5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Indispensable guide for new Christians and their families, September 15, 2009
This review is from: A Family Guide to the Bible (Paperback)
After coming to faith as an adult, outside of any structured church teaching, I stumbled around for a few years before I felt like I had a grasp on the basic doctrines of Christianity. I painstakingly pieced together bits of information I gleaned as I read the scriptures, cobbling together what I'd learned, going through periods of deep confusion and misunderstandings. I could have avoided so much of that if I'd had a copy of A Family Guide to the Bible by Christin Ditchfield.
Providing an entry-level overview and examination of the Bible, both as a whole, and book-by-book, Ditchfield has written a resource that is invaluable both for new Christians and those entering into times of family devotion and worship for the first time. A particular blessing to "first generation" Christians, Ditchfield clearly illuminates the thread of the gospel throughout Old Testament and New.
Ditchfield opens with a history of the Bible -- dividing the 66 books into the typically held categories: Poetry, Historical, Prophetic ,etc. -- and also touches briefly upon the Apocryphal books. While not in-depth by any stretch of the imagination, this taste of the Bible's background is enough to get new Bible readers on their way. The authority of the Bible is then discussed in a separate short chapter, before delving into a broad-picture overview of the entire body of scripture.
Each book of the Bible then receives its own guide, containing some of the elements found in a good introduction (typically found in study Bibles) and some unique inclusions as well. Each book is introduced with a basic outline: The Book, The Author, The Audience, The Setting, and The Story. The next section -- The Message -- is incredibly valuable, summarizing the contents of the book. This section is replete with chapter and verse references built into the text itself for easy reference and is explicitly Christ-oriented, always keeping the gospel in mind as the book is read.
Each book is wrapped up with: More on This Story in the Bible, Words to Know, Did You Know?, and Making the Connection. Read together, Did You Know? and Making the Connection connect many themes found throughout the Bible, application of these in the believer's life, and point out the relevance of the ancient events upon modern society. These connections can take some time and extensive research to unveil through independent study and are incredibly valuable.
After all 66 books of the Bible are covered, Ditchfield also provides chapters covering a wide range of introductory subjects relevant to those wanting to dig into the Word. How To Study the Bible discusses: choosing a Bible translation, useful Bible study references to obtain for your home library, how to use those references, tips for personal and family devotions, and Bible reading plans -- in short all the questions I had as a new believer wanting to dig into the scriptures for the first time!
Ditchfield's selection of important stories and verses in the Bible is more comprehensive than many found commonly found in the back of Bibles by including verses for evangelism and what the Bible says about heaven. A standard selection of gray-scale Bible maps is included -- useful for those whose Bibles are bereft of maps, and a short list of further recommended resources is included for those wanting to flesh out their Bible study resource collection.
If only A Family Guide to the Bible had been in print when I first came to faith! It would have saved me from much stumbling, confusion, and the pestering questions I fired off at other believers as I tried to make sense of my new faith. As an introductory text, much of what Ditchfield presents will be familiar to those who've already had the opportunity to scour the scriptures for themselves, but for those of us who are just getting started, Ditchfield's work is a God-send.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bible in Review, April 29, 2009
This review is from: A Family Guide to the Bible (Paperback)
A Family Guide to the Bible by CHristin Ditchfield, is not only excellent for younger family members and parents who want to guide their children into Bible Study, but is an excellent reference to anyone without an in-depth knowledge of the Bible. The book by book analysis is concise, easy to understand, well-written, and provides a focus for further study. This should be in everyone's library - Biblical scholar or not!
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