Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible

Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-30 06:51:36
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Michael F Bird
  • ISBN：0310538858
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Summary

Answers to the most common questions and misconceptions about the Bible

Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible is a short and readable introduction to the Bible--its origins， interpretation， truthfulness， and authority。

Bible scholar， prolific author， and Anglican minister Michael Bird helps Christians understand seven important "things" about this unique book:


how the Bible was put together;
what "inspiration" means;
how the Bible is true;
why the Bible needs to be rooted in history;
why literal interpretation is not always the best interpretation;
how the Bible gives us knowledge， faith， love， and hope; and
how Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible。
Seven Things presents clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible's inspiration， canonization， significance， and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling。 It is a must read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith。

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Reviews

Sue Fellows ，

As a person who is a student of the Bible， I feel it is important to have a good approach to the Bible， in your reading of it and incorporating it into your life。 I recently studied the first 5 books of the Bible and was overwhelmed with how it pointed to Jesus。 I fear for many Christians the Old Testament is considered “old” and not applicable to living post Christ。 I read this book， looking forward to it showing how the Old Testament directly points to the Christ of the New Testament and I was As a person who is a student of the Bible， I feel it is important to have a good approach to the Bible， in your reading of it and incorporating it into your life。 I recently studied the first 5 books of the Bible and was overwhelmed with how it pointed to Jesus。 I fear for many Christians the Old Testament is considered “old” and not applicable to living post Christ。 I read this book， looking forward to it showing how the Old Testament directly points to the Christ of the New Testament and I was overjoyed to see that the author and I agree。 As he points out in his book， to read just one or the other and expecting to understand Christianity is like going to a play and only seeing 1 of the 2 acts！ After finishing the book I feel Michael F Bird carefully addressed this in the 7 chapters of the book。 Choosing 7 was probably not a mistake either， on his part。 His writing is detailed but easy to follow。 His use of other authors ideas helps get his points across。 I would love to hand this book out to every Christian。 The whole of the Bible points to Jesus – if you do not think so， then read this book to find out why。 。。。more

Радостин Марчев ，

Свежа， добре написана книга， с много здрав разум。 Нивото не е за семинарии， но точно затова може да се окаже истинско богатство за хора без сериозна богословска подготовка。 Тя може да се окаже още по-полезна понеже не бяга от някои от най-трудните въпроси， но успява да ги поднесе по достатъчно разбираем начин。 Отново "Браво" на майкъл Бърд。 Свежа， добре написана книга， с много здрав разум。 Нивото не е за семинарии， но точно затова може да се окаже истинско богатство за хора без сериозна богословска подготовка。 Тя може да се окаже още по-полезна понеже не бяга от някои от най-трудните въпроси， но успява да ги поднесе по достатъчно разбираем начин。 Отново "Браво" на майкъл Бърд。 。。。more

Clinton Wood ，

Congratulations， Mike Bird！ What a brilliant result for such a timely book。 I pre-purchased a copy to be a part of the pre-release team。 As I have reflected on Mike's ability to draw together so many niche understandings and bring it into such a satisfying， digestible book， I am really in awe。 The contemporary equivalent， I think， to Kristen Du Mez's J&JW and Rebecca McLaughlin's Confronting Christianity。 Both those volumes draw people into a conversation。 Mike's does that too， but without talki Congratulations， Mike Bird！ What a brilliant result for such a timely book。 I pre-purchased a copy to be a part of the pre-release team。 As I have reflected on Mike's ability to draw together so many niche understandings and bring it into such a satisfying， digestible book， I am really in awe。 The contemporary equivalent， I think， to Kristen Du Mez's J&JW and Rebecca McLaughlin's Confronting Christianity。 Both those volumes draw people into a conversation。 Mike's does that too， but without talking down， yet obviously with so much more knowledge 'under-the-hood'。What this volume does， however， is also communicate Mike's humour and Aussie-ness - like it was written 'in the presence'。 So if Mike was here with me - I could just ask him to dig a little deeper and he would/could take me there。It is a compelling and irresistible composition， and he has crafted some very cool screen-grabs。Just one of my faves in the chapter "We should take the Bible Seriously， but not always Literally": " 'Literally' has literally been added to the dictionary。 。 。 It's like the English dictionary committees have been taken over by。。。 American teenagers who offer the English language the same degree of respect that Vikings raiders showed to the Scottish Hebrides。" 。。。more

