Winning Ways: “What Are Your Bible’s Most Important Fifteen Pages?”

If you could only give someone 15 pages from your Bible, which would you choose?

Gordon MacDonald raised that question a recent article. He spoke of a visit to China 25 years ago shortly after it had opened its doors to American travelers:

My travel partner and I met a Christian woman who had not seen a copy of the Scriptures for two decades. When she spoke to us of the Scriptures, her recollection of certain stories was faulty or distorted. What could you expect from someone who hadn't seen a Bible for that many years?

Since all Bibles in the possession of travelers entering China at that time had to be registered at the border, and since we did not sense a calling to be Bible smugglers, my traveling companion and I could not pass on the Bibles that each of us had with us. But, on the other hand, it occurred to us that we could tear out certain pages from our Bibles and offer them to her. At least we were brave enough to feel certain that Chinese officials would not check our Bibles closely enough to see if every page was there.

Then MacDonald added, “By the way, if you could only give someone 15 pages of your Bible, what sections would you choose?”

Let’s see: I'd probably tear out the Parable of the Prodigal Son for her, or the pages where the Sermon on the Mount is found (Matthew 5-7). Romans 8 is a beautiful chapter. I'd definitely include the story of the cross and the resurrection from one of the Gospels. And I would think she could benefit from 1 Corinthians 15 about the hope of our own resurrection.

What about you? If you were faced with MacDonald’s opportunity and had just minutes to decide, what pages from your Bible would you give someone?

Here’s a suggestion: share this newsletter column with someone and come up with a quick list. It would make a great conversation starter for your Bible study class or PraiseHill gathering, or just for a handful of people over a lunch table.

Maybe the exchange would make us all appreciate the free access we have to our Bible. Maybe the exchange would renew our commitment to reading it!

See you and your Bible this Sunday, 9:30am or 10:45am!
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Note: If you're a regular reader to this blog, you've already seen this comment from Gordon MacDonald. I adapted it this week for my weekly e-newsletter. Each Wednesday I post my article from "Winning Ways," an e-newsletter that goes out to over 880 subscribers. If you want to subscribe to "Winning Ways," sign up here.