How (Not) to Read the Bible Book Club: Never Read a Bible Verse

How (Not) to Read the Bible

A Small Group Book Club

Week 2: Never Read a Bible Verse

Of course, it's wonderful to think God has plans for us to prosper. But we have to be careful we aren't taking Bible verses and applying a promise to us that God didn't make to us.

Dan Kimball Tweet

Reading

Read the following chapters before gathering.

Discussion

In these chapters, Pastor Dan Kimball, acknowledges the confusing and problematic statements and stories within the Bible. He argues that how we approach and understand the Bible as a whole can either help or hinder us when we encounter these passages. He emphasizes four key principles to keep in mind:

The Bible is a library, not a book.
The Bible was written for us, but not to us.
Never read a Bible verse.
All the Bible points to Jesus.

How might understanding the Bible as a library rather than a book help you better understand it?
What are the differences between understanding the Bible as written for you and written to you?
How can reading a verse or sentence in the Bible out of its context promote misunderstandings and confusion?
How does it encourage and help you to recognize that the entire library of the Bible points to Jesus in some way? Even the complicated texts?