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30 Days to Understanding the Bible, 2016, includes Memory-Enhancing Exercises
Max Anders' updated classic resource for learning the Bible in 30 days. Understand the Bible in 30 Days includes all the features that made the original so popular—plus much more. Proven effective by over 200,000 readers, Understand the Bible in 30 Days introduces you to key Bible characters, places, and events in chronological order so that you can "think your way through" the entire Word of God. Through interesting, memory-enhancing exercises, Understand the Bible in 30 Days acquaints readers with the core teachings of Scripture in just 15 minutes a day!
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First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 5, 2020
Wonderful book for gaining a better perspective of the physical aspects of the Bible! If your someone who connects to the Bible on an intellectual level vs. emotional then this is the book for you!
May 22, 2021
Anders’ book is designed as a primary text for someone who has no real knowledge of the Bible, how it is constructed, or what it teaches. For this audience, it is a useful tool. For those more familiar with the Bible, it is less so.
In his first two sections, Anders lays out the stories of the Old and New Testaments, including short sections on geography and helpful, simple timelines that show the reader where the books fall in temporal relationship to each other. His method requires engagement with him from the reader, with fill-in-the-blank summaries of each section of Scripture, what it teaches and who is its main character. By the time readers complete these sections, they should have a very good grasp on the broad overview of the Bible.
In the last half of the book Anders summarizes ten great doctrines of the Bible, using the same interactive, fill-in-the-blank style. At the end of these, a reader ought to have a firm grasp on a summary of the Bible’s major doctrines.
Two weakness of the book: first, his reducing every main point to sets of four sub points. While this may be helpful for an early student trying to remember what the Bible teaches, it leads to an overly simplified summary that misses the underlying complexity within the simple story of Scripture.
The second is its title. One can, with Anders’ help, get a grasp in 30 days on how the Bible is laid out and a broad overview of what it teaches. Understanding the Bible is a lifetime of work (or more). Though I’m sure he didn’t intend it, the title undermines the greatness and majesty of the book (“OK, I can sit down and knock this baby out in 30 days.”) And, of course, understanding it at all is impossible without the illuminating work of God’s Holy Spirit (that’s its own claim, not mine).
[Final positive side note to my competitive brothers...because of the book’s fill-in-the-blank and repetitive structure, you can log a lot of pages in a very short time).
In his first two sections, Anders lays out the stories of the Old and New Testaments, including short sections on geography and helpful, simple timelines that show the reader where the books fall in temporal relationship to each other. His method requires engagement with him from the reader, with fill-in-the-blank summaries of each section of Scripture, what it teaches and who is its main character. By the time readers complete these sections, they should have a very good grasp on the broad overview of the Bible.
In the last half of the book Anders summarizes ten great doctrines of the Bible, using the same interactive, fill-in-the-blank style. At the end of these, a reader ought to have a firm grasp on a summary of the Bible’s major doctrines.
Two weakness of the book: first, his reducing every main point to sets of four sub points. While this may be helpful for an early student trying to remember what the Bible teaches, it leads to an overly simplified summary that misses the underlying complexity within the simple story of Scripture.
The second is its title. One can, with Anders’ help, get a grasp in 30 days on how the Bible is laid out and a broad overview of what it teaches. Understanding the Bible is a lifetime of work (or more). Though I’m sure he didn’t intend it, the title undermines the greatness and majesty of the book (“OK, I can sit down and knock this baby out in 30 days.”) And, of course, understanding it at all is impossible without the illuminating work of God’s Holy Spirit (that’s its own claim, not mine).
[Final positive side note to my competitive brothers...because of the book’s fill-in-the-blank and repetitive structure, you can log a lot of pages in a very short time).
August 22, 2025
The thing I love most about this book is that it combines the learning techniques of the workbook format with written repetition.
It might not be for everyone but it was extremely useful for me.
Other perks:
Additional goodies such as maps for reference, chronological descriptions, and breaking the Bible up into concepts for study and subsequently the breakdown of each category into segments that were easy to understand.
This book should in no way replace (and isn't ever encouraged) the Bible but it is SUCH a good study tool WITH extra teachable materials in the back if you wanted to make hand outs and share or lead a study group.
For me, I took my time with it and it definitely didn't fit into the 30 day. category for me but I really enjoyed it and consider it to be a valuable tool into my Bible study journey.
If applied in the suggested 30 Day period I could see how this would be a condensed but incredibly potent study focusing on the overall understanding of the Bible and how it is laid out.
I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to study it.
Thanks for reading.
💖,
Jess
It might not be for everyone but it was extremely useful for me.
Other perks:
Additional goodies such as maps for reference, chronological descriptions, and breaking the Bible up into concepts for study and subsequently the breakdown of each category into segments that were easy to understand.
This book should in no way replace (and isn't ever encouraged) the Bible but it is SUCH a good study tool WITH extra teachable materials in the back if you wanted to make hand outs and share or lead a study group.
For me, I took my time with it and it definitely didn't fit into the 30 day. category for me but I really enjoyed it and consider it to be a valuable tool into my Bible study journey.
If applied in the suggested 30 Day period I could see how this would be a condensed but incredibly potent study focusing on the overall understanding of the Bible and how it is laid out.
I am incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to study it.
Thanks for reading.
💖,
Jess
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2022
It might be obvious from the subtitle but this book provides such sweet, succinct summaries of the books of the Bible and its core doctrines. If you want to get to know the Bible better as a whole or just a specific book I think Anders' guide is a great place to start.
April 17, 2022
I enjoyed this as a basic overview of the structure of the Bible and its doctrines. Also had helpful info as far as geography and timeline goes. Very fundamental but worth the quick read if you find the Bible confusing or intimidating.
July 20, 2020
It was cool. Has fill in the blanks so it makes you feel like you’re in class
August 12, 2023
Do not try to read this book outside of the daily recommended dose. It is written to be taken in small bites. Great context. Great geography. Great timelines. A lot of information. Read slowly.
February 22, 2020
The first half of the book, which is the Old Testament broken down by:
the structure of the Bible, the geography, which books are historical, creation era, patriarch era, exodus era, conquest, judges, kindom, exile, return, silence and the poetical and prophetical books.
Section two of the book is the New Testament likewise broken up and explained:
geography, structure, gospel era, church, missions and the epistles.
The part of the book that wasn't as good was section three. The author used pagan witchcraft symbol to represent the Godhead, (which was another issue I had with the author, because he uses another word that isn't in the Bible*).
I did like that the author included scripture to support each area, (except for the above*)
In any case, I would recommend the first two parts to new Christians.
the structure of the Bible, the geography, which books are historical, creation era, patriarch era, exodus era, conquest, judges, kindom, exile, return, silence and the poetical and prophetical books.
Section two of the book is the New Testament likewise broken up and explained:
geography, structure, gospel era, church, missions and the epistles.
The part of the book that wasn't as good was section three. The author used pagan witchcraft symbol to represent the Godhead, (which was another issue I had with the author, because he uses another word that isn't in the Bible*).
I did like that the author included scripture to support each area, (except for the above*)
In any case, I would recommend the first two parts to new Christians.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews