 16

(Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/June 2, 2013)

Biblical Illiteracy

• Only 9% of “born-again” Christians have a worldview shaped by Bible.
• Only 16% of church goers read Bible daily.
• Only 37% say Bible has made any significant impact in life.

God-centered Reading

• Bible is not a self-help manual or encyclopedia that answers all my questions about my issues in this world.
• Bible is about God. It is the story of what God is doing from creation to new creation.

Information Overload

• Biblical illiteracy is directly related to our being distracted by worldly amusements.
• By grace, we need to see that worldly amusements never truly satisfy; true joy comes from God through his Word.

Not tidbits, the Big Story

• Our culture is losing the ability to track with longer stories.
• Biblical literacy improves when we better understand the big picture story of the Bible and our place in it.

Biblical Worldview

• Our way of thinking and our view of life needs to be deeply shaped by the Scriptures.
• We need to see that the Scriptures relate to every area of our lives, not just church on Sunday.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Theology and the Church

• Church needs to hunger for theology because it leads to a knowledge of the greatness and goodness of God.

ü Systematic Theology

ü Biblical Theology

The Bible in Worship

• Scripture infused songs/prayer
• Public reading of Scripture
• Expository Preaching

ü Focus on the text’s meaning

ü Hearing the Bible in context

ü Following the Bible’s storyline

ü The Whole Counsel of God

Concluding Thoughts

• We want to know and love the Word so that we can know and love God.
• We want our knowledge of the Word to lead to change of thoughts/affections and change of actions.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.