Greetings from Lakeside, Montana! I am at a conference for the North American School of Biblical Studies in Youth With A Mission. The gathering happens every two years; when I arrive, it doesn’t take long for me to realize I am with my people, Bible-lovin’ nerds every single one. Since I want to blog on a weekly basis, I thought I would share some of my takeaways from the week thus far.

Let me begin by saying the Bible has transformed my life. Yes, it’s been a bit like steering the Titanic but the transformation has happened (and continues to happen!) I wanted to read and understand the Bible because I knew there was something in it I needed, namely to come face to face with the grace of God. Thankfully, I studied the Bible with the Inductive Bible Study method which is a very balanced approach to studying the Bible. Instead of hearing what other people think the Bible says, I engaged the text myself to see what the Bible is actually saying. Here’s an example: would you rather have a beautiful flower described to you or see it in detail yourself? This is the goal of the Inductive Bible Study Method.

My passion for teaching people in the Church to engage the Bible themselves has been renewed. And not just engage the text but to live it out wholeheartedly.  My admiration for the gospel continues. What is the gospel? From Genesis to Revelation, it’s the story of God’s incredible desire to dwell with man, even when man chose to forsake God. Undaunted, God chose to enter our humanity in order to make a way (forgiveness) for man to dwell with God. The beauty of this gospel is that as believers, we are to embody this for the world.

I go home encouraged, committed and ready to lead people into the Bible for the rest of my life.