Max Anders - 30 Days to Understanding the Bible Study Guide: Unlock the Scriptures in 15 Minutes a Day

L ets make a bargain. If you will give me fifteen minutes a day for the next six weeks, I will give you an understanding of the Bible. In the course of this study, you will learn the story of the entire Bible... the major characters, major events, major points of geography, and major doctrines. You will be able to put these people and facts together in their proper chronological order and trace the geographic movement as you think your way through the entire Bible.

What is more, you will do this with a group of people like yourself who also want to gain a greater understanding of the story, history, geography, and teachings of the Bible. With this in mind, we have developed this study to be experienced in a group setting such as a Bible study, Sunday school class, or any small group gathering. Each session begins with a welcome section and two questions to get you and your group thinking about the topic. You will then watch a video featuring Max Anders and engage in some small-group discussion.

During the week, you will maximize the impact of this course by completing five daily personal studies, each of which has been designed to take fifteen minutes to complete. You will also be encouraged at the end of the first session to select one person from the group to serve as your partner throughout the course. You will check in with this person during the week to reflect on what you have learned and share your insights together.

All of the small-group members should have their own copy of this study guide. Each member is also encouraged to have a copy of the 30 Days to Understanding the Bible book, as reading it alongside the curriculum will provide deeper insights and will make the journey more meaningful. (See the For Next Week section at the end of each between-studies section for the chapters in the book that correspond to the material you and your group are discussing.)

To get the most out of your group experience, keep the following points in mind. First, the real growth in this study will happen during your small-group time. This is where you will process the content of the teaching for the week, ask questions, and learn from others as you hear what God is doing in their lives. For this reason, it is important for you to be fully committed to the group and attend each session so you can build trust and rapport with the other members. If you choose to only go through the motions, or if you refrain from participating, there is a lesser chance you will find what youre looking for during this study.

Second, remember that the goal of your small group is to serve as a place where people can share, learn about God, and also build intimacy and friendship. For this reason, seek to make your group a safe place. This means being honest about your thoughts and feelings and listening carefully to everyone elses opinion. (If you are a group leader, there are additional instructions and resources in the back of the book for leading a productive discussion group.)

Third, resist the temptation to fix a problem people in the group might be having or to correct their theology, as that is not the purpose of your small-group time. Also, keep everything your group shares confidential. This will foster a rewarding sense of community in your group and create a place where people can heal, be challenged, and grow spiritually.

The Bible is an enormous book covering much information and many subjects. It is simply not possible to learn everything about it in six weeks. But you can gain a beginning knowledgeand overviewthat you can use to build a more complete understanding in the years ahead. Over the course of this study, you can gain a foundational grasp of the most important book ever written. So, lets get started!

Max Anders

SESSION ONE
AN OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE

If you want to learn architecture, you must first learn how buildings are put together. If you want to learn sailing, you must first learn how ships are put together. And if you want to understand the Bible, you must first learn how the Bible is put together.

M AX A NDERS