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Christian Living

Two Ways to Read the Bible

There are two approaches to take when reading the Bible: quantity and quality.

Quantity

In the past I’ve read the entire Bible through in a year, many times.

Other times I’ve opted to read the Old Testament in a year and many more times, the New Testament in a year.

The pace is a bit different for each, but the goal is to methodically read vast amounts of the Bible in the course of one year.

Lately I’ve been on a chapter a day plan.

Quality

Sometimes when reading the Bible, I will tarry with a verse or passage, not moving on until I’ve received insight.

Other times, I’ll read the same section for several days in a row, seeking deeper understanding.

Which is Best?

The short answer is both.

There’s merit in the quantity approach, for it gives us the big picture. And there’s merit for the quality approach, for it reveals depth and meaning.

How do you read the Bible: quantity, quality, haphazardly, not at all?

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: Divided by Faith

Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America

By Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)

Divided by Faith investigates race relations between whites and blacks in the United States.

Although white evangelicals have a well-intentioned desire to end racial inequality, their efforts can—and have—unwittingly serve to do more harm than good, “actually recreating racial divisions and inequalities,” (p 1).

A key issue is that the actuality of racial issues is largely invisible to—and therefore misunderstood by—most white people.

Compounding this is the reality that 90% or more attend a church that is predominately comprised of people of their same race, producing congregational segregation.

This racial isolation exacerbates the tension.

Emerson and Smith give a detailed historical perspective of this issue as it relates to U.S. churches and church activities, specifically from evangelicals.

They then look at the present situation, sharing numerous detailed accounts from the people they interviewed in the course of their research.

The differences in perceptions and understandings of race issues among most whites and blacks are stark and in sharp contrast.

Succinctly, most white people lack the ability to comprehend the reality of struggles and obstacles that most black people face on a daily basis.

For white people, “race is not a focal point in their day-to-day lived experience,” (p 71).

To illustrate the point, Emerson and Smith share a profoundly effective parable that explains this disconnect in a poignant and most enlightening manner (p 110).

A reoccurring discussion in the book is exploring the source of the black/white socioeconomic gap. Is the gap individual in nature (ability and motivation) or structural (education and discrimination)?

Answering this question would provide much-needed guidance in dealing with and overcoming the socioeconomic gap, but the answers are both complex and evasive.

In addition to the book’s many recorded and enlightening personal interviews are numerous facts and statistics produced through research.

As such, much of the book has a formal and academic nature that may unwittingly obscure clear solutions to racial issues in American society, in general, and the evangelical church, specifically.

What is clear is that “good intentions are not enough. But educated, sacrificial, realistic efforts made in faith across racial lines can help…” (p 172). And that is a good place to start.

[Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America, by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith. Published by Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN: 978-0-19-514707-0, 212 pages.]

Read more book reviews by Peter DeHaan.SaveSave

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Bible Insights

Three Responses to Jesus

In Matthew’s biography of Jesus, he repeats one phrase three times: “When Jesus had finished saying these things…” From this we can list three responses to Jesus.

This phrase signals a transition in the story. Jesus spoke to the people and afterward the people respond:

  • One time they were amazed.
  • One time they followed him.
  • One time they did nothing.

Today people’s reactions to Jesus occur in the same three ways:

  • They may respect him as a teacher, but nothing more.
  • They may follow him.
  • They may ignore him.

Respecting Jesus is a great place to start, but following him is what he desires.

[Matthew 7:28, 19:1, and 26:1]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

Categories
Christian Living

Seven Reflections on Halloween

My perspective on Halloween has changed over the years. Here are my seven reflections on Halloween

As a kid I relished the opportunity to score some candy, a rare and treasured treat.

As a teen I was too old to go trick-or-treating, but there was usually a party to go to or friends to hang out with.

As newly married and in our first home there was the excitement of being on the giving end for the first time.

As parents of young kids, their excitement became our excitement: costumes, the trek around the neighborhood, fawning neighbors, memorable photos, sorting through their haul, and then attempting to teach restrained candy consumption.

As parents of teens, they celebrated with friends, while mom and dad stayed home to dole out the goodies.

As empty nesters, I’ve taken over the role of handing out treats to our neighbors. Not only do I have a brief conversation with each kid, but I also often have a quick interaction with the parent who accompany the younger ones.

In the grandkid phase is the opportunity to overindulge. Pile high the candy and then give them back to mom and dad just before the sugar hits.

These seven reflections on Halloween carry with it past memories and future anticipations.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

Categories
Bible Insights

What if God Told You to do Something Crazy?

A guy named Peter knew how to fish. That was his trade, his livelihood. When it came to catching fish, he was the expert.

Peter’s buddy Jesus was a carpenter by trade. He knew how to make things with his hands, things constructed of wood. He was an expert at woodworking.

So when the professional fisherman didn’t catch a thing, it seems strange for the professional carpenter to offer him fishing advice.

But that’s exactly what Jesus did to Peter, the novice told the expert what to do.

It would have been entirely reasonable for Peter to dismiss Jesus, after all, Peter had been fishing his entire life; Jesus had not.

Yet Peter set aside his pride and disregarded his experience, agreeing to do what Jesus said, just “because you say so.”

