American Christianity: Bible-ish? Or, Bible-less?

Afterwards, I started thinking about American Christianity.  

My part-time retirement entertainment consists of driving a bus--either empty or full of passengers--over the road.  In most cases that also entails being thrust into a car with an aggregate group of fellow drivers I have never met before for a 10 or 12 hour drive back to Tulsa.  It's not nearly as enchanting as it sounds.  Usually someone will begin an inquiry into how I came to be one of the drivers. It is the "where did you come from?" inquiry that seeks to determine--in a pleasant way--that I am one of them.  Since I can't hide 40+ years of ordained ministry, that fact usually comes out fairly soon.  Once established that I am a Christian, others will often chime in about their Christian faith--or, lack of it--as well.  This week one of those conversations went something like this:"So, you are familiar with the Bible, can I ask you a question?"

Me, dropping anchor for the potential storm ahead, "Sure...."

"What do you know about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?"

Me, "Ah....well I seem to be familiar with that..."

"Well, the lady in our Sunday School class that she and her husband do the teaching, said that before Christ returns things are going to get worse rather than better.  Have you ever heard of that? I'd never heard that before.  I always thought things would be getting better and better before He returns, myself.  What do you think?"

I was thinking, if you attended a Sunday School class your entire adult life and have absolutely no understanding of the events surrounding the Second Coming, you weren't well served by the experience.  But, I said, "Yes, I've heard that."

Since it wasn't a serious inquiry, the conversation quickly drifted into other banalities, and I began to think about Bible illiteracy.  Yes, the Bible is the best selling book in history.  It is also the least read and most misunderstood best seller in history.  This lack of engagement with the Bible has lots of causes with fingers pointing in various directions.  But, the lack of availability of Bible resources is not one of them.

This week on our regular Radio Free Patmos Island podcast John Rusk and I will be talking about the important place of authority the Bible has in the life of the believer.  You're invited to listen in and respond with your own comments and questions.