About Experiencing the Gospel of Mark
The teachings in this book are profound Christianity. There is nothing in this book that contradicts the fundamental teachings of Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and anyone who considers themselves “mainstream Christians.” However, there are topics discussed in this book that have caused denominational divisions in the church. Rather than take sides, this book presents summaries of the arguments by saying, “some Christians believe this, and some Christians believe that.” Enough background is given to understand the various arguments, but I try to stay as neutral as possible. This book is not about persuading you to one denomination or another. This book is about understanding what really happened between the Jewish religious leaders, the Romans, the twelve disciples, and Jesus. Understanding what really happened will allow you to experience the Gospel of Mark and believe greater.
In this book, you will walk the dusty roads of the first century with Jesus. You will hear what he really said. You can experience the life of Christ on this level if you understand the historical information enough to create context. Sit shoulder to shoulder with the disciples in a boat on a stormy lake. Experience the story with them. Stand in a dark room with adobe walls. Hear the crying of grieving parents. Watch Jesus bring a dead girl back to life. Look into His eyes after he gives the girl back to her parents and he looks at you with a question on his face. This book gives you the background of what the twelve were thinking – their preconceived ideas – so you can see their struggle with faith. In that, you may see your own struggle with faith and know it is okay. You are not alone.
After reading this book, you will know Jesus far better. You will believe more than you believe now. Growing in your belief will transform you and move you closer to God. Believing is an inescapable psychological process that transforms the believer. That is why God tells us, “Just believe.”
About the Author
I became a Christian at age 17. My parents were not particularly religious but always believed that Jesus is the Son of God. During High School, I got a crush on girl in my chemistry class. It took three weeks for me to get up the courage to ask her on a date. Finally, I walked up to her and nervously said, "Would you like to go to a movie with me Saturday night?" She thought about it a moment - a very long moment - and said, "I will go out with you on Saturday night if you go to church with me Sunday morning." To a scared, nervous young man, that sounded like two dates in one. I said yes. Church was as interesting to me as it was foreign. The fist time I picked up a Bible, I said, "Hey, look. There are a bunch of smaller books in here." God works in mysterious ways.
I ended up in seminary and learned all I could about Jesus and the Bible.
For the last 30 years, I have taught the Gospel of Mark to all kinds of groups. Each time, I learned more and more. Each time, I worked hard to keep the messages relevant to the lives of the people in the group. The insights gained over 30 years are in this book.
