A New Discipline: Core 52

Recently, I have been accepted on three separate launch teams to review books for WaterBrook and Multnomah Book Launch Team @waterbrookmultnomah#partner.   I'm excited to  read and review once again.  Summertime is the perfect time to read and begin new disciplines.  Most people choose to do this in January, when making resolutions is all the fad, but summertime is a perfect time to choose to do or learn something new or in the case of Mark E. Moore's new book... build your bible IQ.

Core 52 : A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide To Build Your Bible IQ In A Year,  written by Mark E. Moore, teaching pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona, formerly a New Testament professor at Ozark Christian College for twenty-two years, presents the reader with a 52 week plan to learn 52 core texts and concepts of the bible.  Moore lays out a five day plan for each week's topic. Day 1. Read the essay and the three key points to check for comprehension.
                      Day 2. Memorize the core text and review verses from the previous two weeks.
                      Day 3. Read a story or other passage from the bible that illustrates the text of the week.
                      Day 4. Read through three trajectory passages.
                      Day 5. Put it into practice by making time to include an action step, directly applying                          what was learned in the week's lesson.
Moore states that "if you can carve out fifteen minutes a day, five days a week, for one year, you'll know the vast majority of what every preacher preaches."  He backs up this statement by telling the reader he has applied the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule to the bible.  The Pareto principle says 20 percent of one's effort yields 80 percent of the results.  Moore encourages his readers by affirming his plan, "with this core, you can go further faster, moving from curiosity to confidence."

After reading through a few weeks of topics I have found that Moore has done a fine job of melding the old and new testament together to explain various concepts.   He also uses the bible passages in context as they should be used to make his points, which is important to have reliable bible learning. Some bible study writers pull bible verses and passages out to illustrate a point being made but do not hold the text to the integrity it was intended, I have not found this to be so in Moore's book.

One  comment I might make is that both the church Pastor Moore is currently at and the college he formerly taught at as a professor are non-denominational christian organizations.  I make this observation because I myself am a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.  I have many friends from various denominational backgrounds.  Through biblical discussions we often vary on some of our viewpoints concerning theology and bible interpretation. I found a few topics in Core 52
that not surprisingly did not align with my Lutheran beliefs, however that does not change my mind that Moore has written a solid tool for learning some core foundations of the bible.  I would just suggest that anyone reading the book that stumbles upon a section that seems to differ from what their particular denomination or previous teaching has upheld, do further study and/or ask their pastor for clarification.

Overall, Moore has developed a good resource to build some daily bible study discipline and common bible knowledge.  I feel that  Core 52 : A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide To Build Your Bible IQ In A Year, when used wisely according to each person's beliefs, can be a helpful aid in becoming more confident in bible knowledge.

**I received an advanced reader copy from WaterBrook and Multnomah and was asked to read the book and to publish an honest review which I have.

#Core52
#MarkEMoore
#Waterbrook&Multnomah
  

May you grow...

May is a time for growth and renewal and boy am I ready.  It's been a long tiring winter. This is very true for me as I haven't blogged since December 31st.  One reason is that in the past I would blog on books that I read for review, and sadly I have not had the opportunity or the time to pursue my penchant for reading.  This is one thing I vow to remedy from now on.  In fact I was just recently accepted into two book launch groups for WaterBrook & Multnomah Summer so I am looking forward to reading and posting soon.

For me, this winter felt more emotionally draining than past years.  Perhaps the amount of snow and rain has had an impact. Whatever the cause, I have seen my students show more apathy for completing work than in former semesters and I am disheartened to see them resist doing their work no matter how hard I try to encourage, persuade, cajole, and even throw in my best mom guilt at times. I  care whether each one completes the assignments and progresses to the next level of their education. Sometimes much more than they do.  I wouldn't change it if I could because I know that caring makes me build strong relationships with my students and I value those connections. 

Yesterday was the last day of the school year for my seniors.  Saturday is graduation.  Spring growth makes me consider how much my students graduating Saturday have matured and changed over the past four years.  Some have been with me almost all of their four  years.  The pride I feel when knowing the adversity that they have faced and how they persevered gives me hope for my students that I am working with currently.  There were days that the students walking Saturday also refused to do their work, made poor academic choices and struggled to succeed.  Yet, overtime they learned how important having a diploma is, and they began to change.  I am focussing on this to get me through the next few days.  Now, don't think I won't continue to push them, prod them, and do my best to convince them that the work to be done must get finished.  But on the times that I get turned down, I will remember my graduates, and continue to pray for their welfare and growth in maturity to occur.


Throughout my time with you dear students I have one wish for your future...May you grow

May you grow to be competent and strong,
May you grow to be confident in your own abilities,
May you grow to appreciate right from wrong and always choose what is right.
May you grow in friendship, making connections that will last a moment or a lifetime.

May you grow in family, whether that family is one you were born into or one created yourself,
May you grow in esteem, so that the world around you knows your presence and is in awe,
May you grow in love for yourself and those that share the world with you,

Simply,

May you always grow.