Sometimes what God tells us to do seems foolish, sometimes we know better and want to ignore his advice. But if we are truly wise we will do it anyway, just because he says so.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 4-6 , and today’s post is on Luke 5:1-11.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Categories
Christian Living

Do You Love God or Fear Him?

For the past two weeks, I’ve been sharing a progression of thought about God as it relates to love and fear.

Consider:

We are to fear God, which begins to produce understanding and wisdom. We grow to understand that God is love and ultimately that perfect love—as embodied by Jesus—removes our fear.

Though we may start with fear, God’s perfect love (Jesus) removes it.

It is the love of Jesus that supersedes our fear of God.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

Categories
Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: Stark Raving Obedience

Stark Raving Obedience: Radical Results from Listening Prayer

By Ted Kallman and Isaiah Kallman (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)

“The only way to have a personal relationship with anyone is to talk with them, to build trust and have a history with them,” (p 12).

This is a fitting perspective for Ted and Isaiah Kallman’s book Stark Raving Obedience: Radical Results from Listening Prayer.

The father and son duo then devote the rest of the book to relating their experiences—which are both encouraging and challenging—and sharing the lessons they have learned as they journeyed down the path of listening to God.

With chapter titles such as “Listening,” “Earplugs,” “Intimacy,” “Authority and Healing,” and “When You Pray,” the direction and intent of Stark Raving Obedience is aptly mapped out.

As a bonus, the book contains an appendix packed full of relevant Bible passages on the subject.

However, Stark Raving Obedience is about more than just listening prayer; it’s about really knowing God (p 18).

Listening prayer, although similar to centering prayer or contemplative prayer, is different (p 28). Of course after listening, comes obeying.

As we do so, God “will make us uncomfortable and stretch our faith,” (85). The Kallmans do warn that “not every voice is God,” (p 116), so discernment is critical. Fortunately, they provide guidance in that area as well.

Stark Raving Obedience is a quick and easy read, but is packed full of challenging teaching on what a truly vibrant life of listening prayer can look like and mean.

For those of us whose spirits yearn for more, Stark Raving Obedience moves in that direction.

[Stark Raving Obedience: Radical Results from Listening Prayer, by Ted Kallman and Isaiah Kallman. Published by PrayerShop Publishing, 2009, ISBN: 978-1-935012-09-2; 140 pages.]

Read more book reviews by Peter DeHaan.Save

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Peter DeHaan News

Peter DeHaan Addresses Breathe Conference

Author Peter DeHaan spoke at the Breathe Christian Writers Conference on October 12, 2012, in Dutton Michigan. This year’s conference enjoyed a record attendance and attendees flocked to Peter DeHaan’s workshop, “Writing 101: Getting Started in Your Writing Career.”

Although billed as an introductory session, it was attended by both new and experienced writers.

“I was honored by the high turnout at my workshop,” said Peter DeHaan. “I printed three times as many handouts as I thought I’d need–and I still ran out.”

Author Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity

After the session, DeHaan conducted one-on-one meetings with several attendees and had a follow-up lunch session with others.

“The response was great to what I shared,” added DeHaan. “The attendees were eager to learn and I was honored by their presence and feedback.”

Attendees were excited about what Peter shared. “This was an excellent workshop,” stated Cathy Rueter. “This was my third year at Breathe and [Peter’s] was one of the most informative workshops I’ve attended.”

Tom Zook, another attendee, enthusiastically added, “Excellent content; wonderful presentation.”

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Categories
Bible Insights

God is Love

In the Old Testament of the Bible we read the command to “fear God.” In the New Testament we read “God is Love.”

How can we fear someone who is loving? Is it even possible to do?

Is there a difference between fearing God in the Old Testament and a God of love in the New Testament?

Although it’s the same God in both, one who doesn’t change, the difference is Jesus. Jesus alters the way we understand and perceive God.

True, God is to be feared and God is love. This is a spiritual paradox we need to accept.

In the Old Testament, the focus is on the law (rules) and the result is fear because we fall short. In the New Testament, Jesus fulfills the law (overcomes or replaces rules) with love. The result is that love trumps fear.

This doesn’t mean we should completely disregard a healthy fear of God, but instead to temper our fear with his love.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 John 1-4 and today’s post is on 1 John 4:8 and 16.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

Categories
Christian Living

What is a Spiritual Community?

As a writer, I write alone; it’s a solitary activity.

So it’s good for me to periodically emerge from my self-imposed cocoon and spend time with other people—and other writers are the people who understand me best, those with who I am most comfortable to be around.

I just returned from a Christian Writers conference. It was a great time, full of information, encouragement, and rejuvenation. While writing was the focus, God was the foundation; it was a spiritual time.

As my buddy, Gerald the Writer, and I headed home, we processed out loud what we had experienced. It was a community, a spiritual community. The only problem is that it only occurs once a year.

However, the writing critique group we started happens every month. It’s also a spiritual community. We’re with kindred spirits and God is in our midst.

Our group’s focus is writing and helping each other hone our craft. Sometimes what we write is about God and other times, not, but regardless, it is all done for God.

Though we may sometimes pray, it’s not an obligation to do so according to schedule.

Though we may sometimes talk about the Bible, it’s not a preplanned activity. And if the subject of theology comes up, we quickly push it aside—it is not our goal to critique that.

Those who advocate a formula for spiritual community would dismiss us as missing out because we break all their rules.

But for us it is our spiritual community and our most significant one.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.