聖經與文化

Friday, June 19, 2026

The Four Principles of Scripture

God created man in His own image, that man might live to display God's glory. But through the fall of humanity, man fell short of the glory of God.

God's plan is to restore humanity to His will—that sinners may repent and turn to God, glorifying Him.

The Law and the Gospel are respectively the core subjects of the Old and New Testaments. Understanding the Law and the Gospel is the key to understanding the Bible.

The purpose of the Law is to use God's righteous, holy, and good Law as a mirror to expose human unrighteousness and illuminate the sin in people's hearts. The Law is the ministry of condemnation and the ministry of death. The Law is good—it teaches us how to love God and love our neighbors—but it is not a basis for salvation through works. Rather, the Law shows us that we are sinners. The ultimate purpose of the Law is to make us see that we cannot save ourselves, and that our hope is in the salvation of Jesus Christ.

The purpose of the Gospel is to provide a path of grace for human sin through the redemptive work accomplished by God's Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. The New Covenant is the ministry of righteousness and the ministry of the Spirit. Jesus Christ opened for us on the cross a new and living way to God, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and so that the Holy Spirit may cleanse us through God's Word, sanctify us, and transform our lives.

Every book of the Bible includes four thematic elements: God's Law, human sin, God's Gospel, and human faith. These four themes are essentially the "Four Principles of Scripture."

Along the narrative axis of Scripture, these four themes unfold progressively step by step along the timeline of the Bible—from Genesis to Revelation, book by book—gradually revealing God's magnificent plan of redemption. These four themes form the introduction, development, climax, and conclusion of the biblical narrative.

Phase One: The Law—God's Standard

In the books of the Law, from creation to the fall, from God's promise to Abraham to His leading of Israel out of Egypt, God gave Israel the Law through Moses, centered on the Ten Commandments, establishing the foundation of the nation of Israel. God promised that obedience to the Law would bring blessing and warned that transgression would bring cursing. This is the standard of God's righteous and holy judgment.

The Ten Commandments:

You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make or worship idols.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor your father and mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, or possessions.

Phase Two: Israel—Human Sin

Following this, Israel conquered Canaan under Joshua's leadership. However, because of incomplete conquest, they compromised with Canaanite culture, entering the cycle of the Judges—sin, oppression, crying out, and deliverance—and then the Kingdom era. King David, who feared God, became the representative of Israel's monarchy. In the books of Kings, we see Israel's division, decline, and destruction as a result of forsaking God—this is God's judgment and discipline. After seventy years of exile, Israel returned by God's grace; the temple and holy city were rebuilt, but the throne of David was never fully restored. They lived with the hope of the Messiah, through four hundred silent years, awaiting the coming of the Anointed One.

Phase Three: The Gospel—God's Salvation

The Gospel is the Messiah's arrival—Israel's hope was finally realized in Christ Jesus. He is the perfect culmination of Israel's history, for He came to save His people from their sins. God sent His Son to earth, incarnate, proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom of God. Though sinless, He died for our sins on the cross, rose on the third day, ascended after forty days, and sits at the right hand of the throne of God as King. The Davidic throne pointed to the Messiah—the King of kings from everlasting to everlasting.

Phase Four: The Church—Human Faith

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, coming to dwell in the hearts of believers, so that Christ may reign in our hearts through faith. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ and to establish His Lordship in our hearts. He personally governs our lives and leads our paths—this is the true meaning of Christ's kingship and the kingdom of God, and this is the real purpose of Pentecost. God calls a people to Himself. He will cleanse the church with water through the Word, preparing the church as a holy bride for the coming of Christ. He will return, reign over all the earth, and ultimately God's kingdom will come in full.

The Biblical Books Corresponding to the Four Phases

The Books of the Law emphasize the declaration of God's holy and righteous Law. The Law is both God's way and the code that makes people conscious of sin.

The Historical Books, Prophets, and Wisdom Literature emphasize the effects of the Law: blessing for obedience and judgment for transgression.

