Rating: 
Summary: Good overview of the Bible
Review: For those who have no experience with the Bible at all, and even for those who have read the Bible through 16 times, this is a good book because it helps you understand the background of the books of Holy Writ. Whether you take 30 days or 3 months, the system is manageable because the lessons are made to be completed in about 10-15 minutes a day. For those wanting to incorporate this into a quiet time, the lessons will force you to become disciplined by writing out some of the basic information presented. Over and over again you practice what you learn. And as a teacher, I find this to be one of the best methods in teaching--learning by doing. By the end of the book, you will be looking Max Anders' name up on Amazon so you can buy other "30 Day" books.
Rating: 
Summary: Only useful to those with no Bible knowledge whatsoever
Review: Frankly, I was disappointed by this book. Having been raised as a Southern Baptist, I found myself thinking more about the people and matters the author left out of the book than the material he included. Naturally, it is quite difficult to cover the entire Bible in one normal-sized book, but I found this work to be overly simplistic and lacking in its overall presentation of the true meaning of the Bible and Christianity. The author devotes the first two-thirds or so of the book to a presentation of the geography and history of Biblical times, coupled with a quick summation of the poetical, prophetic, and instructional books. Having completed that task, he ends by summing up eight basic principles of the Bible. I had expected to find the real meat of the book in this last section, but I found it sorely wanting in terms of its exposition of Christian doctrine and guidelines. The real meaning of Jesus' life never really emerged from the pages, and the importance of faith, while addressed, was not stressed or explained as much as I would have liked or expected it to be.Certainly, the author's motives are noble, but his desire to make this book accessible to anyone and everyone results in a dry presentation that is not very compelling. This book would be most useful to persons without any kind of religious background, but I fear that it will not bring real understanding to most of its readers, nor do I think it will convince many sinners to seek God. Anyone brought up as a church-goer in a Christian denomination will learn nothing he/she didn't already learn in Sunday School as a child.
Rating:
Summary: Nice but a bit simplistic.
Review: I enjoyed breezing through this book, but it's really targeted to people with no prior experience with the Bible whatsoever. There are better books out there. I recommend Idiot's Guide to the Bible, which has more depth.
Rating:
Summary: finally an easy to follow overview
Review: I give this book five stars because it nearly meets the goal stated in its title. The Bible is difficult to understand for a variety of reasons. It was written in two non-English languages and addressed to cultures different from our own. It was written well over 1000 years ago. Additionally, it was compiled by a number of different authors over many centuries. In spite of these challenges, Anders is able to introduce and overview this complex book with a minimal amount of commitment from his reader. Will you understand every word of the Bible after reading this book? No. But you will understand much more than the average lay person.
Rating:
Summary: A Bible Teacher
Review: I give this book five stars because it nearly meets the goal stated in its title. The Bible is difficult to understand for a variety of reasons. It was written in two non-English languages and addressed to cultures different from our own. It was written well over 1000 years ago. Additionally, it was compiled by a number of different authors over many centuries. In spite of these challenges, Anders is able to introduce and overview this complex book with a minimal amount of commitment from his reader. Will you understand every word of the Bible after reading this book? No. But you will understand much more than the average lay person.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't say it clearer
Review: If you are new to the Bible, or if you are an old scholar, this book is for you. It provides a clear chronlogical order, explains some of the most complex issues of the Bible in the simpliest terms without losing any of the Godly inspiration of the Bible. As a pastor with a Ph.D. in Biblical studies, I must highly recommend this book. It would also be great as a textbook for a college Bible course.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't say it clearer
Review: If you are new to the Bible, or if you are an old scholar, this book is for you. It provides a clear chronlogical order, explains some of the most complex issues of the Bible in the simpliest terms without losing any of the Godly inspiration of the Bible. As a pastor with a Ph.D. in Biblical studies, I must highly recommend this book. It would also be great as a textbook for a college Bible course.
Rating:
Summary: This book has helped many in our church!
Review: Max Anders does a tremendous job of boiling down what's important into a memorable format for any and all Bible students. This book serves as an excellent guide for a new believer's Bible study.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing new approach to an age old topic
Review: Max Anders does a tremendous job of boiling down what's important into a memorable format for any and all Bible students. This book serves as an excellent guide for a new believer's Bible study.
Rating:
Summary: finally an easy to follow overview
Review: This book is great for anyone, beginer or seasoned. It ties all the themes of the old and new testament together so neatly. I've bought extra copies for freinds and family who state they get bogged down trying to understand what the Bible is about. Most of the info I had heard before but it was nice to have it in one read with explanations of how it all fits together.
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