Posted on 04/15/2007 1:42:11 PM PDT by WileyPink
A few years back, one-third of freshmen entering Wheaton College (Illinois) didn't know that Paul's travels are recorded in Acts or that the Christmas story is found in Matthew. Gary Burge, Ph.D., Wheaton professor of New Testament, reported these findings from a Bible literacy test administered to incoming freshmen. Burge also said he asked 45 seniors to paraphrase, from memory, the Ten Commandments. Only one student could do so. Though these students are mostly from strongly evangelical churches, their ignorance of Bible basics is disturbing.
The professor maintained that biblical illiteracy is "a universal and growing problem" among students and churches, citing the trend toward a therapeutic emphasis in preaching as part of the problem.
The crisis facing the church is not that Christians disagree with what they have studied in the Bible and what is taught from the pulpit. It is rather that many have heard too few biblical truths to begin with. As churches turn to "spiritainment" to draw the masses, what often falls through the cracks is the transfer of basic doctrinal truths.
"There's not an educational dimension [to church] any longer," Burge said. "We're all about the experience, not the facts." As a result, the younger generation is not learning the important stories, people and background of the Bible. Burge reported the Wheaton findings in his article on biblical illiteracy in Christianity Today.
(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com ...
This seems like a good idea. I hope it helps!
I think part of the problem is that many young people simply don’t read at all, not just that they don’t read the Bible. I’ve been reading the Bible to my children for many years, and we all love it. We have wonderful conversations about how stories in the Bible illustrate economic principles, or how people relate to one another, or the use of language for different effects.
I like Luke. Dunno why.
Maybe because Luke doesn’t start out with the genealogy.
AH, there is so much on ECONOMICS in the Bible that it is almost SHOCKING!
The majority of people don’t know it!
Or maybe its because its Luke 2 that Linus recites in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
“And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
:-)
Even on FR, the BIBLE is not emphasized.
INSTEAD you will here what other SINNERS TELL YOU TO BELIEVE. It’s mindbogglingly that the BIBLE is not good enough and people WILLINGLY put their faith/trust in what other SINNERS tell them to believe rather than READING and STUDYING the BIBLE on their own.
Perfection takes a back seat to SINNERS with an agenda - keeping people STUPID about what GOD says.
BTW, I post a Sunday School Bible study each Saturday night if any one is interested. Wiley
:>), I like the Luke 2 story too...but not because of Charlie Brown...:>)
Could be!
Call me neolithic, but I like bound books better.
Ya know, I thought about that after I posted this. I wasn’t trying to sell anything. I was just interested in the study part...good point though.
I like books better, too, but many younger people like to do things on the computer as a first choice.
The biggest problem is we don’t study the Bible. For those of you interested, here is a free one.
http://www.e-sword.net/index.html
Bless your heart!!! I use e-sword all the time. DUH! I should have thought of that. It is wonderful. I use its different translations to get a better understanding. Then I use its different commentaries to get their perspective. Don’t forget to download all the extras that go along with it. Good idea!