Historical Books: Conquest of Canaan, the Judges, the United Kingdom, the Divided Kingdom, Exile, and Return.
Prophets: Messages of judgment and comfort—preparing the way for Christ.
Wisdom Literature: The anatomy of God's people's inner lives—the poetry of life and the wisdom of living.

The Gospels emphasize the Gospel of God's salvation—Jesus Christ, incarnate, dying for our sins on the cross, rising from the dead, opening a new and living way, becoming the Mediator between God and humanity.

Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation emphasize the three-part journey of receiving salvation: justification by faith, sanctification of life, and the glorious hope to come.

Acts: The founding of the church—missionary history from Jerusalem to the Gentiles. This is the church's beginning.
Epistles: Letters to the churches, teaching the way of life in faith and practice, preparing the church as the holy bride for the Lord's return.
Revelation: The Lord's return and the glorious hope—the wedding feast of the Lamb and the Bride. This is the church's destination.

The narrative order of Scripture itself carries theological significance. Thus, by studying the books in biblical order, one can perceive God's grand purposes and His wonderful wisdom.

Phase	Theme	Focus	Biblical Books
1. Law	God's Standard	God's holy and righteous commandments	The Law (Torah)
2. Israel	Human Sin	Israel's failure, God's judgment and hope	Historical Books, Prophets, Wisdom Literature
3. Gospel	God's Salvation	Redemption through Jesus Christ	The Gospels
4. Church	Human Faith	Life in the Spirit and preparing for Christ's return	Acts, Epistles, Revelation

Structural Comparison of the Four Phases

	Phase 1	Phase 2	Phase 3	Phase 4
Theme	The Law	Israel	The Gospel	The Church
Focus	God's Standard	Human Sin	God's Salvation	Human Faith
Emphasis	God's holy and righteous commandments	Israel's failure and God's judgment and hope	Redemption through Jesus Christ	Life in the Spirit and preparing for Christ's return
Books	The Law (Torah)	Historical Books, Prophets, Wisdom Literature	The Gospels	Acts, Epistles, Revelation

Old Testament Canonical Classifications

Christian Classification

Category	Books
The Pentateuch	Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Historical Books	Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Wisdom/Poetry	Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
Major Prophets	Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
Minor Prophets	Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Jewish Classification

Category	Books
Torah (The Law)	Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Nevi'im (The Prophets)	(1) Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings (2) Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)
Ketuvim (The Writings)	(1) Poetry: Psalms, Proverbs, Job (2) The Scrolls: Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther (3) Historical: Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles

New Testament Canonical Classifications

Category	Books
The Gospels	Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Historical Book	Acts
Epistles	(1) Pauline Epistles: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (2) General Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 & 3 John, Jude
Prophecy	Revelation

The Four Principles as a Hermeneutical Framework

The Four Principles of Scripture are derived from the macro-narrative of the Bible, revealing a biblical principle. The Old Testament's historical context unfolds the meaning of the New Testament—for the Old Testament is the preparation for the New, and the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old. The Old is the shadow; the New is the reality.

The Law and the Gospel are, on the one hand, contrasting; on the other hand, their relationship is continuous. They are not opposites but two movements in one unified redemptive story.

The Law → reveals God's standard → exposes sin → drives us to Christ

The Gospel → reveals God's grace → justifies us through faith → transforms us into His image

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." — John 1:17

"So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith." — Galatians 3:24

Bible-Driven Church

I. Core Vision: Building the Foundation of Life

A church needs three things: a solid Bible curriculum, quality teachers, and a group of willing disciples. These three elements complement one another and constitute the foundational infrastructure of church building.

In a healthy life cycle, God's Word is like the growth rings of a tree—layer upon layer, it marks the evidence of spiritual growth. Without this foundation, all church activities degenerate into aimless spinning. When a church spins in place, the quality of its spiritual life cannot grow; when quality does not grow, quantity does not grow easily either. Genuine church growth is built on Scripture—first driving qualitative growth, which then naturally leads to quantitative growth.

