WHAT THIS WEB SITE DOES
1. THE 95 BIBLE STORIES LET PEOPLE COME & SEE JESUS FOR THEMSELVES.
They don't require a teacher to preach or pressure or try to persuade someone to believe.
They are designed to let people meet Jesus at their own pace.
They are designed to let the Bible speak for itself.
The stories believe that God's word is powerful – that what God says is more important than what we can say.
It allows faith to develop over time as the Holy Spirit uses God's word to speak to someone's heart –
as someone interacts with God's word and with Jesus who is found in God's word.
It asks Discussion Questions that encourage someone to think deeply about spiritual things without forcing premature conclusions.
It allows the explainer to actually see faith developing in someone without often needing direct confirmation.
How someone responds to Discussion Questions will often tell the extent of their belief.
So someone coming to see who Jesus is, does not have to feel pressured – except by God's Spirit.
1. IT TRUSTS THE BIBLE.
[God,] all your words are true.
Psalm 119:160
Every word of God is flawless / tested.
Proverbs 30:5
NIV / New American Standard Bible
All Scripture [God's Word] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Bible-On-Center is confident that Creator God has a purpose in every word written in the Bible.
[Jesus said:] "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will…disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
Matthew 5:18
Bible-On-Center seeks to find God's intended meaning running from the beginning of the Bible to the end. Keys and jewels scattered throughout God's Word, sometimes in the most unlikely places, help us to understand the thinking of God.
This is a wonderful prayer to pray to Creator God before you read the Bible:
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Law.
Psalm 119:18
Bible-On-Center believes that the best explanations of the Bible are when the Bible is allowed to explain itself. So it tries to avoid long, human explanations.
We should be very careful in offering our own perspectives.
Do not add to his [God's] words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Proverbs 30:6
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:20-21
Hopefully, each user of Bible-On-Center will have a noble heart as they use this site:
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts 17:11
It is what God says that matters.
So we should receive it with great eagerness.
And anything that a human says should be checked against what God says.
The prayer of Bible-On-Center:
May any errors of human interpretation on this site be overwhelmed by the truth of God's Word quoted throughout.
2. IT MAKES THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE UNDERSTANDABLE.
This is the main purpose of Bible-On-Center.
So the core of Bible-On-Center . . .
is in the 10-Minute, 30-Minute, and 180-Minute Versions.
The other pages (see the side menu) answer other questions that people might have.
Why is it so important to understand the Bible's main message?
The Bible is Creator God's message directly to you!
Your eternal future depends on being able to understand it.
Your eternal future depends on believing it.
Your eternal future depends on putting your trust in the focus of the entire Bible: that is Jesus Christ God's Son.
A child can understand the Bible's main message! Yet it can puzzle scholars!
The Bible is a long book – written over 1500 years by about 40 authors.
In it are as many as 1800 people mentioned by name – God loves people!
It contains many events and personal experiences of people – it is history and biography.
It is a record of God's intimate interactions with people.
There is wisdom and teaching about this life and about eternal life.
Depending on the size of the type and the language into which it is translated, the Bible can be between 1000 and 2000 pages long.
So, with all these amazing details, it can be difficult to grasp its main point.
Some people read the Bible in manga (comic book) form, but when they are asked, "Do you understand the main point?" they are unable to give a clear answer.
So, the Bible often needs an explanation. And that is what Bible-On-Center seeks to do.
After hearing an explanation of the main point of the Bible, one businessman said: I had heard that Jesus was the Messiah, but I did not know why. Now I understand why Jesus is the Messiah.
Amazingly, children often understand this central truth more easily. They are not confused by:
Jesus loves me and died for my sins. Then he rose from the dead. When I believe in Jesus I become God's child. God is my Father in heaven. And Jesus will always be with me and help me, in good times and hard times. Then when my life is over I will go to heaven to live with Jesus forever.
[Jesus] said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3
How does this web site explain the main point of the Bible?
• It quotes the Bible's own words:
As much as possible, it lets the Bible speak for itself directly to you – so it lets you hear directly from God himself.
