What Is Biblical Familiarity?

As you (or, if you) read any of the material on our website, there are several concepts that are mentioned frequently. Therefore, we want to have several short posts that define what we mean by these concepts, and provide a bit of detail. “Biblical familiarity” is one of these concepts.

By “Biblical Familiarity,” we mean a general awareness of the plot and events of the metanarrative of the Bible, the central characters of the narrative, a basic understanding of the genres of each Testament, and the books written in each genre. 

Bible Reading as the Foundation of Spiritual Growth

We at Get More Ministries desire to assist disciples who seek more in their relationship with God, and more in their Biblical engagement as a  means to that end. Therefore, the foundation of that desire is to present accurately what is needed for a disciple to mature. That is not a quick process, nor is it what we would call “easy.” Developing Biblical Familiarity is a lifelong process, it comes from a consistent engagement with the Bible (which happens to be our definition of reading, by the way). Growing your relationship with God is not a “Quick Fix,” so to speak, nor are the constituent activities required to grow that relationship. 

A Disciple’s Journey: One Year Through the Bible

It may be helpful to present a vision of sorts as to how this works, so let me present a hypothetical example to explain what I mean.

A disciple (we’ll call him Nick) encounters our ministry, and desires to grow his relationship with God. He has never read Scripture apart from a short passage here and there, and doesn’t really know where to begin. Reading posts on our website and watching videos on our YouTube channel encourages him to attempt to read the whole Bible in a year–a little over 3 chapters a day. At the end of the year, Nick won’t have developed a full sense of Biblical Familiarity. But he will be infinitely farther down that journey than the person who never starts, Nick can also expect several other outcomes:

• He will have a greater desire to keep reading, as Biblical reading and familiarity are self-reinforcing concepts.

• He will gain a growing understanding of Who God truly is.

• He will have a greater awareness of how the Bible communicates Truth (Hint: It’s not in a series of “Do this, don’t do that” commands).

• His confidence in his relationship with God will grow exponentially. His eyes will be opened, he will see more, notice more, and be sensitive to God’s work in his life more. 

• He will begin to make connections within the text–seeing how God’s plan for humanity unfolds, and his role in that plan.

• He will be more confident in talking to others about his faith.

• He will find that more and more he is better at reflecting the image of God in which he was created.

• He will encounter topics or concepts within the text that will inspire him to dig deeper–this is a key aspect to our work at Get More Ministries. We can come alongside disciples and help them to dig deeper accurately and effectively.

• Last, and possibly most important, will be God’s work through this process. Both Darryl and I have found that God works as much through the discipleship process as He does through the conclusions reached. This is different for each disciple, and therefore, cannot be enumerated. But I’ve seen God work in this way in every disciple I’ve worked with that consistently engages Scripture through reading.

Don’t Expect a Formula–Expect Growth

The development of spiritual maturity is not formulaic. That is to say, it is not a five step process for disciples to follow in the same way that one might change the oil in their car. There are too many variables to consider, and each disciple is different, as the last bullet point in the above hypothetical example points out. Darryl and I are able to share both our experiences and the experiences of the disciples we have worked with over many years. 

This is not a microwavable solution. This takes time, and one read through of the Bible in a year is not the finish line. Think of a redwood sapling. A year after planting, with the right soil and watering and sunlight, it looks like a tree. It’s nowhere near the 30 foot diameter, 125 foot tall giant it could become, but it is infinitely closer to attaining that than the sapling that doesn’t get soil, water and sunlight. So it is with disciples. Jesus used similar imagery in describing the process. His metaphor is better than mine. Check out Luke 8:4-15 to see what Jesus had to say.

A Warning About Shallow Familiarity

If the Bible is God’s self-revelation, and if we are, in fact, in relationship with God, then our familiarity with God’s revelation is essential. Without it, we are serving a God of our own creation; a god, not fashioned out of wood and stone, but rather out of our own imagination. This idolatry has disastrous consequences. The True and Living God is infinitely greater and more powerful. This is why we place so much emphasis on the Bible.

Final Thoughts: A Lifelong Invitation

I have three conclusions to present.

First, Biblical Familiarity proceeds from consistent Bible reading. There’s just no way around this. It requires a lifelong commitment, and a disciplined approach. The God of all the Universe is inviting us in, revealing Himself to us. I promise you, you will be amazed at what you encounter, and you will become transformed.

Second, consistent Bible reading can take on many forms. While we certainly recommend a read through of the whole Bible, that is not the only way to engage Scripture through reading. I have gained a ton of insight through alternative reading plans. I have spent a month in 1 and 2 Kings, for example, and Darryl is working with a disciple who has read all 4 Gospels multiple times over several months. 4 ¼ chapters a day will have you read the entire New Testament in 2 months.

Third, Biblical Familiarity is not a call to become a Bible expert. Your relationship with God doesn’t require a Seminary level mastery of Scripture. It does require a working knowledge of Biblical plotlines, characters, and concepts that allow you to develop a proper understanding of Who God is and what relationship with Him entails. We are here to assist you in that journey, both to encourage you and to provide insights as to how that process works. Let us know how we can help.

Happy Bibleing!

Pete out