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So, Who Crushes the Dragon-Snake?: Weird Stuff in the Bible, Part 3

Jeff Voth
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So, Who Crushes the Dragon-Snake?: Weird Stuff in the Bible, Part 3

In my last article, I introduced a character that appears in the biblical narrative whom I described as the “Dragon-snake”. You may want to review it and get some of the background as to why I described him as such.

As you may have guessed, the Dragon-snake is in fact the crafty one — Satan, himself. And while he certainly steals the storyline from Adam, Eve, and potentially God in the first portion of Genesis 3 (vv. 1-13), he doesn’t get the last word — God does. In Genesis 3:15b, He states: “… he will crush your head …”. The “he” in 3:15b is none other than the One whom the Apostle John calls in John 1:1-5 (NIV), “The Word”:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Thankfully, Jesus is that Word, and John lets his readers know that He was there in the beginning, with God, for He was, is, and ever will be God Himself. There He is, the incarnation of the God of all the omnis, come to earth — all of His omni-power incarnated and physically present on the planet. That means that He is eternal and that no one, or no thing, can be before or after Him, or ever get the last word pertaining to Him. The Bible is His story, He is the Thesis of the entire narrative, and the reader must never forget that.

However, There Is the Dragon-Snake Problem

We can’t forget that in Genesis 3, although God has spoken, the Dragon-snake seems to have won the day — temporarily at least. The Maker of Days, the Ancient One Himself, cannot ever be outdone, for the Bible is His story and will be written and played out only as He decides. One cannot forget that in Genesis 3:15, He set things in order for the rest of the story by stating His thesis directly to the Dragon-snake’s face, while Adam and Eve are hiding shamefully in the bushes.

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All of the great stories have a thesis, which simply put, is a central claim or argument that an author puts forward in an essay, paper, or story, then attempts to prove it throughout the body of his work. I believe that, in the greatest of all stories, the Bible, God has done this emphatically:

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
    and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
    and you will eat dust
    all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring (seed) and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”
— Genesis 3:14–15 (NIV, my emphases)

There it is! The Dragon-snake will be cursed to crawl on his belly, not walking or flying anymore. There would also be “enmity,” or a murderous battle between the Dragon-snake and the woman. His head, now slithering in the dust, would be repeatedly crushed and ultimately obliterated by the Seed of the Woman. Yes, there would be an epic and bloody battle for thousands of years, but the Dragon-snake had been cursed and put on notice. He would not steal the storyline anymore, for the Author Himself had another plan and had prophesied a Heavenly end to the temporarily hellish story.

So, note that we will now be calling him the Serpent, not the Dragon-Snake, since dragons can fly, walk, and talk, and this one cannot do those things anymore. He has been cursed to be a lowly serpent. His fate would be to remain a slithering, dust-eating snake. Thus, we speak of and remember him merely as the Serpent. 

The Rest of the Serpent-Crushing Story

The rest of the Bible is the playing out of this epic, serpent-crushing tale. It’s a tale that will consistently remind the Serpent and the reader that there is One who will ultimately come and eternally crush the dust eater. The Serpent-Crusher would be Jesus — the Thesis. He is the Seed of the Woman spoken of in Genesis 3, as well as the Light who outshines the darkness in John 1:1.

Yes, the Serpent, who is darkness incarnate, would attempt to drown out the Light throughout the annals of time, but he would never get the last word, for God had spoken and the slitherer was cursed to be crushed time and time again. Jesus, the Thesis, shows up to crush him in every book of the Bible, in every way imaginable, sometimes obvious and sometimes hidden, yet always reminding the readers of yesterday, today, and tomorrow that God has an ever-living plan to see His Thesis be proven over and over, again and again, for all eternity.

Serpent Crushing Highlights in the Old Testament

Scripture is filled with the stories of men and women who exercised their faith in the Serpent Crusher and would crush the Serpent in their own unique times and places, pointing to an ultimate, eternal crushing and life in a “country” where the faithful would live in a Serpent-free environment, wherein Jesus would make “…all things new” (Rev. 21:5). The Thesis would be fully realized and emphatically proven. The writer of Hebrews speaks of the faithful ones:

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13-16 NIV)

Some of the Serpent Crushers of the Old Testament were people like Abraham, who was called to go to a place he had never heard of and, by faith, enter into a covenant relationship with a God he did not yet know (see Genesis 12-25). He would perpetuate the Serpent Crushing seed of the woman to his seed — Isaac, Jacob, and their seed.

There was Joseph, kidnapped by his brothers and sold into slavery. Yet, by faith, he trusted God to crush the Serpent (see Genesis 37-50) and ultimately save his family and his nation. He would, by faith, perpetuate the Serpent Crusher’s seed to his seed.

Perhaps one of the most famous Serpent Crushers was King David. He would engage in an epic battle with Goliath, a serpent-like giant (see 1 Samuel 16-17), and not only crush his huge “hairy crown” (see Psalm 68:21) but cut it off, lift it up, and display it for all the world to see and give God glory. This was so profound an occurrence that Jesus would eventually be called “Son of David” (see Matt. 1:1, 21:9).

There is not enough space in this article to mention where in the other books of the Bible (all of them in my opinion), Jesus, the Thesis, makes appearances. For a larger list of those appearances, you may want to check out my book, Jesus is the Thesis.

Does the Serpent Get Crushed in the New Testament Too?

Absolutely, the Serpent gets crushed in the New Testament, too. In fact, Jesus, the Serpent Crusher Himself is the connecting force between the Old and New. As we have already seen, John reminds us that He, the Word, was there in the beginning at creation (John 1:1), then prophesied by the mouth of God to be the One who would crush the serpent and his seed (Gen. 3:14-15). I have given a few Old Testament examples of Him working through various  serpent-crushing heroes of faith. Then, as Paul puts it, “When the set time had fully come,” Jesus came to the planet to initiate a final assault on the Serpent and his minions:

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” (Galatians 4:4-5 NIV)

Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem brought about the crushing reality that, in Him, and through Him, there would be both temporal and eternal hope for all who would have faith in Him. Through Jesus, they would have hope in the Serpent Crusher and could become Serpent Crushers themselves. The Serpent would not get the last word; Jesus would.

In my next article, I will outline what serpent-crushing looked like in the New Testament and then what it might look like today and for all eternity. In fact, Paul gives us an encouraging sneak peek when he says to us, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Romans 16:20 NIV).

Join Dr. Jeff Voth and Dr. Nathan French for Weird Stuff in the Bible, a unique video series from Cavetime and Study Gateway! Try it free for 7 days!

In the Weird Stuff series from Cavetime, Dr. Jeff Voth and Hebrew scholar, Dr. Nathan French, discuss and make sense of some of the weird stuff in the Bible to ultimately point us back to the needed redemption of Jesus Christ.

First Temple-Era Wooden Beams Discovered in Jerusalem’s City of David

Timothy C. Morgan
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First Temple-Era Wooden Beams Discovered in Jerusalem’s City of David

Ashes from Jerusalem’s destruction have lain hidden for 2,600 years beneath one of the world’s most controversial parking lots. The recent discovery of First Temple-era charred timbers provides promising new evidence of Nebuchadnezzar’s army burning Jerusalem and the Temple as described in 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52.

During recent digs at the Jerusalem Walls-City of David National Park, immediately south of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, excavators uncovered enormous wooden beams, charred by fire, the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced recently.

“The beams appear to have served as the roof of an inner courtyard in a building from the First Temple period,” IAA excavation director Efrat Bocher told The Jerusalem Post. Experts believe the timbers were preserved after surrounding plaster melted and sealed them during the intense fire. The IAA and Tel Aviv University are overseeing the excavation. The remarkable find is among several major archaeological discoveries in the past year that illuminate people, places, and events connected to the Bible.

The Building of the First and Second Temples

Many Jews (and historians) view the construction of the Temple as among the greatest achievements of ancient Israel. The biblical narrative of King Solomon’s construction of the First Temple is primarily detailed in 1 Kings 5–7. Although the temple’s precise location today remains undiscovered, scholarly consensus is that it was likely built on the Temple Mount.

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This site is also the location of the Second Temple, constructed around 516 BC as described in the book of Ezra. Generations later, King Herod greatly expanded the Second Temple, but the Romans destroyed it in 70 AD following the historic Jewish revolt. Following the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem in the seventh century, Muslim rulers built the iconic octagonal Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount.

A Connection Rooted in Faith and History

Scholars and others welcomed the discovery of the charred beams. “It is very rare in Israel to find wood with such a large number of growth rings,” Johanna Regev, an archaeologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science who is studying the beams, said in media interviews.

“Here in the City of David, we found thick beams with many rings, offering significant research potential, with more growth rings enabling higher dating resolution. Until now, we could date finds within a range of hundreds of years. Now, we can attain much greater precision, narrowing the dating range down to as little as 10 years.”