II. Biblical Witness and Modern Examples

Acts 2:42 records the secret of the early church's revival: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." — placing "the apostles' teaching" (God's Word) at the forefront.

Among modern examples, Calvary Chapel in Southern California has grown remarkably well. Their preaching follows the order of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, book by book and chapter by chapter. Pastor Chuck Smith shared that he had long taught his congregation to evangelize, yet for many years saw little fruit. However, when he began expounding Scripture verse by verse and book by book, the church's quality and quantity grew organically.

Chuck Smith was inspired by a passage in Halley's Bible Handbook:

"The most important single suggestion in this book is this: that every church have a plan for reading the Bible through, and that the pastor's sermons be on the portions read during the previous week."

The late Dean Lin Daoliang, when speaking on the secret of church growth, also emphasized biblical teaching above all. Elder Zhu Sibai, in his final sharing at the Chinese fellowship before his retirement, stressed that the curriculum needed for discipleship is the entire Bible.

III. Life Ministry: Opening God's Word to Shine Light

Our exposition should attract listeners—not because we talk about current events or tell stories, but because we rightly divide the Word of truth, allowing God's Word to be opened and shine forth light. This light brightens the eyes, illuminates the heart, kindles the lamp of life, and causes people to radiate the light of life. This is what we call life ministry.

IV. The Synergistic Operation of Four Gatherings

I regard systematic Bible reading as the foundational infrastructure of the church, whether through Sunday preaching, Sunday school, or fellowship. A church should have at least one ministry dedicated to systematic Bible reading, and Sunday school is the best starting point.

When Sunday school and the Sunday message work together—the former focusing on exegesis (the original meaning of the text), the latter on exposition (contemporary application)—the effect is even better. The Sunday message can serve as a bridge between Scripture and modern life. It does not need to cover every passage; focusing on a short core passage can produce a finishing touch effect.

Personal devotions and prayer meetings can center on the weekly Scripture passage for scriptural prayer, interceding for individuals, families, the church, and world missions—praying that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

By the weekend, fellowship becomes the time for sharing real-life experiences. Whether positive or negative, all can be shared openly: the good we praise and give thanks for; the difficult we confess and pray for renewal. We are pilgrims traveling together on the highway to Zion.

V. ACTS: Four Perspectives for Interpreting Scripture and Prayer

Perspective	Meaning	Significance
A = Adoration	Praising God's attributes	This is our destination
C = Confession	Acknowledging human sinfulness	This is our starting point
T = Thanksgiving	Giving thanks for what God has done	This is the path we have walked
S = Supplication	Praying for God's promises	This is the path we have yet to walk

Starting Point — Confession → Thanksgiving → Present → Supplication → Adoration — Destination

These four angles serve not only as a prayer framework but also as lenses for interpreting Scripture. This is not simple repetition but digesting the same passage from different perspectives—a form of deep learning, like rumination, chewing thoroughly for complete assimilation. This approach prevents Scripture from going in one ear and out the other, instead integrating biblical knowledge with life to achieve the goal of knowing and doing as one.

VI. The Resonance of a Four-Part Chorus

Individually, Sunday worship, Sunday school, fellowship, and prayer meeting each achieve only 25% effectiveness. But when synchronized and coordinated, they can achieve 100% resonance—like a choir's four-part harmony producing a rich chord. Even if not everyone reaches 100%, achieving 50% or 75% is still far better than standing still.

Let every passage pass through the repeated scanning and complete digestion of Sunday school (exegesis), Sunday preaching (exposition), prayer (internalization), and fellowship (application).

Weekly focus on a shared passage of Scripture:

Sunday School: Exegesis—focusing on the original meaning of the text
Sunday Message: Exposition—focusing on application to modern life
Weekly Life: Through daily devotional meditation and prayer, practicing God's Word in daily life
Weekend Fellowship: Sharing real-life experiences—problems, challenges, lessons, testimonies

We do not need to bear the pressure of "always making successful testimonies." When we can openly share life's failures and frustrations, pains and struggles, without fear of others' contempt or judgment—that is authentic fellowship. We learn through mistakes, grow through failures, and stand again through grace. This is the path of grace revealed in Scripture's history of salvation. We need a church of grace.

