The Essential Bible Blog

The World's Best Bible Translation

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Which is the best Bible translation of all time? Is it the KJV? The NIV? The ESV? The NRSV? The CEV? The HCSB? The NAB? The MSG? The NLT? Or is it my lunchtime favorite, the BLT?

Well, you'll be happy to know I've figured out which Bible translation is the best. I’m not talking about my personal preference; I'm talking about the absolute, undisputed best Bible translation in the world. And I'm going to tell you what it is.

But before I do, I want to ask another question: why do we need so many Bibles? With research showing a steady decline in Bible reading across America, shouldn’t the Church unite to address that issue? For starters, what if Christians agreed not to buy another Bible until they read through one of the many they already have?

And another question: why do Christians judge each other over which translation they favor? Are you a liberal if you read the NRSV? Are you a conservative if you use the KJV? Are you an Evangelical if you feel comfortable with the NIV? Are you a true believer if you’ve switched to the ESV? How tragic if Christians fought a battle for Bible translation among themselves, while losing the war for Bible engagement in society.

OK, back to my original question: which is the best Bible translation of all time? That's easy. It's the one you read and apply every day, and that’s the only one Scripture Union endorses. You can't argue with that, now, can you?

It's Bible Bail-Out Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:06:00 +0000

February is "Bible Bail-Out Month." By my calculation it's the time when most people bail out on their New Year's Bible reading resolution...and I know why.

One of the myths of the Christian life is that you should read through the Bible every year, the whole enchilada or else. And it doesn't count unless you use the snow plow method, that is, you start reading Genesis in January and you plow all the way to Revelation by December.

But that's why February is Bible Bail-Out Month. It's the time when most people get to Leviticus, and uh-oh, the Bible reading plow bogs down. What follows is a few weeks of guilty inaction that can be relieved only by picking up a copy of Our Daily Bread at the back of the church. "Oh well, maybe next year."

My suggestion is that instead of trying to swallow the entire Bible ever year, we make it our New Year's resolution to get a steady diet of God's Word every day. And let's not worry if we miss a few days throughout the year. Trust me, you will.

Just find a Bible reading plan that takes you to all parts of the Bible, reading a chapter or less per day, then stick with it. And if you fall behind, take the Bible reading advice my Dad gave me years ago, "Start today, and go forward." It's our enemy who wants to turn Bible reading into a guilt-driven chore. It's our Heavenly Father who's waiting to meet with us in his Word.

What really makes a difference in our spiritual lives is not how much of the Bible we read every year. Rather it's how much of the Bible we remember and apply every day. So make that your goal, starting today.

Bible Reading Revival in New Zealand?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Want to see a real live example of community-based Bible reading on a nationwide scale? Check out this video from New Zealand where the Bible Society, Scripture Union and Wycliffe Bible Translators are joining forces to promote The Essential 100 Challenge to every church in the country beginning this month.

Bible Glut in the Public Square

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:37:00 +0000

I'm baffled by Christians who spend so much energy complaining that the Bible is being pushed out of the public square. Why? Because it isn't true. Oh sure, there are plenty of people in our pluralistic society who don't obey God's Word, even some who publicly disrespect it. But that's a different issue, one that's been with us since the Garden of Eden.

Think about this: Over 90% of American households own one or more Bibles. You can borrow a Bible from any public library. You can buy a Bible from any bookstore; ironically, there are more Bibles in Barnes and Noble than most Christian bookstores. Not only that, the Bible is freely available online in multiple translations and languages, from sites like BibleGateway and YouVersion.

I would contend that the Bible isn't being pushed out of the public square. In the Western world, and especially the United States, the reverse is true: we have a glut of Bibles. The real problem is we don't regularly read the Bible or faithfully live out its message. Why not put more energy into addressing that issue?

My encouragement to Christians who, like me, want to see the Bible become a more pervasive influence in society is this: start with "the household of God." On any given Sunday, 45% of Americans attend a worship service. If just half of these church-goers became more regular in their Bible reading it would not only renew the church, but also do more to influence our neighbors for God than anything else we could do.

