The Man Behind Basic Bible Guide

I grew up in Maryland on the northeast border of Washington, D.C. I was the youngest of 5 kids, and my parents divorced when I was 8. I ran the streets, and youth mischief mixed with alcohol and drugs were the pastime. We didn't attend church, but I would often think, "What happens to you when you die?" I knew something in life was missing.

I dropped out of high school and started working in a warehouse. I worked (and tried) hard, so at the age of 18 I was the assistant manager, and then became general manager at 21.

One summer at 18, I was on vacation standing on the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD, getting ready to party for the night. A young guy around my age popped out of the crowd, came within a few inches of my face, and said, "Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?" I responded, "Walk away from me — and the reason I want you to walk away is because I am going to do this for real, not for you." He walked away without looking back. I then said to myself, "Jesus, I accept you" — being honest, but not completely understanding what that meant.

When I got home from vacation, I wasn't sure what to do next, and I knew of no "Jesus believers" to talk to about the decision I had made. I had heard of the Bible, so I went and bought one. I read it front to back, all the way through. I read it and prayed every day. My many sins started chipping away — like when someone works on a stone sculpture (as it continues to this day).

Five years later, I started going to church when my first wife left me after a very brief marriage. Within a short time of being around church people, I began to recognize that they didn't know their Bible very much. While exclaiming my bewilderment at this in my prayers to God, I heard a quiet but clear voice in my heart and mind say, "You need to write a Bible study." With my lack of education and church-type experience, I immediately answered, "WHAT???" Although I really knew I heard it, I just shrugged it off.

I remarried at 28 to a woman who already had two children that instantly accepted me as their father — and I adopted them as my own kids. Around this time I increased my education by earning my G.E.D. We promptly moved from Maryland to Colorado and had two more children within the first three years of our marriage. With a variety of management and sales jobs behind me, at 32 I started a consulting and marketing firm that I have owned and operated since.

As the months went on, my amazement continued over the lack of Bible knowledge people had, and I heard that "voice" whispering, "You need to write that Bible study" (although I didn't know anything about how this "Bible Study" worked). This went on until I was about 35. About this time, while sitting in church thinking, "Should I write this Bible study or not?", the pastor said, "Everyone turn in your Bibles to Ephesians…" I heard the guy right behind me say in a loud voice, "Ephesians — where's that?" So I immediately responded in my heart and mind, "Alright, alright, I will do it!"

During the following few years, going about my day-to-day life, I would receive "downloads" telling me how to structure and write the Bible study. Now I knew how to write it — I just needed to do it. After dragging my feet for so long (while reading the Bible every day since I was 18), at 39 I finally decided to do it. I went alone up into the Colorado Mountains to a fasting and prayer retreat called "Praise Mountain." I stayed in a one-room cabin for seven days, from morning to night, drinking only mountain spring water, and wrote the first half of the program. A few months later I went back to Praise Mountain for another seven days and wrote the second half. Several months later, I went back again for another seven days and went over the whole program, refining it to make sure it was correct. For the next ten years it sat, handwritten, on a shelf.

After 17 years of marriage I was divorced again. Shortly thereafter I met a sweet lady named Deborah (who also had many difficult years behind her). Now I am married again — and happily too. Today I continually strive to be a better man, husband, father, and grandfather (and hope and pray to stay on that track all my days).

After those 10 years of still dragging my feet and now in my late 40s, I had some good friends help me put the Bible study into a professional book/study guide. Now, at 51, I am ready to pursue this (hopefully full time). I updated this at age 63, and it is now in 3 languages and a variety of versions — including children, students, and military.

The program is designed with no biased teachings or opinions. It is simply a guide, designed to be used individually or within a group setting, in 12 sessions of 60 minutes each. It goes through all 66 books of the Bible (cover to cover). It can also easily be done individually on any schedule, on any timetable. It is very straightforward and easy to use. Even to lead a group, one only needs a Bible and the ability to read — even if you have never seen a Bible before. There are very short and simple instructions for the group and the group leader.

Everything I have ever gone through or learned in my life has brought me to this point: the calling to help people understand God's love and plan for them, as revealed in His Word — the Bible. My vision is to have this guide distributed all over the world, and provided in every language. I titled it simply, "Basic Bible Guide," because that's exactly what it is.

I am so thankful God did not give up on me through all these years of sin and disobedience. But I didn't give up on pursuing God either — seeking to comprehend His love for me, loving Him back, loving others, and just doing the best I can. I pray God's richest blessings on you, as you use this guide — my life's work and purpose.

I hope you will take the short time to go through it, and to search and see for yourself what the Bible actually says. Please let me know your opinion of this program.