Alex Rea ，

As a pastor who primarily works with students， it’s been interesting to see how many students know much of the stories contained in the Bible， but not much about how those stories came to be written down and preserved all these years。 There’s also little understanding of what we mean when we say that God inspired Scripture （2 Timothy 3:16）。 Further， there’s a tendency to read ourselves into every single biblical narrative， as if we were David and our present difficulty our Goliath。 Student minis As a pastor who primarily works with students， it’s been interesting to see how many students know much of the stories contained in the Bible， but not much about how those stories came to be written down and preserved all these years。 There’s also little understanding of what we mean when we say that God inspired Scripture （2 Timothy 3:16）。 Further， there’s a tendency to read ourselves into every single biblical narrative， as if we were David and our present difficulty our Goliath。 Student ministry certainly isn’t the only place such issues are found; indeed， I’d suggest this is commonplace is much of our churches these days。Michael Bird has provided a welcome primer into these topics， among others。 He does an impressive job in covering a broad amount of material without being too brief。 He’s thorough， but not uncomfortably so。 Readers are introduced to discussions surrounding the formation of the canon of Scripture， P52， and the metanarrative of the Bible which is the gospel itself。 We read of the history of the Bible’s English translation and of some of the difficulties that come with a contemporary adherence to the KJV。 We think through what it means to say that Scripture is inspired by God， and to say that Scripture is inerrant。 Regarding this， Bird rightly notes that the main dividing line between traditional and liberal Christianity isn’t about inerrancy， strictly speaking， but about the role that the Bible plays in our lives and whether it has a fixed meaning （70）。Bird also spends time discussing the importance of remembering that the Bible wasn’t written in 21st century America。 We need to keep in mind the historical gap that exists between the author of the text and the modern reader （Chapter 4）。All throughout the book， Bird engages with notable theologians that are clearly at odds with him on the topic at hand （no echo chamber here）。 But though the material could be seen as “scholarly” at times， Bird communicates in a way that’s incredibly easy to understand。 At times， he inserts helpful anecdotes to drive home his point （see his preaching story on 145-146 – yikes）。 He also finds ways to incorporate numerous pop culture references。 But then he also elucidates the concept of hope in 169-170 that’s quite poetic in tone。 Read over that section a few times – and then rejoice。 I think this book would pair well with Anders’ “30 Days to Understanding the Bible。” Those who are looking to understand more about the Bible and the God who wrote it are highly encouraged to pick up a copy。 I know I’ll be recommending this to my students。*Note: I received an advance copy of the text in exchange for my honest review and feedback。 。。。more

Dennis Ticen ，

I am a pastor and this book is an answer to prayer！ I pray this book is widely accepted and read; it would make the lives of pastors much easier。 There is a widespread misunderstanding in Christianity today about the nature of the Bible。 We treat it as magic or as being completely disconnected from its original setting。 In this book， Dr。 Bird gives a seminary-level crash course in properly understanding， interpreting and using the Bible but it’s in accessible language。 This book is a godsend and I am a pastor and this book is an answer to prayer！ I pray this book is widely accepted and read; it would make the lives of pastors much easier。 There is a widespread misunderstanding in Christianity today about the nature of the Bible。 We treat it as magic or as being completely disconnected from its original setting。 In this book， Dr。 Bird gives a seminary-level crash course in properly understanding， interpreting and using the Bible but it’s in accessible language。 This book is a godsend and should be used in discipleship courses everywhere。 I heartily recommend it！ 。。。more

DL ，

What exactly is the Bible and how are we to read it when it was written in a culture and time radically different to our own？ Michael Bird answers this question with great clarity， accuracy， wisdom and humour。 Many readers are caught in a false choice of "literalist" or "liberal" approaches to reading the Bible。 Bird disarms this fallacious dichotomy by arguing that "the big issue is not whether one takes the Bible “literally” or “symbolically，” but whether one chooses to take the Bible seriousl What exactly is the Bible and how are we to read it when it was written in a culture and time radically different to our own？ Michael Bird answers this question with great clarity， accuracy， wisdom and humour。 Many readers are caught in a false choice of "literalist" or "liberal" approaches to reading the Bible。 Bird disarms this fallacious dichotomy by arguing that "the big issue is not whether one takes the Bible “literally” or “symbolically，” but whether one chooses to take the Bible seriously at all。" He goes further to show the reader how to read the Bible in a way that is sensible and faithful。 The book does not hide from the obvious challenges of Scripture but addresses them head-on and provides a context that makes sense of the difficulties but still retains a high view of Scripture。I love the way the author emphasises obedience and transformation throughout the book。 The Bible is not a book to be dissected， labelled， catalogued and dispassionately walked away from - it is communication from God that challenges， grows and transforms us。I have seen people walk away from faith in Christ because they approached， or were taught， Scripture in a wacky way that violated its purpose and intent。 I hope that anyone struggling with how to read and understand the Bible will read this book before they walk away。I am really enthusiastic about "Seven things" and will be wholeheartedly recommending it。 It would be fantastic for a small group seven-week discussion series for both believers and seekers。Get it， read it， and buy copies for your friends！#SevenThingsIWishChristiansKnewabouttheBible #NetGalley 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0