Study...

Today I sent in my article for Kaio magazine - The Christian magazine for teens. The entire issue is on Bible Study for teens, young adults, and everybody really. I have a regular column aptly named "Bible Study" that I write for in just about every issue. Sometimes I enthusiastically send my article off. Other times I hesitantly send them off, and even then only because the editor threatens my life if I don't send it NOW! When I sent my article off today I was more excited than I have ever been. It wouldn't be right for me to publish the whole thing here (why would anyone buy the magazine if they could get all the articles online for free), but I'm going to give you a little sneak peak... shhhhhhh! Don't tell the editor!

Why does any of that really matter? Well if you care about the destiny of your soul it matters. Peter speaking of Paul’s writings says that in them there “are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). Did you catch that? Destruction! Failure on your part to properly study and apply Scripture can lead to your own destruction. That is exactly what happened to the people of Israel. God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you…” (Hosea 4:6). Are you still sure you want to leave study up to your parents, your preacher, and your Bible class teacher? Now stop reading this and start studying the Scriptures!

If you want to read the rest of it you have to get a subscription. Better yet, get a subscription for you and some teens and young adults too!

It's All Greek To Me

On Thursdays I speak in chapel at the Hughson Christian School. It’s my old education institution of the fourth grade. It was just me and Joanne Dee in the fourth grade. Mrs. Gillaspie was our teacher. She also had second and third graders. Mr. Gillaspie, her husband, taught us Bible about one day a week. It was almost twenty years ago that I was in fourth grade there, and Mrs. Gillaspie is still teaching! Mr Gillaspie, however, was taken from this world after being hit by a drunk driver while on his postal route.

Mr. Gillaspie was a very special person. When I think about him today I think of a person that cared about me. It wasn’t a job… it was him being who he was. One memory I have that I will never forget is when he took me and a couple other guys backpacking for a few days.

Now I fill Mr. Gillaspie’s shoes once a week, to the best of my ability, by teaching thirteen third through eight graders Bible. I feel like I owe it to him. What better way to honor the life of someone than to try to pick up where he left off and keep his work moving forward. So Mr. Gillaspie, if you have internet up there, I hope you’re proud of me.

That was just the introduction! This segment is something I’d like to call, “It’s All Greek To Me.” I’ve only had these kids for about four sessions including today. The first fifteen minutes of class we’ve been learning the Greek alphabet. Yes, the Greek alphabet. We have a club called the “It’s All Greek To Me” club. Entrance into the club is simple. You must be able to recite the entire Greek alphabet from memory. Today almost half the class entered the club after only four weeks!

What about you? Can you join the club? You better get started now or these kids are going to be giving you a run for your money. They are quickly putting the tools in their belt to be able to do excellent Bible study by looking up words in original language sources. If third through eighth graders can do it don’t you think you can? Come on and join the club!