VII. One Move Beats a Thousand: Returning to the Foundation of Bible Reading

This is the secret of church growth. No gimmicks needed—just faithfully leading people to read the Bible. One move beats a thousand.

The church does not need to host too many activities, which consume energy and distract focus. Activities may appear lively in the short term, but crowds soon disperse. These are flashy tricks, not the solid foundation of church building. The church should focus on Sunday preaching, Sunday school, prayer meetings, and fellowship—faithfully reading God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in people's hearts. This alone brings true revival. This work is like a gentle, flowing stream—it takes time to brew.

VIII. A Fifty-Year Vision: Overview of the BE Series Curriculum

The adult Sunday school Bible curriculum can use Warren Wiersbe's BE Series as a reference framework. This expository series is specifically designed as Bible study material for adult Sunday schools and fellowships. It comprises 50 quarters, arranged in biblical order:

Curriculum Overview: 50-Quarter BE Series Adult Sunday School (Biblical Order)

Part One: The Pentateuch

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q1	Genesis 1-11	BE BASIC — Believe the Simple Truth of God's Word	Origins, the Fall, the Flood, Babel—building faith's foundation
Q2	Genesis 12-24	BE OBEDIENT — Learn the Secret of Living by Faith	Abraham's journey—justification by faith and obedient calling
Q3	Genesis 25-50	BE AUTHENTIC — Demonstrate Authentic Faith	Isaac, Jacob, Joseph—God's sovereignty working through human weakness
Q4	Exodus	BE DELIVERED — Follow God, Find True Freedom	Redemption, Passover, the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle
Q5	Leviticus	BE HOLY — Become Set Apart for God	The five offerings, festivals, purification laws—the call to holiness
Q6	Numbers	BE COUNTED — Live a Life Numbered by God	Wilderness wanderings, lessons in faith, the new generation's hope
Q7	Deuteronomy	BE EQUIPPED — Obtain Tools for Spiritual Success	Moses' final charge, restating the Law, equipping a new generation

Part Two: Historical Books

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q8	Joshua	BE STRONG — Let God's Power Work in Your Life	Crossing obstacles by faith, possessing the land
Q9	Judges	BE AVAILABLE — Accept the Challenge	Deborah, Gideon, Samson—God uses willing people
Q10	Ruth / Esther	BE COMMITTED — Follow God's Will at Any Cost	Ruth's loyalty, Esther's courage—God's providence in ordinary and perilous times
Q11	1 Samuel	BE SUCCESSFUL — Gain True Wealth	Samuel, Saul, David—what true success looks like
Q12	2 Samuel / 1 Chronicles	BE RESTORED — Trust God Through Difficult Times	David's sin, repentance, discipline, and restoration
Q13	1 Kings	BE RESPONSIBLE — Be a Good Steward	Solomon's wisdom and downfall, the divided kingdom
Q14	2 Kings / 2 Chronicles	BE DISTINCT — Resist the World's Current	Comparing the kings of Israel and Judah—standing apart in a corrupt age
Q15	Nehemiah	BE DETERMINED — Stand Firm Against Opposition	Rebuilding the wall through prayer, planning, and perseverance

Part Three: Wisdom and Poetry

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q16	Job	BE PATIENT — Wait on God in Difficult Times	The mystery of suffering, holding onto faith in trials
Q17	Psalms 1-89	BE WORSHIPFUL — Glorify God for Who He Is	Worship in spirit and truth
Q18	Psalms 90-150	BE EXULTANT — Praise Him for His Mighty Acts	Rejoicing in God in every circumstance
Q19	Proverbs	BE SKILLFUL — A Guide to Wisdom in Living	The wisdom of fearing the Lord—applied to family, work, and relationships
Q20	Ecclesiastes / Song of Songs	BE SATISFIED — Find Meaning in Life	Vanity under the sun, fulfillment above the sun; the beauty of divine love