The IAA announcement arrived on the eve of Tisha B’Av, widely regarded as the “saddest date” on the Jewish calendar since it commemorates the destruction of the First Temple along with numerous other national tragedies in Jewish history. “On the eve of Tisha B’Av, this discovery underscores that our connection to Jerusalem is rooted not only in faith, but also in history, archaeology, and collective memory. It is our responsibility to continue uncovering, preserving, and passing this heritage on to future generations,” Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu told The Jerusalem Post.

Controversial Parking Lot

The site of the discovery is also known as the Givati parking lot, which has been wrapped in controversy for decades. The Israeli government acquired the property in East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood during urban renewal efforts in the 1970s and converted it into a public parking lot.

Later, during the 1980s and 1990s, the Elad Association, founded by Israeli settlers, began purchasing nearby properties to establish Jewish residential communities and develop a visitor center emphasizing the Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem.

Construction on the site faced delays due to requirements that so-called “rescue excavations” could occur to recover and protect any ancient artifacts. Those investigations ultimately transformed what had once been an unremarkable parking lot into one of the richest archaeological sites in Israel. Starting in 2007, digs at Givati uncovered ruins of a building connected to Queen Helena (the first-century Jewish queen and convert to Judaism), the remains of an ancient Greek fortress, and a hoard of 264 Byzantine-era gold coins. The excavations also revealed evidence spanning 10 distinct periods of Jerusalem’s history. Today, covering 3,500 square meters, this former parking lot ranks among Israel’s largest archaeological excavations.

Some professional archaeologists object to the excavations at Givati. Raphael Greenberg, a senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University, published an essay in 2014 critical of IAA and Elad for their plans for Givati, saying that IAA was violating its legal mandate to protect and preserve Jerusalem’s ancient sites. Mahmoud Hawari, a Palestinian archaeologist, in a 2022 journal article was critical of excavations in Silwan as violating international law since they took place on “occupied land,” resulting from the Six-Day War in 1967. Hawari wrote, “Israel weaponizes archaeology to create an invented ‘biblical’ narrative centered on the so-called ‘City of David’ to justify its settler-colonial project in Silwan.”

Other New Discoveries

This past year has brought several other significant discoveries in biblical archaeology and related fields.

Archaeologists in the Nineveh Province of Iraq uncovered a section of a 2600-year-old stele linked to the reign of Assyrian King Ashurbanipal, referred to in Ezra 4:10 as “Asnappar.” He inherited the vast Assyrian Empire from his father, Esarhaddon, and grandfather, Sennacherib, whose failed siege of Jerusalem is recorded in 2 Kings 18–19. In Shiloh, archaeologists announced that they have uncovered another wall of an ancient stone structure that appears to mirror the size of the ancient Hebrew Tabernacle, in which the Ark of the Covenant was held.

In the field of ancient manuscript restoration, scientists recently announced the recovery of 42 lost pages from a biblical manuscript that monks had hidden inside book bindings for nearly 800 years.

Known as Codex H, the sixth-century Greek manuscript contains Paul’s letters and was preserved in a library on Mount Athos in Greece. By the thirteenth century, its ink had faded so severely that monks dismantled the codex and reused its pages to reinforce the bindings of newer books.

Codex H is among the finest surviving examples of the Euthalian Apparatus, a system of explanatory notes and reference aids designed to help readers navigate biblical texts. Scientists recovered the hidden pages using multispectral imaging and radiocarbon dating.

Archaeologists and historians say these discoveries provide new historical context for biblical narratives and other ancient texts, while raising fresh questions for future research.

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Power Made Perfect in Weakness: God’s Promise to Those Who Feel They’re Not Enough

Joshua Luke Smith
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Power Made Perfect in Weakness: God’s Promise to Those Who Feel They’re Not Enough

My son was born in our bathroom.

It was late morning, and our midwife, Julie, was sitting on the stairs outside, praying and reading Scripture. He was meant to arrive in the birthing pool, but I didn’t fill it in time. I had one actual job that day — and I didn’t even get around to doing it.

I didn’t exactly forget; I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the room. The space between my wife’s contractions wasn’t long enough to make it down the stairs and back. They kept coming — like waves gathering more fury, foam, and more anticipation.

Bon Iver was on the birthing playlist. The song “It Might Be Over Soon” came on at just the right moment. We looked at each other and started crying — delirious with joy. It felt like a declaration of grace and a welcome encouragement: This is going to pass. And it’s going to be worth it.

When he was born, and I watched Kara clutch his tiny, yet chunky, pale body, and I felt a tangible connection to the most primal, ancient truth of our shared human experience; this is what we’ve been doing since the dawn of time. 

For all our incredible developments in technology and engineering, this birth is how it all begins. You might have a robot vacuum or a car that drives itself. You might have finally optimized your life to the most precise degree. But it all comes back to the agony and awe of childbirth. Whether squatting in a field, lying in the most pristine and well-equipped hospital, or huddled together in a small bathroom, there’s no escaping it.

This is how we begin.

We Begin in Weakness

We come into the world in the most vulnerable of states — and nothing really changes. We are all the ages we’ve ever been. Beneath overalls and aprons, pinstripes and scrubs, we’re still naked little babies, with a hue of blue beneath the blood and slime we were bathed in.

Sometimes, in an effort to be more compassionate and present with the person in front of me, I glance at their shoelaces. I remind myself that, at some point in the day, regardless of their stature — or lack of it — they contorted their back like Quasimodo and bent low, or perhaps raised their leg in an awkward high-lunge, to cross their laces and tie a bow.

All that ambition and all those grown-up to-do lists poured over a pair of laces, just like when they were a child, tongue pressed to the side of their lips, concentrating as intensely as someone cutting the correct wire on a live bomb. I learned to tie my shoes later than most. In the end, it was my Scottish Granny who showed me how. For some time, I wore Velcro shoes, which offered a sense of independence while quietly revealing a deeper truth. I didn’t want my parents to tie my laces for me, but I knew I couldn’t do it on my own.

Some of the men in the prisons where I run poetry workshops wear Velcro shoes. Mostly it’s a safety measure. But sometimes it breaks my heart because, for all the reasons they are there, I wonder if somewhere inside them is a little boy who never learned how to tie his shoes, and perhaps never had someone patiently say: “Cross one lace over the other and pull it tight. Make a bunny ear. Wrap the other lace around it. Push it through the hole. Make another bunny ear. Then pull them both tight.”

The Grace of Dependence

For too long, I believed the lie that you somehow outgrow need, or that you should. But the illusion of self-sufficiency only distances us from the beauty of care — and the grace of being held.

I watched competent, qualified people and assumed they didn’t face the same gnawing sense of incompetence and helplessness that I so often do. But all you need to do is start something for the first time, and that same rushing feeling of dependency floods back in.

A new hobby will do it. I started doing jiu-jitsu recently, and there’s nothing quite like being folded into a pretzel by someone half your height and weight to remind you that you’re an amateur. It’s the awkward dance of a new relationship. The first day on the job. Walking down the steps to your first recovery meeting.

All our beginnings are marked by naked vulnerability.

Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re being born into something new until we’re already in it — shivering, blinking in the light, with an involuntary cry escaping our lungs as we gasp for air.

Paul’s Paradox of Weakness

Of all the voices in the New Testament, it is the Apostle Paul who captures this paradox of living in strength and vulnerability most clearly. While writing his letters to the Corinthians — a people deeply concerned with status, power, appearance, and strength — Paul does something remarkable. Rather than garnering their respect through building a case for his competence, he speaks openly about his weakness.

Specifically, he tells them about a “thorn” in his flesh, something he desperately asked God to remove. The jury is still out on what exactly Paul is speaking of here, but we know it’s produced a feeling of ailment and struggle in his life. In an act of stunning transparency, as though opening the pages of his prayer journal, he allows us to read God’s response:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

I have heard these words read from pulpits countless times, but I have rarely seen them lived so publicly. To boast in weakness does not mean simply enduring it or tolerating it, nor does it mean romanticizing suffering. The word Paul used in Greek is kauchēsomai — to glory in, to take confidence in, not because it is somehow desirable, but because weakness reveals the sufficiency of Christ.

An honest relationship with our weakness does not magically transform it into strength. It simply reveals the source of what sustains us. Perhaps that is why Paul’s words remain so compelling and so profoundly countercultural: the deeper he goes into the life of God, the more willing he becomes to acknowledge his need.

Returning to Holy Helplessness

We’re trained to outgrow need. To build distance from dependency. But the older I get, the more convinced I become that true maturity looks more like a return — back to that holy helplessness. Back to trust.

I was in a 12-step meeting last week, and a friend shared her new acronym for TRUST:

TRy Using Step Three.

Step Three reads:

“We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.”

That, honestly, might be worth trying.

Doesn’t something in you exhale, even slightly, when you think about turning your life over to the care of someone with shoulders broad enough to carry it? Hands calloused enough to manage it? A heart large enough to contain the overwhelm, the exhaustion, and the self-loathing you feel?

Born Beloved

My son was born in need, and he was born beloved — and the good news is that you can’t outgrow either.

I need people. I need grace. I need space to be vulnerable and held and even as I write these words, I feel my shoulders relax and relief flood my body. 

