the Story of God's love

Additional Resources

Helping your walk of faith get off to a good start


If you've decided to follow Jesus, or maybe just to begin exploring what that means, these resources will be helpful to you.


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What is the Bible and how do I read it?

Prayer: What it is, why is it important, and how do I do it?

Why is a church family important and how do I select one?

What is the Bible and how do I read it?

The Holy Bible is the most important book ever written. It contains instructions from your Creator, the one who knows you inside and wants what is best for you. It provides God’s guidance on how to avoid painful regrets and live an abundant life. Most importantly, it reveals how to have your relationship with God set right, saving you from eternal ruin.


The Bible isn’t a typical book. It is a compilation of 66 books, written by over 40 people from different countries, cultures, backgrounds, occupations, and levels of education, over a span of 1,600 years. Taken together, it tells of God’s love for humankind, how people have sometimes rebelled and sometimes followed him, and how we can all be restored to full fellowship with our Creator-God. Despite the wide variety of contributors to the Bible, it ultimately has one true author: Christians believe the text was divinely inspired. The Bible is God’s word, delivered through men.


The books of the Bible can be divided into the following main sections:


Old Testament: The first ½ of the Bible is 39 compiled books that build on each other, all pointing to the coming of a promised king (a Messiah) who will be a savior for all the world. As we learn in the New Testament, this deliverer was Jesus Christ, God’s own son. The Old Testament contains:


  1. History and Law (Genesis through Job). Starting at the beginning of creation, then mainly following the development and lives of 1 extended family, (the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob), including a detailed listing of their ceremonial and moral laws. This family lineage would eventually pave the way for the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
  2. Poetry (Psalms). A compilation of songs, praises, and prayers.
  3. Advice from wise men (Proverbs through Song of Solomon). 
  4. Prophetic messages to a rebellious nation and pointing to the coming savior of the world, Jesus Christ. (Isaiah through Malachi). 


New Testament: The 2nd ½ of the Bible is 27 compiled books and letters, which together, show us God’s completed plan of salvation for any who call on the name of Jesus! It contains:


  1. Accounts of Jesus’ life (Matthew through John). These books are known as the “gospels” or “good news”.
  2. History of the early Christian church (Acts).
  3. Instructions to Christian believers, then and now (Romans through Jude).
  4. Prophecy about the end of the world and what comes next (Revelation).


Reading Guide

Admittedly, the Bible is a long book. Eventually, you may want to read it front-to-back. But if this is your first time with a Bible, we have some recommendations that will help you get off to a good start:


--Start reading at the beginning, but then jump ahead to get an overall picture of God’s plan for each of us, his creation. Here is a recommended reading guide:


  1. Adam, Eve, sin, and the fall of humankind (Genesis, chapters 1-3). It all goes back to this.
  2. The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20 1-17). How many of these have you broken?
  3. Sneak preview of Jesus (Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 61:1-3). Prophesies about what Jesus would be and do when he arrived on earth.
  4. The most extraordinary life (Gospel of John. All 21 chapters). Learn about Jesus through the eyes of his closest friend.
  5. The beginning of the Christian church (Acts 1-2). How a rag-tag group of disciples began turning the world upside down after Jesus returned to heaven.
  6. The Romans Road (Romans 3:23, 3:9-10, 2:4, 6:23, 5:6-8, 10:9-10, 5:1, 8:1). This steps you through the basics of salvation.
  7. A better way (Titus 2:11-14). When Jesus transforms people, they live differently and become more like Jesus in word, thought, and action. This is a lifelong process.


Favorite Stories

Here are some “all-time favorite” stories from the Bible. Millions of people have benefited from these examples, good and bad.


  1. Joseph (Genesis 37, and 39-46). Family strife, overcoming temptations, false accusations, and a rise to glory.
  2. Moses (Exodus 2-14). The making of a leader and deliverance of an enslaved people.
  3. David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12). A king, who knew better, lets his passions get him into trouble.
  4. Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). One against 450. A stand-off to determine who really is God.
  5. Daniel and the Lion’s den (Daniel 6). A high-ranking government official does not bow to political pressure, at risk of death.
  6. Job (Job 1-2, and 38-42). A man who had it all, lost it all, but kept his faith.
  7. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Find out what it really means to love your neighbor.
  8. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). A rebellious child hits rock bottom and is, surprisingly, welcomed back home.


Since the Bible is such an important part of a Christian’s life, and the way God speaks truth and love to us, it is important to read and study it on a regular basis. We recommend daily Bible reading along with prayer (having a conversation with God in our own words).


How to understand/process the Bible?

  1. Always check the context (what is being talked about in the preceding chapters, who was it written to, when and where, etc.)
  2. Interpret the part in light of the whole. Consider the overall message of the Bible when reading a specific scripture.
  3. Don’t let a confusing passage throw you for a loop when there are other clear passages on the matter.
  4. Different types of literature are treated differently: poetry, history, wisdom literature, prophesy, instruction. For instance, some language is meant to be taken figuratively rather than literally.
  5. Let scripture interpret scripture.
  6. Don’t explain away the hard truths just because they are counter cultural or hard to accept.
  7. There are also many commentaries from Bible scholars, that help explain Bible passages to clarify the meaning, context, and history regarding the story/verse.
  8. Ultimately, you need the help of the Holy Spirit to really understand the Bible.


Bible Versions

The original manuscripts of Bible books were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. There have been many translations of these into English and you may notice differences in the way these translations read. While the styles vary, they speak the same basic message. You may find it helpful to consult other reputable translations using free resources like Bible Gateway or the Bible app (from Life.Church). 

Prayer: What it is, why is it important, and how do I do it?

Prayer is having a conversation with God in our own words. It is being completely transparent, honest, and open with him in admitting he is God, we are not God, and that we need him. You can pray anytime and anywhere. There is not a “script” for how to pray. God just wants us to be ourselves when we pray to him.


Prayer is important because it is our way of communicating to God in relationship.


The A.C.T.S. of prayer could be further explained this way:


  1. Adoration: Praising God in awe and wonder by stating that he is perfect, that he is in charge of all things, and that we recognize we are not.
  2. Confession: Telling God about our sin, and admitting we are desperately in need of him. Telling God of instances where we have not fully trusted his work in our lives. 
  3. Thanksgiving: Thanking God involves praising his goodness, praising that he is continuing to graciously save men and women all over the world, praising that he saved us from our sins, praising him for providing our daily necessities (food, clothing, shelter), and praising him for forgiving us every day.
  4. Supplication: Asking God for specific direction in life’s circumstances and challenging decisions, while admitting that he knows best for us, and we cannot do life on our own without him. 


Why is a church family important and how do I select one?

 First, what is a church? 

A church could be loosely defined as: a fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ committed to gathering regularly for biblical purposes under recognized spiritual leadership. Members of a church are truly considered family, which is evident in the way that they care for each other. A church is committed to ensuring that each other’s material needs are met, in times of trial as well as in our daily walks of life. A church family also mourns with each other in losses, celebrates together during times of rejoicing, and desires to be Jesus’ hands and feet for the hurting and struggling. Lastly, a church family encourages each other, prays for each other, challenges each other, and supports each other in learning the Bible, sharing the message of salvation to others, and growing closer to Jesus Christ.


Why is it important to be part of a Church?

As explained above, being part of a church family has many benefits. God did not design us to live alone or isolated. A desire to belong to a community or family is woven into each human being’s innermost desires. What is beautiful about belonging to the family of God, is that it is not a temporary belonging that will disappear over time. It lasts a lifetime, and then into eternity (after we die).

           

A local church family also helps us in many practical ways. For instance, when people with different personalities and God given talents work together, it is a beautiful witness of God’s love to the local community.


Lastly, when a local church family prays, worships, and sings together, it glorifies God (honors and praises him).


What are some important characteristics to look for in a church?


  1. Worship is solely directed towards God in the form of dedicated lives and expressions of devotion or adoration. Specific Bible passages are the main point/theme of the worship service.
  2. Local leadership and preachers/teachers are established.
  3. The Bible is used in a wide range of venues to minister, teach, challenge, comfort, and encourage the existing believers including the older engaging the younger.
  4. Church leadership should have a foundation of beliefs that match what the Bible teaches.
  5. Church leadership should keep the “good news of Jesus” (the gospel) central.
  6. As a reminder, the “good news of Jesus” is defined as: 
  7. Our creator God made us to know him in relationship and closeness. 
  8. But we all rebelled and disobeyed him and cut ourselves off from this relationship.
  9. In a great act of love, God sent his son Jesus to become a man, lived a perfect life on earth, suffered and died for each of us by taking the punishment that we deserved.
  10. He rose from the dead to prove God was satisfied with this payment for our sin and brokenness.
  11. God calls each of us to repent (be sorry) for our sins/disobedience and put our faith in Christ Jesus. In this, we are born again into a new life and relationship with him forever and begin a process of change to be more like him in word, thought, and action.
  12. God is creating a new spiritual “nation” that consist of all that believe and trust in him.
  13. The Holy Spirit (the person of God who lives inside of believers to enable them to live more like Christ and feel God’s nearness) and resulting gifts he gives are evident in various ways including:
  14. Faith and trust in God that is rooted in prayer.
  15. Love is felt and demonstrated in conversation/lifestyle.
  16. Patience, mercy, and grace are extended to each other and to all people.
  17. Members of the church are present, engaged, committed, and serving together in unity.
  18. The calling, dedication, and pursuit of the church and kingdom of God far exceeds any allegiance to governments or other man-made institutions.
  19. Stewardship — instead of ownership — of time, talents, and finances is evident in part with meeting the financial, emotional, and spiritual needs of the local church, and where possible, beyond.
  20. Godly, loving discipline or correction occurs to both foster a closer walk with God and correct sin within the church.
  21. Reproduction or expansion is happening from within through youth staying with the church and from without by those in the community, through previously unchurched people committing to Christ.
  22. The calling to the local community and abroad is understood and reflected in:
  23. A welcoming, approachable, hospitable environment towards any and all visitors.
  24. An awareness and engagement with spiritual and physical needs both locally and abroad.
  25. A conviction and compassion for the lost.
  26. Sending and support of missionaries (those sent away for a specific church purpose) establishing additional churches in other locations.


How do I go about selecting a church?

Did another person tell you about this website? If so, there is a very good chance that they are part of a healthy church family, and it would be good to ask them for more information.


You can also reach out to us, and we will match you with someone who can come along side you to give advice on selecting a church family to be part of.

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