The Bible Reading Start Up Guide

8/9/2019 The Bible Reading Start Up Guide

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EPractical help for enjoying Gods Word every day

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mPresident of Scripture Union/USA and author of

The Essential Bible Guide and The Essential Jesus

Blessed are those whodelight in the law of the LORD and meditate on his law day and night. They are like a tree planted by streams of water. Psalm 1:1-3


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2007 by Scripture Union/USA Copyright holder is licensing this under the Creative Commons License, Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Please feel free to post this on your blog, add it to your churchs website or email it to whomever you believe would benefit from reading it. THANK YOU!

THE BIBLE READING START-UP GUIDE WHITNEY T. KUNIHOLM 2

Essential Bible Reading Help

The Essential Bible Guide, byWhitney T. Kuniholm, takes you on afast-paced journey through 50 OldTestament passages and 50 NewTestament passages so you get the bigpicture of the Bible without gettingbogged down.

I am encouraged by Whitney Kuniholmsbook, The Essential Bible Guide. Many will

be helped by his choice of texts, insightfulcomments and practical suggestions.

Charles W. Colson, Prison Fellowship Ministries

Boils the Bible down into bite-sized pieces.Provides an excellent overview of Gods Big Picture.

Christianity Today

The Essential Jesus, byWhitney T. Kuniholm, follows Godsplan of salvation through the Biblein 100 short readings from both theOld and New Testaments to help youget a complete picture of Jesus Christand allow you to come to your ownconclusions about who he really is.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction .......................................................................... 3

2. The Seven Habits of Effective Bible Readers .................... 6

3. The Scripture Union Bible Reading Method .................... 12

4. The Bible Reading Secret .................................................... 15

5. The Scripture Union Ethos .................................................. 18

Additional Resources

More Bible Reading Help .................................................. 21

About the Author................................................................ 22

About Scripture Union ...................................................... 23
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/http://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=16http://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=16https://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=37https://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=37http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/http://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=16https://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=37https://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=37http://www.scriptureunion.org/catalog.php?product_id=16


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1Introduction

Have you ever purchased a new computer, television of other piece of

electronic equipment? You do the research, check prices and finally buy it.

When you bring the new product home you cant wait to set it up and start using

it. Thats why most manufacturers make sure the first thing you see when you

open the box is a start-up guide, a short booklet that provides the basic

information you need to begin enjoying your new purchase right away.

Thats exactly what this e-Book is like, only its a start-up guide for the Bible

The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide. My goal in these few short pages is to give you

the practical help you need to begin enjoying Gods Word every day, whether

youre new to the Bible or have been reading it for years.

And I suspect you really want to read the Bible. You know its the best-selling

and most influential book in all of human history. And you know its filled with

timeless wisdom that can help you live the full, abundant life for which God

designed you (John 10:10). But more than that, you know the Bible is Gods

Word, and that by reading it you can get closer to him.



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The Bible Reading Problem

But the problem is, the Bible can be a tough read. For one thing, its a long,

long book and it describes events, people and places from ancient times. For

another thing, its filled with different kinds of writing, like history, poetry,

wisdom literature, prophecy and more. All of that makes the Bible difficult for

people to read and understand today.

I remember the time, years ago, when I decided to read through the entire Bible

using the snow plow method. I started with Genesis in January and tried to

plow all the way through to Revelation by December. Have you ever tried that?

Along the way I got bogged down in books like Leviticus, Numbers, Ezekiel and

Zechariah, and there were lots of things I didnt understand. It was a challenge tokeep going; sometimes I couldnt tell if I was awake or asleep as I read. But I

kept plowing and about two years later I made it to the end. Im glad I did it, but

looking back I realize there must have been a better way to begin enjoying the

benefits of reading the Bible.


I remember the time, years ago, when I decided to read throughthe entire Bible using the snow plow method.


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But perhaps the biggest barrier that stands in the way of most people reading andenjoying the Bible is the pace of life today. Our days are busy; our schedules arefull; our lives are frazzled. And although pastors, ministers and priests remind usthat we ought to make time to read the Bible and pray on a daily basis, that justdoesnt seem very realistic for most people. How is it possible to have a regularquiet time of Bible reading and prayer in such a noisy, stressful world?