The purpose of this is for you to put your faith in God and in what he says – not in some person's interpretation or explanation.
• It follows the main path that runs through the Bible from beginning to end.
It identifies the long, main road that runs through the forest of many trees.
• Its goal is clarity and simplicity – but without dumbing down the important truths.
A Japanese Pastor said: I like that this is easy to understand. We can use this.
• It asks you to view things from God's perspective – the Bible's perspective.
This web site does not try to fit God and the Bible into your perspective!
Remember:
Your salvation is based on Creator God's perspective, not based on your own perspective.
You do not determine your own eternal fate. Creator God determines it
So Bible-On-Center does not shy away from cultural or historical events that are unfamiliar to you: for example, the place of Israel in God's plan for you.
Nor does it shy away from view points that might be unpopular today: for example, that we are all born as sinners.
But it does try to use logic, illustrations and examples that can make the Bible's perspective more understandable and seem more reasonable to us in our culture.
3. IT ATTEMPTS TO BE APPLICABLE TO ANY CULTURE.
But, it does not reinterpret the Bible's message to fit a certain cultural viewpoint.
In allowing the Bible to speak for itself – it presents the Bible on its own terms.
The goal is to understand the Bible, itself.
Yet it assumes that the Bible speaks clearly to all cultures.
Bible-On-Center believes that the Bible speaks powerfully to all people, through all time, in all situations.
Emphasizing the full range of the biblical message is the objective, so that Bible-On-Center can resonate, as the Bible does, with differing cultures.
Broad cultural categories* are:
• Guilt-Innocence Cultures
• Shame-Honor-Relational Cultures
• Fear-Power Cultures
• Uncertainty-Certainty Cultures
For example, various cultures resonate with different aspects of the Bible's message:
Guilt-Innocence Cultures (generally western) focus on our sin and the need for forgiveness – the tend to want to be seen as moral, just and right.
Shame-Honor Cultures (generally Asian, Latin American, African, Middle Eastern, etc.) focus on personal failure and shame – and on shameful betrayal of relationships and one's group. They hunger for the restoration of relationships and the restoration of personal honor.
Fear-Power Cultures (generally spiritist, animistic, tribal) focus on fear of the Kingdom of Darkness and the desire for powerful defeat of Satan.
Uncertainty-Certainty Cultures (generally post-modern) start with the opinion that each individual is the center of their own universe – and that whatever they personally think and decide is right for them. So they suffer from uncertainty about their own identity and confusion about the path they should take. The Father in Heaven offers them certainty about their identity and clarity about their path in life through Jesus Christ.
The message of the Bible is all encompassing and speaks powerfully to the needs of each cultural type.
Jesus Christ came to bring people from every culture back to his Father in Heaven.
It is natural for us to have blind-spots, seeing only the parts of the Bible's message that fit our own cultural perspective.
But if we only present the Bible through our own lens, God's message may not resonate in the hearts of those who process life differently than we do.
* Bible-On-Center is indebted for an insightful, concise, detailed discussion of the first 3 cultural types to:
Jayson Georges, The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame and Fear Cultures (Time Press, 2016).
So presenting the full scope of God's message of salvation is critical.
This benefits others.
They can see how the good news about Jesus meets their felt needs in their cultural context.
It also benefits us.
We will no longer view the Bible through our own lens alone.
This helps us grow spiritually as we grasp the multiple facets and full range of the Bible's message for us.
We will see much more of what God has done for us through Christ.
So Bible-On-Center seeks to present the Bible's multiple facets in the way that the Bible, itself, presents them.
Then, the person explaining the Bible to another can apply the Bible's rich content:
• Directly to the culture of the person they are talking with.
• Directly to the personal perspective of the person they are talking with.
4. IT IS VERSATILE –
ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, BY ANYONE, WITH ANYONE:
Any Format.
• On computer or on a mobile device.
• Printed on paper – you can print copies off the web site.
You don't need to have a Bible with you, because all the Bible quotations are written out in the explanation.
(Having a Bible might be helpful – but, if you don't, you can always access a Bible online on your device.)
Anywhere.
