jesus the radical pastor | exploring the life and mission of the 1st century Jesus for our 21st century » Blog Archive

Apr 19th, 2008 by John

Why doesn’t some Bible publishing company come out with “The Fortune Cookie Bible”?

Many Christians treat the Bible like they do a fortune cookie after a nice Chinese food dinner.

Pithy, little positive sayings that perk up your life and create a little, fun curiosity, that’s what fortune cookies do. And that’s all that many Christians want from their Bibles.

Life is about me, most American Christians conclude, and so the Bible should be about me, too. God is nice, but nice (and disposable) in a fortune cookie kind of way. Maybe his Word will tell me something I really want to hear, and if it doesn’t, I’ll close it up until I want another fortune told.

I’ll read my “verse for the day” or my little morsel of pious Bible-sweets and then I’ll be all my way to the important business of the day…my business. The truth that the Bible expresses the most revolutionary, turn-your-whole-world-upside-down-Story never occurs to them. The Bible has been chopped up into nice, tasty bite-size pieces since they can ever remember and so to grasp its total upheaval of life as we know it is foreign to them. Not only foreign, but frightening. Please keep the Bible bite-size and disposable. They’ve been trained to eat fast-food, so to eat their way through the tough-to-cut meat of the Bible sounds too hard. At the most, you can just give the Cliff Notes version. The American version of the Cliff Notes is: “God is love; I am a sinner; Jesus died for my sins on the cross, so if ‘I accept him,’ I’ll go to heaven when I die.” But until I die, I get to live the American Dream like everyone else. What a deal!

The New American Fortune Cookie Version Holy Bible. I think it would sell. Don’t you?

Popularity: 31% [?]

Posted in Culture, Ministry

42 Responses to “The ‘Fortune Cookie’ Bible”

on 19 Apr 2008 at 1:56 pm1Bryan Riley

Heavy sigh at the truth of this post. It makes one wonder about a great many things. May God awaken us to what His call really is.
on 19 Apr 2008 at 2:09 pm2John Frye

Bryan,
I agree. Yet, the tide is turning with a new generation who are tired of morsels…they want the whole, messy Story.
on 19 Apr 2008 at 4:43 pm3Bob Brague

Wow, John, I thought *I* was cynical, but you seem to have me beat. And the unfortunate thing is that what you say is true to a very great extent.

Now that we’ve identified the problem, what in your opinion should be the solution? (remembering Eldridge Cleaver’s maxim here)….
on 20 Apr 2008 at 3:32 pm4John Frye

Bob,
Defining the problem is a big step toward the solution. I use these kinds of metaphors, not to be cynical, but to jolt people’s thinking.

It’s like we show a 3 minute clip from the middle of a great movie and then ask people to comprehend it within the whole sweep of the movie. They say, “Hey, we haven’t seen the whole movie. How do you expect us to speak meaningfully about this 3 minute segment?” Bingo. It happens every Sunday in most evangelical churches. We snippet people into oblivion. But in “sound bite” churches what do we expect? Eh? Is that cynical?
on 20 Apr 2008 at 7:58 pm5wes ellis

I sure hope it wouldn’t sell. I appreciate your thoughts here. The Bible should be a shaping texts, something that really has transformational power.
on 21 Apr 2008 at 12:10 am6Greg Laughery

John,
Thanks for this. You’ve hit the lamentable nail on the head. The way the text is handled and read is in desperate need of transformation. Teaching better reading stratagies and informing people what’s at stake in doing so is crucial.

In looking for a Bible for someone recently, I was shocked to find out just how many different types are available nowadays. The Fortune cookie Bible may be on bookshelves soon.
on 21 Apr 2008 at 11:22 am7preacherman

I love the fortune cookies in the Bible.
Proverbs is a powerful book.
Also, other powerful promises that we can stand on today that give us life.
John thanks brother for this great post!
on 21 Apr 2008 at 11:24 am8preacherman

I ate the scroll and it tasted like a fortune cookie? right?
on 21 Apr 2008 at 8:05 pm9John Frye

wes,
how can we reclaim the Bible as a gift that fosters deep personal and community transformation? That is the question.
on 21 Apr 2008 at 8:09 pm10John Frye

Greg,
I agree that we need to recapture “transformational reading” along with the almost totalitarian informational reading and pious-moment reading.