here is the 1st half:
Daily Bible Reading Schedule January through June (July through Dec. will be coming soon. )
Jan. 1 John 1:1-3 + Gen.1:1-2:25 + Isa. 14:12-14 + Ezek. 28:12-19 + Gen. 3:1-19
Jan. 2 Gen.3:20-5:32 +1Chron. 1:1-4 + Gen. 6:1-22
Jan. 3 Gen. 7:1-10:5 + 1Chron. 1:5-7
Jan. 4 Gen. 10:6-20 + 1Chron. 1:8-16 + Gen. 10:21-24 + 11:10-15 + 1Chron. 1:17-18 +
Gen. 11:1-9 + Gen. 10:25-32 + 1Chron. 1:19-25 + Gen. 11:16-19 + Job 1:1-22
Jan. 5 Job 2:1-5:27
Jan. 6 Job 6:1-8:22
Jan. 7 Job 9:1-11:20
Jan. 8 Job 12:1-14:22
Jan. 9 Job 15:1-18:21
Jan. 10 Job 19:1-21:34
Jan. 11 Job 22:1-26:14
Jan. 12 Job 27:1-30:15
Jan. 13 Job 30:16-33:7
Jan. 14 Job 33:8-35:16
Jan. 15 Job 36:1-38:33
Jan. 16 Job 38:34-41:34
Jan. 17 Job 42:1-17 + Gen. 11:20-30 + 1Chron. 1:26,27 + Gen. 11:31-14:16
Jan. 18 Gen. 14:17-17:27
Jan. 19 Gen. 18:1-20:18
Jan. 20 Gen. 21:1-23:30 + 1Chron. 1:28-31 + Gen. 25:12-16
Jan. 21 Gen. 24:1-67 + 25:19-20 + 26:1-16
Jan. 22 Gen. 25:1-4 + 1Chron. 1:32,33 + Gen. 25:21-26 + 1Chron. 1:34 + Gen. 25:5-11,27-34 +
26:17-27:33
Jan. 23 Gen. 27:34-30:13
Jan. 24 Gen. 30:14-31:55
Jan. 25 Gen. 32:1-34:31 + 25:17,18
Jan. 26 Gen. 35:1-36:43 + 1Chron. 1:35-2:2
Jan. 27 Gen. 37:1-38:30 + 1Chron. 2:3-4 + Gen. 39:1-20
Jan. 28 Gen. 39:21-41:57
Jan. 29 Gen. 42:1-44:57
Jan. 30 Gen. 44:14-46:9 + 1Chron. 5:1,3 + Gen. 46:10 + 1Chron. 4:24 + Gen. 46:11 + 1Chron.6:1,16 + Gen. 46:12 + 1Chron. 2:5,6 + 4:1 + Gen. 46:13 + 1Chron. 7:1 +
Gen. 46:14-18 + 1Chron. 7:30-31 + Gen. 46:19-22 + 1Chron. 7:6 + 8:1-2 + Gen. 46:23-25 + 1Chron. 7:13
Jan. 31 Gen. 46:26-27 + Ex. 1:1-5 + Gen. 46:28-48:22 + 1Chron. 5:2 + Gen. 49:1-18
Feb. 1 Gen. 49:19-50:3, 15-21, 4-14, 22-26 + Ex. 1:6-7 + 1Chron. 2:8-10, 18-49 + 4:25-27
Feb. 2 1Chron. 6:2-3, 17-30 + 7:2, 14-20, 32-40 + 8:3-5 + Ex. 1:8-22 + 1Chron. 4:2-4 + 7:7-12 + Ex. 2:1-25
Feb. 3 Ex. 3:1-6:13
Feb. 4 Ex. 6:14-9:12
Feb. 5 Ex. 9:13-12:28
Feb. 6 Ex. 12:29-14:31
Feb. 7 Ex. 15:1-17:16
Feb. 8 Ex. 19:1-2 + 18:1-27 + 19:3-21:11
Feb. 9 Ex. 21:12-23:33
Feb. 10 Ex. 24:1-26:28
Feb. 11 Ex. 26:29-29:9
Feb. 12 Ex. 29:10-31:11
Feb. 13 Ex. 31:12-34:17
Feb. 14 Ex. 34:18-36:7 + Lev. 1:1-17
Feb. 15 Lev. 2:1-5:19
Feb. 16 Lev. 6:1-7:38 + Ex. 36:8-23
Feb. 17 Ex. 36:24-38:31
Feb. 18 Ex. 39:1-40:33
Feb. 19 Lev. 8:1-36 + 1Chron. 6:49 + Num. 7:1-47
Feb. 20 Num. 7:48-8:26 + Ex. 40:34-38 + Num. 9:15-23 + 9:1-14
Feb. 21 Lev. 9:1-11:47
Feb. 22 Lev. 12:1-14:20
Feb. 23 Lev. 14:21-16:14
Feb. 24 Lev. 16:15-19:22
Feb. 25 Lev. 19:23-22:16
Feb. 26 Lev. 22:17-24:23
Feb. 27 Lev. 25:1-26:31
Feb. 28 Lev. 26:32-27:34 + Num. 1:1-35
Mar. 1 Num. 1:36-3:32
Mar. 2 Num. 3:33-5:10