Help Is on the Way!

Thats the question we want to consider in The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide. Ivedesigned this e-Book to help you develop and maintain a regular habit of Biblereading and prayer, in spite of the difficulties we have in understanding the Bible,and in spite of all the distractions of modern life. I want to share with you the basicprinciples you can use to make your times of Bible reading and prayer come alivein a way that will truly change your life.

If youre a new Bible reader, I hope this e-Book will give you an easy way toestablish a positive and satisfying Bible reading habit. And if youre anexperienced Bible reader, I hope this e-Book will be a helpful tune-up for yourregular quiet times in Gods Word. The bottom line is that no matter how longyouve been reading the Bible, my goal is to offer some practical ideas that willhelp you transform the practice of Bible reading and prayer into a daily meetingwith God.



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2The Seven Habits of Effective Bible Readers

Okay. Weve established that reading the Bible is both spiritually valuableand personally difficult at the same time. Thats why so many people

find its just easier to live on spiritual snack food rather than a healthy diet ofGods Word.

How can we satisfy our deep hunger for real spiritual nourishment? How can weovercome the challenges and enjoy the many benefits of daily Bible reading andprayer? Let me share with you a few of the things Ive discovered over the yearsseven practical principles to help you develop a more effective and meaningfultime with God in his Word.

1. Begin with the BasicsYour most basic tool, of course, is the Bible. There are many differentandvery goodtranslations of the Bible available today. For years, my favorite hasbeen the New International Version (NIV). But depending on your church tradi-



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tion, you might enjoy the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), the HolmanChristian Standard Bible (HCSB) or the New American Bible (NAB). Its also helpfulto visit a Christian bookstore to browse through the Bible section. But no matterwhich translation you choose, the key is to select one thats easy for you to readand understand.

Then, choose a convenient time and place for your time with God. It doesnt haveto be lengthy, perhaps just 15 minutes. Find a quiet place where there are minimaldistractions so you can concentrate. This could be a quiet corner of your housewhile you have your morning cup of coffee (thats my preference!), in your officebefore the workday begins, during your lunch break or perhaps at night beforebedtime. Give some thought to the time and place that works best for you.

2. Remember Your Higher GoalIts true that maintaining a regular Bible reading habit will take some discipline.But remember that a habit is only a means to an end. Your higher goal is totransform your Bible reading and prayer into a meeting with God. Think of it asan appointment with God. If you do, Bible reading and prayer will become lessof a discipline and more of a dialog with God.

Think of Bible reading and prayer as an appointment with God.


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3. Dont Feel Guilty

Have you ever heard someone say, Im having trouble keeping a regular quiettime with God. I know I ought to but ...? Maybe youve felt that way. As wevealready acknowledged, maintaining a spiritual discipline like Bible reading canbe a challenge. Even so, we should be careful not to think of it as paying ourdues to God, or assume that God is waiting to zap us if we fail to read theBible for a period of time.

The important thing to remember is God loves you and he wants to meet with you(John 4:23-24)! Dont let guilt over what you havent done in the past rob you ofthe joy of meeting with God in the present. With whatever time you do have,focus on enjoying Gods Word today. If you do, youll soon find yourself feelingless guilty and more excited about meeting God every day.

4. Find a Plan that Works for YouIve heard people say, I love to cook, but I hate to decide whats for dinner everynight. The same is often true when it comes to daily Bible reading. Thats why Ivefound it helpful to use a daily Bible reading plan or guide. Scripture Union has twoguides for adults: Discovery and Encounter with God. (See page 21.)

There are many other good Bible reading plans available from Christian publish-ers. Perhaps your church denomination offers one too. Different plans will


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appeal to different people. The key is to find one that gets you into all parts of theBible and stick with it. Then, you wont have to spend your quiet time in menuplanning and can focus more on the joy of cooking.

5. Be Creative, Add Variety!Even good things can become routine. We all go through times when our walkwith God feels dry and lifeless. When that happens, it helps to remember that

those feelings are normal; you wont see spiritual fireworks every time you openyour Bible. But the way to overcome them is to try something new. Here are someideas that have worked for me.

