Simon Manchester

These 27 studies would make a fine gift for the person who is: new to the Christian life; wondering how to start their Bible reading; looking for something to give to a Christian to start their reading or looking for something to read with a discipling friend.
We tend to shy away from Matthew’s gospel as a place to begin – preferring to give people a gospel of Mark, Luke or John – but the New Testament layout doesn’t think this way. These studies provide a good answer to any uncertainty that lingers.
The first seven chapters of Matthew cover some foundational subjects like the ‘Christmas’ passages, John the Baptist, the temptation and then we are quite quickly into the ‘sermon on the mount’ that occupies the last 17 studies. It is good to read three men who know their material and know how to communicate and apply it. Each day there is a passage to read (for the last seven studies just a verse) and a page of comment with a few questions or things to think about.
It would be hard to finish this booklet without being better informed and challenged – which we would expect from Al Stewart, Ed Vaughan and David Starling.
These verses in Matthew 1-7 are not without their difficulties. Being steered through a genealogy or the function of the law or the point of salt, light (and city) takes great care.
In a day when we have so much output and not enough quality; so many resources yet so few that fit the bill; to provide information without overload this resource is well worth buying up for the bookstall – KCC are to be thanked for their initiative along with the writers.

The Rev Simon Manchester is Rector of St Thomas’, North Sydney.

A new series of KCC’s Bible reading guides will be released in 2005. Copies are $5 + p & h and are available from KCC on (02) 9251 8877 or info@kcc.org.au