The best way to win the culture war is not for Christians to hyperventilate about those who don't believe the Bible. Instead, it's for the church to "read it and live it" themselves. Until we do that, our message and our mission will never be fully successful.

Customer Service for the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Have you ever wished there was a customer service department for the Bible? For sure, the Bible has a lot of wonderful features and benefits built in. But when you think about it, most people have difficulty using the “product.” Research shows that Americans are buying more and more Bibles, but reading them less and less. What’s a good way to solve that “consumer problem”?

Recently I bought a new TV at Best Buy, a 37” Toshiba 720p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV. Oh baby! When I got it home, I couldn’t wait to set it up. I yanked open the box and the first thing I looked for was the “start-up guide,” a short booklet that provided the basic information I needed to begin enjoying my new purchase right away.

Then it hit me. That’s what we need for the Bible, a start-up guide. So I’ve just written a new e-Book called The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide. My goal was to provide the practical help you need to begin enjoying God’s Word every day, whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it for years.

And guess what? It’s free. Just click the picture above or the links in this post and it’s yours; no strings attached. Feel free to add the link to your Facebook or MySpace page, even your church’s website. In fact, feel free to share The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide with anyone who needs a little “post-purchase support” for their Bible. Enjoy.

Community-based Bible Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:35:00 +0000

You want to know why pastors have trouble motivating their people to read God’s Word? It’s not for lack of Bibles. We have plenty of them. And it’s not for lack of good preaching. Most pastors regularly emphasize the importance of the Word.

It’s because our default method of Bible reading—what I like to call the “Lone Ranger Method”—is hard to sustain. Research shows that people just don't read the Bible on their own every day. The Lone Ranger was a good sheriff, but I bet he was a bad Bible reader.

So, what’s the solution? What would motivate more people in your church to read the Bible more consistently? I think it’s a new paradigm called “Community-based Bible Reading.” What’s that?

Community-based Bible Reading is when a significant number of people in a congregation commit to reading the same Bible passages, together, over time. Each day, they read the same passage individually. Each week they talk about these same passages in groups. Each Sunday they hear these same passages preached about in a sermon.

When a large enough core group is focusing on the same passages together, it creates a motivational updraft for Bible reading. People who struggle with the Lone Ranger Method are pulled along by the positive reinforcement all around them.

And the side effects of Community-based Bible Reading are significant. When many people are reading the same passages together, that’s what they talk about. They have a common experience in the Word to relate their lives to.

A pastor in a mainline denomination who tried this approach once told me, “The simple practice of having my people read five Bible passages in the week, which I then preach from on Sunday, has transformed my church.” That’s Community-based Bible Reading.

Your Devotional Temperament

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:13:00 +0000

What’s the best way to read the Bible? Many people think it’s something like getting up real early every day and intensely reading the entire Bible every year. And if you can’t pull that off, well…you’re a spiritual weakling and you better stick with Our Daily Bread.

But is the pre-dawn snow plow routine really the best way for everyone to engage with God’s Word? Sure, it’s a good method, if you can keep it up. But what if you can’t? What if you aren’t a morning person? Or what if you’re new to the Bible? Or what if reading is difficult for you?

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to a concept I call “devotional temperament.” It’s a combination of your level of Bible understanding, your unique learning style and the needs and concerns in your life at any given time. It seems to me that the best Bible reading method for you would be one that takes all those perspectives into account. My concern is that as Christians we inadvertently emphasize a Bible reading method that is at odds with the unique way God has wired many of us. No wonder so many people struggle to maintain a regular Bible reading habit.

In future posts, I want to share more of what I’m thinking on this topic. In fact, if you have some ideas, I’d love for you to share them in response to this post. But for now, I simply want to say this: don’t feel guilty if you aren’t a Bible marathoner. Instead, just take 5 minutes today to engage with the Bible in a way that seems most satisfying to you—reading, listening, even singing. Then thank God for speaking to you.

