Beyond Bible Basics was born out of the exciting era of the 90’s, the final decade of the 20’h century when the Truth took a great leap forward into Eastern Europe, Asia and the “distant isles” of the Pacific. Hundreds of new believers were responding to the Truth and there was an urgent need to provide them with spiritual food. Many of these now live in remote areas and rely on reading to educate themselves in the deeper things of the Truth. They had learned the first principles from Duncan’s first book, “Bible Basics,” and were hungry for more. “Beyond Bible Basics” is a 950-page book, designed to supply that need. But you don’t have to be a new believer to enjoy this book. It is excellent for all ages.
Don’t be daunted by the size. This is intended to be a manual and doesn’t have to be read straight through. Subjects are subdivided into short sections, each one presenting a thought-provoking facet of the Truth. Just choose a subject from the contents page and start reading.
Challenging ideas
Like the Bible itself, you will find Christ on every page. All studies are well sprinkled with Bible references, enticing you to further explore the subject for yourself. There are parts of this book which will inevitably not find agreement with all readers; no Christadelphian reader can fail to be provoked by the suggestions made, and also impressed by the way that these suggestions are all made within a framework of an obvious commitment to preach the word to others from his innermost being.
Beyond Bible Basics opens by describing what it means to be in Christ, and outlining principles of devotion and personal prayer. Duncan follows with practical chapters on ecclesial life: how to conduct the memorial meeting, preaching efforts and Bible classes, all the while delving sensitively in the spiritual meaning behind these activities.
Insights into the Master
Two sections are devoted to deeper studies of Christ, “The Lord We’ve Scarcely Met” and “The God We Hardly Know.” These titles imply that we can all spend a great deal more time learning and thinking about our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a short quotation from p. 709: “The finest essay in the humility of the Father and His Son is seen in the birth, life and death of the Lord. The birth in a manger, no rooms in the inn, growing up in a small town in despised Galilee, the naked shame of the crucifixion, Mary thinking the resurrected Son of the Highest was the gardener…This is the humility of God. Our experience of His humility will surely bring us to reflect it within the very fiber of our being.” The section closes on p. 719: “Of all the endless trivia which fills our brains now, the wonder of these things is eternal.”
Duncan has always been one to admire his Bible heroes. Moses is his hero. Likewise David, Job and Daniel, not to mention Paul, Peter and the Lord Jesus himself most of all. His admiration for these men of faith comes spilling out in the essays on these wonderful men of God. Here are studies on the Old Testament types with many penetrating allusions that we may never have thought of before, but really get us thinking.
Exhortations to preach
Duncan’s favorite subject of preaching comes up for close scrutiny. He reminds, cajoles, prods and gently needles us to be more serious in our witness for Christ, individually and as a community. To quote a few lines from p. 294: “The believer, every believer, whoever believes, will preach the word to others from his innermost being, both now and in the Kingdom If we believe, we will do the works of witness, spontaneously” Duncan is fond of italics, by the way, and you can almost feel the insistent urgency of his message.
Our family has had the privilege of travelling with Duncan on numerous occasions and know a little of the surroundings which have inspired many of his thoughts in this book There is a Bible atmosphere about the East with its simpler lifestyle the kerchiefed women, the weather-beaten faces of men, the donkeys, chickens and dogs scuttling along the dusty streets, the colorful, noisy markets, the teeming crowds endlessly waiting at terminals by their packs of luggage, the slower pace generally Like Paul, Duncan really does feel “His spirit stirring within him” that this mass of people is worshipping an unknown God and he wants to tell them about Him This book is the result of these experiences.
“Know Questions on The Bible” By Aquila and Priscilla