  Yesterday I began what I hope will become a very in- depth study of the book of Hebrews with two guys from my church. nbsp;  We had a great discussion digging into the big picture concepts behind the book and trying to pick out the key passages that will be critical to our understanding of what we are reading.  & nbsp;
 After we talked,  I have thought more and more about our " evangelical"  approach to the Bible. nbsp;  I think we,
 and I include myself when talking about evangelicals,  are an awfully conflicted bunch. nbsp;  On the one hand,  we want to lift up the Bible as the only standard for life and our only tangible revelation of God today. nbsp;
 On the other hand,  we want to take this ancient and lofty book and treat it as if it was as easy to understand as a children's story. nbsp;  We want the seriousness and importance while desiring simplicity at the same time.  & nbsp;
 I wonder if this is more of a North& nbsp; American phenomenon. nbsp; nbsp; Evangelicals around the world may not share that very American pragmatism that has infected the conservative church in the USA.
nbsp;  I could be wrong,  but I think we bring the same attitude to Scripture that we would to the newspaper,  magazines,  or even larger works of literature. nbsp;
 We want Cliff's Notes,  not the real deal. nbsp;  It is just so practical to simplify,  or at least believe that you can simplify,  all things,
 including God and his revelation so that everyone can understand.  & nbsp;  Yet,  as we began to debate the larger themes of Hebrews yesterday, nbsp;
and as I reflected on its relevance to my life,  I was struck by how complex God is at all times and in every way. nbsp;  Who are we,  as 21st century evangelicals,  to wrap him up so neatly.
nbsp;  We take this ancient document,  the Bible,  which we believe to be the very words God has given to man,  and we put together tidy outlines and simple 3 point sermons to apply it to our lives. nbsp;
 We may& nbsp; have " 6 Steps to Spiritual Success,  and " 7 Habits of Highly Effective Christians,
 and " 3 Keys to Overcoming Our Fears,  but we lose a vision of the awesome power and character of the holy God we are listening to through the Bible.  & nbsp;  I think clear and concise sermons are a must,
 and every preacher better organize their thoughts into some kind of outline,  but in the midst of that,  they must also hold up the mystery that is God's word. nbsp;  How can I understand? nbsp;
 How can I pretend to have all the answers? nbsp;  How can such a small group of Christians,  American evangelicals,  believe that we,  in the grand scope of history,
 are the ones who got it figured out and simplified to fit into our busy lives?  & nbsp;  May we always have the humility to say " your thoughts are not our thoughts,  and your ways are not our ways.
nbsp;  God is mystery,  as is so much in his Word,  but the real miracle is that he bridged the gap between mystery and our reality to meet us here. nbsp;  I hope I will grow every day in my experience of that mystery and the humility that says I can't figure it all out,
 but I believe nonetheless.
