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3 Questions to Help Kids Read the Bible

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At the Gospel Coalition, Sara Wallace has two principles and three questions to help us teach our kids to read the Bible.

The principles:

  1. The Bible is Not About You
  2. The Bible Tells One Story

The questions, for the kids to consider when they read:

  1. What does this passage teach me about God?
  2. What does this passage teach me about human being (or myself)?
  3. What does this passage teach me about the need for and the coming of a Savior?

It’s really that simple. Whether you try these three questions, or our devotional page, or any other way to frame these issues—the best thing we can do for our kids is inspire them to drink from the fountain of delights which is this book, the word of God. Whatever makes most sense to you and to your kids, do it!

Check it out!

Exodus 30: Portable Purity, Covering, and Glory

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We draw near the end of Yahweh’s first of seven speeches to Moses with instructions for his dwelling place amid the Israelites. We’ve had architectural instructions and ceremonial instructions. What remains to be done?

Observation of Exodus 30:1-38

Most repeated words: make (17 times), Lord (13x), offering (11), holy (10), not (8), when (8), give (7), incense (7), meet/meeting (7), shekel (7)

  • no clear patterns or categories stand out on the list this time

Yahweh’s first speech (begun in Ex 25:1) ends with the paragraph about the incense altar (Ex 30:1-10).

  • If I allow familiarity, or the sheer detail of Exodus 25-30, to glaze my eyes over, I’ll miss the crucial observation in Ex 30:11 (“Yahweh said to Moses”) that distinguishes the speeches.
  • The altar is made from wood covered in gold (Ex 30:1-3), a square shape if looking down from above.
  • Like the rest of the furniture, it has rings and wood poles covered in gold, to make it portable (Ex 30:4-5).
  • Its location will be “in front of the veil,” which is both “above the ark” and “in front of the mercy seat” (Ex 30:6).
  • Aaron is to burn incense on it every morning and evening (Ex 30:7-8).
  • The incense must be made from the authorized recipe. No animal, grain, or liquid offerings are to be burned here (Ex 30:9).
  • Aaron is to make atonement for this altar annually so it will be most holy to Yahweh (Ex 30:10).

The second speech covers the census tax (Ex 30:11-16).

  • Any numbering of the people must include payment of a ransom to avoid a plague (Ex 30:11-14).
  • The tax is no respecter of persons, and it provides atonement (Ex 30:15).
  • This atonement money supports the tabernacle’s activities and makes atonement for the populace (Ex 30:16).

Yahweh’s third speech describes the bronze washbasin (Ex 30:17-21).

  • It goes outside, so priests can wash their hands (Ex 30:17-19).
  • Twice, we’re told their washing will prevent their death (Ex 30:20-21).

Yahweh’s fourth speech describes the anointing oil (Ex 30:22-33).

  • Yahweh wants not just any oil, but a specific recipe (Ex 30:22-25).
  • This oil should be poured over both furniture (Ex 30:26-29) and priests (Ex 30:30).
  • This special oil must not be used on ordinary people nor for ordinary purposes (Ex 30:31-33).

Yahweh’s fifth speech describes the incense to be burned (Ex 30:34-38).

  • Another unique recipe, to be kept inside, “before the testimony,” presumably next to or near the incense altar (Ex 30:34-36).
  • As with the anointing oil, the incense must not be used for any other purpose but this “most holy” one (Ex 30:37-38).

Daniel Kedinger (2006), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 30:1-38

Some possible questions:

