About This Blog

Friday, May 22, 2020

"Exploring the Bible Together" (David Murray)

TITLE: Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan
AUTHOR: David Murray
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020, (224 pages).

With the ongoing coronavirus crisis, families have been stuck at home. Parents work from home. Kids are homeschooled with teaching staff engaging them online. Families are cooped up together inside their homes. They watch TV or stream movies on their mobile devices. Whether it is YouTube or Facebook; social media or mainstream media, many people are consuming digital content more than ever. If we were to graph out time spent on the Bible and time spent on other things, what would our pie chart look like? Whatever the shape, it is hoped that this book would help us chart it with a greater slice of our time dedicated to Bible reading together. This book provides the following:

  • Daily readings;
  • Journeys from Genesis to Revelation via selected passages;
  • Short Bible passages give us time to read slowly and deliberately;
  • Gives a roadmap at the beginning of each chapter;
  • Colourful pictures to illustrate the theme;
  • Provides snapshot verses and prayer pointers
  • Easy to understand questions to answer and to discuss
  • Prayer for personal application.
  • Brief.
Each week  begins with a particular theme. For instance, Weeks 1 and 2 shows us how the world turned from beautiful (Wk 1) to ruined (Wk 2). Without using complex theological words like genre and other technical terms, the author keeps the devotional readable and accessible for young readers. It is also easily adapted by adults to guide the younger readers along. A key thing to note is that this book is not meant to be a thorough treatment of the Bible, so that would adult readers manage their expectations. At the same time, the material is broad enough to give younger readers a bigger picture of the Bible themes and to connect the individual Bible stories together. In fact, these chapters could also be adapted for use at the Sunday school level! 


My Thoughts
Even among Christians, family devotions are becoming a rare thing. Some say that they don't have time, which for many is just an excuse. Others say that they don't have enough training, which in itself is also an excuse to avoid reading the Bible together. Still there are those who say that the Bible is boring, but there are many resources out there to help us enjoy the Bible in creative ways. I believe that where the heart is, there is little that the world can stop this heart from doing what it wants. If the heart believes that the world is more attractive, nothing can stop this heart from running after worldly things. If the heart believes that the Bible is worth studying and exploring together as a family, nothing can stop this heart from pursuing God in the Word.

This book is written with the understanding that many of us are busy people with our own programs, schedules, and priorities. Thus, the author helps space out the readings in 52 short chapters, each with only about five verses from the Bible. The plan gives us a birds-eye view of where the Word is heading. The questions for discussion allows ample opportunities to reflect and to engage with the text. The whole lesson is simple enough for families and small groups to work together to see God's Big Picture. The conviction behind the writing of this book is this: Family worship is important. Worshiping God needs to be done with the Bible in hand. Reading the Bible together is one of the best spiritual practices we can ever cultivate in young minds. The Bible needs to be read. It needs to be read regularly. It must be done.

David Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has also been a pastor of three churches in the UK and the USA for the past 23 years.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

No comments:

Post a Comment