Do you want to learn the Bible but don’t have a lot of time? Do you need a quick refresher on what you already know? If so, 30
Days to Understanding the Bible is
for you. With just fifteen minutes a day, for one month, you'll learn
the Bible's key people, events, and doctrines. Using
a proven study plan, author Max Anders breaks down the Bible’s
structure so you can learn and remember the key points of the Bible’s
text quickly.
30 Days to Understanding
the Bible is the straightforward, easy-to-use
guide to learning that Bible that’s been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for 30 years.
Dr.
Max Anders is the author of over 25 books. He
has taught on the college and seminary level and is a veteran
pastor. Max was also one of the original team members with Walk Thru the
Bible Ministries. He provides resources and discipleship strategies at MaxAnders.com to
help people grow spiritually.
I decided to read it aloud with my kids during our homeschool time. And it ended up sparking handfuls of conversation that never would have happened if it wasn't for this book. We set the timer for just 15 minutes and started reading. The book is divided into sections, the first 2 go through the story of both the New and Old Testaments. We were thrilled with the fill in the blank type self-tests involved. We used these to kind of keep each other on our toes. We most enjoyed in this sections the visual timelines. Kaden liked all of the maps and how he was able to label them. There is a lot of repetition as you move through all the different eras, but that helps you learn and remember what you learn.
In section 3 you dive into the 10 Great Doctrines of the Bible followed by a brief summary of the Bible, a teaching plan and how to master the Bible. Reading and learning about the 10 Great Doctrines was something I was grateful to have read with my kids. It was so easy to understand and I know will remain with them forever. One thing that stands out while thinking back over the book was learning about the 6 attributes of God. I never taught them this, but going back over scripture it's all in there, usually glossed over. Not really putting the dots together until now.
The steps for Mastering the Bible is clear and doable, not something that the kids and I are aspiring to do in the next 30 days, but we will be modifying some of the steps to further our journey.
The teaching plan given in section 6 is outstanding if you want to do this in a group at church or with friends. It gives you a preview of the study and information on where to go for reproducible images for teaching purposes. It's awesome because it tells you when and where to use the images in the book. It gives you a step by step guide for what to do before and during each lesson, as well as what you need to do to prepare for the next one. I did use this section while reading the book with my kids for extra tips and hints.
The very last section is a bonus section is filled with bonuses. Our favorite was the comparison of the four Gospels. There is also content on the Passover and the Lord's Last Supper, Parables of Jesus, the Resurrection and more.
One thing I learned was it's not just about the stories in the Bible, but the foundation, what it all stands for and is composed of...if that makes sense. :) I think this is an excellent reference book to use as you study the Bible. I felt like it was to the point, factual and I appreciated the scriptures throughout so that we could cross-reference as we went along. It did take us longer then 30 days, but I was reading it with kids. This would make for a thoughtful gift for the new Christian or new to the Bible Study scene. I could see us holding a class with this at our church for in depth study of the Bible.
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