Looking at our history of understanding the Bible, I went looking for what our various authors have said about Bible Study. It’s clear fairly early that there is a difference between the teachings of the former ‘Kingdom Teachers’ and the average evangelists. By and large, I’ll stick with the writings of the Teachers with one notable exception.

Advanced Christian Training
In 1986, the Central London Church of Christ published this book as a tool for training. It covered several topics from counseling to preaching to study to difficult challenges and more. Although not widely distributed, this book offers a look at how the Bible was studies and understood at the time.

There are two short expositions; Romans written by Gordon Ferguson and Ephesians by Tony Coffey. It would appear the Romans starts with great detail in the early part of the article, but ends with an entreaty to study the rest on your own. Tony’s outline of Ephesians is quite practical and avoids telling the reader what they should understand from Ephesians. Both articles are notably deficient in Kingdom jargon. Both spend much time on exegesis – basically providing more detail about the book and what it is saying rather than looking for how it should apply in the lives of the listeners. Both articles are good reads.

Deep Convictions
Before 1992, the only puiblication dealing with the Bible is A.C.T. First Principles taught what a person must believe to be a member of the Internations Churches of Christ. Second Principles was an outline of the Old Testament. In 1992, a book was commissioned to teach the ‘basics’ to young christians. In chapter 13, there is a week devoted to understanding Colossians.

More later.