Part Four: The Prophets

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q21	Isaiah	BE COMFORTED — Find Security in God's Embrace	Judgment and comfort, Messianic prophecies
Q22	Jeremiah / Lamentations	BE DECISIVE — Stand for Truth	Following the weeping prophet—holding truth in a rebellious age
Q23	Ezekiel	BE REVERENT — Bow Before the Awesome God	Glorious visions, judgment, and promises of restoration
Q24	Daniel	BE RESOLUTE — Determine to Follow God	Daniel and his friends—holiness and hope in a pagan culture
Q25	Amos / Obadiah / Micah / Zephaniah	BE CONCERNED — Make an Impact in Your Generation	God's call for justice, mercy, and humility
Q26	Ezra / Haggai / Zechariah	BE HEROIC — Show Courage Through Action	The return from exile—rebuilding the temple and spiritual life
Q27	Hosea / Joel / Jonah / Nahum / Habakkuk / Malachi	BE AMAZED — Restore Wonder and Worship	God's amazing love and sovereignty over Israel, Nineveh, and the remnant of Judah

Part Five: The Gospels

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q28	Matthew	BE LOYAL — Follow the King of Kings	Jesus as the promised Messiah, our loyalty to Him
Q29	Mark	BE DILIGENT — Serve Diligently Alongside Jesus	Jesus' swift action as a Servant
Q30	Luke 1-13	BE COMPASSIONATE — Let the World Know Jesus Cares	Jesus' human compassion—caring for the lost
Q31	Luke 14-24	BE COURAGEOUS — Draw Courage from Christ's Example	Journeying to Jerusalem—facing challenges and paying the price of faith
Q32	John 1-12	BE ALIVE — Know the Living Savior	Miracles and discourses—the deity of Jesus Christ
Q33	John 13-21	BE TRANSFORMED — Christ's Victory Brings Your Change	The Last Supper, cross, and resurrection—union with Christ and life transformation

Part Six: Church History

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q34	Acts 1-12	BE DYNAMIC — Experience the Power of God's People	The birth of the church—expansion in Jerusalem and Judea
Q35	Acts 13-28	BE DARING — Put Faith into Action	Paul's journeys—taking the gospel to the ends of the earth

Part Seven: New Testament Letters

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q36	Romans	BE RIGHT — Establish Right Relationships	Justification by faith, sanctification, election, Christian ethics
Q37	1 Corinthians	BE WISE — Discern Human Knowledge from God's Wisdom	Church conflicts, morality, marriage, gifts, resurrection
Q38	2 Corinthians	BE ENCOURAGED — Trials Turned to Victory	Comfort and sufficient grace in suffering and weakness
Q39	Galatians	BE FREE — True Spiritual Freedom	Justification by faith—freedom in the Spirit
Q40	Ephesians	BE RICH — Receive Spiritual Riches	Spiritual blessings in Christ, the mystery of church unity
Q41	Philippians	BE JOYFUL — Rejoice Even When Things Don't Go Your Way	Paul's secret of joy in chains
Q42	Colossians	BE COMPLETE — Become Who God Wants You to Be	Christ's supremacy and sufficiency—refuting heresy
Q43	1 & 2 Thessalonians	BE READY — Live in the Light of Christ's Return	Balancing prophecy and practice—watching, waiting, loving
Q44	Pastoral Epistles	BE FAITHFUL — It's Never Too Early to Begin!	Church leadership, defending doctrine, facing the last days, brotherly love
Q45	Hebrews	BE CONFIDENT — Faith, Not Sight	Christ's supremacy—standing firm in persecution, looking to Jesus
Q46	James	BE MATURE — Grow in Christ	Faith and works together—growing through trials, taming the tongue, true wisdom
Q47	1 Peter	BE HOPEFUL — Create the Best of Times in the Worst of Times	Hope in suffering—holy and submissive living as sojourners
Q48	2 Peter / 2 & 3 John / Jude	BE ALERT — Beware of Religious Deceivers	Guarding against false teachers—building up in faith, holding truth and love
Q49	1 John	BE REAL — Turn from Hypocrisy to Truth	Discerning the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error—living in the light

