It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I realized I had huge gaps in my theological education. At that point, I had minimal exposure to the entire content of Scripture and no idea how the Old and New Testaments “fit together”―God’s redemptive purposes being progressively revealed, culminating in the Person and work of Christ. Furthermore, even though I had been raised in the church and became a believer in my late teens, I still had a very limited grasp of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith.
Can you or someone you know relate to my experience? Is there an easy, accessible resource that can help adults get up to speed, so to speak? Consider this testimony we recently received regarding More Than a Story: Exploring the Message of the Bible with Children:
The Subtitle for More Than A Story is expressed as Exploring the Message of the Bible with Children. It is true that it is the amazing story of the Bible expressed and illustrated in a way that children can understand the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man, our problem because of sin, and God’s amazing grace that has saved and redeemed us as His children. It teaches the next generation the great truths of the Bible, about God and His character, and the great lengths that He has gone through to restore our relationship with Him. It teaches the gospel and draws children to God and their need for Him, and has great questions at the end of each chapter for deeper discussion and application of God’s Truth. But, it is a book of truth for more than children.
…I have used [the truths highlighted] from More Than A Story in my adult small group discussions, as it breaks down the theological concepts and biblical doctrines in very understandable ways to enable God’s teaching of the Bible to penetrate the heart, mind, and will of adults. We had a brand new adult Christian in our church who did not grow up reading the Bible or understanding the Truths of the Bible. When my wife and I were discussing these biblical truths with her, I brought out More Than a Story, and we read from it to provide further clarification and revelation to what we were discussing, and even used the questions at the end of the chapter for discussion for application….We gave her both the Old Testament and New Testament volumes and told her to take them home and read them, providing her with a great understanding of God, His character, and His plan of redemption and salvation for sinful people.
As this testimony demonstrates, More Than A Story can serve more than children. While the writing is child-friendly, it is neither childish nor simplistic. Furthermore, the classic watercolor illustrations are realistically composed and convey the proper historical context of people and events. It is a wonderful resource for adults who have not been fully acquainted with the Bible’s main content, message, and doctrines, or adults who want an engaging refresher course.