Its a simple change, but Ive found it helps to read the days passage in a different

Bible translation than usual. Perhaps you could try the New Living Translation(NLT), the Contemporary English Version (CEV), or even a paraphrase like TheMessage (MSG). Also, even though my experience with the snow plow methodwas a challenge at first, now that Ive become an experienced Bible reader I like todo a through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan once every seven years or so. It helps mekeep the big picture in mind. Sometimes Ill read through one book of the Bibleand try to study it in depth using a commentary. Other times, after Ive read a

We all go through times when our walk with God feels dry and lifeless.


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Bible passage, Ill also read a few pages from a classic Christian book. Anothertechnique I find helpful is to keep a journal of my reflections; I dont write in itevery day, only when something especially stands out. Its also a good place torecord prayer requests and answers. A little variety can make a big difference.

6. Give the Distractions to GodIts a noisy world out there! Even the most disciplined Bible reader faces plentyof distractions: unexpected phone calls, family interruptions and pet emergen-

cies. Ive also learned that the biggest distractions come from within: my fears,frustrations, temptations and worries.

Unfortunately we cant always control or avoid these distractions. So when theycome, use them for good! Incorporate them into your time with God. If young chil-dren interrupt, invite them up on your lap and read the Bible together. If the phonerings, pray for the caller after you hang up. If your mind wanders to worries andconcerns, give those thoughts to the Lord in prayer. Dont get too frustrated by the

distractions. They may be the very things you need to pray about.

7. Learn to ListenMy wife Carol and I have been married for more than 30 years. During that timeweve learned (sometimes the hard way!) that listening to each other is essential


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to a healthy relationship. The same is true in developing a relationship with God.Prayer isnt just reciting a laundry list of requests. Prayer also involves listeningto God. The question is, how can we do that?

Begin by taking time to quiet yourself in Gods presence. You might imagine thatyour cares and burdens are packages and you are handing them to God. Thenthink back on the prior day. Recall the ways you saw God at work in and aroundyou. When you feel that your heart is still, some call it centered, then slowlyread a passage of the Bible.

After you read, wait in silence, reflecting on the verse or phrase that jumps out atyou. What do you sense God is saying to you from his Word? How does it applyto the specific issues you face now? When you love someone, you listen to them.Practice the art of listening to God.

The Best Time to Start IsNow!

Theres no better time to begin reading the Bible than today. Decide on a time,

a place and a Bible reading plan. Ask God to give you a hunger for him and hisWord. Then get started using these seven steps and the other ideas and resourcesin this Bible Reading Start-Up Guide. Soon, youll discover that those few quietminutes with God will become the most meaningful part of your day!



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3The Scripture Union Bible Reading Method

Now that weve reviewed the basic steps needed to establish a successfuldaily appointment with God youve decided on a time, a place and aplanyoure ready to dig in to the Bible itself. Thats where The Scripture Union

Bible Reading Method can help; its a simple, 5-step method for getting the mostout of any Bible passage you readPray, Read, Reflect, Apply, Pray.

And let me say, I didnt invent it. This method has been used by millions ofScripture Union members all over the world for decades. Ive followed theprocess myself for over 30 years and discovered it really helps make Biblereading come alive. I believe it can do the same for you. Heres how it works.

Pray

Prayer is the starting point; remember, youre beginning a dialog. Before youread the Bible, ask God to help you understand the passage for the day. God,through the Holy Spirit, is the Author of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter1:21). Hes given us his written Word to communicate his eternal truth. So ask



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God to speak to you as you read. As the boy Samuel was taught to pray Speak,Lord, for your servant is listening (1 Samuel 3:9), so let that be your prayerfulattitude as you start your time with God.

Read

Next, read slowly and carefully through the Bible passage. Sometimes, youllwant to read the passage more than once. You may also find it helpful to read thepreceding or following passages to get the context. Take the time to read it asthoroughly as you can, expecting God to answer your prayer for understandingof his Word.

Reflect

This is a key part of the process, reflecting or meditating on what you have justread. First, ask these questions: What does this passage say? What is its mainpoint? What does it reveal about God, or about me? What does it require of me

now, in thought, word or action? These questions will help you dig deeper intothe meaning of the passage as you study and reflect. Many people find it helpfulto write their answers in a journal or notebook. Next, it helps to read thethoughts of someone else who has studied the same passage. Thats why somany people like Scripture Unions Bible Guides Discovery or Encounter with God;they provide helpful commentary from Christians around the world.



