I don’t know about you, but when I became a Christian I was overly thankful to call Jesus my Savior.  The thirst for His Word and yearning to know more about being a Christian was intense. I wanted to connect with Him in every way I could.  I wanted to talk to him, share with him, and learn more about him.  At the same time, as a new Christian I felt overwhelmed with the thought of reading the Bible and how much information it contains.  So, I started reading in Genesis, figuring that was the best place to start since it was THE beginning.  That wasn’t the best idea.

One of my Christian friends told me the best place to dive into the Bible is through John.  The Gospel of John provides “the milk” for new believers and allows them to start learning about Jesus, what grace is, and how we are supposed to live as followers of Christ.  Leon Morris wrote that John’s Gospel is a pool in which both a child can wade in and an elephant can swim in.

By starting with John, a reader can learn the best of Jesus’ work that is selected to illustrate both Jesus’ deity and humanity. John includes seven of Jesus’ miracles, moments where Jesus reacts to life as we might have, the knowledge of who Jesus really is, and John affirms Jesus’ role as creator of all things.

Once a new believer reads through John, it is best to read it again.  The Bible is the Living Word and we can understand something new from it every time we read it.  Once John has been read twice, then move on to Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  They offer a different perspective on the stories, mention a few more miracles and parables, and give a lot more detail on the genealogy of Jesus.  Reading the New Testament in its entirety allows readers to better understand the Old Testament. 

Take your time and don’t rush through your reading.  Purchase a journal Bible and take notes, write down questions to ask your Pastor, and make sure to rely on good resources and commentaries, not just any internet site for your answers. 

Another good idea is to join a small group at a local church so you can go through a book study and begin learning how to study the Bible.  As you draw closer to God, He will draw closer to you. 

Having God in your life is a true blessing!  Warriors for God Ministry is available to help you on your journey and answer questions as needed.