Q&A with Carole Schryber
Author of “HIStory in 30 Days: Genesis to Revelation”
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: Several years ago I was asked to give a summary of the Bible in 60 minutes for a women’s conference. Since the Bible tells one story, I decided to simply tell the Story. Afterwards, I realized that many individuals—unbelievers as well as believers— benefited from hearing how each book of the Bible fits into the overall redemption plan of God, and that Jesus was there from the beginning. What was missing from the talk, however, was how we are part of God’s Story— that it was written for us so that we would know God. That inspired me to write a devotional that would not only relay the Story, but include daily reflections and prayer which would demonstrate that every part of the Bible has application for our lives today.
Q: Why do you think this book will appeal to readers?
A: Many people do not understand that Jesus is in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. He doesn’t just show up at the moment of His birth. The Bible tells one story from beginning to end, and each book carries the plot, or God’s plan, forward. HIStory in 30 Days tells the story of God’s plan to save and redeem mankind. It mentions every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation so that the reader sees where each book fits chronologically into God’s Story. The book is divided into 30 days with three parts: a portion of the plot of HIStory, a daily reflection, and a prayer. It is a fast-paced, engaging narrative that is easy to understand for those new to the Bible, and yet a resource for those who have been in Bible study for a long time. Readers can discern the unity of the Bible despite that it was recorded over thousands of years by many different individuals. This fact speaks to the Bible’s authenticity as the Word of God. The daily reflections allow the reader to see that there is relevance of each part of Scripture to their lives.
Q: The bible no longer seems to be the standard for a society that is more secularized than it ever has been. How can we challenge people to take the Bible seriously?
A: In 1 Samuel 8, the people declared that they wanted a human king to "judge" them and "fight their battles." They preferred a human to judge them over God, as King. This is still the case. Under the world's standards of morality, we can justify any kind of behavior. There is always someone who will tell us what we want to hear. God's standards, however, are unchanging, and yet true, sure, and holy. We need to train the next generation in the discipline of reading the Word of God daily— not as a burden, but as a blessing. When I wrote my devotion, I hoped that if people could understand that ALL of Scripture tells one story, that the Bible's unity attests to its authority as the Word of God (after all, what man could have constructed this story in this way?) it would inspire them to go to the Bible to find God's righteous standards. If the Bible is Truth, then shouldn't we know what it says and look to it as the Word of the only King that matters? No matter what book of the Bible we read, we can find relevance and direction for today, and we can see that the Story is meant to continue with us. It is my prayer that the book will inspire daily reading of the Bible.
A: Several years ago I was asked to give a summary of the Bible in 60 minutes for a women’s conference. Since the Bible tells one story, I decided to simply tell the Story. Afterwards, I realized that many individuals—unbelievers as well as believers— benefited from hearing how each book of the Bible fits into the overall redemption plan of God, and that Jesus was there from the beginning. What was missing from the talk, however, was how we are part of God’s Story— that it was written for us so that we would know God. That inspired me to write a devotional that would not only relay the Story, but include daily reflections and prayer which would demonstrate that every part of the Bible has application for our lives today.
Q: Why do you think this book will appeal to readers?
A: Many people do not understand that Jesus is in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. He doesn’t just show up at the moment of His birth. The Bible tells one story from beginning to end, and each book carries the plot, or God’s plan, forward. HIStory in 30 Days tells the story of God’s plan to save and redeem mankind. It mentions every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation so that the reader sees where each book fits chronologically into God’s Story. The book is divided into 30 days with three parts: a portion of the plot of HIStory, a daily reflection, and a prayer. It is a fast-paced, engaging narrative that is easy to understand for those new to the Bible, and yet a resource for those who have been in Bible study for a long time. Readers can discern the unity of the Bible despite that it was recorded over thousands of years by many different individuals. This fact speaks to the Bible’s authenticity as the Word of God. The daily reflections allow the reader to see that there is relevance of each part of Scripture to their lives.
Q: The bible no longer seems to be the standard for a society that is more secularized than it ever has been. How can we challenge people to take the Bible seriously?
A: In 1 Samuel 8, the people declared that they wanted a human king to "judge" them and "fight their battles." They preferred a human to judge them over God, as King. This is still the case. Under the world's standards of morality, we can justify any kind of behavior. There is always someone who will tell us what we want to hear. God's standards, however, are unchanging, and yet true, sure, and holy. We need to train the next generation in the discipline of reading the Word of God daily— not as a burden, but as a blessing. When I wrote my devotion, I hoped that if people could understand that ALL of Scripture tells one story, that the Bible's unity attests to its authority as the Word of God (after all, what man could have constructed this story in this way?) it would inspire them to go to the Bible to find God's righteous standards. If the Bible is Truth, then shouldn't we know what it says and look to it as the Word of the only King that matters? No matter what book of the Bible we read, we can find relevance and direction for today, and we can see that the Story is meant to continue with us. It is my prayer that the book will inspire daily reading of the Bible.