What's Your Devotional Type?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:05:00 +0000

In his book, Invitation to a Journey, author M. Robert Mulholland Jr. refers to “creation gifts”, that is, the unique mix of personality traits given to us by God. His point is that understanding how we’ve been created helps us become more conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.

I think the concept also applies to our devotional lives. We will get more out of our times of Bible reading and prayer, and become more effective at applying God's Word, if we understand the unique devotional personality God has given each of us. Here are a few I’ve discovered:

Early Birds—these are the classic early morning devotionalists. Their minds are the sharpest and their hearts are the most receptive just as the sun is coming up. They love the routine of starting every day the same way…with God.

Mid-Day Breakers—these devotionalists love to take a few minutes for Bible reading and prayer in the middle of their busy days. For them it’s like an oasis with God that keeps them sane.

Commuter Seekers—these folks have discovered how to transform the boring time on a bus or train into a meeting with God. They also appreciate new technology; digital Bibles and devotionals are perfect for them.

Night Watchers—when the pressure and details of the day finally fall silent, these devotionalists come alive. They love unstructured time with God when everyone else is asleep.

Free Spirits—for these devotionalists, routine is a downer. For them the most important thing is quality time with God, and whenever that’s possible, great!

So...what’s your devotional type? Don’t feel guilty if you’re not an early bird or a free spirit. Spend a few weeks experimenting, asking God to give you insight into how he’s wired you. Then build a lifelong pattern based on your unique devotional personality.

Should the US Government Ban Bible Sales?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:46:00 +0000

What would happen if the US Government passed a law banning the sale of Bibles? I know. Christians would scream bloody murder. Churches would be packed and start mobilizing. Millions and millions of believers, and a lot of non-believers too, would begin reading God’s Word as a form of protest. Take that! To the chagrin of the secular powers that be, it would ignite an underground Bible reading revival!

So…why would that be so bad?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m incredibly grateful to live in a country that has freedom of religion, where I can easily obtain a Bible. I don’t want that ever to change. But I can’t help thinking that something’s wrong when Christians seem more likely to fight for their Bibles than to actually read them—90% of American households have one or more Bibles, but less than 20% will ever read the Bible through even once in their lifetime. Not good.

So…what can we do about it?

Well, a lot, actually. We can make the God’s Word a priority in our churches. We can attempt to communicate biblical principles in the public square. We can even use television, radio, print and the internet to persuade more people to give the Bible a try.

But as good as all those ideas are, there’s one thing that must happen first. We—that means you and me—must read and attempt to live out God’s Word today, and then tomorrow and then the next day. I know that sounds pedestrian. I know that doesn’t seem likely to change the world anytime soon. And I know it would feel better to do something aggressive to…to…restore this great nation to its Christian roots…and…to…to…promote absolute truth in a post-modern culture. But the fact is until Christians in America rediscover the basic discipline of daily Bible reading and prayer we’ll never be fully effective in having a biblical influence in our society.

Of course, I don’t think the government is ever going to ban the sale of Bibles. They need the tax revenue. But if that’s what it takes to ignite a Bible reading revival, I say bring it on.

Too Many Bibles?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Recently I received a Bible Catalog in the mail from Christian Book Distributors. And let me say right up front, I buy from CBD. I enjoy browsing through their books and Bibles.

And believe me, they have them all…Maximixed Living Bibles, Power of a Praying Woman’s Bibles, Extreme Teen Bibles, Children’s Study Bibles, Bible-in-a-Bag Bibles, Livin' Out Your Faith Bibles, Duct Tape Bibles, Word on the Street Bibles, Revolution Bibles, Spirit-filled Life Bibles, Study Bibles, Learning Bibles, Journaling Bibles, Backpack Bibles, and of course, Veggie Tales Bibles. Oh yes.

And guess what? All of those Bibles come in multiple translations, print sizes, and bindings with every kind of feature you can imagine. The 64-page catalog is jammed with fine print listings of Bible after Bible. And just in case I can't find the right Bible from thousands of choices in the catalog, well then, there are even more Bibles on the website.

