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Review: Searching the Scriptures: Find the Nourishment Your Soul Needs by Charles R. Swindoll



Review: Searching the Scriptures: Find the Nourishment Your Soul Needs
Charles R. Swindoll
Tyndale House Publishers
2016

Searching the Scriptures: Find the Nourishment Your Soul NeedsSwindoll has dedicated this book to Dr. Howard G. Hendricks who taught him “many of the principles and techniques” included in this book.  Swindoll says, “I determined to prolong the memory of his life by sharing with others what he faithfully invested in me so many years ago.” (v).  Dr. Hendricks died in 2013.  I think he would be honored by the work Swindoll dedicated to him.

This book is for those just starting their study of the Bible or for those that have been around for a while, too.  I belong to the latter group and I have to say I have already found much within the first few chapters to be helpful.  Things I either have never done or have gotten careless with over time that diminished the benefits of the study time I have spent in the last few years.  

This is a step by step journey through the process of study starting at the very beginning with a brief overview of the Bible including sections, books, and some of the historical highlights along the way.  There’s even a chart of the kings that followed Solomon by region, Israel or Judah.  Oh, how I wish I had one of those when I first tried to sort out who was who and where.  All that without overwhelming the reader.  Truly a teacher that knows his students.  After the introduction there is section to work with the information he had just discussed.  Nothing too lengthy or difficult though.  He continues in that vein throughout the rest of the book.  The basic method used for study is observation, interpretation, correlation, and application.  

His chapter texts are useful for learning some Bible and how to study it for yourself all at once.  No wasted effort for the reader or student.  Examples abound and then the reader gets to try some for himself at the end of the chapter.  Slow going for those that wanted a quick gloss, but for those that want to learn and grow this works.  Swindoll says near the end of the book that his “main desire in writing this book has been to pass the baton in this all-important relay of truth…. I want to stimulate you to pass the baton to others so that, too, will learn to find precious treasures in God’s Word and have their lives transformed.  Then they can pass those truths on to others as well.” (251)  

I recommend this book to you.  

I received this book from the publisher in return for a review.


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