We know about the Bible. We may know some Bible stories, or maybe we’ve even read large portions for ourselves. But what it’s really all about? How do all the different pieces fit together?
Without a sense of the big story the Bible is telling, we’ll miss out on the good news God has for us. In The 30-Minute Bible, experienced Bible teachers Craig Bartholomew and Paige Vanosky present the story of Scripture in thirty short readings, each designed to take about half an hour. Each includes a passage from the Bible and a short chapter explaining how the passage fits into the Bible’s wider narrative. Written in straightforward and clear language, the readings are accompanied by Brother Martin Erspamer’s lovely illustrations.
Discover the timeless story of the Bible—in thirty minutes a day for thirty days.
If you think the Bible is overwhelming. Almost anyone who has tried to read the Bible from the beginning will agree that it can be overwhelming. From the very first pages a myriad of questions arise, and though the most determined readers continue on, it is likely they soon become frustrated and return the book to the shelf.
If you have questions. Many readers wonder why the Bible has remained a valuable book to so many over thousands of years. Others wonder how familiar Bible stories fit together. Still others want to know the truth about God and Jesus, or about their purpose in life. Can an easily accessible source be found?
The 30-Minute Bible may be for you. Experienced Bible teachers Craig Bartholomew and Paige Vanosky open readers up to the story found within the Bible, providing just enough understanding that even the most novice readers can make sense of it. By reading this summary of the Bible on your own, or together with friends, the answers to your many questions will begin to emerge. These questions are big – about the Bible, God, Jesus and life, and so are the answers. They cannot be completely answered overnight. But this book is a wonderful way to begin your journey into discovering answers and to becoming familiar with the Bible, enabling you to read enjoy reading the Bible on your own.
Just what is found in the Bible? Many know the Bible as literature, as a place to discover rules for living, or as a place to learn about God and his word to us. It is also known as the story of Jesus, how he lived his life and the impact he made on those around him. There are many ways to describe the Bible and its meaning to those who treasure it. All of these and many more are true.
One of the most unknown, surprising ways to describe the Bible is as a story of our world – from creation to to the end of the world as we know it. Along the way the story follows one branch of a family tree leading from Adam and Eve to Jesus, almost all written by or about the main characters in the story. But what makes this story particularly fascinating is that although it was written by over 40 authors over a period of about 1400 years, there are remarkably consistent themes throughout. You will discover this and so much more in reading The 30-Minute Bible. When you finish this book, you will likely understand why the Bible is often called “the greatest story ever told”!
Paige P. Vanosky is a small group leader and community volunteer. The 30-Minute Bible grew out of her own teaching ministry. She lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Craig G. Bartholomew is director of the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge, UK. He has written and edited numerous books, including Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition, Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics, Beyond the Modern Age (with Bob Goudzwaard), The Drama of Scripture (with Michael Goheen), The Doctrine of Creation (with Bruce Ashford), and a commentary on Ecclesiastes.
