October 8th, 2009 Pastor Dan Posted in SevenLakes Info |
This week in “How to Lose Your Faith in 4 Easy Steps” we talked how important God’s Word is in the life of a follower of Jesus. The truth is that many of us struggle to crack the Bible open for one simple reason: we don’t know where to begin. Below you’ll find links and tips to making the study of Scripture a central part of your life - everything from class opportunities at here at CrossPoint to books and downloads. If you have ideas and tips, let’s share them in them in the comments section. - Pastor Dan
First things first: Get a good Bible.The key here is readability and accuracy. At CrossPoint we uphold two translations: the New International Version and the English Standard Version. There are other great ones, but these (especially the ESV) are the best. I highly suggest getting a “study” version of either translation as they come packed with helpful notes, maps and articles. For a FANTASTIC Bible to read as a family with young children click HERE.Second: Surround yourself with good people.The Bible was never meant to be studied in solitude. Doing so generally leads to one of two things: frustration or heresy. Instead connect with a community of other Christians and study / read together and lean on one another’s collective wisdom and experience. At CrossPoint we offer a ton of Bible Studies, HomeTeams, and classes where you can encounter God’s Word with others. For a full list of classes happening right now click HERE. Third: Get some great resources.There an countless books and devotional guides that will assist you in studying the Bible, understanding it’s story, and then embodying it’s message in every day life. Here are several resources that some of CrossPoint’s staff have used personally.· Knowing the Bible 101: A Guide to God’s Word in Plain Language· Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods: 12 Ways you can unlock God’s Word· Faith Alone: A daily devotional· The Bible Podcast: A daily reading of scriptureFourth: Surround yourself with great teachers.God’s Word has power not only when it’s read or studied but primarily when it spoken and preached. I regularly listen to the sermons of several pastors as a way to keep myself immersed in the Bible and what it says. We live in a day and age of great accessibility to some of the world’s best teachers of the faith. If you miss a week here at CrossPoint, you can watch or listen to a message from CrossPoint. Below are links to several men that Nathan, Pastor Matt of CrossPoint Westgreen or Nathan regularly listen to - and encourage you to as well. These are links to podcasts - if you don’t have iTunes simply Google their info and you’ll be able to access their church web-sites and download from there.· Matt Carter | Pastor, Austin Stone Church - Austin· Mark Driscoll | Pastor, Mars Hill Church - Seattle· Matt Chandler | Pastor, The Village Church - Dallas· Andy Stanley | Pastor, North Point Church - Atlanta· John Piper | Pastor, Bethlehem Church - Minneapolis· Ken Klaus | Lutheran Hour Ministries
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