Part Eight: Prophecy

Quarter	Book	Core Theme	Key Content
Q50	Revelation	BE VICTORIOUS — You Are Victorious in Christ	The church's condition, coming judgment, final victory—the new heaven and new earth

One cycle spans approximately twelve and a half years. Four cycles total fifty years—like passing through the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, from youth, to adulthood, to midlife, to old age. The record of Bible reading becomes the growth ring that marks our life's memory, allowing God's Word to accompany us through all our years and guide our path throughout our lives.

This is not simple repetition. Each time we revisit Scripture, combined with life's experiences, we should gain deeper understanding and insight—an ever-deepening process. This process should also naturally include the training and development of fellow workers. When brothers and sisters genuinely participate in discipleship, the church will naturally raise up new workers—the rising tide of new generations replacing the old should be a natural developmental process. If a gap appears in leadership, it indicates that discipleship has not been effectively implemented.

IX. Reflection: Why Do Churches Keep Changing Methods?

From the past to the present, wave after wave of church development strategies have emerged. While these popular methods have produced some results, they focus primarily on evangelism and equip believers through short-term discipleship training rather than comprehensive biblical grounding. Once the novelty fades, these approaches hit a bottleneck and cannot be sustained long-term. Without a solid biblical foundation, it is like building a house on sand. When believers do not receive adequate spiritual nourishment and growth, the church's momentum cannot be maintained, and attendance gradually declines—this is the common condition of churches today. Many believers keep trying different churches, but it's just the same medicine in a different bottle. Without a solid biblical foundation, the result is the same wherever one goes. If a church is declining, it is because it is not walking on the path of life.

X. A Realistic Start and a Sustainable Hope

Henrietta Mears' What the Bible Is All About and Halley's Bible Handbook both suggest reading one book per week to complete the Bible in a year. This pace is good for new believers as an overview—providing a macro perspective on the Bible's overall narrative. However, my experience is that this pace makes deep study difficult.

A "Bible-Driven Church" places biblical equipping at its core, allowing numerical growth to follow naturally. Verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter study of the whole Bible is a slower approach—steady, not fast, but stable—a strategy for sustainable growth, building the house on the rock.

This may seem overly idealistic—if completing even one cycle is difficult, how can we persist for fifty years? But I am presenting this as an ideal for church development strategy. In practice, we will encounter difficulties and may not fully complete the plan. However, education is a century-long foundation for nurturing generations; the cultivation of Christ's disciples also requires this long-term vision. In practice, we need to focus on achieving short-term goals. If we can go round and round, year after year, step by step, steadily building the foundational skills of Bible study, we will ultimately see this century-long vision realized. All crash courses seeking quick results will eventually vanish like foam. But through quarter by quarter, book by book Bible study, accumulated over many years, the seeds of life will surely blossom and bear fruit, becoming a towering tree. In fact, by following a steady pace, every quarter and every book studied will yield visible spiritual growth. The way of life is a lifelong journey—why seek shortcuts? What matters far more is a lifetime of perseverance and pursuit.

XI. Conclusion: Starting with One Bible Study Group

This strategy requires the coordinated synchronization of all church gatherings—a difficult goal to achieve unless the church shares a clear vision and strong consensus. For most churches, a more practical starting point is: Adult Sunday School. Establish a book-by-book Bible study class or group that consistently studies God's Word. Regardless of the number of participants, at least take the first step of Bible reading—faithfully understanding the original meaning of Scripture.

Bible study groups have been the starting point for many Chinese churches in North America. This spirit of "returning to Scripture" is the core value of the Reformation. My deep hope is that the church will genuinely return to Bible reading, making the church a true place of learning God's Word. This alone is the path to genuine revival.