Reading Jesus

About the Book

For more than five hundred years, the Bible has been referred to as the Word of God. Yet, even before the Bible was written, there was a Living Word—spoken through prophets and through Jesus of Nazareth — that ultimately echoes through the centuries.

Pastor Toivonen relies on his nearly thirty years of preaching as well as studying and interpreting the Bible to inspire others to contemplate how God speaks in the contemporary world and whether God prefers flesh and blood to ink and paper. While sharing his careful examination of how the Bible came to be the Word of God through a very human process and why the Word of God is intended to be living and breathing as opposed to a book, Toivonen offers intriguing insights and commentary that encourages spiritual seekers to embark on a personal journey to answer their own questions about the Bible, its authority, and its trustworthiness.

Reading Jesus offers encouragement to anyone ready to consider a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus of Nazareth and apply the Word of God to truly live God’s way—today.

About the Author

Vance L. Toivonen has served congregations in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and now as pastor of Nazareth Lutheran (ELCA) in Armstrong, Iowa. His writing is a weekly affair, as he has composed over 1,500 sermons, newsletter, and newspaper articles throughout his ministry. Vance lives with his wife of thirty-two years, Lori. This is his first book.