Thanks for taking a book or Bible from the Neighbourhood library – we hope you enjoy reading it.
We know that the Bible can often seem confusing – it’s a big book and you might not be sure where to start!
So here are our THREE top tips for reading the Bible for the first time.
ONE: Start with a Gospel
There are 4 of them in the bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and you can look for them in the contents. These 4 books are ancient accounts about Jesus – written either by eye-witnesses to him, or by people who had closely researched the evidence. They’re written with a bias (hey, aren’t all books!) because the writers desperately want their readers to discover the amazing truth about Jesus. Each of them has a slightly different audience in mind, so each has a slightly different feel and flavour.
TWO: Write down your questions
It’s okay to have questions when you read the bible – so read it with a notebook and pen handy. Write down your questions – I don’t understand that! What does this mean? What on earth is that all about?!
THREE: Try and get answers to your questions
Ask a friend… search online… or even better, reach out to us… we would love to help you find answers, and we are always up for a coffee and a chat. Or come on a Sunday – we meet at 10.30am every week, and whilst you might not get all your questions answered on your first visit, you will discover that each week we try and teach and explain the Bible so that we understand it. If you want to get in touch, just email us at hello@neighbourhoodchurch.org.
There’s loads more we could tell you, or resources we could direct you to… but we don’t want to overwhelm you – start with these 3 tips, and let us know how you get on!
Enjoy reading!
P.s.
We couldn’t resist sneaking in Tip #4!
Throughout history, people have always found the book of Psalms really helpful. It’s a book of ancient songs and poems, capturing all sorts of human emotions - it can be really helpful to see how others have given voice not just to things they are thankful for, but also their complaints and struggles. Again, just look for it in the contents.