Home, coffee shop, public transportation, park, school, church, etc.
Anyone.
• On Your Own:
It is designed to be understandable on your own –
though you may still have some questions.
• Explainer-Learner: in various combinations –
Japanese Explainer & Japanese Learner
For example, a Japanese person could share the gospel with a family member or friend.
Japanese Explainer & English Learner
English Explainer & Japanese Learner
For example, a new American missionary (who does not know Japanese) could share the gospel with a Japanese person.
English Explainer & English Learner
In Multiple Languages at the same time – (except the 100 Bible stories only in English).
• Currently available in English and Japanese
The same content is in each language.
Each person can access the content at the same time in their own language on their own device.
• So a Japanese and an American could go through the content together!
Each can read the content in their own language.
They can use whatever knowledge of the other's language they each possess to discuss the content together.
For example, an American who knows little Japanese could interact with a Japanese who knows some English.
• The hope is that Bible-on-Center can be translated into other languages.
5. IT WILL FIT ANY USER'S TIME FRAME:
Three versions give flexibility:
• 10-Minute Version
This is a quick, "main thread" overview of the Bible's central message.
It takes only 10 minutes to read out-loud from beginning to end – less if you read it silently.
If you discuss it with someone, it will of course take more time.
This version might work well for a one-time discussion over coffee in a coffee shop.
The main thread of the Bible applies to every culture:
Jesus…said, "…Go and make disciples of all nations."
Matthew 18:19
• God's one gospel of salvation has many facets.
• One particular facet may resonate more with a particular culture than another facet.
• So the 10-Minute Versions seeks to present the facets of the gospel that quickly resonate with a particular cultural types.
So there are three 10-Minute Versions.
• Eastern (10-Minute Version):
It focuses on aspects of the Bible's message that traditionally resonate with an Eastern cultural perspective.
People in these cultures tend to be more relational, understanding their identity by their place within a community – and seeing themselves less as individuals.
For example:
• Western (10-Minute Version):
It focuses on aspects of the Bible's message that traditionally resonate with a Western cultural perspective:
People in these cultures tend to define themselves as individuals.
For example:
• Tribal (10-Minute Version):
It focuses on aspects of the Bible's message that traditionally resonate with a tribal cultural perspective.
For example:
• 30-Minute Version
It takes about 30 minutes to read through out-loud.
It has expanded explanations and visual illustrations.
A discussion based on this version would probably take more than one session.
• 180-Minute Version
It is very thorough:
It gives a more detailed picture of God's plan.
It explains things in more depth.
It is ideal for deeper personal learning or for multi-session discussions or multi-session classes.
Extra Topics Deal With Important Questions
Click on A Lot More – in the header or side menu.
For examples, see such topics as:
I Believe – Now What Do I Do?
Why are Idols & Other God's a Problem?
The purpose of these topics is to:
• Deal with issues and cultural perspectives that can keep us from believing in God and the Bible.
• Answer crucial questions in greater depth.
• Give other information that is also important.
Putting these topics on separate pages keeps them from clogging up the pages that explain the Bible's central theme.
6. IT IS DESIGNED FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE:
• Those who are new to the Bible –
or are not yet familiar with its message.
• Those who do not yet believe its message.
The primary goal of the 10-Minute Version, 30-Minute Version, and 180-Minute Version is to give each person the information they need to understand who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for them.
Hopefully, the wonderfulness of Christ will draw them to himself by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• And secondarily, those who know Christ but want to grasp more of . . .
~ The intricate, amazing connection throughout the entire Bible –
especially the connection between the Old Testament, Christ's death and resurrection, and our faith today.
~ The great breadth and depth of what the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have done for us – from before the creation of heaven and earth to our eternal future with him on the New Earth.
• Those who wish to explain the Bible to those who don't know it –
Especially in a dual-language situation (i. e., Japanese and English).
7. IT IS A RICH RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS OR EXPLAINERS OF THE BIBLE.
It prominently features the source of all spiritual knowledge – the Bible.
It takes the teacher straight to this vital source, assembling pertinent scriptures in one convenient place.