Friends, this is the great mystery and beauty of our faith: that God, in all power and sovereignty, chose to enter the world not as a noble king but as a newborn, wailing into the night. The One who breathed stars into being was bathed, breastfed, and bruised His little knees. And this is the invitation extended to us, to return to where we began and boast that in all we’ve been through His love has sustained and His grace is sufficient. 

This Is the Main Event by Joshua Luke Smith

What if the life we long for isn’t elsewhere but rather right here, waiting to be discovered?

Joshua Luke Smith believes the greatest lie facing our generation is that the life we long for lies beyond the life that we have. We so easily learn to disdain the inconveniences and interruptions that infuse our everyday. But the real transformation happens when we look at our life as it is and dare to announce: This Is the Main Event.

Modern Challenges Require a Mount Carmel-Sized Courage. Elijah Shows Us How

Max Lucado and Shannon Bream
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Modern Challenges Require a Mount Carmel-Sized Courage. Elijah Shows Us How

Who doesn’t love a “my dad will show you” story? You know the type. A kid is cornered by creeps who are twice his size. Then from behind them comes a deep voice: “Leave my son alone.” 

The bullies turn, and to their horror there stands an enormous dad: nine feet tall in his stocking feet, biceps as thick as tree trunks. “You mess with my boy, you mess with me,” the father bellows. 

The bums don’t stay around for details. They scatter like scared mice. 

We love those stories. Thankfully, our Heavenly Father does too.

Your Challenges Are Real — but They’re Not New

If only our bullies and troublemaking scalawags were just high school punks. But your tormenters are diseased cells that threaten to take your life. Your punk is bad news that threatens to take your peace. Your ruffians are a horde of godless politicians who, in your mind, are taking over.

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Can you relate to the psalmist who said, “How long, Lord? … How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” (Ps. 13:1-2 NIV).

Nothing we face today has not already been part of the human story. That’s encouraging because the Bible is full of the stories of men and women who have walked through whatever we may be facing in 2026. From broken families to devastating diagnoses, there is hope tucked into every single journey.

God may not have shown up in the way those men and women might have hoped; he didn’t always remove the enormous challenges in their paths. But what he did do, is what he is still doing: walking us through the storms of life.

Elijah on Mount Carmel

Elijah’s story is one of a faithful man who confidently followed God’s direction. 1 Kings 18 has what is arguably the most epic showdown between the Lord’s servant and a wicked leader, and it required unwavering faith from Elijah. 

By the ninth century BC it appeared that Satan had succeeded. Monarch after monarch wanted nothing to do with God’s plan. They turned away from Him and embraced a satanic religion that called for prostitution worship and celebrated the sacrifice of infants. 

How far the people of God had fallen! 

But then Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel on Mt. Carmel. He dared them to call on Baal to send fire. From morning to evening they cried. Riff upon ridiculous riff. This was Satan, the fallen angel, versus Jehovah, the living God. Our Maker was proving his point. Any thought of Satan’s power was doused the day that Satan had no response on Mt. Carmel.

The real offering of this sacrifice was not the bull but the precious water the crowd wanted to drink rather than offer to God. They saturated the altar three times so Elijah could make sure that everything was soaked: the wood, the bull, the platform. Why douse the altar with water if you want it consumed by fire? Because God was about to show up in the way only a Dad can.

‘The Lord, He Is God!’

We’ve seen this tactic before. It’s one of God’s favorites — showing up and showing off in a way that leaves no doubt who has the power. When the Israelites stood before the towering walls of Jericho, God took the city with a marching band (Joshua 6:1–5). When Gideon faced an army “thick as locusts” (Judges 7:12), God won the victory with three hundred men, a troop of trumpets, and some flashlights. And when the whole universe buckled under the weight of sin, God rescued you and me through a dirty manger, a homeless rabbi, and a horrible death on a cross.

Elijah didn’t even request fire. But the Lord sent it.

Heaven opened, and a blaze from heaven fell. It consumed the water, the rocks, the wood, even the dust. All that was left was a charcoal-colored oval on the ground.

The people responded with repentance. Voices echoed off the rugged cliffs and rocky slopes. For the first time in three generations, the nation of Israel cried out to Jehovah. “The Lord, he is God!”

Our Enemy Is the Devil

Won’t we shout at that moment? Won’t we celebrate the incarceration of this cosmic punk? He masterminded your addiction. He conjured up all this division. He mapped out your seduction. He is the culprit who created the temptation, the frustration, the utter confusion that contaminates our planet.

Please hear me as I say this: Satan is our foe. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12 NKJV).

Your enemy is not your Ahab. Your adversary is not your competition. Your foes are not the people who forgot or abused you. Your antagonist does not work in the Oval Office or a Hollywood movie studio. 

Our enemy is the devil. And at the end of this age, his time will end. Until then expect our Father to show up. Don’t think for a moment that he will sit still while Satan seduces and harms his creation. 

Could Elijah’s Story Happen Today?

Can’t a Mount Carmel moment happen in our day? Our days are as dark as were the days of Elijah. Our God is as alive as he was in the days of Elijah. Dare we dream of a renewal that silences the stewards of Satan and reveals them for the frauds they are? 

Elijah’s story is relevant because the challenges he faced are similar to ours. In a historical blink of an eye, we are shedding old beliefs and grasping for new ones. What was once unthinkable is acceptable today. Changes around us. Challenges within us. Chaos. Anxiety. Exhaustion. Fear. The economy. The threat of nuclear war. The school shootings. The homeless camps in your city. The state of your country. 

The story of Elijah offers us hope. It is a field manual on how to thrive during a spiritual drought. Elijah shows us that one person following a living God is greater than hundreds of people praying to a lifeless one.

He shows us how to find faith in a torrent of odd gods and bad odds. Do you feel it is you against the world? Not so, my friend. Outnumbered by foes and outdone by fear? Please reconsider. Surrounded by adversity? Perhaps. Yet, you are also encircled by divinity.

Serve the Lord Only

Elijah chose Jehovah, alone. Let’s imitate our hero: Serve the Lord only.

Let’s pray to be delivered from the paralysis of spiritual bigamy. To serve the Lord alone is to make him sole Lord. No other master. No other rival. Discipleship is never part-time. 

If you look around and think that your life doesn’t look like you had once hoped and planned it would, I want you to be encouraged. Whether it’s our own self-doubt or rebellion, or circumstances far beyond our control, the Lord is always at work. As believers, when we lay down the pursuit of our kingdoms in favor of his, we will find peace and joy in our brief earthly adventure. The Lord can redeem our mistakes and bind up our wounds. He can neutralize our enemies. He can help us to see purpose in our pain, if only we will let him.

With God’s help you can respond to the raging torments of this world with unbreakable courage. Immovable. Determined. Square jawed and resolved. Like Elijah.

Join the free online Bible study today!

Unbreakable Courage by Max Lucado

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or ready to give up, this is the Bible study for you! In Max Lucado’s newest book & Bible study, Unbreakable Courage, we’ll discover how God replaces fear with faith, steadies anxious hearts, and gives us the courage to face whatever comes next. Join the Online Bible Study and get FREE access to all 6 teaching videos with Max, plus bonus resources and a vibrant online community to support you along the way!

Order your copies: Discover how to live a life of courageous faith in Max’s new book, Unbreakable Courage. And be encouraged to trust again in the God who never fails with Shannon’s New York Times bestselling book, Nothing Is Impossible With God.

Called, but Still Searching: The Effect of Scripture Engagement on Human Flourishing

Julie R. Neidlinger
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Called, but Still Searching: The Effect of Scripture Engagement on Human Flourishing

What is the point of my life? 

Why am I even here?

We’ve all asked ourselves this question, and for the first time, the American Bible Society (ABS) decided to tackle the matter of purpose and calling for their State of the Bible 2026 report. They explored how people viewed the idea of having a calling, and who could identify that calling.

What they discovered was interesting.

According to their research, if you were to get five Americans together, one would tell you they don’t have a calling. Two of them (33%) would think they do. The other two are somewhere in the middle, searching or unsure.

That sounds cut-and-dried, but it’s not that simple. People’s understanding of their calling is constantly changing. Those who feel called also feel like they are searching. And even more to the point, how we view our calling and purpose in life is strongly connected to whether or not we flourish.

Finding Your Calling — but Still Searching

Let’s start with people who say they’ve found their calling. 

For them, it seems as if the heavy lifting is done, but this isn’t the case. It appears that even those who have found their calling and understand it still feel there’s more to the story. They’re still searching.

In their research, ABS found that 63% of people said they have found the work they are called to, with 75% saying they have a good understanding of that calling (these are the respondents who answered “moderately true” to “totally true”). Yet the surprise is that 38% say they are searching for their calling while 45% say they are trying to figure out their life calling.

Source: American Bible Society, State of the Bible 2026

That means there’s a decent chunk of people who think they have found their calling but are still searching for it. Why the overlap in what seem like mutually exclusive responses? Why look for what you already have?