Mar. 3 Num. 5:11-6:27 + 10:1-36
Mar. 4 Num. 11:1-13:33
Mar. 5 Num. 14:1-45 + Ps. 90 + 91 + Num. 15:1-16
Mar. 6 Num. 15:17-17:13
Mar. 7 Num. 18:1-20:29
Mar. 8 Num. 21:1-23:12
Mar. 9 Num. 23:13-26:27
Mar. 10 Num. 26:28-28:31
Mar. 11 Num. 29:1-31:24
Mar. 12 Num. 31:25-32:42
Mar. 13 Num. 33:1-34:29
Mar. 14 Num. 35:1-36:13 + Deut. 1:1-46
Mar. 15 Num. Deut. 2:1-4:19
Mar. 16 Num. Deut. 4:20-6:25
Mar. 17 Num. Deut. 7:1-10:10
Mar. 18 Deut. 10:11-13:18
Mar. 19 Deut. 14:1-17:13
Mar. 20 Deut. 17:14-21:17
Mar. 21 Deut. 21:18-24:22
Mar. 22 Deut. 25:1-28:14
Mar. 23 Deut. 28:15-29:29
Mar. 24 Deut. 30:1-32:44
Mar. 25 Deut. 32:45-34:12 + Josh. 1:1-9 + 2:1-3:1
Mar. 26 Josh. 1:10-18 +3:2-6:27
Mar. 27 Josh. 7:1-18 + 1Chron. 2:7 + Josh. 7:19-9:27
Mar. 28 Josh. 10:1-12:24
Mar. 29 Josh. 13:1-15:19
Mar. 30 Josh. 15:20-16:10 + 1Chron. 7:21-29 + Josh. 17:1-18:7
Mar. 31 Josh. 18:8-20:9
April 1 1Chron. 9:2-34 + Josh. 21:1-45 + 1Chron. 6:54-64
April 2 1Chron. 6:65-81 + Josh. 22:1-24:18
April 3 Josh. 24:19-28 + Judg. 2:1-6 + Josh. 24:29-33 + 1Chron.6:5 + Judg. 1:1-36 + 2:7-3:14
April 4 Judg. 17:1-19:30
April 5 Judg. 20:1-21:25 + Judg. 3:15-30
April 6 1Chron. 8:6-32 + Judg. 3:31-5:31 + 1Chron. 5:8-9 + Judg. 6:1-10
April 7 Judg. 6:11-8:32
April 8 Judg. 8:33-10:2 + 1Chron. 2:11 + Ruth 1:1-2:2
April 9 Ruth 2:1-4:21 + Judg. 10:3-18
April 10 1Sam. 1:1-3:21
April 11 Judg. 11: 1-14:4
April 12 Judg. 14:5-20 + 1Sam. 4:1-5:12 + Judg. 15:1-20 + 1 Sam. 6:1-7:1
April 13 Judg. 16:1-31 + Ruth 4:22 + 1Chron. 2:12-17 + 1Sam. 7:3-8:22 + 1Chron. 8:33 + 9:35-39
April 14 1Sam. 9:1-12:15
April 15 1Sam. 12:16-14:48 + 1Chron. 5:10, 18-24 + 1Sam. 14:49-52
April 16 1Sam. 15:1-16:13 + Ps. 19 + 23 +110 +131
April 17 1Sam. 16:14-18:19
April 18 1Sam. 18:20-19:11 +Ps. 59 + 1Sam. 19:12-24 + Ps. 11 + 12 + 1Sam. 20:1-17
April 19 1Sam. 20:18-21:12 + Ps. 56 + 1Sam. 21:13-15 + Ps. 34 + 1Sam. 22:1 + Ps. 142
April 20 2Sam. 23:8-39 + 1Chron. 11:10-47 + Ps. 16
April 21 1Chron. 12:8-18 + 1Sam. 22:2-23 + Ps. 64 + 35 + 52
April 22 Ps. 109 + 140 + 1Sam. 23:1-13 + Ps. 17 + 31
April 23 1Sam. 23:14-19 + Ps. 22 + 54 + 1Sam. 23:20-24 + Ps. 63 + 1Sam. 23:25-24:22
April 24 Ps. 7 + 8 + 57 + 58 1Sam.25:1 + Ps. 120 + 1Sam. 25:2-38
April 25 1Sam. 25:39-27:7 + 1Chron. 12:1-7 + Ps. 141 + 1Sam. 27:8-28:25
April 26 1Sam. 29:1-11 + 1Chron. 12:19-22 + 1Sam. 30:1-31:13 +1Chron. 10:1-14 + 2Sam.1:1-16
April 27 2Sam. 1:17-2:4 + Ps. 101 + 2Sam. 2:5-32 + 1Chron. 3:1-4 + 2Sam. 3:1-26
April 28 2Sam. 3:27-4:4 + 1Chron. 8:34 + 9:40 +2Sam.4:5-5:5 + 1Chron. 11:1-3 + 1Chron. 12:23-40 + Ps. 133 +139
April 29 Ps. 18
April 30 2Sam.22:1-51 + 2Sam.5:6-12 + 1Chron.11:4-9 + 14:1-2 + Ps. 30 + 2
May 1 1Chron. 4:28-38 + 7:2-5 + 21:1-3 + 2Sam. 24:1-9 + 1Chr. 21:4-7 + 27:21-24 + 21:8-10 + 2Sam. 24:10-14 + 1Chr. 21:11-17 + 2Sam. 24:15-25 + 1Chr. 21:18-30 + 2Sam. 5:13-16 +
1Chr. 3:5-9 + 14:3-7
May 2 Ps. 65 + 2Sam. 5:17-25 + 1Chr. 14:8-17 + 2Sam. 21:1-14 + Ps. 29 + 2Sam. 21:15-22 +
1Chr. 20:4-8 + Ps. 124 + 1Sam. 7:2 + 2Sam. 6:1-11
May 3 1Chr. 13:1-14 + 15:1-25 + Ps. 68 + Ps. 9
May 4 1Chr. 6:31-48 + Ps. 15 + Ps. 24 + 2Sam. 6:12-17 + 1Chr. 15:26-16:3 + 2Sam. 6:18-19 +
1Chr. 16:4-43
May 5 Ps. 105 + Ps. 106
May 6 Ps. 95 + Ps. 78 + 2Sam. 6:20-23
May 7 Ps. 96 + Ps. 132 + 2Sam. 7:1-17 + 1Chr. 17:1-15 + 2Sam. 7:18-29 + 1Chr. 17:16-27
May 8 Ps. 108 + 2Sam. 8:1-12 + 1Chr. 18:1-11 + Ps. 97 + Ps. 98 + 2Sam. 8:13-14 +
1Chr. 18:12-13 + Ps. 60 + 2Sam. 8:15-18 + 1Chr. 18:14-17
May 9 2Sam. 9:1-13 + Ps. 117 + Ps. 118 + 2Sam. 10:1-19 + 1Chr. 19:1-19
May 10 Ps. 20 + Ps. 21 + 2Sam. 11:1-27 + Ps. 6 + Ps. 38
May 11 Ps. 39 + Ps. 41 + 2Sam. 12:1-15 + Ps. 51 + Ps. 32 + Ps. 40
May 12 2Sam. 12:16-25 + Ps. 33 + Ps. 103 + Ps. 10 4
May 13 1Chr. 20:1-3 + 2Sam. 12:26-14:33
May 14 2Sam. 15:1-16:14 + Ps. 3 + Ps. 4 + Ps. 55
May 15 2Sam. 16:15-17:22 + Ps. 77 + Ps. 42 + Ps. 43 + Ps. 143 + 2Sam. 17:23,24
May 16 Ps. 5 + Ps. 13 + Ps. 14 + Ps. 61 + Ps. 62 + 2Sam. 17:25-29 + Ps. 25 + Ps. 28
May 17 Ps. 89 + Ps. 36 + Ps. 53 + Ps. 70
May 18 Ps. 69 + Ps. 71 + Ps. 138 + Ps. 86
May 19 2Sam. 18:1-19:8 + Ps. 144 + 2Sam. 19:9-40
May 20 Ps. 26 + Ps. 27 + Ps. 121 + Ps. 122 + 2Sam. 19:41-20:26 + Ps. 45
May 21 1Chr. 22:1-19 + Ps. 37 + Ps. 145
May 22 1Chr. 23:1-25:31
May 23 Ps. 50 + Ps. 73 + Ps. 74 + Ps. 75
May 24 Ps. 76 + Ps. 79 + Ps. 80 + Ps. 81 + Ps. 82 + Ps. 83
May 25 1Chr. 26:1-27:22, 25-34 + 1Ki.1:1-38
May 26 1Ki. 1:39-53 + 1Chr. 28:1-29:25 + Ps. 72
May 27 1Ki. 2:1-9 + 2Sam. 23:1-7 + 1Chr. 29:26-30 + 2Sam. 5:4-5 + 1Ki.2:10-12 + 2Chr.1:1-17 + 1Ki. 3:4-28 + 2:13-27
May 28 1Ki. 2:28-3:3 + Song of Solomon 1:1-4:16
May 29 Song of Solomon 5:1-814 + 1Ki. 4:1-28
May 30 1Ki. 4:29-5:18 + 2Chr. 2:1-18 + Ps. 99 + Ps. 127 + Ps. 128 + 2Chr. 3:1-17
May 31 1Ki. 6:1-38 + 7:13-50
June 1 2Chron. 4:1-5:14 + 1Ki. 7:51-8:21 + 2Chron. 6:1-11
June 2 2Chron. 6:12-42 + 1Ki. 8:22-61 + 2Chron. 7:1-10 + 1Ki. 8:62-66
June 3 1Ki. 7:1-12 + 2Chron. 7:11-22 + 1Ki. 9:1-28 + 2Chron. 8:1-18 + 9:10-11, 13-28
June 4 1Ki. 10:14-29 + 10:1-13 + 2Chron.9:1-9, 12 + Prov. 1:1-2:22
June 5 Prov. 3:1-5:23
June 6 Prov. 6:1-8:36
June 7 Prov. 9:1-11:31
June 8 Prov. 12:1-14:35
June 9 Prov. 15:1-17:28
June 10 Prov. 18:1-20:30
June 11 Prov. 21:1-23:18
June 12 Prov. 23:19-24:34 + 1Ki. 11:1-8 + Ps. 88
June 13 1Ki. 11:9-40 + Ecc.1:1-3:8
June 14 Ecc. 3:9-7:22
June 15 Ecc. 7:23-12:14
June 16 1Chron. 6:51-53 + 1Ki. 11:41-43 + 2Chron. 9:29-31 + 1Ki. 12:1-15 + 2Chron. 10:1-15 +
1Ki.12:16-24 + 2Chron. 10:16-11:17
June 17 1Ki. 12:25-13:32 + 1Chron. 11:18-12:12 + 1Ki. 13:33-14:18, 21-31
June 18 2Chron. 12:13-13:19 + 1ki. 15:1-7 + 2Chron. 13:21-14:1 + 1Ki. 15:8-10 + 14:19-20 + 2Chron. 13:20 + 1Ki. 15:25-31 + 2Chron. 14:2-15:18 + 1Ki. 15:11-15 + 2Chron. 15:19
June 19 1Ki. 15:32-34 + 15:16-22 + 2Chron. 16:1-10 + 1Ki. 16:1-34 + 2Chron. 16:11-14 +
1Ki. 15:23-24 +2Chron. 17:1-19 + 1Ki. 22:41-47
June 20 1Ki. 17:1-19:21
June 21 1Ki. 20:1-22:12
June 22 2Chron. 18:1-27 + 1Ki. 22:13-40 + 2Chron. 18:28-20:13
June 23 2Chron. 20:14-30 + Ps. 115 + Ps. 47 + Ps. 48 + 1Ki. 22:51-53 + 2Chron. 20:35-37 +
1Ki. 22:48-49 + 2Ki. 1:1-18
June 24 2Ki. 2:1-4:37
June 25 2Ki. 4:38-7:20
June 26 2Ki. 8:1-15 + 2Chron. 20:31-34 + 21:1 + 1ki. 22:50 + 2Chron. 21:2-15 + 2Ki. 8:16-23 +
2Chron. 21:16-20 + 2Ki. 8:24 + Obadiah + 2Ki. 9:29 + 8:25-29 + 2Chron. 22:1-7
June 27 2Ki. 9:1-28 + 2Chron. 22:9-12 + 2Ki. 11:1-3 + 9:30-10:14 + 2Chron. 22:8 + 2Ki.10:15-31 + 2Chron. 23:1-11
June 28 2Ki. 11:4-16 + 2Chron. 23:12-21 + 2Ki. 11:17-12:5 + 2Chron. 24:1-7 + 2Ki. 10:32-36 + 12:6-8 + 2Chron. 24:8-14 + 2Ki. 12:9-16 + 2Chron. 24:15-19 + Joel 1:1-20
June 29 Joel 2:1-3:21 + 2Chron. 24:2-24 + 2Ki. 12:17-18 + 13:1-11 + 13:14-25 + 2Chr. 24:25-27
June 30 2ki. 12:19-21 + 14:1-7 + 2Chr. 25:1-25 + 2Ki. 14:8-16 + 13:12-13 + 14:23-27 + Jonah 1:1-3:10
5 solas!
I believe you are right that many young people do not read.
It takes practice to learn to enjoy more difficult literature, including the Bible. Many people, including college students, just don’t read!
This is what I have been harping about on FR for awhile now. How can someone grow up going to church and not know anything about the bible?
There must be another answer..... I believe (after studying scripture) you can have head knowledge of scripture but until God takes your blinders off and you actually “get it” and you have a heart change it just doesn’t make a bit of difference. Scripture confirms this in verse 1 Corintians 2:14. (there are others as well).
In the book of James, that is why God tells us to be not only hearers of the word but doers. To look intently into the law (the written word of God) so we can be blessed. One can not become a doer unless one truly knows “what” to do for the Lord as an act of worship not duty.