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Apply

God gave us his Word for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in right-eousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Its purpose is not only to give us information aboutGod, but also to help us live in the proper relationship to him and others. If we arewilling, the Holy Spirit can use Gods Word to shape our lives in the direction ofgreater godliness. Thats why this step is so important. After youve reflected onthe meaning of the passage, ask yourself this: How can Gods Word apply to mylife today; my situations at home, at work, school or church? Your goal is to use

what youve learned to become more like Jesus.

Pray

End your time in Gods Word as you began, in prayer. Make your discoveriesfrom the Bible the basis of your prayer time. Ask God to help you live out andapply what you learned that day. Thank God for meeting with you and sharing

his Word with you.As you can see, The Scripture Union Bible Reading Method is simple, but its alsoeffective. In the worldwide Scripture Union network, we have a phrase that sumsup our approach to Bible reading: Pray it in; live it out. Thats the way to makeGods Word come alive every day.



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4The Bible Reading Secret

Whats your number one reason for wanting to read the Bible? To get practicalhelp with the pressures of life? To grow spiritually? To deepen your

theological knowledge? There are many reasons people have for reading and

studying the Bible and theyre probably all good. But theres one thats certainlythe best of all and I discovered it when I was just a new Bible reader myself. Hereswhat happened.

In the summer of 1974, I began receiving letters from a girl in New York. I was liv-ing in Maryland and didnt realize it then, but those letters taught me somethingvery important about the Bible. At the time, I just wanted to keep them a secret.

I was a maintenance man that summer at a girls camp. Part of my responsibilitywas to supervise a group of teenage boys who worked in the kitchen and helpedme with odd jobs around the camp. They were girl crazy to say the least. Ispent all summer trying to keep them focused on washing the dishes and study-ing the Bible. I dont think I was very successful.



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But thats why I kept the letters I was receiving a secret. They were from Carol,the girl I would marry three years later. I didnt want the boys to taunt me, Youtell us not to think so much about girls but look at you!"

What Made Them Exciting?

The truth is, I loved getting those letters. I loved when the envelope was thick,which meant there were many pages inside. I loved the small, careful handwrit-ing. I loved to read the descriptions of what was happening in New York. On the

outside, I was a maintenance man trying to coach some boys toward the betterangels of their nature. But on the inside, my heart was alive and drawing closerto my future wife.

When I think of those letters, I wonder, What made them so exciting to me? Was

it the number of pages, the style of writing, or even the events they described?Yes, that was all part of it. But the most exciting thing was that somewhere far, faraway there was a beautiful girl with long brown hair who loved a tall, lanky boylike me. What made the letters come alive was the person on the other end.

And thats how they taught me something about Bible reading. Too often, wetake a purely intellectual approach to the Bible. We think that studying more and


Too often, we take a purely intellectual approach to the Bible.


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more will somehow make Gods Word come alive. Of course, its valuable to gainBible knowledge and to learn biblical truth. But the most exciting thing aboutreading the Bible is that by doing so we can gain a deeper relationship with thePerson behind it. I call it relational Bible reading and I believe its the activeingredient in a healthy devotional life.

Do you want to make your Bible reading come alive? Then approach it as if itwere a letter from God. As you read, remember that your goal is not just to studya book; its to develop a lifetime relationship with the One who loves you morethan you could ever think or imagine. I believe thats the real secret to exciting,rewarding Bible reading.


Do you want to make your Bible reading come alive?

Then approach it as if it were a letter from God.


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5The Scripture Union Ethos

Throughout this e-Book Ive referred to Scripture Union and some of its Biblereading methods and resources. But that may have caused you to wonder,

Whats so special about Scripture Union? The funny thing is, for a long time I

had the same question.

When I joined the staff of Scripture Union many years ago, I heard people talkingabout the Scripture Union ethos in a way that made it sound like the key toeverything. Over the years, I tried to pin down the definition of this distinctivetrait without much success. Whenever Id ask about it, people would say some-thing like, Im not exactly sure what it is, but I reallybelieve in it.