ABS has a few theories on this conundrum. For starters, consider that our lives are on a moving timeline; it makes sense that changes in our lives affect how we view our purpose and calling. As we get older or our interests and opportunities change, so does how we view our calling. 

Additionally, having found your calling can coexist with still looking for a calling, particularly when you view your calling as a process or journey. This is particularly noticeable in certain demographic groups. For example, Black Protestants have a high score for both having found their calling and searching for one.

For them, and for any group that sees a calling as a spiritual thing, life is seen as pressing on toward the goal, not stopping and settling in (Philippians 3:14).

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We can sense a calling in our current work, service, and way of living, but also be open and sensitive to change or wherever God leads. In this sense, searching for a calling isn’t a signal of failure, but an indicator of the importance placed on a calling. It is something worth revisiting and bringing to God rather than a marker of uncertainty.

However — and it’s a big however — there are speed bumps that affect us, no matter how confident we are in our calling.

When Your Calling Is Disrupted

Identity is a tricky thing. 

If it’s connected to our job or abilities — two things very much susceptible to change — our understanding of who we are, and therefore our purpose, is up for grabs. Yesterday’s calling might feel like today’s unsettled loss, and our identity seems to flounder.

As ABS notes in their report, life’s challenges can keep us from acting on what we think our calling is. They tracked nine common disruptors that, though not all negative, impact the regular flow of life. The negative disruptors of death, unemployment, and health concerns top the list.

It is unemployment, however, that most affected ABS human flourishing scores. 

Source: American Bible Society, State of the Bible 2026

Now compare those scores to the results ABS tracked on which negative disruptors were most likely to cause people to turn to their Bible, and we see a surprise.

Source: American Bible Society, State of the Bible 2026

While all disruptors draw people to the Bible, unemployment — which creates the most stress and anxiety and reduction of hope — is the least likely to send us to the Scriptures. It’s strange to see unemployment at opposite ends of the charts, especially since many people tie their sense of calling to their job.

Perhaps people see losing a job as a problem to solve rather than a spiritual crisis. Yet Scripture is uniquely positioned to counteract these disruptors, as ABS discovered. Negative disruptors take a toll on everyone, but people who turned to Scripture don’t just get through with a little help; Scripture makes up for it and shows improvement on the other side.

Yes: when Scripture is applied, difficult challenges help us flourish.

The Importance of Having a Calling

Why does any of this matter?

ABS discovered that when we feel that our lives have meaning and purpose with a calling that fulfills them, we flourish. We have confidence and hope.

In fact, ABS discovered that, across all the areas they measure human flourishing, finding your calling in life is the most important indicator that you will flourish. The stronger your sense of calling, the better your character, relationships, physical and mental health, and overall life satisfaction will be.

It’s important to remember that our vocation isn’t our destination; our calling is more than that. Disruptions can shake us, but they don’t erase our calling. Returning to God who calls us, and to his Word, is where we find an identity that causes us to live a vibrant life.

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11 Books for Christian Doubters, Skeptics, and Anyone Questioning Faith

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11 Books for Christian Doubters, Skeptics, and Anyone Questioning Faith

There are many reasons someone might begin questioning Christianity.

Maybe you’ve spent your life going to church, but never dug into what it means for yourself. Maybe a new experience shook your foundations, and the answers you’ve relied on aren’t working anymore. Or maybe you’ve never really considered faith before at all, and now you’re becoming curious: who is this Jesus guy, anyway?

If any of those describe you, you are not alone. And you are not the first person to ask hard questions about God, Jesus, the Bible, suffering, science, history, or the church.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of books for anyone doubting or questioning Christianity.

These books are not all the same. Some are historical. Some are philosophical. Some are personal. They are written by scholars, pastors, former skeptics, detectives, and people who know what it costs to change your mind. Together, they offer a thoughtful starting place for young adults, students, seekers, and Christians who are trying to understand what they believe — or whether they believe at all.

This is not a list for winning arguments. It is a list for honest questions and thoughtful answers.

What to Read When You’re Questioning Christianity

Before choosing a book, it may help to name the kind of doubt you are facing.

  • Are you wondering whether Jesus really existed? Start with a book about the historical Jesus.
  • Are you skeptical about whether he was really God? Read about evidence for the resurrection — or go deeper by learning about Christology and the Trinity.
  • Are you struggling with violent or strange passages in the Bible? Start with a book about how to read Scripture.
  • Are you unsure whether (and how) science and faith can fit together? Or if Christianity itself even makes sense in the modern world? Start there.

Faith rarely grows by pretending your questions aren’t there. More often, faith grows by bringing those questions into the light, and engaging them honestly, seriously, and fully.

Your faith might look different after that process than it did before. That’s OK. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to move from milk to solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2).

1. The Story of Reality by Greg Koukl

  • Published: 2017
  • Length: 208 pages
  • Focus: The Christian worldview as a coherent story
  • Best for: Readers who need the big picture of Christianity before digging into specific questions

Sometimes Christianity feels like a pile of disconnected claims: God exists, humans sin, Jesus died, the Bible matters, heaven is real. In The Story of Reality, Greg Koukl steps back and presents Christianity as one coherent story: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

The book’s strength is clarity. Koukl helps readers understand what Christianity is actually claiming before asking whether those claims are true. It is especially helpful for beginners, curious skeptics, or Christians who inherited fragments of faith but never saw how they fit together. It’s a short book, so it doesn’t explore every objection in depth. Instead, it gives readers a sturdy framework for everything else on this list.

2. The Problem of God by Mark Clark

  • Published: 2017
  • Length: 272 pages
  • Focus: Major objections to Christianity
  • Best for: Readers who want their biggest doubts named clearly and answered accessibly

Mark Clark grew up in an atheistic home before becoming a pastor, and The Problem of God reflects both sides of that journey. He addresses major objections to Christianity, including God’s existence, science, suffering, Scripture, hell, hypocrisy, and Jesus.

This is a strong “first objections” book because it covers the questions many people actually ask in classrooms, conversations, and online. Clark writes plainly and directly without sounding dismissive of doubt. Covering so many issues in a relatively short book means each topic receives limited space, so readers with a singular deep objection may want a more specialized book. But for someone asking, “What are the main reasons thoughtful people still believe?” it is a helpful guide.

3. Why Christianity Makes Sense by Gavin Ortlund

  • Published: 2026
  • Length: 224 pages
  • Focus: The search for meaning
  • Best for: Readers who want a winsome, whole-life case for faith rather than only a debate-style defense

Gavin Ortlund’s Why Christianity Makes Sense offers a winsome, whole-life case for faith. Rather than focusing only on objections, Ortlund asks whether Christianity makes sense of beauty, longing, guilt, love, death, mystery, and the human heart. That makes it especially helpful for readers who are not persuaded by arguments alone.

Some people need historical evidence; others need to know whether Christianity explains the world they actually live in. Ortlund, who has made a name for himself by adeptly responding to theological objections on YouTube, manages to do both. Combining intellectual care with emotional and existential resonance, this book may be especially helpful for young adults who need more than a courtroom case for faith.

4. A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus by John Dickson

  • Published: 2018
  • Length: 256 pages
  • Focus: The historical Jesus
  • Best for: Readers who want to begin with history before theology or personal faith claims

John Dickson’s title says exactly what this book is: a guide to Jesus for people who are not sure what they believe. Rather than beginning with church doctrine, A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus asks what can responsibly be known about Jesus from the earliest historical sources.

Dickson is careful, readable, and fair-minded, making this a helpful starting point for skeptics who are not ready for devotional language or theological assumptions. It gives readers room to consider Jesus historically before asking what faith requires. Readers seeking pastoral guidance or exploring bigger questions about reality may want another book afterward. But for zeroing in on the question, “What can we actually know about Jesus?” it is excellent.

5. Person of Interest by J. Warner Wallace

  • Published: 2021
  • Length: 336 pages
  • Focus: The historical impact of Jesus
  • Best for: Readers who think like investigators or distrust arguments based only on Christian sources

J. Warner Wallace, a cold-case homicide detective, investigates Jesus by looking beyond the New Testament to the “blast radius” of his life: history, culture, art, literature, religion, and human civilization.

That approach makes Person of Interest one of the most original books here. It is especially helpful for skeptics who assume the case for Jesus depends only on Christian sources. Wallace’s strength is his investigative framing, which makes historical reasoning visual and engaging. That also means that readers who dislike detective-style analogies may find the method too stylized. But for anyone who likes evidence trails, true crime, or historical puzzles, this is an unusually compelling entry point.

6. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

  • Published: 2014 (revised and expanded 2018)
  • Length: 384 pages
  • Focus: A personal journey from Islam to Christianity
  • Best for: Readers who want a memoir-driven exploration of doubt, conversion, and the cost of changing one’s mind

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is memoir as much as apologetics. Nabeel Qureshi was raised in a devout Muslim family and came to Christianity only after years of friendship, study, prayer, argument, and personal cost.