There are always the comments that people don’t know anything about the bible because the churches are more into entertaining nowadays. I couldn’t disagree more! There are churches who “entertain”, but that is not the true issue. The issue is whether or not they teach what the bible says. If they give relevance to the scripture for the “hearers” and teach what God says, then it doesn’t matter the surroundings. Paul used relevance in his day. The preachers have a great responsibility to God to be accurate in his teachings and there is only way to weigh the truth and that is with reading the scripture yourselves and finding out if what they say can be held up in scripture.
Take a look at the variety of ways we “receive” our information today and I gaurantee you it is different from when our parents grew up. Do you want to put God in the “traditional” box. Don’t do that! God works in all types of churches THAT TEACH THE BIBLE. That is the key.
God will reach many using all different methods. But remember we are in a fallen world, so along with that, satan has utilized all these ways to glorify himself as well. It has never been easier for him to infiltrate the airwaves with false teachers (Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, etc), he has used the information highway to spout falsehoods about Christ. He will use all these methods to preach his gospel, he seeks to destroy us, that is his mission. He wants us to think it is because the churches have lost tradition..but that simply is not the case! I just don’t buy it! We just see more false teachers in the media than we do the ones who are truly teaching about Jesus. It doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
I love to ask the question, how many know about the enemy of God? Who? What? When? Why? The bible teaches this as well, but you don’t hear much about that from the false teachers. They want you think that life is all honky dory if you just believe hard enough. Hogwash!
I am a living example of this. I was raised in a Bible believing church, daddy was a deacon, there every time the doors open...yada, yada, yada. And yet, I 'didn't get it'. It wasn't until the Holy Spirit took the blinders off did I really see God.
Don't get me wrong. I'm very fortunate now to have had that strong Bible based background.
We MUST understand and teach the Bible. What it says, not what we want it to say. There are so many 'teachers' on TV who teach us to have faith in faith and not in Jesus Christ. I don't have a problem with a church or a preacher "entertaining" me. He has to first get my attention. But then, I WANT THE BIBLE PREACHED!!!
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