PROMISE: Stick with us for 5 weeks... and you'll experience greater CONFIDENCE and more ENJOYMENT from reading the Bible on your own!

CHALLENGE: Spend just 3-5 minutes a day reading God's Word

Today's Notes:

1. Scripture is meant to TRANSFORM not just to INFORM

2. First determine the primary TRUTH of a Scripture passage, then consider HOW IT WORKS in life.

3. A Scripture application must work for middle class AMERICANS and for IMPOVERISHED Africans

Today's Scripture References:

James 1:22-25 (NLT)

The 5 personas:

Professor Grasp basics What must I know?

Athlete Build habits How can I grow?

Detective Ask questions What do I see?

Time Traveler Experience cultures What was it like?

Prospector Dig for truth How does it work?

THINK LIKE A PROFESSOR!

- The Bible is a collection of writings containing copies of 66 ancient documents that were written by hand

- Accepted by believers for 2000 years as inspired by God

- Gathered in two different time periods

- Recording two distinct agreements between God and humanity

- Authored by 40 different people

- Written to people in ancient cultures who lived on the other side of the globe

- Addressing issues and concerns specific to local groups of people who lived 2000-3500 years ago

- Now translated into English from one of three languages no longer spoken

- Yet spoke God-given truth to all people for thousands of years and continues to speak to us today