  1. Why do we return to another piece of furniture inside the tent?
  2. What does it mean for the incense altar (Ex 30:10) and the people’s lives (Ex 30:15-16) to have atonement?
  3. Why do the census tax, washbasin, anointing oil, and incense all have their own speeches?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. The first speech covered the structure and furniture (Ex 25:1-27:19) before turning to the priests and their duties (Ex 27:20-30:10). Concluding the speech with the incense altar puts the altar squarely in the priestly section. And the text supports this categorization, as the instructions focus not only on how to build this altar (Ex 30:1-6) but also on how the priests will use it (Ex 30:7-10). The “priestly” section of this long speech began with the priest’s duty to keep the lamps burning every evening (Ex 27:21); it now ends with the duty to burn incense both morning and evening—a task explicitly connected with the corresponding duty to light the lamps (Ex 30:8). I’ll note when we get to chapter 37 that, in the construction work, the incense altar is grouped with the other furniture pieces inside the tent. This shows us that the placement away from those items here—in chapter 30, not in chapter 25—has a purpose. And that purpose is to show how “priestly” this incense altar is. Burning incense produces smoke (which preserves the priest’s life by concealing the ark of the covenant from him on the Day of Atonement—Lev 16:13). This smoky cloud will be kept going both morning and evening, reminding us of another smoky cloud, burning day and night, when God meets with his people. Of course, I refer to the pillar of cloud representing the glory of Yahweh (Ex 13:21-22), which became the glory-cloud on the mountain top (Ex 19:16). The idea now, which concludes Yahweh’s first speech, is that a major role for the priests is to create a replica of Yahweh’s glory-cloud, inside the tent, which can go on the road with the people. This makes the inside of the tent a metaphorical mountain top.
  2. The word “atonement” is used in Exodus only in chapters 29, 30, and 32. In chapter 29, it referred to what resulted from the animal sacrifices during the priests’ ordination service. The blood was dumped all over the outside altar (Ex 29:12, 16) and then painted on the priests’ right ear lobes, thumbs, and big toes (Ex 29:20) before also being splashed onto the priests’ clothes (Ex 29:21). This ritual connects the priest to the altar, as both are now covered in the blood. All of this is called the “atonement made at their ordination and consecration” (Ex 29:33). So “atonement” has to do with purifying and inaugurating by means of covering. Coming back to chapter 30, then, we see that atonement is made for the incense altar when it is purified by being covered with blood (Ex 30:10)—we see this ritual in action in Leviticus 16:18-19. Similarly, then, the people are atoned for (purified through covering) when they pay the half-shekel ransom for their lives when a census is taken. Without such covering, there cannot be purity. Incidentally, this explains why it was so wrong for King David to number the people, and why a plague results from the numbering, in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. He never collected the half-shekel to ransom their lives and provide atonement for them. Joab even understands that the numbering causes guilt for Israel (1 Chr 21:3), for which they need something to cover them or take their place (1 Chr 21:26-30).
  3. The Lord clearly wants there to be seven speeches. The third one (washbasin that prevents death) connects with day 3 of creation (waters recede so land can produce life). The fourth speech (oil to inaugurate priestly rulers) corresponds to day 4 of creation (appointing sun, moon, and stars to rule over day and night). Beyond that, I won’t push any potential creation connections too far. We’ll see plenty more in the next chapter. This structure portrays the tabernacle as a new creation.

Train of thought:

  • Priests use incense altar to simulate Yahweh’s glory cloud every morning and evening.
    • To be purified, God’s people need to be covered by paying a tax.
      • Priests washed clean won’t die.
    • For the system to work, both furniture and priests need to have the right oil dumped on them.
  • Proper incense supplies the priestly duties to simulate the glory cloud.

Main point: Yahweh provides every resource required to take his show on the road: purifying both people and priest, so he can be united with them day after day.

Connection to Christ: Jesus purifies his people. He is the great high priest. He does all this by covering them (making atonement for them) with his own blood.

My Application of Exodus 30:1-38

I’ll do more involved application in a few weeks when I wrap up the section of tabernacle instructions. But for now, I am amazed at:

  1. God’s glory being made (somewhat) accessible.
  2. Provision of a pure priest.
  3. Provision of purity for me.
  4. Covering for all my sin.
  5. Inclusion and union with this same God through Jesus Christ.

My application is simply: Wow.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

The Golden Rule of Bible Reading

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This short video from John Piper explains what he calls “The Golden Rule of Bible Reading”: Figure out what the original, divinely inspired author intended to communicate. Piper readily concedes that this rule is an attempt to define what “meaning” is, as in, “How do we decide the meaning of a passage of Scripture?” So he gives four reasons for this definition of “meaning.”

  1. The Bible assumes this definition of “meaning.”
  2. We should treat the biblical authors the way we wish they would treat us (Matt 7:12).
  3. Humility requires it of us.
  4. God’s authority over us requires it of us.

https://vimeo.com/223505453

Piper’s challenge is one we would do well to heed. The video is well worth your time.

Check it out!

Exodus 29: The Price of a Ticket to Paradise

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Unfortunately, circumstances prevent me from writing a regular Bible study on Exodus 29. Illness and busyness have conspired to empty my time tank to its dregs.

Providentially, I preached a sermon earlier this year on the very chapter of Exodus I was due to write about today. So I eagerly refer you to my church’s website for a recording. Scroll down to Exodus 29 for the sermon du jour. Or click here for a direct link.