It assumes that what the Bible says is spiritually far more important and powerful than anything that a teacher can say.
So, what the teacher (and Bible-On-Center) says is auxiliary.
It follows this pattern :
They [the Levites] read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
Nehemiah 8:8
It provides thorough content.
This content focuses on 2 things:
• How to become a child of God.
• What life is like after becoming a child of God:
This allows someone to count the cost before committing to Christ.
It guides a new child of God in their first spiritual steps.
It gives the teacher great flexibility.
Content that is succinct and easily accessible makes preparation time easier.
Clear headings identify topics being discussed.
Bible quotations in the text are an invaluable resource.
It allows for a variety of teaching styles:
• One-on-one.
• Lecture.
• Group discussion.
The explainer can add (or delete) material as necessary:
This web site intentionally avoids long, wordy explanations (except in the extra topic pages).
It leaves room for the explainer to clarify things that the learner does not understand or might have further questions about.
The explainer can add illustrations appropriate to the culture of the learners.
The content can be broken up into almost any number of lessons.
So it can fit most any study schedule: single session, or multi-session.
Learners can easily look over content before or after a lesson.
The content attempts to be denominationally neutral ...
... by attempting to let the Bible speak for itself.
This is the very purpose of the web site – to let the Bible speak!
So, this web site attempts to present God's truth in the Bible's own words – and not favor any particular denomination's interpretation of the Bible.
Hopefully, Bible-On-Center will be useful to any explainer of the Bible who believes in:
The truth of God's word.
The divinity of Jesus Christ.
Salvation through Christ's death and resurrection alone.
Good deeds are only the result of believing in Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God –
they are never a way to earn eternal life or a relationship with God.
Denominational differences are rarely the crucial issue in someone's decision to put their faith in Jesus Christ.
So this web site leaves any discussion of denominational questions up to the discretion and timing of the explainer.
Target Audience:
• Japanese who do not know about Jesus Christ.
• But the English version can be used to reach other nationalities.)
Purpose: (#1 is the primary goal)
1. That non-Christian Japanese will understand the meaning of the Bible – so explain it (a) simply and clearly, (b) without diluting the depth of its message.
2. That witnessing can take place at the non-Christian’s pace in the context of a personal relationship with them – [Manga Bible series + Bible-On-Center] facilitates this.
(In other words, without unnecessary pressure on the relationship it speeds up and facilitates the “evangelism” side of “friendship evangelism.”)
3. To make it usable anytime, anywhere – on computer, iPad, or smart phone – without a Bible available.
4. To make it usable by anyone:
a. Japanese Christians (who witness to non-Christian family or friends).
b. English-speaking Christians (who witness to Japanese people) and may or may not be able to speak or read Japanese.
c. Japanese non-Christians (who want to understand the main point of the Bible on their own).
5. To provide a tool that doesn’t seem to be currently available on the web.
Unique Characteristics of Bible-On-Center:
1. There will be 6 versions – 3 in Japanese, and the same 3 in English.
a. A bullet-point outline of the Bible’s meaning – that gives a 5 minute overview of the gospel.
b. A short explanation of the Bible’s meaning — that explains the gospel in about 20 or 30 minutes.
c. A long explanation of the Bible that thoroughly explains the gospel – that can be used in a multi-session study.
2. Content is arranged with the following goals in mind:
a. Scripture is prominent and (as much as possible) explains itself – so the unbeliever's focus and faith will be on God’s Word, not a teacher’s words or viewpoint.
b. Content guided by key questions – so hopefully thought inducing.
c. Comments are succinct – human explanations hopefully don’t drown out the focus on scripture.
d. Formatted in a way that allows it to be taught or studied in a variety of styles – discussion, lecture, one-on-one, group, or privately.
e. Illustrated to make it interesting and easy to understand – with examples from our lives, and with a few graphic illustrations that explain biblical concepts.
Responses:
Japanese Pastor in Japan: I like that this is easy to understand. Most things written in Japanese are too scholarly. We can use this. I will help translate it into Japanese.
Veteran Missionary in Japan: We could use this to help our new missionaries share the gospel.
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