But hold on...why do we need so many Bibles? Especially when research shows people are reading them less and less. And especially, especially, when there are places in the world that have no Bible translation at all. Seriously…why?

I say it’s time for Christian publishers and retailers to rethink their true motivation for selling Bibles; is it really to promote the Word of God? And I say it’s time for Western Christians to stop spending so much money on designer Bibles; couldn't we use at least some of that money to support efforts to translate and distribute Bibles in areas of the world that have none at all, like the Last Languages Campaign sponsored by Wycliffe Bible Translators?

But most of all, I say it’s time for me to stop lusting after a new leather-bound Kitchen Sink Bible and start doing a better job of reading and living the one I already have. How about you?

A Daily Dose of Scripture

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:19:00 +0000

A lot of Christians think that "a daily dose of Scripture" will keep them spiriutally healthy. And today, new technology gives us lots of cool ways to get that dose--CD's in the car, iPods in the gym, emails at work. There's even a program that automatically calls your cell phone with a recorded Bible verse every day. It all sounds good, but I wonder if we're losing sight of something important.

I'm reminded of people who buy those Vitamin Paks at the convenience store. You've seen it. Folks are too busy to eat at home so they stop in for quick bite during the day--a couple of doughnuts and a 24 oz. coffee, or maybe a chili-cheese dog, some chips and a Super-Big-Gulp of Mountain Dew. Oh sure, it's bad for you, but come on, it tastes great and there's no time for anything else.

Then at the check-out counter they grab a Vitamin Pak, those foil packets with several multi-colored vitamin pills inside. Who knows what's in them...and who cares? It's just vitamins; maybe they'll cancel out the effect of the junk food.

Isn't that how some Christians approach Bible reading? We're too busy and distracted to develop a balanced spiritual life of worship, prayer, rest and service. Plus, sitting down to thoughtfully read the B-I-B-L-E seems like an old-fashioned methodology. That's why a digital dose of Scripture is so appealing. One quick gulp and bingo!, we're good. But the truth is, convenience store spirituality isn't a very good way to draw closer to God.

I think it's great that new technology offers unprecidented opporutnities to distribute God's Word to a needy world; the church should do everything it can to take advantage of this. But in the process we must not forget what makes Bible reading effective. It doesn't do much good to force down a handful of Scripture if we don't also take time to understand and apply it.

So whether we prefer a digital Bible or a "dead tree Bible" the key is to "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest" God's Word, as the classic prayer in The Book of Common Prayer says. That's still the foundation of a healthy spiritual life.

A New Bible Reading Method

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:40:00 +0000

Allen Huth has given his life to promoting a method of Bible reading that's new to most Christians.

He's the founder of The Ezra Project, a ministry committed to closing the gap between God's people and God's Word. A few weeks ago I spent a day with Allen exploring ways The Ezra Project and Scripture Union might be able to work together. I came away impressed by his single-minded zeal for reversing the decline in Bible reading among American church-goers.

"People know about the research from Barna and Gallup saying that a lot of Christians don't pay attention to the Bible anymore," he told me, "but no one seems to care. I don't get it." What Allen has been doing about it through The Ezra Project is to speak at churches of all sizes challenging people to give his new Bible reading method a try.

So what's the new method? It's simple: Just do it. Just get out your Bible and read it. Every day. That's what Allen has been doing ever since God got his attention with a near fatal car accident at age 15. And after reading God's Word he writes his insights in a journal. That basic discipline has changed Allen's life; it's the "new method" he's encouraging everyone to follow.

"I know I'm asking people to do something they don't do much anymore," Allen told me, "read and write." Even so, he presses on. In just over 7 years he has personally motivated over 9,000 people to give his Bible reading method a try.

I believe Allen Huth is part of the growing number of people God is raising up to ignite a Bible reading revival in the church. If you want to be part of this growing movement, if you have an idea for promoting Bible reading in your church, here's my advice to you: Just do it.