What sets this book apart is its emotional weight. Qureshi does not treat faith as an abstract puzzle; he shows what it feels like when questions touch family, identity, loyalty, and love. Its strength is honesty, especially for readers who need to see someone wrestle deeply before changing their mind. Although it speaks most directly to Christian-Muslim questions, any reader who wants to understand conversion as a whole-person journey will find it a powerful account.

7. Set Adrift by Sean McDowell and John Marriott

  • Published: 2023
  • Length: 192 pages
  • Focus: Deconstruction and reconstruction
  • Best for: Readers reevaluating the Christianity they grew up with but not necessarily wanting to abandon it

Many doubters today are not outsiders looking in. They are insiders trying to sort Jesus from church baggage, inherited assumptions, shallow answers, or cultural Christianity. Set Adrift speaks directly to that experience.

Sean McDowell and John Marriott help readers examine their beliefs without treating every question as a threat. The book helps readers distinguish between the core of Christianity and secondary issues that may need reevaluation. It is especially useful for young adults in seasons of deconstruction, disillusionment, or transition But for readers of any age who have been “set adrift” from their inherited beliefs — but still care about faith and want to rebuild it wisely — it offers a thoughtful and steady path.

8. Why I Trust the Bible by Bill Mounce

  • Published: 2021
  • Length: 288 pages
  • Focus: Biblical reliability
  • Best for: Readers wondering whether the Bible has been corrupted, mistranslated, or misunderstood

Many people first doubt Christianity because someone told them the Bible is full of contradictions, copied too many times to be reliable, or shaped by later politics. Bill Mounce, a biblical scholar and accomplished Bible translator, addresses those worries directly in Why I Trust the Bible.

This book’s strength is credibility. Mounce writes with insider knowledge of manuscripts, translation, canon, and interpretation, but keeps the discussion accessible for everyday readers. It is especially useful for someone who wants to know whether the Bible we have today can be trusted. It is mainly about the reliability of Scripture, so it won’t answer every broader question about suffering, science, or church history. But for Bible-related doubt, it is one of the clearest places to begin.

9. How (Not) to Read the Bible by Dan Kimball

  • Published: 2020
  • Length: 336 pages
  • Focus: Difficult Bible passages and common objections to Scripture
  • Best for: Readers troubled by strange, violent, confusing, or offensive passages in the Bible

Sometimes doubt begins with a single Bible passage that seems impossible to defend. In How (Not) to Read the Bible, Dan Kimball writes for readers who have stumbled over verses about violence, slavery, women, science, or other difficult topics and wondered whether the Bible can still be trusted.

Kimball does not pretend these passages are easy or brush away objections to them. Instead, he teaches readers how to read ancient texts in historical, literary, and cultural context. It is conversational, practical, and especially well-suited to people who have seen Bible objections online. His informal style may not go deep enough for readers wanting a more academic treatment. But for many doubters, that accessibility is exactly the point.

10. Seven Days that Divide the World by John Lennox

  • Published: 2011 (revised and expanded 2021)
  • Length: 240 pages
  • Focus: The relationship between science and Scripture
  • Best for: Readers who wonder whether science rules out Christian faith

For many young people, the perceived conflict between Genesis and science becomes a major obstacle to faith. John Lennox, an Oxford mathematician, refuses the false choice between taking Scripture seriously and taking science seriously.

Seven Days that Divide the World focuses on Genesis, creation, the age of the earth, and the way Christians read ancient texts. With calm precision, Lennox makes room for thoughtful Christians to disagree about origins without treating science as the enemy or Scripture as disposable. It focuses primarily on origins, and does not address every science-and-faith question. But for readers worried that Christianity requires ignoring evidence, this book can feel like a deep breath.

11. Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

  • Published: 1972 (revised and expanded 2017)
  • Length: 880 pages
  • Focus: Historical evidence for Christianity and its claims
  • Best for: Readers who want a comprehensive, reference-style case for Christianity

One of the best-known modern apologetics books, Evidence That Demands a Verdict is big, detailed, and heavily documented. It tackles the reliability of Scripture, the resurrection, the historical Jesus, and core Christian claims with unusual breadth.

What sets it apart is scope: this is less a quick encouragement book than a reference work you can return to when specific questions arise. Its strength is also its challenge. For readers who feel emotionally overwhelmed by doubt, it may be too dense as a first step. But for someone who wants the evidence gathered in one place — footnotes, documentation, and all — it remains a major resource.

How to Choose the Right Book for Your Doubts

If you are not sure where to begin, start with the question that feels most urgent.

If your question is…Try…
Can I trust the Bible?Why I Trust the Bible or How (Not) to Read the Bible
Did Jesus really exist, and what can we know about him?A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus or Person of Interest
Does Christianity make sense as a whole worldview?The Story of Reality or Why Christianity Makes Sense
Does science rule out faith?Seven Days that Divide the World
What are the strongest overall arguments for Christianity?Evidence That Demands a Verdict
Has anyone actually wrestled through faith personally?Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus
What if I’m deconstructing the faith I grew up with?Set Adrift
Can someone help me answer the big objections simply and directly?The Problem of God

Conclusion: Doubt Is Not the End of Faith

Doubt can feel lonely, but it does not have to be the end of faith. In Scripture, people bring God their confusion, fear, grief, and questions. The Psalms are full of “How long?” and “Why?” The Gospels include disciples who misunderstand, hesitate, and struggle to believe. Thomas is remembered for doubting, but he is also remembered because Jesus met him there.

A good book cannot make the decision for you. But it can give you language, perspective, evidence, and companionship for the road. And sometimes that is exactly what doubt needs: not a quick comeback, but a wise guide.

How to Choose a Church Home, Bible Study, or Small Group After Moving

Jacob Edson
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How to Choose a Church Home, Bible Study, or Small Group After Moving

Finding a new home is rarely just about changing your address. Whether you’re relocating to a different city or entering a fresh season of your spiritual journey, leaving your old community behind is one of the hardest transitions you can face.

You aren’t just looking for weekend worship — you want a place where you can be discipled, build relationships, serve others, and find both comfort and challenge as you grow your faith.

This article will help you find and choose a Christian community where you can truly thrive.

Whatever your stage of life — from college students and young families to empty-nesters and retirees — and regardless of your faith background — lifelong churchgoer or curious first-time seeker — I want you to help you find a healthy, thriving, faithful home to call your own.

1. Start Looking for a Church Home Before You Need One

If you are relocating, don’t wait until moving day to look for a church. As soon as your destination is locked in — ideally before you even buy or rent a place— start scoping out the local options.

Just as you would research local school districts, recreational opportunities, and commute times, you should build a mental map of the local church landscape.

A great way to begin is by asking your Realtor, browsing denominational directories (more on that later), or simply scouting the area on Google Maps.

That said …

2. Go Beyond ‘Churches Near Me’

Once you land, the easiest approach is a simple online search for “churches near me.” That’s definitely a good place to start — but not a good place to end, for two reasons.

First, while convenience and proximity matter, they should not be the number one reason for picking a church. There are much more important criteria to consider, which we’ll address in a moment. Starting with a list of all the churches in a certain radius from your new home isn’t a bad idea. Just don’t pick the closest or most prominent one without doing some deeper research. 

Second, for the purposes of searching, there are other keywords worth trying to both expand and narrow down your options. Try searching for phrases like:

  • “Bible study near me”
  • “Christian community near me”
  • “Christian parent group near me”
  • “[denomination] church near [city/neighborhood]”
  • “college ministry near me” or “[college] Christian ministry”
  • “young adult Bible study near me”
  • “[women’s/men’s] Bible study near me”

These sorts of terms can help you find churches that better fit your profile. But again, don’t always count on search results to give you the best option.

3. Focus on Your Top Criteria

This should be the real meat of your search. These are the critical, make-it-or-break-it questions about the kind of church you want to belong to. 

I recommend making an ordered list of the following priorities. You probably won’t be able to check off every box perfectly, but you should know going in what your home runs and dealbreakers are.

Denomination and Church Tradition

For many believers, this will be your primary filter. If you already belong to a denomination, are happily committed to it, and/or feel that it best represents Christ’s body in the world, simply narrow your search to the local church(es) in that denomination.

In some cases (such as Catholic, Baptist, or Pentecostal) you’ll likely still have several options, and you can move through your other priorities to pick the best one. But you will have ruled out tons of churches that would not be a good fit.

If you don’t already have a denomination (or are unhappy in your current one), this might be a good time to experiment. Or you can simply check out non-denominational Christian churches. 

Either way, do your research.

General Theological Agreement

If you don’t belong to a denomination, this should probably take the top place on your list. You need to find a church that generally agrees with you on the most important elements of faith — such as the primacy of Scripture and how it’s interpreted, the divinity and personhood of Jesus Christ, sacramental theology, social teachings, and so on.

Most churches have a “statement of faith” on their website; that’s the first place you should look. Read it carefully. Does it align overall with your core convictions?

The key word here is “overall.” Do not expect to find a church that agrees with you on every single point of doctrine. The goal is to find a church that you trust enough on the big issues to disciple you effectively and encourage you to worship with integrity and joy.

