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Playing With Fire: How the Bible Ignites Change in Your Soul Paperback – April 8, 2000

by Walt Russell (Author)

4.7 119 ratings

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Bible scholar Walt Russell insists that when we study the Scriptures properly, it is like playing with fire―a fire that can ignite dramatic change in our souls. With an intelligent, engaging style, Russell puts the tools in your hands that enable you to study different styles of biblical writing in depth. And this fuller understanding of God’s Word unleashes a heart-transforming power that burns away your defenses like fire, bringing radical change to your life.

Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

NavPress
Publication date

April 8, 2000
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.81 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

1576831426
ISBN-13

978-1576831427
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Russell wants every Christian to use the Bible to ignite a brandishing flame within the heart and mind. As a professor of Bible at Talbot School of Theology and chairman of biblical studies and theology at Biola University, Russell's teaching experience has spanned 30 years. His passion for the Bible, and the life-changing work that can result from studying and understanding it, is contagious. Russell encourages readers to use five steps to effectively interpret Scripture: identify the genre of the biblical passage (since specific rules apply to different types of writing), determine the main theme and condense it into one sentence, make observations about the structure of the passage, discover the meaning of the Scripture and internalize how it affects us and, finally, make personal application to our lives. Throughout this 13-chapter text, Russell overviews each biblical book's primary and secondary contributions, then reflects upon the internal applications gleaned from the reading. He takes readers through various books of the Bible using a top-down approach, descending from the overarching biblical genre through the unit, paragraph, sentence and eventually to a single word. Russell's admonition to get serious about playing with biblical fire will likely motivate the serious-minded professional, student or layperson. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Why Settle for Pulling Weeds When You Could be Playing with Fire? For too many of us, reading the Bible is about as enjoyable as pulling weeds. At best, it's unexciting, and sometimes it's just plain work. But Bible scholar Walt Russell insists that when we study the Scriptures properly, it is like playing with fire-a fire that can ignite dramatic change in our souls. With an intelligent, engaging style, Russell puts the tools in your hands that enable you to study the different styles of biblical writing in depth-and unlock their meaning. And this fuller understanding of God's Word unleashes a heart-transforming power that burns away your defenses like fire, bringing radical change to your life! When you read your Bible, why settle for pulling weeds when you could be playing with fire?

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ NavPress; 0 edition (April 8, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1576831426
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1576831427
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.81 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #349,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,687 in Inspiration & Spirituality
- #6,080 in Christian Bible Study (Books)
- #8,354 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 119 ratings

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Walt Russell

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Walt Russell, Ph.D. is a former campus missionary, church planter of two churches on the East Coast, and professor of New Testament at Liberty University. The last 25 years he has been a professor of Bible Exposition at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, California and a church consultant. He has been teaching future pastors and missionaries how to study and apply the Bible. While an expert in Hermeneutics (Bible interpretation), his passion for the last 42 years has been equipping the saints to do the work of ministry within the Church. His latest book, "Sustainable Church", is the fruit of this passion.

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4.7 out of 5

119 global ratings

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PDT

Most Helpful Book in Correctly Understanding the Bible

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023

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Walt Russell did a great job by organizing all 66 books of the Bible into individual genre and further explained each of the genres. The goal of this book is to inspire Bible reader to experience a spiritual transformation through a deeper discovery of the power within God’s Word. I am so glad to have come across this book.

Helpful

Stephanie Schwartz

Unlock the Truths of God's Word

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

In Luke 24, we read of the resurrected Christ appearing to a couple of disciples on their journey to Emmaus. They were discouraged about the crucifixion and were blind to the fact that they were in fact talking to Jesus himself on the road home from Jerusalem. The Lord explained to them what the Scripture said concerning the Messiah, and in time, he left them. But at the end of his time with them, he allowed them to see that they were speaking with Jesus himself. They responded in Luke 24:32, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Does your heart “burn” when you read the Scripture? If not, Walt Russell, the author of Playing with Fire, contends that it should. In this wonderful resource, Russell teaches the reader how to effectively interpret the Bible so that she can make personal application to her life using the whole counsel of Scripture. This book will enable you to unlock the truths of the God’s word in a whole new, and accurate, way.

3 people found this helpful

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Susan G.

This is a MUST READ

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2008

Verified Purchase

The author is a colleague of my husband's. Frankly, I had a bit of an attitude about this book ten years ago after a day long seminar because I was ignorant and felt Russell might be overly confining God. Spring semester 2008 it was my text book for Biblical Interpretation and Spiritual Formation at Biola University. Midway through the book I found myself apologizing to Walt Russell for my previous attitude and utter ignorance and told him how much this book has helped me correctly read, understand and apply the Bible in my life. He received my confession with great amusement and humility. This book will help you understand how we all mis-read and mis-apply scripture in ingnorance. Russell is rock solid in his qualifications & knowledge as a scholar and this is a great book written for the common man. Easy read; IMPORTANT read.

11 people found this helpful

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aaron

Excellent Book

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

We have used this book for our discipleship program at our church and it has helped our congregation out greatly. One of the best books on hermeneutics out there. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Professor Russell for your work on this book. It has blessed my church greatly.

One person found this helpful

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Andrew Gilmore

A Solid Book on Bible Interpretation for Formation

Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2012

An excellent and understandable book on how to interpret the Bible. Written by Walt Russell from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, the book is a balanced approach to hermeneutics written with the layperson/undergraduate in mind. He is brief when possible, but expands on issues when he needs to.

I appreciated his relevant illustrations from the classroom, his personal life, church ministry and life in general. Russell is clear and challenges many ill-conceived notions of modern American interpretation. He uses familiar biblical texts as examples for putting his principles into practice. David and Goliath is used to show the shallowness of much preaching on the subject. Psalm 8 is analyzed and interpreted.

Russell's whole point is to fit this book squarely into the NavPress Spiritual Formation series it is a part of. The subtitle of the book shows his intention is not just to produce smart Christians, but changed Christians. Understanding the Bible will lead to changed lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our church is going to do an all-church Sunday School class this fall based on the book. I would recommend the book to any person who wants to know how to approach, read and apply the Bible better.

The only downsides are endnotes (I hate endnotes!) and some shying away from digging a little bit deeper into specifics of application.

3 people found this helpful

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Origen

Reference Rewards

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2011

Verified Purchase

'Playing with Fire. How the Bible Ignites Change in your soul' comes highly recommended. In an age when most Christians are only looking for 'self help' books this book I refer to as a Reference book. I tell my students that this book has information that can be referenced over and over each time they intend to study a new book/genre of the Bible. Work has rewards. When a person invests time and effort into the study of God's Word there are life long rewards. Playing with Fire: How the Bible Ignites Change in Your Soul

2 people found this helpful

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meganfate

Impactful book

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book is effectively teaching me how to read the Bible in order to be shaped by it. It’s been the most impactful books I’ve read in the past few year.

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Beaufort99

The Best Intro. to Hermeneutics I've Read!!!

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2019

Verified Purchase

"Playing With Fire" is filled with lots of good information about how to interpret the Bible accurately. I have not seen or read a hermeneutic book that equals this one!

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