Pastor Says New Book 'Believe, NIV' Combats Bible Illiteracy And Paves the Way for a More Christ-Like Life
Christian publishing company Zondervan is offering readers a distinctive look at Scripture in the new book, Believe, NIV so that they may become more like Jesus this year.
Believe, NIV is an ultimate 30-chapter guide that features an easy-to-follow topical abridgement of the Bible complete with key beliefs, practices and virtues of the Christian faith.
Furthermore, the follow-up to The Story, Believe offers a spiritual experience that Randy Frazee, general editor and senior minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, says will help countless Christians lead a more Christ-like life.
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The senior minister told The Christian Post that Believe, NIV makes the Bible more accessible in a time where reading Scripture is widely sidestepped.
"I became a pastor in 1989, and I remember the fire in my belly to really make a difference in the world," Frazee said. "Then in the '90s, George Gallup wrote a book, The People's Religion, which was a massive study on the state of American Christianity. The summary haunted me as a pastor — 'The churches in America face no bigger challenge than overcoming biblical illiteracy,' it said."
Frazee went on to cite the huge challenge involved with overcoming biblical illiteracy, including the fact that many people don't know what they believe or why, and that our faith is not rooted in Scripture.
"We revere the Bible but don't read it," the pastor told CP. "And this really stayed with me — some observers maintain the Bible hasn't penetrated our culture in any profound way. I was haunted by that."
As a result, Frazee designed Believe, NIV to help readers uncover the core truths of the Christian faith and apply them to their lives. The book guides readers through 10 key beliefs, as stated in the Bible, 10 key practices of a Jesus-follower, and 10 key virtues that characterize someone who's becoming more like Jesus. It's divided into 20 chapters that address one of the following three questions: What do I believe? What should I do? And who am I becoming?
In addition to getting Christians closer to their goal of living more like Jesus, Frazee cited past studies that indicate people with basic spiritual practices reported leading happier lives. And lastly, the Texas pastor called on Christians to unify under the Bible's teachings.
Meanwhile, Believe, NIV is able to relate modern life to the Bible as each chapter begins with a key idea and a key verse followed by a thoughtful immersion of Scripture that directly relates to the key belief, practice or virtue. The book is complete with interactive discussion questions that can be used individually or in groups. A companion book, Think, Act, Be Like Jesus, will be release jointly with Believe, NIV.
"Believe is intended to deepen discipleship and help Christians live the story of the Bible," according to the senior vice president of Harper Collins Christian Publishing. "Presenting the Bible in topical order takes readers on a journey that dives deeper into understanding the key beliefs, practices and virtues that allow us to think, act and be like Jesus. What a person believes drives everything in their life, and Believe is a great way to take one's spiritual journey to the next level. We hope it will impact the hearts and minds of every one who reads it."