Isn’t it shocking–the number of niche Bibles? The Southwest Texas Cowboy Bible with Get-Along L’il Doggie Notes. Get it at your local Christian bookstore! Yeeeee-haaaaaa!
on 21 Apr 2008 at 8:12 pm11John Frye

preacherman (#7-#8),
I like your reference to Proverbs. I guess you could picture them as fortune cookies slips of paper, but only against the majesterial background of Torah. Thanks for commenting.
on 21 Apr 2008 at 9:35 pm12Ken

John,

When God ‘opened my eyes’ almost 30 years ago, I had an insatiable hunger for His Word. I have read the Bible through several times, and the New Testament through many, many times. But it was only about five years ago when I attended a Crossways International (Harry Wendt) training session that I discovered the wonder of the divine metanarrative of the Bible. It had a profound affect on me. I tought the Divine Drama class (a shortened version of Crossaways) at our church and it had a great impact on those who attended. What you speak is unfortunately so true, the vast majority of our churched population in this country is Biblically illiterate. An in depth 15 session course like Divine Drama can be tremendously helpful to overcome this embarassing tragedy.
on 22 Apr 2008 at 7:03 am13Duane

I wonder if Jesus might not enter the modern day American Christian bookstore and overturn the stacks where the devotional booklets and “bible answer for every situation” are displayed? Thanks for yanking our chains!
on 22 Apr 2008 at 9:02 am14Dan

In seminary I was trained in the historical critical method of Bible interpretation, which looks at Scripture as bits and pieces unrelated to the Scriptures as a whole. In the Eastern Orthodox traditions Scripture is approached in a much more wholistic and integrated way, which is the Jesus looked at Scripture.
You’re right, looking at Scripture as bits and pieces you miss the deep connections and themes that run throughout the story from Genesis to Revelation; and the impact is greatly reduced.
on 22 Apr 2008 at 9:05 am15John

Ken,
Thanks for commenting and for informing us about the Crossways metanarrative drama. Getting the sweep of the grand Story is crucial.
on 22 Apr 2008 at 9:06 am16John

Duane,
Interesting picture you painted with your question. I wonder, too, if he would be horrified at what we’ve done to commercialize His Father’s house (mission)?
on 22 Apr 2008 at 9:09 am17John

Dan,
What is encouraging is that the various segments of the church (Western and Orthodox) are “talking to each other.” We live in a time when some of our parochial views can be expanded by listening to all the voices of the Church.
on 22 Apr 2008 at 11:56 pm18preacherman

John,
I hope you have a great earth day brother!
Love for you to join in on discussion on this topic.
I always appreciate your thoughts and wisdom.
You are a true brother and frined in the Lord.
I have been blessed by you, your blog in so many ways brother.
Words cannot express the graditude.
I love you brother.
on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:49 am19John Frye

preacherman,
I’m afraid to say, but I actually didn’t pay much attention to it. Not because I think it’s unimportant. I did make a comment or two at your blog. God bless you.
John
on 23 Apr 2008 at 1:27 pm20Gord

John;
You make a good point! This post reminds me of my grandmother’s “Bread of Life” thing she kept on her dinner table so that we could, after dinner, pick our “fortune cookie” scripture to read aloud. It may have been bite-sized, but it seemed to have a profound impact on me as a child. So, I think a fortune cookie Bible would be better than none. I am reminded of the scripture that says; “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:11 Sometimes, I think we underestimate the power of scripture. Yet, this is no excuse for us as Christians to promote a fortune cookie version in our Bible teaching. We need to dig deeper and mine the treasures in the word that are there for us to find. If a fortune cookie Bible can wield incredible spiritural power, what do you suppose would happen if the whole of scripture were once again embraced and taught? One word comes to mind for me – Revival! (my “fortune cookie” response)
Blessings, brother.
on 23 Apr 2008 at 4:16 pm21John Frye

Gord,
Good words. I don’t have a problem with bite-size Scriptures for kids. What bothers me is the reluctance by average USAmerican adult believers to embrace the sweeping tranformative Story of the Bible. And it’s not all their fault. We pastors and teachers have fed them fast-food meals (semonettes for Christianettes) without laboring to ground believers in the grand, messy, saving Story. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
on 25 Apr 2008 at 4:12 am22Ted M. Gossard

I’m all for it, John. I can’t wait. Where can I get my copy? That should be a bestseller in a day or two! Wow. Then I wouldn’t have to read all the stuff that really is hard to understand and which I really don’t like. And is tedious. Yes, this makes good sense. Thanks for letting us know about it. When’s the release date, by the way, so I can let the few readers of my blog know about it?

By the way, I’ve finally gotten the courage up to blog on your novel. Just announced it today, and am giving readers a two weeks notice before I work on it starting May 9.

