Can you 

understand

Truth?

Founder | Austin Woodruff

As a new missionary, I met with a married couple who was interested in my missionary work. They were members at a local church, and leaders there, for decades. Sitting across the table, I shared how the Lord had called me to dedicate my life to the work of the Great Commission. The wife stopped me and asked, "What is the great commission?" A little shocked, I paused, opened my Bible, read Matthew 28:16-20, and taught this couple about the mission Jesus has given all Believers. What seemed like Christian basics to me was completely new information to them. 

Maybe you relate to this as someone who has sat on my side table, or maybe you have been in situations with Chrisitans talking about stuff that you feel clueless about, perhaps even embarrassed to ask what they mean. I encounter this on a regular basis, almost weekly and so do many other Chrisitan leaders. There seems to be an underlying problem.

In recent years many research projects have begun to shine light on this problem. The majority of people struggle to read the Bible, let alone understand what it means, and slowly drift away from their relationship with Jesus. People need more than just a reading plan to actually understand the Bible and their relationship with Jesus. Even though most Christians Believe the Bible is God’s Word, knowing how to understand it seems out of reach. We know that consistent Bible engagement is the greatest predictor of Christian growth and maturity. So if people don’t understand the Bible, they don’t grow and mature in their relationship with Jesus.

Christian leaders and pastors see this problem first hand. The research shows that pastors are regularly giving out Bibles, reading plans, and other resources to their congregations. Which is good! Yet that alone is not solving the problem. The number of people confused about the truth is only growing as Christians slowly drift away from their relationship with Jesus.

(Research: LifeWay Research, Barna Group, Center for Bible Engagement)     

So what is the solution? Show people how to understand the Bible when they read it.

But this is no small task! People go to seminary for that! Yes. But people also go to culinary school to be chefs but that doesn’t mean that normal people can’t learn how to cook. Teach someone the basics of cooking so that with a simple cookbook they can cook for themselves and their family.

To translate, teach people how to study the Bible and show them where to start. This is why we have built Red Letter Basics. We teach you the basics of Bible study and give you the “cookbook” with a helpful starting point, the “red letter” words of Jesus.

Through years of developing and refining this resource with dozens of groups, individuals, and the guidance of our Theological Team, we have developed this incredible resource to help people know Jesus and understand his truth.

Our mission is to help people know and listen to Jesus because our promise is that you can know and understand truth. 

We want to help you, your family, and your church know with absolute confidence what is truth by starting with the words of Jesus. 

I am encouraged by passages like these:

At the transfiguration of Jesus, the second declaration of the Son, God the Father saw it important to provide this additional instruction. “This is my Son... Listen to him.” (Mt. 16:5)

Apostle Paul shows the teachings of Jesus are central to Christian doctrine, “...If anyone teaches a different doctrine than what Jesus taught... he knows nothing.” (1 Tim. 6:3)

Jesus himself demonstrated in the High Priestly prayer that what he has said has a function of fulfilled joy, “I have said these things... that my joy may be fulfilled in them.” (Jn. 17:13)

When you start with Jesus you will know the truth and be filled with his joy.