On My Shelf: The Story

As much as I enjoy reading as a pastime, I have always viewed reading the Bible as study whether in college courses I took, small group Bible studies, or in my own devotions. I will be honest, I have never read the Bible just for enjoyment like I do novels. Recently, I learned about The Story.

The Story is an abridged, chronological Bible that reads like a novel. There are no verse references, and Scripture segments are seamlessly woven together with transition text into a single grand narrative. For those intimidated or overwhelmed by the unabridged Bible, The Story helps people understand God’s Word more fully and engage with it more easily.

https://www.thestory.com/

I am about two thirds of the way through the book now and it has been such a unique experience. I grew up in the church, attended a Christian university, and have read the Bible from beginning to end twice in my life, so I am aware of all the stories in the Bible. But, I never have put them together as one large narrative and cohesive story until now. Being able to focus on the overarching themes and the main characters of the Bible like I would a novel has really changed my perspective and clarified so much that I just hadn’t put together in my heart and mind before.

Whether you are a practicing Christian or not, The Story is a unique way to experience the Bible as literature and perhaps gain new insights in the process.