Worship Style and Liturgy

Following theological alignment, you’ll want to find a church with a worship style that brings you closest to the Spirit. You may want to consider questions like:

  • Music style: Rock band? Hymn sing? Traditional organ? Gospel? This often defines the “feel” of the church. What kind of music speaks to your soul?
  • Liturgy: Closely tied to music is the liturgical style, from “high church” or formal (Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran) to “low church” or informal (Baptist, Pentecostal, non-denominational). Do you want a carefully constructed, consistent order of service, or something more spontaneous and free?
  • Scripture: Is the Bible read during service? (If not, that’s probably a red flag.) What version(s) do they use?
  • Prayer: Are prayers spontaneous or recited? Is the congregation invited to participate, or does the pastor lead exclusively?
  • Communion: How often is communion served? What format and style — wafers and wine, or bread and juice? Intinction or individual cups? 
  • Baptism: Does the church do infant or adult baptisms? Full immersion or sprinkling?
  • Creeds: Are creeds like the Apostles’ Creed or Nicene Creed read in worship, or does the church favor more personal confessions of faith?

You may not have an opinion on all of these topics. That’s OK. Just make sure to note the ones that matter to you.

Size and Structure

This section will come down to simple preference. Do you want the cozy community of a small church or the vibrant thrill of a megachurch? Neither choice is objectively better — but one will almost certainly be better for you.

  • Small churches might offer grounding, familiarity, close connections, intergenerational relationships, easier opportunities to serve, and a place where you feel known and seen. For some, they are comforting; for others, stifling.
  • Large churches might offer more programs, specialized ministries, greater diversity, wider community, and the excitement of large-scale communal worship. For some, they are energizing; for others, overwhelming.

Consider also the building’s size and structure. Is it important to you to worship in a cathedral? Or are you more comfortable in a traditional, steepled church? Or something more casual and unassuming, like a modern church-plant? 

Remember, church size is not a spiritual scorecard. The question is whether the church helps people like you worship, serve, and grow.

Preaching and Pastoral Leadership

Often, choosing a church also means choosing a pastor, or pastors. Though closely connected to theology and liturgy, there are two other major factors: leadership and preaching.

Leadership

Pay attention to how much influence the pastor has over the church. A strong, charismatic leader can provide numerous benefits, but beware of churches that follow their pastor more closely than they follow Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 1:11-13).

Additionally, find out about the leadership structure:

  • Are there multiple pastors or only one? How do they divide leadership duties?
  • What sort of qualifications are required? Formal ordination, approval from a board of elders, or simply answering an internal call? Who maintains accountability?
  • What is the church’s stance on women in ministry?

Preaching 

Today, it’s much easier to learn about pastors’ preaching styles than in the past. Most churches livestream their worship services and often post sermons online. You may want to watch a few before attending.

  • What is the pastor (or pastors’) preaching style like? Are sermons extemporaneous or read from a manuscript? How long is a typical sermon?
  • Does the pastor preach clearly and faithfully from Scripture?
  • How topical does the preaching get? Does the pastor address political issues in a way that honors Christ and models fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)?
  • Above all, does the preaching help you better understand the Bible and follow Christ?

4. Consider Your Stage of Life

Once you have a good idea about the kind of church you want and you start exploring options, take note of the composition of the congregation. Are there people like you in the pews? 

Once again, this isn’t about finding a church where everyone is like you — that would be contrary to the Gospel! But you probably won’t be happy if you’re the only 20-something in a sea of retirees, or vice versa.

Families

For families, the most important question comes down to: How friendly is the church to children? There are ways this can play out:

  • Are there other kids in your kids’ age range?
  • Is there a church school or youth ministry program?
  • Do they hold an intergenerational worship service?
  • What sort of family activities, resources, and support are there?

Look beyond the offerings for your kids’ current ages, too (they grow fast!). Will there be strong discipling opportunities for them as they age up?

Young Adults and College Students

If you’re a college student in a new town or a young adult wanting to explore faith on your own, you may want to start by checking in with on-campus ministries — though as you do, keep the rest of this guide in mind.

It’s important to find local peers to explore your faith with — not just podcasts and social media. But think beyond campus life, too:

  • Can the church connect you with older believers for mentorship or guidance?
  • Are there small groups or Bible studies to keep you focused in your faith?
  • Will there be opportunities to get involved and serve the local community?

Finding a new church can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time doing so. It’s OK to be nervous — but don’t let that hold you back. Most Christian communities will be delighted to welcome you and answer any questions you have.

Older Adults

Finding the right church can be even harder for older adults moving to new communities — especially if you’re mourning the loss of your old one. You’ll likely want to find something that feels familiar, but don’t be afraid to take a few risks, too. 

Ultimately it’s not about finding a one-to-one substitute for your old church home, but building a new community as the person you are today. Therefore, other factors might overshadow worship for you:

  • How engaged is the pastor with the congregation? Can you receive pastoral visitations and care when needed?
  • Is the service (and other parts of the building) accessible?
  • Are there opportunities to mentor younger believers or engage in intergenerational small groups?
  • Does the congregational culture welcome older members as active participants in church life?

5. Visit More Than One Church More Than Once Before Deciding

It’s helpful to research and think about your ideal church ahead of time — but that doesn’t mean you should make your final choice ahead of time. It’s best to have a short list of local churches that you are interested in. Then, get your foot in the door!

For each church, attend two or three services — either in a row, or staggered between your top picks. Afterwards, take some notes (either mentally or literally) about your experience:

  • How did it make you feel? Uncomfortable? Inspired? Disengaged? Renewed?
  • What did you like about it? What gave you pause?
  • Was the congregation welcoming and friendly? Were they too welcoming, maybe a little desperate?
  • Did anything surprise you?

If you like it enough to go back, it’s a good idea to ask about meeting with a pastor, ministry leader, membership coordinator, or other official who can answer any lingering questions.

Don’t Neglect Bible Study and Small Groups

While you’re exploring your shortlist, don’t underestimate the value of checking out a Bible study or small group, too. 

Sunday worship is central, of course, but these smaller gatherings often help you get to know people a little better — and get a sense of whether your own perspective will be welcomed. They are also especially helpful after moving or when looking to build community, thanks to that opportunity for deeper connection.

6. Give Yourself Time, But Don’t Drift

Finally, let yourself move through the feelings that the search for your new church home might bring, especially in the midst of a major transition.

A pastor friend of mine likes to make a distinction between “church hunting” and “church grieving.” If you’re hungry for a new Christian community, great! Don’t rush into it, but there’s no reason to hold back, either.

But if you’re grieving the loss of your old church — whether you had to leave it behind, or because of “church hurt” that pushed you away — don’t be surprised if even a good Sunday service makes you want to spend the rest of the day crying.

It’s OK to take your time — but don’t let it turn into months of disconnection. Especially in a new location, that level of isolation can be devastating. Try to keep yourself engaged every Sunday if possible — even if it’s a different church each time. Whatever it stirs up for you, spend some time that afternoon or evening bringing it to God in prayer.

Eventually, you will find a place where you feel the Spirit undeniably calling you back.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a New Church

Here is a quick checklist that distills many of the above questions into an easily referenced guide while you are searching for your new church home.

  • Is the church close enough for you to participate consistently?
  • (Optional: Does the church belong to the same denomination as you?)
  • Does the church’s theology align with core Christian beliefs and your convictions? 
  • Does the worship style help you participate honestly and reverently?
  • Does the size and structure of the building and congregation invite your participation in worship and church life?
  • Do the pastors and leaders seem trustworthy, humble, and accountable?
  • Is Scripture central in worship, preaching, teaching, and discipleship?
  • Are there opportunities for your life stage: families, students, singles, older adults?
  • Is the congregation welcoming without feeling artificial?
  • Is there a clear path to joining a small group, Bible study, or ministry?
  • Are there ways to serve, not just attend?
  • Could you imagine growing here over time?

Remember — no church will be perfect. The goal is not to find a flawless congregation, but a faithful one.

Conclusion: Finding a Church Home Is Part of Settling In

A new church home will not make a new city feel familiar overnight. But over time, worship, Scripture, prayer, service, and Christian friendship can help a new place become home.

U.S. Religious Liberty Panel Demands Reform

Timothy C. Morgan
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U.S. Religious Liberty Panel Demands Reform

The newly released draft report from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission cites many instances of what it labels religious repression and discrimination. Among its most prominent examples is a dispute over Bible verses engraved on military dog tags that traces back more than two decades.

The ‘Shields of Strength’ Dog Tag Case

On Memorial Day, May 26, 2003, then-President Bush spoke at Arlington National Cemetery, where more than 1,000 U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan have since been interred. Reciting Joshua 1:9 (KJV), Bush said in his remarks, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee.”

