Can you
understand
The Bible?
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 hear Christians 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 Christian 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, resulting in a slow drift away from a close 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 and confidence in Biblical truth.
(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 recipe book 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 “recipe book” with a helpful starting point, the “red letter” words of Jesus, as you venture into the whole of scripture.
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.
Red Letter Basics
exists to
Help others know and listen to Jesus.
Vision
See every Christian confident in their ability to know and understand the truth of Jesus in his Word.
Your generosity is what propels this ministry forward to help more people know and listen to Jesus.
What We Believe
The authority of Scripture is absolute.
We believe the Bible to be the fully inspired, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God. We believe the whole of God's Word is equally authoritative, no one part of scripture has more authority than another: Rom. 15:4; Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21, Acts 20:27
Faith in One God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: 1 Thess. 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:1-3; John 14:7-11; Heb. 1:1-3; Matt. 28:19; John 1:1-5; 14-17
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ: John 8:58; John 10:30
- His eternal existence: Isaiah 40:28; John 8:58; Ephesians 1:4–5; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 1:15–17; Revelation 22:13
- His virgin birth: Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35
- His sinless life: 1 Peter 2:22; Matt. 4:1-11
- His miracles: Matt. 4:25-33; John 20:30, 31
- His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood: Heb. 2:17; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 2:2
- His bodily resurrection: Acts 2:22-24; Luke 24:5, 6, 36-43; John 20:27-29
- His ascension to the right hand of the Father: Luke 24: 50-51
- His personal return in power in glory: Matthew 24:36; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; Rev. 9:11-16
Faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We believe that salvation is totally dependent on God and His grace, not by works or human effort: Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:23; Acts 16:30,31
We believe that the new birth of the believer comes through faith in Christ alone: John 1:12; 3:16, 18; 5:24; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16–17; 3:22, 26; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:8,9; John 14:6
We believe that repentance* is a vital part of saving faith in Jesus Christ and not a separate work. We do not believe that any actions—such as baptism, prayer, a reformed lifestyle, or faithful service—can be added to repentant faith as a condition for eternal salvation: Acts 20:21; Heb. 6:1; 2 Pet. 3:9
*Repentance (Greek “metanoia”), as used in New Testament theology, means to change your mind at a heart level (mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation) about God, Jesus, sin, and dead works.
We believe it is the privilege of all who are born again by the Spirit, through faith in Christ, to be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior as revealed in Scripture: Luke 10:20; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6–8; 2 Tim. 1:12; 1 John 5:13; John 5:24
We believe that all true believers everywhere, once saved, shall be kept saved forever: John 5:24; Eph. 1:3-14; John 10:29
We believe that Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses and that the Christian life is to be lived by God’s grace through the Holy Spirit’s power: Rom. 6:14; John 1:17; John 14:16-17; Matt. 5:17; 2 Cor. 3:8; Gal. 5:24-25
We believe, however, that God is a holy and righteous Father and cannot overlook the sin of His children. When they persistently sin, He will chasten them and correct them in His infinite love: Prov. 3:11-12; Isaiah 6:1-5; Rom. 3:25-26; Heb. 12:9-11; 1 John 2:1-2; Rev. 3:19
Faith in God’s Plan through His Church.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit—who indwells and enables every Christian to live a godly life and minister to others in divine power: John 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; Gal. 5:22-25
We believe in the bodily resurrection and judgment of all men. Believers will be resurrected to enjoy eternal life with God, and unbelievers will be resurrected to suffer eternal judgment and separation from God: Luke 16:19-26; Luke 23:39-43; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15
We believe all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of Christ’s invisible and universal church: Matt.16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:19b-23; 2:19-21, 4:3-6; Col. 3:14-15
We believe that the local expressions of the church, as the Body of Christ, are essential in the plan and purpose of God: Acts 14:23; Eph. 2:15b-16; Eph. 4:15-16; Col. 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:14-15; 1 Pet.2:5
We believe the primary responsibility of all who are saved is to work toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission. All worldly and personal ambitions should be lower in priority than the supreme command of making disciples: Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 17:18, 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:18-20
We believe that human betterment and biblical justice are essential products of the gospel: Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:3; James 1:27; 1 John 3:17-18
History of Red Letter Basics
See the Impact
Digital Resources
These videos will really help give you the context you need for understanding God's Truth.
YouTube Channel Training Course
Print Resources
With over 135 topics, this resource outlines the words of Jesus in a super helpful and easy to navigate format.
Get the Book Six Study Guides
