Combatting Biblical Illiteracy

I don't know how many times I've heard people say, "I wish I knew my Bible better," or "I know I should know what's in the Bible," or even "Now where is Isaiah again?"  Well here you go!  Two simple steps to combat biblical illiteracy!

Solution:  Read & Study the Bible
Step 1:  Get a good study bible that you enjoy reading (put down the KJV if you don't like wading thru Ye Olde English). I recommend the NRSV New Oxford Annotated Study Bible -- you can pick it up hardcover for around $30, or leatherbound for $75, or the NIV Study Bible  is really good and will run you about $30.  Between the two, the NRSV is a better translation, but the NIV has excellent notes and historical information.

Step 2:  Start somewhere you can learn something
Want to know more about Jesus?  Start in the Gospel of Luke.  Why Luke?  Because he takes a very orderly approach the the life and ministry of Jesus.  Luke was a physician (in the 1st Century that basically meant less people died after he helped them), and so he investigated everything he could about this Jesus fellow.  He has a particular emphasis on Jesus' ministry to the outsiders and unworthy.

Looking for a better grasp of what it means to be a Christian and what the church is?  Start in Romans.  I'm not even going to spoil it for you.  Enjoy yourself.

Are you just searching for a deeper connection with God?  Turn to the book of Psalms.  Unlike most of the other books in the Bible, Psalms is a collection of 150 works of song and poetry and they don't need to be read in order.  Sip a cup of coffee and sit in God's presence. 

Is the Old Testament daunting?  Did the little piggy cry 'wee, wee, wee, all the way home?'  Read Exodus.  It's the basic history of the people of God under Moses' leadership.  You get all the exciting stuff in context -- plagues of Egypt, parting of the red sea, 10 commandments, manna in the wilderness, all the food laws, the golden calf, and the ark of the covenant (yes, that ark!).