Citywide Bible Reading Campaign in Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:06:00 +0000

For the past year Scripture Union has been part of an inter-faith effort sponsored by the National Bible Association to promote Bible reading in the City of Philadelphia. Called Philadelphia National Bible City 2009, the project culminated with a series of public Bible readings at places like City Hall, Independence Hall and the historic Christ Church. (At left, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter reads Psalm 27.) As part of the project, Scripture Union and the American Bible Society produced a student edition of The Essential 100 and distributed 100,000 copies of it to schools throughout the city. (Click the triangle "play" button inside the photo below to see a video report that aired on CBN.)

A Surprising Example of Bible Reading Revival

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:19:00 +0000

While the leaders of the Episcopal Church-USA spent the past year redefining marriage and suing their own local parishes, a surprising thing has begun to happen under the radar in that troubled denomination. I know because I've seen it.

What's happening is that a Bible reading revival is beginning at the grassroots level. It's not widespread, and it certainly is not being promoted by the denominational hierarchy. But it's starting to spread and it offers what I believe is the best hope for the reformation of the Western Church.

I saw a wonderful example of it at Church of the Holy Comforter in Sumter, SC, where I preached and spoke several times this past weekend. Last year the congregation completed a program called The Essential 100 Challenge, a 20-week overview of the Bible. Now they are in the middle of The Essential Jesus Challenge, a 20-week journey through God's plan of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. Holy Comforter is just one of over 1,000 US churches who have completed these Scripture Union programs.

But the key to what's happening at Holy Comforter is not a program. Rather, it's the commitment of the Rector, The Rev. Dr. John Barr (pictured with me above) to leading his people into a regular pattern of Bible reading. In fact, that's one of his church's core values.

What Father John has done using the Essential programs is encourage his people to read 5 Bible passages each week. He then reinforces it by preaching on one of the 5 passages the following Sunday, and integrating the passages into the network of small groups throughout the church. The key is that a good percentage of the congregation is reading the same passages of the Bible...together. "That simple formula," says Father John, "has made a big difference in this church." It's a real-life example of community-based Bible reading (a concept I've described in an earlier post on this blog).

I know it's just one example. But I believe it offers a picture of how renewal will come to the Episcopal Church-USA (my own denomination) and to any other denomination that is losing its grip on the authority of Scripture. Instead of just paying lawyers to argue about procedures and property, we also need to fan the flame of Bible reading revival in the pews. Because once that gets ignited, and begins to spread, there's no procedural vote or court decision that will be able to stop it.

Defending the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:16:00 +0000

Last summer I heard a story on the National Public Radio program All Things Considered that really irritated me. I thought the on-air correspondent took a cheap shot at the Bible. In fact, I was so frustrated I felt I had to do something to set the record straight.

Have you ever felt that way? Offended, frustrated even angry by how the media portrays the Bible and Bible-believing people? We all have, but the question is: What’s the best way to defend the Bible in a pluralistic society?

There’s no easy answer. And too often, Christians do a bad job of defending the Good Book. We forget to “speak the truth in love.” Or we’re content to speak only to ourselves. Demonizing “them” may be good for getting a hearty Amen! (or for fund raising), but it won’t change anyone’s mind. If we really want to defend the Bible, we must first read it and live it ourselves. Then we must thoughtfully and lovingly engage with those who don’t believe it.

So what did I do last summer? The radio story was about the struggles of a gay black man, infected with HIV, living in the south. I thought, prayed and then sent the following email:

I appreciated Brenda Wilson’s segment about the rising rate of HIV infection among gay black men because it was informative and helped me understand the pain of the man she interviewed.

But in the middle of her story, Ms. Wilson injected her own bias against Bible-believing people, at one point referring to the source of the man’s struggles by saying, “This is, after all, the Bible belt” with a condescending tone. It’s true that some Bible believers, and non-Bible believers, are not compassionate towards those infected by HIV, and that’s wrong. But the source of the man’s problem, as he admitted, was his own high risk sexual behavior.