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That passage from Joshua was inscribed on a Shields of Strength dog tag worn by Army Ranger Capt. Russell Rippetoe, who was killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Starting in the late 1990s, distribution of these dog tags with Bible verses and official U.S. military emblems grew rapidly through Shields of Strength, a small business in Beaumont, Texas, founded by Kenny and Tammie Vaughan. The company said millions were sold and distributed until 2019, when the nonprofit Military Religious Freedom Foundation sent a letter to the Department of Defense alleging that the tags violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Defense officials then directed the Vaughans to remove all Scripture references from their dog tags.

The Vaughans fought back in federal court in Texas. In 2024, a federal judge ruled that the directive was “likely unlawful” for violating free exercise and free speech protections. In late 2025, federal officials announced a change to the licensing policy that would allow Shields of Strength to offer Bible verses on dog tags along with official military emblems. “Every dog tag we ever made was at the request of the troops and their families, and it was our honor to do so,” said Vaughan in a statement. The dog tags case reveals what the commission’s report argues are the harmful effects on Americans when officials misconstrue the relationship between church and state.

Biden Administration Criticized

The Trump administration has been deeply critical of how former President Biden’s administration handled religious liberty cases. Trump created the Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in 2025. At a 2025 press conference, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Trump commission chair, said, “There is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state’ in the U.S. Constitution.

“For too long, the anti-God left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country. During all seven Commission hearings, witness after witness testified that the so-called ‘separation of church and state’ was used to take their God-given religious liberty rights away.”

The commission’s purpose is to assess threats to religious liberty, develop new strategies to protect religious liberty, and find new ways to celebrate “America’s peaceful religious pluralism.” Commission Vice Chair Ben Carson said he supports the draft report’s call to create a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty. At a White House press conference, Carson said, “Our founding document says that our rights come from our creator and not from government. And people who try to divorce us from that heritage — do they realize that that’s our founding document? Do they realize that our Pledge of Allegiance says we are one nation under God?”

The Religious Liberty Commission’s Principal Recommendations

The public comment period on the draft report ends today, Monday, July 13. Citizens can email comments to RLC@usdoj.gov with the subject line “Public Comment,” citing the relevant topic or chapter. In the coming weeks, the commission will hold a virtual public meeting to review comments and finalize the report. The report draft draws heavily on seven hearings it held around the country. Among its principal recommendations are the following:

  • Repeal of the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which prohibits tax-exempt organizations from participating or intervening in political campaigns on behalf of — or in opposition to — candidates for public office.
  • Promote robust universal school choice in which funding follows a school-age child.
  • Restore the retirement or re-enlistment eligibility of military service members who lost benefits due to their religious beliefs regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Work with state and local governments and the FBI to accurately report and track anti-Semitism incidents so policymakers can respond effectively to threats against Jewish communities.
  • Require public officials who allege a person under their supervision has improperly engaged in religious expression to provide a written explanation of the alleged violation.

In late June, speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, Trump said, “While I am in the White House, I will defend Christians and all Americans of faith 100%.” In his address, Trump invoked the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:26, “With God all things are possible,” while outlining his administration’s approach to religious liberty. He also charged that the Biden administration carried out a “reign of persecution and repression against Christians and people of faith.”

Lawsuit Challenges the Commission

The report has drawn organized opposition from civil liberties and interfaith groups. Prior to the commission’s release of its draft report, four groups filed a federal lawsuit against President Trump, the Department of Justice, and the commission. The suit alleges the commission was unlawfully constituted and discriminates against religious minorities.

The suit calls for the court to find that the appointment of commissioners was not “fairly balanced” as required by federal law, and to direct the commission to make a “good faith effort” to appoint new members, since all the members are Christian except for one Jewish member.

The progressive Interfaith Alliance joined with Hindus for Human Rights, Muslims for Progressive Values, and the Sikh American Legal Defense Fund in launching the litigation. “This draft report … reflects the narrow, Christian nationalist worldview of the illegitimate commission, made up entirely of ideologically aligned Christians and one Orthodox Jew,” said Interfaith Alliance CEO Paul Brandeis Raushenbush.

He added: “The report is a wish list of divisive, unpopular ideas far-right religious groups have pushed for years, like allowing tax-exempt houses of worship to engage in partisan politicking and gutting our public education system through expanded private school vouchers.”

Federal court proceedings are expected later this year.

Other Criticisms and Conflicting Reports

Beyond the lawsuit, other groups point out that the report overlooks discrimination harming non-Christian religious communities. Critics note that it makes no reference to Islamophobia despite survey data showing widespread discrimination against American Muslims.

The Michigan nonprofit Institute for Social Policy and Understanding created the annual National Islamophobia Index several years ago. The 2025 poll analysis revealed that Islamophobia has been rising sharply since 2022, with the greatest increase among white Evangelicals, Catholics, and Jews. White Muslims and Trump-voting Muslims also scored high on the index, which measures respondents’ agreement with five common stereotypes about Muslims.

Meanwhile, the Center for American Progress and related groups recently released a counter-report, Religious Liberty for All: Celebrating This Founding Freedom at America 250, saying, “Religious liberty belongs to all people, not to any single tradition, political party, or administration.” Report contributor Sister Simone Campbell, founder of the social-justice group Network Nuns on a Bus, said, “Jesus often calls us to ‘fear not’” — a reference to John 6:20-21. “Faith drives out fear and allows us to honor the founding genius of our nation: We are stronger, wiser, and richer for the diversity of our beliefs.”

The Commission’s Report Awaits Finalization

The commission’s report, once finalized, will assist the Domestic Policy Council and Trump’s White House Faith Office, headed by Paula White-Cain, a commission member and longstanding evangelical pastor, in developing specific new federal policies to preserve religious freedom.

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50 Major Events in the Bible Storyline [Infographic]

Jacob Edson
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50 Major Events in the Bible Storyline [Infographic]

The Bible tells one sweeping story across many books, genres, authors, and centuries: creation, fall, covenant, exodus, kingdom, exile, the coming of Jesus, the birth of the church, and the hope of new creation. This Bible timeline highlights 50 major events in the Bible storyline, with Scripture links to help you see how the Old Testament and New Testament fit together.

If you are trying to understand the big picture of the Bible — or looking for a simple roadmap before reading Scripture more deeply — start here.

The Bible Is More Than ‘Major Events’

In all fairness (to us), this is by nature an impossible task.

For one thing, many events are told in multiple ways (e.g., Kings/Chronicles, the four Gospels, and Acts/Epistles), and it can be difficult to construct a single, unified narrative of them. That’s not to say that people don’t try — they’ve been trying for hundreds of years — but clearly, it’s important that we have multiple viewpoints on such things. God didn’t give us four Gospels by accident.

Second, the Bible isn’t arranged chronologically. Some of it is, at least in its major arcs — especially the first 17 books. But the Prophets and Epistles are all jumbled. They’re arranged thematically, roughly in order of length. And Proverbs and Psalms cover decades, maybe centuries, worth of content.

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Most importantly, the Bible isn’t simply a series of events. Some of the most critical, beautiful, meaningful, and powerful parts of the Bible aren’t narratives at all, even if they are based in one particular event or another. The narrative of Job isn’t at all tied to the Bible’s larger storyline, nor is the timeless reflection of Ecclesiastes. Psalms and Epistles frequently reference historical events, but their content is mostly ethical, devotional, or theological in character. Even the Gospel of John features long spiritual reflections not directly tied to any particular chronology.

In other words, depending on what type of reader you are, you may be more interested in poetry or theological analysis than in storyline. If that’s the case, you may want to start with the Wisdom books or the Prophets rather than the Histories.

Think of all that as a disclaimer.

…But It Does Tell a Story

So, with that all out of the way: the Bible does tell a story, broadly, across its pages: the story of the people of God. And from that story it’s possible to draw out some of the most influential, important, or just plain interesting events.

While the list is somewhat subjective (and I apologize if I left out some of your favorites; I personally regretted having to cut Balaam and his donkey), it will help you to see the overall arc of the narrative.

How to Use This Guide

There are two (or maybe three) ways to use this list: as an abridgment or a roadmap (or a curiosity).

If reading through the Bible cover-to-cover is too much for you right now, we won’t blame you! (We offer daily verses for a reason.) This can be a good in-between to whet your appetite. Maybe, in using it, you’ll find parts that you want to go deeper into, and others you don’t right now. That’s OK. Follow where the spirit leads you.

Or, if you’re committed, you can use it to mark waypoints as you read through the Bible this year. Perhaps there’s a really dense passage you’re struggling through, and you want to skip ahead to the next waypoint. This guide will help you do that.

Then again, maybe you want to give it a quick look for curiosity’s sake and then continue your own way through the Bible. Good for you!

Bible Timeline at a Glance

For an even quicker look at the major events of the Bible, here are the eight eras I arranged these events into, together with a summary of the events and the books where you’ll find them.