For a taste:

A ticket to God’s paradise is costly. In particular, it requires:

  1. An Approved Man in Approved Garments – Ex 29:1-25
  2. Eating Approved Food – Ex 29:26-34
  3. In an Approved Place – Ex 29:35-44

These three categories summarize the entire Old Testament sacrificial system. So the New Testament uses the same three categories to describe our new position in Christ.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)

Tips for Reading the Bible with your Kids

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I recently wrote of an “aha” moment, when I realized I could read the Bible to my kids. At Crossway’s blog, David Murray has a few short articles that can help you, too, to get started with what he calls this “holy habit.”

In “How to Help Your Kids Get Excited About Reading the Bible,” Murray explains the one crucial technique—in fact, the only technique—you must master: being enthusiastic about Bible reading yourself. Do this, and your kids can’t help but get infected.

In “6 Tips for Reading the Bible With Your Kids,” Murray gets specific with these practical tips:

  1. Give them a good reason to read the Bible: make sure they know why you’re doing this!
  2. Establish a routine: do it in the same time and place each week.
  3. Be realistic: understand what your children can handle.
  4. Be systematic: read through whole books, not just a verse here and a verse there.
  5. Ask good questions: help them to process what you read.
  6. Ask God for help: pray together!

These encouraging articles give much help and encouragement to families. But don’t read the Bible with your kids just because you should. Do it because you can. Because you get to. Because you can’t wait to do it. Let them see your excitement, so they can come to see the value in it with you.

Check it out!

Exodus 27:20-28:43: If Salvation Looked Like a Uniform

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Moses continues to receive instructions on Mount Sinai for Yahweh’s special tent for dwelling among his people. We’re still in the first of seven speeches, but the subject has shifted. While the first few chapters were about furniture and structures, the next few are about the people who will serve in the tent, along with some of their duties.

Observation of Exodus 27:20-28:43

Most repeated words: make (21 times), two (19x), Aaron (17), gold (15), ephod (12), sons (12), breastpiece (11), Israel (10), name (9)

  • This section has slightly less focus on materials (though “gold” abounds, and “blue” and “linen” will each come up 7 or 8 times) and more focus on the people who will use what is made: Aaron and his sons.

Last week, I initially intended to include 27:20-21 with the rest of chapter 27. But as I studied it, it increasingly seemed to go better with the chapters following it.

  • Ex 27:20 issues a command to bring olive oil for light—not just when the tent is built, but perpetually (“regularly”).
  • Ex 27:21 introduces “Aaron and his sons,” who shall tend the lamp placed inside the tent (Ex 26:35) by burning this olive oil “from evening to morning,” “forever,” and “throughout their generations.”
  • Aaron was a major player through the plagues on Egypt (Ex 7:2, 7:10, 7:19, etc.). He played an intermediary role between Moses and the people when God sent manna (Ex 16:9, 10, 33, 34). He has been singled out during the stay at Sinai (Ex 18:12, 19:24, 24:1, 24:14).
  • But this is the first time we’re told explicitly that Aaron and his sons will have a special, ongoing role among the Israelites. However, it was foreshadowed in the unusual genealogy of Ex 6:14-25, where it served to highlight the fact that even Moses needed a great high priest to overcome his disappointing failure.

Most of chapter 28 then describes the priest’s (Aaron’s) uniform.

  • Ex 28:4 functions almost as a table of contents, except the order will be changed slightly in the following verses.
  • Aaron (and his sons to a lesser degree) are to serve as priests (Ex 28:1).
  • The purpose of the uniform is “for glory and for beauty” (Ex 28:2). Glory has to do with importance. Beauty has to do with attractiveness.

Parts of the uniform:

  1. Ephod: the top piece that lays over the shoulders – Ex 28:6-14
  2. Breastpiece – Ex 28:15-30
  3. Robe – Ex 28:31-35
  4. Turban’s metal plate – Ex 28:36-38
  5. Coat, turban, sash – Ex 28:39
  6. Additional garments for Aaron’s sons: coats, sashes, and caps – Ex 28:40-41
  7. Boxer shorts – Ex 28:42-43

Instead of observing the details of this chapter in writing, let me refer you to this marvelous 7-minute video, which visualizes the full priestly uniform while a narrator reads the chapter.