It is not intolerant or unloving to say that the Bible is the solution to, not the source of, the problems Ms. Wilson highlighted in her story. If more people followed the Bible’s teaching on sexuality, there would be less sexually transmitted disease and more married couples enjoying God’s gift of sex. And if more people followed the Bible’s teaching about showing compassion to the sick, the friendless and the needy, there would be less people experiencing the kind of anguish as the man in the story.

What happened as a result of my effort? Well, nothing that I could see. I never heard back from Brenda Wilson, All Things Considered or National Public Radio. But I did what I could to thoughtfully and lovingly speak up for God’s Word. I believe that’s the best way to defend the Bible to a skeptical and needy world. And that’s the opportunity both you and I have, every day.

Losing the Battle for the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:26:00 +0000

For decades Christians have been engaged in a battle for the Bible. We’re frustrated that God’s Word is being removed from the public square. We’re annoyed by a confused interpretation of “the separation of church and state” that privatizes the Bible’s message. And we’re determined not to let the media disrespect God’s Word any longer.

There’s only one problem. We’re losing the battle…and it’s our own fault. Why? Because most Christians would rather fight about the Bible than actually read it and live it. While we've been busy on the front lines of the culture wars, statistics show that Bible reading among church-goers has been in decline.

90% of Americans own at least one Bible
Less than 20% will read the Bible through in their lifetime
45% “rarely/never” read the Bible
4% of Americans have a biblical worldview
9% of those “born again” have a biblical worldview

That’s why I’m convinced that the best way to promote biblical values in America is not to force The Good Book on a secular world. Rather, it’s for the church to have a widespread renewal of Bible reading and living. That will have a greater impact, at far less cost, than anything else we can do.

When I became the president of Scripture Union, I began asking God to cause Bible reading to take off like wildfire. I know only He can make that happen. But I believe there are at least two things we can do to help. First, we can commit to the basic discipline of reading God’s Word ourselves. And second, we can pray that God will “ignite a Bible reading revival” beginning in the church. Are you with me?

What is Bible Engagement?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:32:00 +0000

We don’t need more Bibles in America.

Why? Because we’re saturated with them already. Ninety percent of American households have one or more Bibles. Barnes and Noble sells more Bibles than most Christian bookstores. And the Bible is available free online in multiple translations.

What we need is more Bible engagement. The question is, what exactly is that?

On a practical level it means there are different ways to take in the Bible’s message—reading, listening, discussing, watching, acting, etc. And on a philosophical level it means there are different outcomes that can result from connecting with the Bible.

I believe there are three main outcomes: a) Knowledge: we can learn more about the Bible; b)Truth: we can understand and base our lives on biblical principles; c) Relationship: we can experience the presence of the living God as we read and attempt to obey his Word.

My observation is that most Bible engagement programs available today focus on knowledge and truth, both of which are important. But the outcome that makes the Bible come alive, and the one that people are most hungry for, is a real encounter with God. So while all our Bible engagement efforts must be well-designed and must aim for habit formation, the most important thing is that they must also help people develop a relationship with God. That’s what Scripture Union is all about (“Helping people meet God every day”).

The Bible Reading Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:26:00 +0000

In the summer of 1974 I began receiving letters from a girl in New York. I was living in Maryland and I didn’t realize it then, but those letters taught me something very important about the Bible. At the time, I just wanted to keep them a secret.

I was a maintenance man that summer at a girl’s camp. Part of my responsibility was to supervise a group of teenaged boys who worked in the kitchen and helped me with odd jobs around the camp. They were “girl crazy” to say the least. I spent all summer trying to keep them focused on work and studying the Bible. I don’t think I was very successful.

But that’s why I kept the letters I was receiving a secret. They were from Carol, the girl I would marry three years later. I didn’t want the boys to taunt me, “You tell us not to think so much about girls, but look at you!”

The truth is, I loved getting those letters. I loved when the envelope was thick, which meant there were many pages inside. I loved the small, careful handwriting. I loved to read the descriptions of what was happening in New York. On the outside, I was a maintenance man trying to coach some boys towards “the better angels of the nature.” On the inside, my heart was alive and drawing closer to my future wife.

Whenever I think of those letters I wonder, “What made them so exciting to me?” Was it the number of pages, the style of writing, or even the events they described? Yes, that was all part of it. But the most exiting thing was that somewhere, far, far away, there was a beautiful girl with long brown hair who loved a tall lanky boy like me. What made the letters come alive was the person on the other end.

And that’s how they taught me something about Bible reading. Too often, we take an intellectual approach to the Bible. We think that studying more and more will somehow make God’s Word come alive. Of course, it’s valuable to gain Bible knowledge and to learn biblical truth. But the most exciting thing about reading the Bible is to gain a deeper relationship with the Person behind it. I call it “relational Bible reading,” and I believe it’s the active ingredient in a healthy devotional life.

Do you want to make your Bible reading come alive? Then approach it as if it were a letter from God. And as you read, remember that your goal is not to just to study a book; it’s to develop a lifetime relationship with the One who loves you more than you could ever think or imagine.

Information on Having Whitney T. Kuniholm Speak to Your Church, Conference or Group

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Mr. Whitney T. Kuniholm
President
Scripture Union/USA

Whitney T. Kuniholm is the President of Scripture Union/USA and the author of The Essential Bible Guide, The Essential Jesus and John: An Eyewitness Account of the Son of God. In addition, he is a regular contributor to Scripture Union’s Encounter with God Bible Guide.

As a speaker, Mr. Kuniholm communicates biblical insights using a warm and story-filled style that works well for churches, Christian conferences, men’s groups and a variety of other gatherings. His messages offer practical help on topics such as the deeper Christian life, following Jesus in the real world, making God’s Word come alive and developing a “prayer lifestyle.” He can also address particular themes for special occasions.

If you are interested in having Mr. Kuniholm speak to your church or group, contact us for more information. Email: info@scriptureunion.org Phone: 1-610-935-2807. (Mr. Kuniholm donates all his book royalties and speaking honorariums to the ministry of Scripture Union.)

Bio: Whitney T. Kuniholm

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Mr. Whitney T. Kuniholm

President

Scripture Union/USA

Whitney T. Kuniholm is the President of Scripture Union/USA. He has written several books including The Essential Bible Guide(Waterbrook), The Essential Jesus (IVP) and John: An Eyewitness Account of the Son of God (Waterbrook). He also speaks at churches and Christian conferences.

Scripture Union is an interdenominational ministry with a twofold mission: 1) Helping people of all ages meet God in the Bible and prayer, and 2) Reaching children in the “4-14 window” with God’s Good News.

Scripture Union publishes four daily Bible reading guides for individuals and groups: Discovery® and Encounter with God® for adults, Snapshots for ages 7-10 and SUbmerge for ages 11-14. These are distributed to over 40,000 adults and children every quarter. Scripture Union also has two highly-effective churchwide Bible reading programs--The Essential 100 Challenge and The Essential Jesus Challenge--both of which are based on books by Mr.Kuniholm. In addition, Scripture Union conducts Bible-based programs for at-risk children including SuperKids® summer missions, and PrimeTime® after school programs. Scripture Union formed a partnership with The Salvation Army for the implementation of its children’s outreach ministry in the United States.

Prior to Scripture Union, Mr. Kuniholm was Executive Vice President for Prison Fellowship Ministries near Washington, DC, a ministry he served in a variety of roles for 13 years. Mr. Kuniholm graduated from Houghton College in 1976 with a degree in Bible and business. In 1991 he was recognized as the Houghton College Young Alumnus of the Year. Whitney and his wife, Carol, have three grown children, two grandchildren, and live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Kuniholm can be contacted at: Scripture Union/USA P.O. Box 215 Valley Forge, PA 19481-0215 Phone: 610-935-2807 x403 Cell: 610-608-4872 Email: whitneyk@scriptureunion.org Website: www.ScriptureUnion.org.