EraMajor Bible EventsMain Historical Books
CreationCreation, the Fall, the Flood, BabelGenesis 1–11
First CovenantAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, JosephGenesis 12–50
ExodusMoses, Passover, the Ten CommandmentsExodus–Deuteronomy
ResettlementJoshua, Conquest, Judges, RuthJoshua, Judges, Ruth
Age of KingsSaul, David, Solomon, the Divided Kingdom1–2 Samuel, 1 Kings
Exile and ReturnFall of Israel/Judah, Exile, Return, Second Temple2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah
JesusBirth, Baptism, Ministry, Crucifixion, ResurrectionMatthew, Mark, Luke, John
The ChurchPentecost, Paul, Revelation, New Heaven and EarthActs, Revelation

Now, without further ado, here is our list of the top 50 events in the Bible.

Timeline of major events in the Bible

Major Events in the Old Testament Timeline

Dates for many Old Testament events are hotly debated, so this guide focuses on the Bible’s narrative order with rough approximations of the timeline, rather than assigning exact years to every event.

Part I: Creation

God creates the world. Adam and Eve disobey and are exiled from Eden. God destroys the world with a flood, rescuing Noah and his family. People attempt to build a tower to Heaven, so God scrambles them into many languages.

  1. Creation — Genesis 1-2
  2. The Fall — Genesis 3
  3. Noah and the Flood — Genesis 6-9
  4. The Tower of Babel — Genesis 11:1-9

Part II: The First Covenant (ca. 2200–1800 BC)

God calls and covenants with Abraham, promising his descendants will be greater than the stars in the sky. Abraham begets Isaac. Isaac begets Jacob, who steals his brother Esau’s birthright. Esau forgives Jacob. Jacob’s sons sell their brother Joseph into slavery in Egypt. Through his faithfulness, Joseph rises to power in Egypt. He forgives and reconciles with his brothers.

  1. The Call of Abram — Genesis 12:1-9
  2. God’s Promises to Abraham — Genesis 17:1–18:15
  3. The Birth of Isaac — Genesis 21:1-21
  4. Abraham Tested — Genesis 22:1-19
  5. Isaac and Rebekah — Genesis 24
  6. Jacob and Esau — Genesis 25:19-34; 27–28
  7. Jacob’s Wives — Genesis 29:1-30
  8. Jacob Returns to Esau — Genesis 32-33
  9. Joseph’s Story — Genesis 37-50 (a long but riveting section)

Part III: The Exodus (ca. 1400s BC)

Israel is enslaved in Egypt. Moses is born to an Israelite but raised in Pharaoh’s palace. God calls Moses and covenants with him, as he did with his ancestor Abraham. Pharaoh refuses to let Israel go. God sends ten plagues. Moses leads his people across the Red Sea to freedom. They wander in the desert for 40 years, receive the Ten Commandments, and fall periodically into idolatry.

  1. Israel in Slavery in Egypt — Exodus 1
  2. Moses’s Birth and Background — Exodus 2
  3. Moses and the Burning Bush — Exodus 3
  4. The Ten Plagues — Exodus 6:28–12:42
  5. The Ten Commandments — Exodus 19-20 (cf. Deuteronomy 5)
  6. The Golden Calf — Exodus 32

Part IV: Resettlement (ca. 1300s – early 1000s BC)

Israel enters the Promised Land and conquers Canaan, led by Joshua. Later, a succession of Judges rule Israel. Israel descends into chaos. Israel is prohibited from marrying foreigners, but Boaz marries Ruth, a Moabite, anyway.

  1. Israel Enters the Promised Land — Joshua 1-2
  2. Israel Ruled by Judges — Judges 2, 21:25
  3. Ruth and Boaz — Ruth 1-4 (an often overlooked but critical commentary on Joshua/Judges; you’ll know why when you read the Genealogies of Jesus — or you can look at this cheat sheet)

Part V: The Age of Kings (ca. 1050 – 722 BC)

Israel begs God for a king. God reluctantly sends Saul. David succeeds Saul and slays the giant Philistine, Goliath. David’s son Solomon succeeds him and builds God’s temple. After Solomon’s death, the kingdom splits in two, Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom). Both kingdoms descend into idolatry.

  1. Israel Gets Its First King (Saul) — 1 Samuel 9-10
  2. David Is Anointed — 1 Samuel 16
  3. David and Goliath — 1 Samuel 17
  4. David Becomes King — 2 Samuel 5
  5. Solomon Becomes King — 1 Kings 2
  6. Solomon Builds the Temple — 1 Kings 6
  7. The Kingdom Divided: Israel and Judah — 1 Kings 11:41–12:24

Part VI: Exile and Return (722–432 BC)

Israel, the Northern Kingdom, falls to Assyria. In Judah, King Josiah recovers the Mosaic Law and briefly reforms the kingdom. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, falls to Babylon, beginning the Babylonian Exile. Seventy years later, the first Jews return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple.

  1. The Fall of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) to Assyria — 2 Kings 17
  2. Josiah Rediscovers the Law — 2 Kings 22-23
  3. The Fall of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) to Babylon — 2 Kings 25
  4. Return from Exile — Ezra 1
  5. Construction of the New Temple — Ezra 6

Major Events in the New Testament Timeline

Following the construction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, more than 400 years passed with Israel ruled by a succession of other nations until the Messiah came. This is known as the intertestamental period. Dates in the New Testament are easier to approximate, but still debated by scholars.

Part VII: Jesus (ca. 4 BC – 30 AD)

Jesus, the Messiah, is born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. About 30 years later, he is baptized by his cousin John in the Jordan River. He resists Satan’s temptations and begins his ministry, teaching and performing miracles. Following his last supper with his disciples, Jesus is betrayed by Judas and crucified under Pontius Pilate. Three days later he is resurrected. Jesus ascends to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

  1. Jesus Is Born — Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 (cf. John 1:1-18)
  2. Baptism of Jesus — Matthew 3; Mark 1:11; Luke 3; and John 1:19-34
  3. Temptation of Jesus — Matthew 4:1-10; Mark 1:12-13; and Luke 4:1-13
  4. Sermon on the Mount — Matthew 5-7 (cf. Luke 6:20-49)
  5. Jesus Feeds the 5,000 — Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; and John 6:1-15
  6. The Transfiguration — Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; and Luke 9:28-36
  7. The Raising of Lazarus — John 11:1-46
  8. The Triumphal Entry — Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; and John 12:12-19
  9. The Last Supper — Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:1-31; Luke 22:1-38; and John 13
  10. Jesus’s Betrayal, Trial, and Crucifixion — Matthew 26:36–27:66; Mark 14:32–15:47; Luke 22:39–23:56; and John 18-19
  11. Jesus’s Resurrection — Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; and John 20
  12. The Ascension — Acts 1:1-11

Part VIII: The Church (ca. 30 AD – ?)

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit upon his disciples at Pentecost, allowing them to understand each others’ languages (a callback to Babel). Stephen becomes the church’s first martyr. Saul, who has been persecuting the new Christians, is converted in a blinding encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. John, exiled on the island of Patmos, foresees the return of Jesus and inauguration of a new heaven and new earth.

  1. Pentecost — Acts 2
  2. The Church’s First Martyr — Acts 6:8–8:1
  3. Saul’s Conversion — Acts 9:1-31
  4. John’s Revelation on Patmos — Revelation 1, 21-22

FAQ

What are the major events in the Bible?

The major events in the Bible include Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the call of Abraham, the Exodus, the giving of the Ten Commandments, Israel entering the Promised Land, the reigns of David and Solomon, the exile and return, the birth of Jesus, his crucifixion and resurrection, Pentecost, and the vision of new creation in Revelation.

What is the main storyline of the Bible?

The main storyline of the Bible is God’s work to create, call, redeem, and restore his people through covenant, promise, judgment, mercy, the life and work of Jesus Christ, and the hope of new creation.

Is the Bible arranged chronologically?

Not entirely. Some books are broadly chronological, especially Genesis through Kings and much of the Gospels and Acts. But the Prophets, Wisdom books, Epistles, and other sections are arranged by genre, theme, length, or tradition rather than strict chronology.

Where should I start if I want to understand the whole Bible story?

Start with the major narrative passages: Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1–2 Samuel, 1–2 Kings, Ezra-Nehemiah, Luke, Acts, and Revelation. These books give a strong overview of the Bible’s storyline.

What is the most important event in the Bible?

For Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus are the central events of Scripture. But they did not happen in a vacuum. The Old Testament prepares for Christ, the Gospels proclaim him, and the rest of the New Testament explains the meaning of his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return.

Conclusion: Beyond the Major Events

These major events in the Bible’s timeline are just the tip of the iceberg for all the Bible has to offer. Some of the Bible’s richest writings occur outside the historical narratives, in the Prophets, the Wisdom books, and the Epistles. For a fuller reading plan that goes into every book of the Bible, see our guide to reading the Bible in chronological order, or use this list as a shorter roadmap through the Bible’s major storyline.

Want to go deeper? Open any passage above in Bible Gateway, compare translations, take notes, and use Bible Gateway Plus study resources to explore the background, meaning, and theological significance of each event. Try it free today!

Note: This list builds on earlier work by Jonathan Petersen, and from A Doubter’s Guide to the Bible: Inside History’s Bestseller for Believers and Skeptics by John Dickson.

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