Interpretation of Exodus 27:20-28:43

Some possible questions:

  1. Why does the priestly section of tabernacle instructions begin with the perpetual need to bring oil for the lamp?
  2. What does it mean for Aaron’s uniform to be “for glory and for beauty”?
  3. Why does the uniform have all these pieces? What do they each mean?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. The text of Ex 27:20-21 doesn’t give us much to go on, other than that the lamp must burn regularly. This short paragraph serves as a prologue to the set of priestly instructions, and it sets up the priest’s fundamental job as keeping the lamp of Israel burning. This perpetual light becomes an important metaphor later in the Bible (2 Sam 21:17, 2 Chr 29:6-8). The Apostle John sees the Lord Jesus, clothed as a priest and standing in the midst of the lampstands of his churches (Rev 1:12-13, 20). He threatens the removal of the lampstand for churches that do not repent (Rev 2:5).
  2. In wearing this uniform, Aaron is to be both important (glory) and attractive (beauty). He is to stand out. He is just like one of the other Israelites, but he will also not be like the other Israelites. He has to do a job (keeping those lamps lit), which not just anyone is authorized to do.
  3. As with the tabernacle structure, it is tempting to look for deep symbolism in each color and choice of thread. But the text gives enough explicit meaning without us having to look for extra. The ephod is for remembrance (Ex 28:12), so Yahweh will remember his people when the priest comes near. The breastpiece is for judgment (Ex 28:15), so Aaron can bear the judgment of his people on his heart when he goes before Yahweh (Ex 28:29). The robe is for the priest’s life, so he doesn’t die in the presence of Yahweh (Ex 28:35). The metal plate is for holiness (Ex 28:36), making Aaron someone special, who can bear the guilt for the holy things dedicated by the people (Ex 28:38)—in other words: nothing they offer will ever be good enough, but Aaron’s holiness will have it covered. The robes, sashes, and caps are for importance and attractiveness (Ex 28:40). The boxer shorts are to cover nakedness (Ex 28:42) so the priests won’t have to bear their own guilt and die (Ex 28:43).

Train of thought:

  • Bring perpetual supplies so the right people can keep the lamps of Israel burning.
  • Dress these special people in the right uniforms, so they can:
    • represent the people before God
    • represent God before the people
    • cover the unworthiness of both people and their gifts
    • not die themselves by bringing their own guilt too close to Yahweh

Main point: For God to dwell with his people, there must be an authorized person to perpetually represent these people before him.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is the only truly authorized representative of the people. He did not take this honor upon himself, but he was appointed to it by God (Heb 5:4-5). He need not cover his own weakness, but he remains a priest forever by his own obedience (Heb 5:9). Jesus keeps the lamps of our churches burning before his Father (Rev 1:12-13, 20), as long as we remain united to him as branches to a vine (John 15:1-9).

My Application of Exodus 27:20-28:43

Besides Jesus, I need no other high priest. I need no other source of life, no other avenue for judgment, and no extra payment for my sin. It is enough that I turn from sin and cling to Christ. And it is enough if I can influence others to do the same.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

What the KJV Translators Can Teach Us About Bible Translation

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At the LogosTalk blog, Mark Ward has posted some much-needed insights into Bible translation—directly from the quills of the KJV’s own translators. Would you believe they never expected the KJV to be very well-received? Or that they knew it wouldn’t be the ultimate English translation of the Bible? Or that they expected better and different translations to come along in future generations?

Ward first translates the original preface to the King James Version into modern English. Then he reflects on some lessons we can learn from it about Bible translation. In particular:

  1. People don’t like change.
  2. Watch out for petty objections.
  3. No translation is perfect.
  4. People must have the Bible.

I find especially helpful Ward’s comments on the way uninformed readers today love to make sweeping generalizations about what is the “best” Bible translation or “best” way to translate segments of the Bible:

The KJV translators anticipated waves of abuse from the great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents of today’s internet trolls. If there’s one line in the KJV preface that has come to mind over the years more than any other, it’s this from the second sentence: “Cavil, if it do not find a hole, will make one.” In other words, by sentence two the KJV translators are already complaining archly about the human propensity to let petty objections destroy something good.

Every Bible translation involves approximately 327 gazillion decisions about word choice, word order, textual criticism, assonance and consonance, meter, theology, tradition, typography, the current state of the target language, and numerous other factors. Someone, somewhere, is going to dislike just about every choice of any significance—particularly if it is an innovation overturning an established tradition. As the KJV translators say, “So hard a thing it is to please all, even when we please God best, and do seek to approve ourselves to every one’s conscience.”