So when I became the President of Scripture Union/USA, I began a quest to findthe Scripture Union ethos. I listened to long-time Board members. I talked withvolunteers and staff. I even wrote a paper on The Secrets to Scripture UnionsSuccess. But in all that, I wasnt sure I had it figured out.



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Then one day I was invited to speak in France at a conference for Scripture Unionleaders from around the world. I accepted before I knew my assigned topic. Afew weeks later I got an email asking me to give two presentations ontheScripture Union ethos. Uhhh ohhh, the pressure was on!

A Quiet Passion for Meeting God

When the day came for my presentations, I was ready and eager to share mythoughts. But before I spoke, Emmanuel Oladipo, Scripture Unions International

Secretary at the time, led us in morning devotions. He began by asking us to read ashort Bible passage and gave us time to prayerfully reflect on it. I thought, This isso typical of Scripture Union! Cant we do anything more exciting?

He then told us how, as a teenager in Nigeria fifty years earlier, someone at aScripture Union camp taught him The Scripture Union Bible Reading Method. Hefinished by saying, And with very few exceptions, I have begun every daysince then by meditating on a passage of Scripture and praying for Gods help toapply it."


The distinctive feature of Scripture Union is that it is a worldwide

fellowship of people who have built their lives around

the simple practice of Bible reading and prayer.


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His unassuming testimony had a powerful effect on me. I suddenly realized thatthe distinctive feature of Scripture Union is that it is a worldwide fellowship ofpeople from all denominations who, like Emmanuel, have built their livesaround the simple practice of Bible reading and prayer. And the secret to oursuccess is not a desire for more Bible knowledge or for greater spiritual disci-pline. Rather, its a quiet passion for meeting God every day. Thats why we readthe Bible. Thats why we pray. Thats why we reach out to the next generation.Thats why we serve a world in need. Thats the Scripture Union ethos.

After Emmanuel finished his morning devotional, I gave my two presentationsand people seemed to like what I had to say. But I came home from France with anew appreciation for the incredible gift Scripture Union has given me over theyears. Its a gift I plan to enjoy, I hope with very few exceptions, every day for therest of my life. And I hope you will, too.

May God bless you as you seek him in his Word and then serve him in the world.


Pray it inlive it out!


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About the Author

Whitney T. Kuniholm is the President of Scripture Union/USA. He has written

several books including The Essential Jesus (IVP), John: An Eyewitness Account of

the Son of God (WaterBrook) and The Essential Bible Guide (WaterBrook). He is

a frequent contributor to Scripture Unions Bible guide Encounter with God, and

has a blog entited The Essential Bible Blog. He also speaks at churches and

Christian conferences.

Prior to Scripture Union, Mr. Kuniholm was Executive Vice President for PrisonFellowship Ministries near Washington, DC, a ministry he served in a variety of

roles for 13 years.

Whitney and his wife, Carol, have three grown children, two grandchildren,

and live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Kuniholm can be contacted at:

P.O. Box 215

Valley Forge, PA 19481-0215

Phone: 610-935-2807

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ScriptureUnion.org


SUPresidentWhitney T.Kuniholm

The Essential Bible Blog

www.EssentialBibleBlog.com
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About Scripture Union

Scripture Union is an interdenominational Christian ministry with a twofold mission:

Helping people of all ages meet God in the Bible and prayer

Reaching children in the 4-14 window with Gods Good News

Scripture Union publishes four daily Bible reading guides for individuals and groups:

Discovery and Encounter with God for adults, Snapshots for ages 7-10 and SUbmerge for

ages 11-14. These are distributed to thousands of adults and children every quarter.

Scripture Union has developed two Bible reading programs for churches and small groups,

The Essential 100 Challenge and The Essential Jesus Challenge. In addition, Scripture

Union is partnering with the American Bible Society for the promotion of Bible engagement

in the United States.

Scripture Union also conducts Bible-based programs for at-risk children including

SuperKids summer missions, and PrimeTime after school programs. Scripture Union

formed a partnership with The Salvation Army for the implementation of these childrens

outreach programs in the United States.

Scripture Union is Charter Member of the Evangelical Council for Financial

Accountability and has national ministries in 130 countries around the world.

We welcome your interest, prayers and support.


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Documents

The Bible Reading Start Up Guide