Good post, and thanks again, for the info!
on 26 Apr 2008 at 2:43 am23Bryan Riley

The overall story is rarely if ever taught. People are often too busy talking about themselves or parsing scriptures in exposition. It wasn’t until I was in college that I first heard a teaching that connected the dots of the bible and I was amazed first. But then I was frustrated that I’d never heard any of that before.
on 26 Apr 2008 at 3:43 am24Richard

John, in Christ there is only one fortune cookie. And Jesus meant it when He said, ” Come to me, and I will give you rest.” (Not in the King James English.)

That rest includes from what “American or any other Christians or non-Christians are doing.” It should be a great comfort to the world knowing that there are brothers who know the “Whole Story.” and a greater comfort to know that there are living epistles.
on 26 Apr 2008 at 6:47 am25Jesus Creed » Weekly Meanderings

[...] John Frye and the fortune cookie approach to the Bible. 2. More wedding plans and pastors. 3. Sorry … the Tribune links to the papal visit [...]
on 26 Apr 2008 at 8:19 am26Random Acts of Linkage #58 : Subversive Influence

[...] Do you know anyone who’s reading The ‘Fortune Cookie’ Bible? [...]
on 26 Apr 2008 at 9:29 am27Jim Martin

John,
There is far too much truth to what you say. I suspect it would sell–very well. Thanks. A great post.
on 26 Apr 2008 at 8:17 pm28Danny K

Bryan spoke about missing out on the whole story, the Big Picture. It’s sad, but true. Seldom are the dots connected to put all of the Bible into one complete story. The Bible Timelines found at http://www.bibletimelines.ORG attempt to connect the dots for those who care. Kind of like taking all of these Bible “fortune cookie” slips of paper and making them all fit into one big story, connecting the dots for you.

Blessings!
on 27 Apr 2008 at 11:26 am29John Frye

Ted (#22),
I hope we can all get a Fortune Cookie Bible soon

Thanks for blogging about *Out of Print: A Novel.* I really appreciate it.
on 27 Apr 2008 at 11:28 am30John Frye

Bryan (#23),
You really summarize the problem with these words: “People are often too busy talking about themselves or parsing scriptures in exposition.” We need a firm grasp of the BIG story.
on 27 Apr 2008 at 11:30 am31John Frye

Richard (#24),
Jesus is indeed the center and fulfillment of the BIG Story. There are many who are being transformed as they learn and enter into God’s grand Story of grace!
on 27 Apr 2008 at 11:31 am32John Frye

Jim (#27),
Isn’t it sort of sad that a ‘Fortune Cookie’ Bible would catch on. Thanks for being faithful to the BIG Story.
John
on 27 Apr 2008 at 11:33 am33John Frye

DannyK,
Thanks so much for the heads up about “Bible Timelines.” That is a good resource for those who want to grasp the BIG Story.
John
on 29 Apr 2008 at 11:43 am34Theology and Church links « Chris Kidd - applied youth ministry

[...] out John Frye and the fortune cookie approach to the Bible (thanks [...]
on 15 Jul 2008 at 2:58 pm35Bart M

I just started reading your blog and you are spot on with much about what you say. Reading this entry makes me want to say,in my best Joes Osteen voice, “This is my Fortune Cookie. I am who it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do.”
on 06 Oct 2008 at 1:58 pm36Troy

C’mon, in the NAFCV it reads, “Do good (relative to the serial killer), and you too will receive a golden ticket to Yahweh’s Kingdom Factory.”
on 31 Oct 2008 at 10:06 pm37Bible Study Verses

First-Class post.Preserve the cool work,You must definitely have to keep updating your site
on 15 Dec 2008 at 5:03 am38anonymous

Well, the bible is just a book with Gods word in it.
on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:34 pm39a little helper

I think that is a great idea. also if you really wanted to ask god a ? just prey and open the bible
on 20 Aug 2009 at 6:23 am40“Vengeance Is Mine” Thus Sayeth The Lord « Hot Single Working Mom

[...] evidentally, good church going, Bible reading Christians don’t ever inflict harm or death on someone who without hesitation would rape, plunder and [...]
on 22 Dec 2010 at 11:08 am41erotik

bak sen su ise ya insalar erotik pornolar izlemek icin sitelere giriyor
on 16 Aug 2011 at 9:43 am42Theology Lite

[...] never leave the church. In his blog “Jesus, The Radical Pastor”, John Frye writes about “The Fortune Cookie Bible” saying “Pithy, little positive sayings that perk up your life and create a little, fun [...]