Q: This generation of Christians seems to be more biblically illiterate. What can we do to change that in our churches?
A: Research shows that while the majority of American households own a Bible, only about 50% of those individuals have read more than a few select stories from it. I was certainly one of those people. Many professed Christians only read the Bible once a week, and few have read the Bible in its entirety. Even individuals who are regularly in Bible studies can lose context as they jump around in their studies. They do not understand the entire story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. The problem is that many Christians then lack confidence to share their faith because they cannot explain the narrative of the Bible. Our churches need to teach individuals how to study the Bible, and especially how to discover "context" as they are reading passages in Scripture. Only by encouraging congregations to be in the Word daily will they see the timeless relevance and truth, and be able to confidently give the reason for the hope that they have.
Q: You came to Christianity later in life. Talk about your journey.
A: I came to Christ as an adult—33 years old with two small children. Up to that time I would have said I was a Christian because I believed in God, and I wasn't part of any other "religion." But I did not know Christ other than as a good teacher. I never read the Bible, and failed to understand how it had any relevance other than as an ancient document with some allegorical stories. When I came to believe, I wanted to be able to explain my faith and support it with the evidence of Scripture. Having been an attorney, I used my analytical skills to study and make up for lost time! I loved the Old Testament and the prophets and dug in deep. I had many opportunities, even in the early years of my walk with Christ, to share my testimony. That led to being a table facilitator at Community Bible Study and my home church studies. Thereafter, I began to speak as a break-out speaker at my home church women's conferences. Fifteen years ago, I was asked to be the Associate Teaching Director of Community Bible Study in Mclean (one of the largest in the country). Since then, I have been the featured speaker at various church retreats and events. I love encouraging women through inductive Bible study. I have a passion for God's Word and have a desire to share that passion with as many individuals as possible. It is hard to imagine how I had once navigated life without it.
Q: What makes your book different from other books like it?
A: Most summaries of the Bible are as long as the Bible itself! HIStory in 30 Days is simple, concise and fast paced. This is meant to give the reader a basic understanding of God’s Story, as well as its timeless relevance so that they will be inspired to read the Bible for themselves. It is the perfect way to start the new year.
A: Research shows that while the majority of American households own a Bible, only about 50% of those individuals have read more than a few select stories from it. I was certainly one of those people. Many professed Christians only read the Bible once a week, and few have read the Bible in its entirety. Even individuals who are regularly in Bible studies can lose context as they jump around in their studies. They do not understand the entire story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. The problem is that many Christians then lack confidence to share their faith because they cannot explain the narrative of the Bible. Our churches need to teach individuals how to study the Bible, and especially how to discover "context" as they are reading passages in Scripture. Only by encouraging congregations to be in the Word daily will they see the timeless relevance and truth, and be able to confidently give the reason for the hope that they have.
Q: You came to Christianity later in life. Talk about your journey.
A: I came to Christ as an adult—33 years old with two small children. Up to that time I would have said I was a Christian because I believed in God, and I wasn't part of any other "religion." But I did not know Christ other than as a good teacher. I never read the Bible, and failed to understand how it had any relevance other than as an ancient document with some allegorical stories. When I came to believe, I wanted to be able to explain my faith and support it with the evidence of Scripture. Having been an attorney, I used my analytical skills to study and make up for lost time! I loved the Old Testament and the prophets and dug in deep. I had many opportunities, even in the early years of my walk with Christ, to share my testimony. That led to being a table facilitator at Community Bible Study and my home church studies. Thereafter, I began to speak as a break-out speaker at my home church women's conferences. Fifteen years ago, I was asked to be the Associate Teaching Director of Community Bible Study in Mclean (one of the largest in the country). Since then, I have been the featured speaker at various church retreats and events. I love encouraging women through inductive Bible study. I have a passion for God's Word and have a desire to share that passion with as many individuals as possible. It is hard to imagine how I had once navigated life without it.
Q: What makes your book different from other books like it?
A: Most summaries of the Bible are as long as the Bible itself! HIStory in 30 Days is simple, concise and fast paced. This is meant to give the reader a basic understanding of God’s Story, as well as its timeless relevance so that they will be inspired to read the Bible for themselves. It is the perfect way to start the new year.
About Carole Schryber:
Carole Schryber was an attorney in New York who gave up the practice of law to devote herself to studying and teaching Scripture. She has used her research and analytical skills from the study of law for inductive Bible study. For the past fifteen years she has been a Christian teacher, speaker and writer. Her talk, Genesis to Revelation in 60 Minutes, was the impetus for the book “HIStory in 30 Days: Genesis to Revelation.” She regularly speaks and teaches at her home church, McLean Bible in the Washington D.C. area, in addition to other churches. She had been the Associate Teaching Director of Community Bible Study in McLean, Virginia, which serves more than four hundred women weekly. She is a wife and mother of three grown children. Her weekly blog can be found on her website, www.caroleschryber.com.