I think (I hope) most Christian people have a sense that it is indiscrete to offer unsubstantiated opinions about pork futures in Australia (Market’s goin’ up ten points this year!) or the best fabric blend for patio table umbrellas (80% polyester, 10% elastane—that’s what I always say!). But somehow sweeping generalizations about the NIV (They’ve given in to gender politics!) or the ESV (They’ve given in to gender politics!) are permitted, even from people who’ve never read either side in significant translation debates.

It’s not wrong to have opinions about Bible translations: it’s wrong to speak opinions boldly about complex matters when you haven’t done the work to back them up. Internet commenters and cavil-hole makers of all sorts, be warned: the KJV translators are on to you.

If you can see any piece of yourself in Ward’s criticism, I highly commend his reflections to you.

Check it out!

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Exodus 27:1-19: Moving Mountains

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Moses has received his instructions for both three pieces of furniture and a tent-like structure to put them in. But that’s not everything that will go into the place where God can dwell with his people (Ex 25:8). We still need to go outside.

Observation of Exodus 27:1-19

Most repeated words: cubits (12 times), bronze (10x), make (9), pillars (9), bases (8), court (8), side (7), altar (6), hangings (6), all (5), four (5), three (5), twenty (5).

  • Even more than the prior two chapters, this chapter focuses on quantities and measurements.
  • And a striking shift takes place: For the first time in the instructions, there is no mention of gold. Everything here seems to be made instead of bronze.

The first paragraph is about “the altar.”

  • Looking from above, it will be a square, 5 cubits on a side. Looking from the side, it will be 3 cubits high, with horns on its top corners (Ex 27:1-2).
  • It has all kinds of paraphernalia, all made of bronze: pots, shovels, basins, forks, fire pans (Ex 27:3).
  • The inside is hollow, except for a bronze grating – possibly to hold the carcasses being burned and allow the ashes to drop through (Ex 27:4-5, 8).
  • It’s to be carried with poles, just like the inside furniture, except these are overlaid with bronze (Ex 27:6-7).
  • It shall be made just like the pattern shown on the mountain (Ex 27:8). This same statement was made about the lampstand in Ex 25:40.

    By Camocon – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

The second paragraph is about “the court.”

  • Clearly, this “court” functions like a fence defining the boundaries of the yard outside the tent structure.
  • The fence is made of linen cloth, 100 cubits along north and south borders, and 50 cubits on the west border.
  • The east border is also 50 cubits long, in three segments: Two 15-cubit segments of linen cloth, with a 20-cubit segment in between for the “gate.”
  • The gate is another curtain made of colorful yarns and cloth, just like the cloths that form the tent-structure laid over the wood frames in Ex 26.
  • All of these fencing curtains are hung on many bronze pillars, stuck into bronze bases, with decorative bronze bands, and functional bronze hooks.
  • There will also be many bronze pegs (Ex 27:19), presumably attached to ropes, to hold the court’s fence in place.

Note: Bible dictionaries help by explaining that an Old Testament “cubit” was measured as about 18 inches (a foot and a half). It was roughly measured by the distance along a forearm from a person’s elbow to the tip of the fingers.

  • This makes the altar 7.5 feet long by 7.5 feet wide by 4.5 feet high.
  • This makes the courtyard fence 150 feet long by 75 feet wide (and 7.5 feet high – Ex 27:18).

Structure:

  • Altar
  • Court

    Ruk7, Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 27:1-19

Some possible questions:

  1. Why did I stop at verse 19 and exclude verses 20-21?
  2. What is the purpose of this altar?
  3. What is the purpose of the courtyard?
  4. Why is everything outside the tent structure made of bronze?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. At first, I was planning to cover all 21 verses. But as I studied, I noticed a jarring shift in focus in verses 20-21. It no longer talks about things to construct, but about the ongoing duties of the Israelites and of Aaron and his sons. It seems to serve as an intro for the next section about the priestly garments (Ex 28) and ordination (Ex 29). So I’ll cover verses 20-21 with the next section.
  2. The only clue explicit in the text is in Ex 27:3: “You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes.” So clearly, something will be burned on this altar. This is why we can infer that the bronze grating (Ex 27:4-5) is the cooking surface, and the pots will go underneath. Also, these Israelites may already be familiar with the stories of their ancestors who regularly built altars (Gen 12:7, 12:8, 13:18, 26:25, etc.) and burned animals on them (Gen 8:20, 22:9-13). In addition, God has already told them altars are for burning animals (Ex 20:24-26). So though this passage doesn’t state it explicitly, we should already know that animals will be burned here as an act of worship to God to represent gifts, thanksgiving, and/or substitution.
  3. Again, no purpose is explicit in the text. But since the altar will contain open fire, we can suppose it will be placed outside in this yard, and not inside the tent structure. The other clear inference from the text is that the fence line hangings define a clear boundary. There should be no question about whether someone happens to be standing on God’s territory or his own or someone else’s. This sounds a lot like Mount Sinai in Ex 19:12-13, where there was a clear boundary between God’s side and the people’s side. And you can’t get here by accident. There’s only one way in or out (the east-side entrance, by pushing through the gate curtains). With the clear boundary and the three zones (outside yard, inside first room, inside back room—parallel to the three mountain zones in Ex 24:1-2, 9-14), we get the picture that not only is the tabernacle’s blueprint shown on the mountain (Ex 25:40, 27:8), but also the tabernacle’s blueprint is the mountain. The tabernacle complex is a portable Mount Sinai.
  4. Bronze demonstrates a decrease in value from the golden interior, yet with a similar shine and color. This is still God’s place, but this is the “lowest” region of it. This is parallel to the foot of the mountain where the people could make their covenant with God (Ex 24:2-8).

Train of thought:

  • Construct a place for sacrifice.
  • Establish a clear boundary and only one entrance to mark God’s property line, so we can take this mountain on the road with us.

Main point: The mountain where God meets his people—the place where heaven comes to earth—requires a place for sacrifice and has only one entrance.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is God become man. He is the heavenly one who came to earth. We honor the cross as the place where he offered himself once for all (Gal 6:14). And he remains the door, the gate (John 10:1, 7), the one through whom we must come if we are to meet God (John 14:6). God’s presence is no longer tied to a mountain, nor even to a tent or building. God’s presence goes in the hearts of God’s people (Luke 17:21), in the community of saints (1 Cor 3:16), until the end of the age (Matt 28:20).

My Application of Exodus 27:1-19

All praise be to Jesus. If I have him, I have everything, and my life is always before the presence of God. If I don’t have him, I lose everything (1 John 5:12).

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Learning From Young People Who Wrestle With Difficult Scriptures

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Writing at Discipleship Research, Ruth Perrin addresses the uncomfortable topic of acts of violence, committed by God in Scripture. She uses this topic to discern how young people tend to deal with such difficult parts of Scripture. Her keen insights deserve serious consideration.

From her research through focus groups, Perrin identifies 5 ways these young folks tend to grapple. These responses range from unquestioning acceptance to outright denial.

She moves from these observations to ask some great questions:

How SHOULD I help young adults make sense of the complicated, beautiful, ancient literature we believe was inspired by God Himself? How can we help our guys to do that well – not just be boggled, resigned or confused by how to make sense of the word of God?

And her conclusion:

This really matters – when faced with aggressive secular atheism and well documented biblical illiteracy we have to equip our young people to be confident in handling Scripture in a meaningful and life-giving way.

I commend Perrin’s article to your consideration. She is absolutely right: it really matters to equip our people (including our young people) to confidently handle Scripture in a meaningful and life-giving way.

Check it out!

 

 

Bible Study and Board Games

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My wife Erin and I just returned from a lovely 4-day trip to celebrate our anniversary. Our favorite thing to do together is get some peace and quiet to play board games. So in honor of 13 years of marriage, we played 13 board games.

Since the trip leaves me with less time than usual to write, I’ll link you to another, more edifying, post. We did a similar trip to celebrate our 10th anniversary, after which I reflected on what board games taught me about Bible study. The lessons from that post remain just as pertinent to me today. However, I respectfully decline to divulge who won this year’s series.

For those interested in the board gaming hobby, here is what we played:

  1. Bruges
  2. The Castles of Burgundy
  3. Firefly
  4. Innovation
  5. Freedom: The Underground Railroad
  6. Innovation (again)
  7. Lost Cities
  8. Lords of Waterdeep (with the Scoundrels of Skullport expansion)
  9. Love Letter
  10. Alhambra
  11. A Feast for Odin
  12. Pandemic (with the State of Emergency expansion)
  13. Through the Ages

Disclaimer: Amazon links are affiliate links. So if you click them and buy stuff, you’ll help to support our campaign for “50 games on the 50th” to celebrate our golden milestone in 2054. And this at no extra cost to yourself. Technology is amazing.