Here’s an excerpt from an article I wrote for LifeWay’s Facts and Trends about teaching someone to read the Bible.
New Christians or Christians who are trying to develop a habit of regular Bible reading are often encouraged to begin with the Gospel of John.
And I understand why: John is filled to the brim with exciting stuff. It begins with an epic prologue, and right away, you see Jesus performing miracles and saying challenging and provocative things. So, it’s certainly a good place to meet Jesus in His Word, and it keeps your attention as you learn.
Still, though, most often when I’m reading the Bible with someone to disciple them or to help them explore Christianity, I start with the Gospel of Matthew.
IT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND AN ANCIENT TRADITION.
For someone who’s unfamiliar with Scripture, it’s easy to help them understand that the Bible is broken down into two parts: an old covenant and a new covenant. Because of that, it also makes sense to most new Bible readers that the beginning of one of those sections—Matthew—is a natural place to start.
Read the rest here.
Joshua Wester 