I believe the Bible is more than a collection of ancient texts; it’s a living story that’s meant to be understood and loved. It's God speaking to us. Whether you're a pastor facing a biblical literacy gap in your congregation or someone opening the Word for the first time, my goal is the same: to help you see how the entire Story of God fits together.

I've spent nearly 40 years as a pastor, almost 30 of them at Five Oaks Church in Woodbury, Minnesota (Evangelical Free Church). I also taught New Testament Interpretation at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary's urban extension for several years. During my tenure at Five Oaks, I've had the privilege of witnessing hundreds of people fall in love with Scripture by using a simple, proven framework.

We've used this framework at Five Oaks since 2011. It treats the Bible as one connected narrative told in 2 Acts and 10 Scenes, gospel-centered from start to finish. The Story of God: A 40-Day Guided Journey through the Bible walks you through it, day by day.

Nearly 25 years ago, when my own congregation took a basic Bible literacy quiz, 60% failed. In spite of weekly expository sermons and home Bible study groups, they lacked the cover on the puzzle box that helps fit all the pieces together. When we lack the big picture of the Bible, we also lack a sense of where we fit in God's plan. That's the gap I built The Story of God to close. We tested every group before and after for four years. Every one improved, and we've required the course for membership ever since.

My mission is to give you that picture, so that reading the Bible on your own stops feeling like decoding and starts feeling like remembering a story you already love.

I post regular videos on my YouTube channel that focus on biblical literacy and on seeing our place in God's story. For an abridged version of this book and its approach, check out my series, The Bible Reading Plan You'll Actually Finish.