Core 52

May 27, 2019
In this favorable debut meant to be read daily over the course of a year, Moore, pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Ariz., helps Christians increase biblical competency through the study of 52 verses in order to “move from Bible curiosity to Bible confidence.” In lessons designed to take 15 minutes each, Moore introduces key Biblical concepts and themes, such as creation, unity, holiness, and love, and provides in-depth analysis of biblical figures including Moses and Peter. Moore’s essaylike chapters each revolve around a question (“Who created the world?”, “What is a gospel?”, and “If God is love, why am I supposed to fear him?”) that, despite their brevity, will leave readers with much to ponder. Bible verses, which Moore suggests for daily study, are listed at the end of each chapter alongside a weeklong list composed of five assignments. Throughout, he suggests interactive practices for integrating ideas learned from scripture, such as performing a “media audit” to understand how one’s media consumption compares to one’s biblical study and periodically cleaning out one’s closet to find donations for the needy. Moore’s authoritative lesson plans and useful strategies for implementing them will appeal to Christians looking for a crash course Bible study.