Alexandra, I think you made a great distinction between the different ways the Bible is presented in Church. It is especially important to read a verse or chapter within its correct context. The text is not only thousands of years old, but it was translated from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Pastors and church leaders are forced to simplify the text to a certain extent but must do so carefully. As you said, it can be very time-consuming to focus on the details of the time and place in which the book was written. If too much time is taken on one book, it seems difficult for a person to get a wide-angle view of the Bible without further teachings.
