I taught 2nd grade at a small Christian school for a couple of years before moving up to 6th grade. I remember one day in class talking about James, the brother of Jesus. You would have thought I had just told them that the Easter Bunny was real the way some of them reacted to that statement. “What? Jesus had a brother?!” Not only did he have more than one brother, I told them, the Bible also mentions “sisters,” as in plural (see Matthew 13:55-56). It was a funny moment, but also a concerning one as I thought about these kids being raised in Christian homes, but having little knowledge of things that are in the Bible.

Now, granted, they were only 2nd graders, but it definitely made me think about what we as Christian parents teach our kids about the Bible. It goes way beyond “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”

The topic of this month’s Redbud Post is “biblical literacy.” How important is it that we know what the Bible says? As our header mentions, 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” We need to know what the Word of God says for many reasons, one of which is so that we are not led astray by false teaching.

The Catholic Church acknowledged how their parishioners can become targets of groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and how important it is for them to know what they believe to counteract the arguments they might hear. And the same is true in the evangelical world. As a journalist once upon a time, I was always taught, “If your mother says she loves you, check it out!” Don’t always just take what you hear from somebody just because they may have a big name or be speaking from the pulpit. Rightly handle the word of truth. Know what it says, and then let it change you.

Our writers this month not only talk about the importance of biblical literacy, but they give you practical steps to help you get there yourself, and then to help others as well. Don’t let someone’s sweet-sounding words lead you down a path of false doctrine. Do the work to make yourself more biblically literate.

Many blessings as you read,

Stephanie Reeves
Editor in Chief