Nancy Guthrie: A Life of Teaching, Compassion, and Biblical Insight
Nancy Guthrie is a well-known Bible teacher, author, and conference speaker whose work has encouraged Christians around the world to understand the Bible more deeply and apply it more faithfully to everyday life. She teaches regularly at her home church in Franklin, Tennessee, leads workshops nationally and internationally, and writes books and resources that explore Scripture through the lens of biblical theology — that is, seeing how all of the Bible’s parts fit into the big story of God’s redemption through Jesus Christ.
Roots and Early Calling
Nancy’s journey into biblical teaching has deep roots in both study and personal experience. She has described how God “prepared me my whole life for teaching His Word,” emphasizing a lifelong love for Scripture and for learning from wise teachers she encountered at college, in church, and through ministry networks. Her passion for discipleship and Bible understanding led her to pursue graduate theological studies at Reformed Theological Seminary.
What sets Nancy apart from many teachers is not just her academic grounding but her commitment to helping real people in real situations. She often draws on her own life experiences — including deep grief — to speak with compassion and clarity to others who are hurting.
Ministry and Teaching
Nancy teaches regularly at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church and travels to speak at conferences, retreats, and workshops focused on biblical theology and practical Christian living. Her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women are especially popular among those who want to trace God’s redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation and see how Christ is revealed throughout the Scriptures.
Since 2015, she also hosted the “Help Me Teach the Bible” podcast for The Gospel Coalition, where she interviewed experienced Bible teachers from around the world to equip others in teaching Scripture faithfully and effectively. The podcast remains a valuable resource for pastors, teachers, and lay leaders.
Alongside speaking and teaching, Nancy offers recorded workshops and tutorials on topics like preparing and delivering Bible talks — practical training to help women and men communicate Scripture’s truths clearly and confidently.
Books and Written Work
Nancy Guthrie has written or contributed to numerous books that range from deep theological studies to practical devotional guides. Her work is known for being both theologically rich and pastorally sensitive — meaning her writing digs into Scripture’s message while also addressing life’s joys and challenges.
Some of her notable books include:
Even Better Than Eden, which traces major themes from Genesis to Revelation and shows how God’s plan ends better than it began.
Holding On to Hope and Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow, which offer comfort and perspective to those walking through grief and suffering.
The Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament series, which helps readers see Christ foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament books.
Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation, connecting the hope of Revelation to everyday faith.
Nancy also contributes regularly to larger Bible study resources, devotional collections, and group study series, including the Grief Share video series she co-hosts with her husband.
Personal Story and Respite Ministry
Behind much of Nancy’s ministry is some of the most heart-wrenching personal experience any teacher could endure. She and her husband, David, lost two children in infancy to a rare genetic disorder, an experience that deeply shaped her work on grief, suffering, and hope.
Out of that deep place of personal sorrow, Nancy and her husband founded Respite Retreats, a ministry offering care and encouragement to couples who have experienced the death of a child, providing space to grieve, reflect, and find support together.
Their shared ministry extends into Grief Share, a widely used video-based small-group curriculum designed to help people process loss and find hope in Jesus amidst pain.
Approach to Scripture
A central theme in Nancy’s teaching is her belief that the Bible must be read as a unified story of God redeeming His people through Christ, rather than as isolated verses. She encourages readers to pay attention to the biblical narrative’s flow — from creation and fall, to redemption and restoration — and to recognize how every part points to Jesus.
This approach to “biblical theology” isn’t just academic; it’s deeply practical. By helping people see the overarching story, Nancy believes believers gain a richer understanding of their own lives in light of God’s eternal purposes.
Impact and Legacy
Although Nancy Guthrie’s influence flows through books, podcasts, workshops, and conferences, her impact is often felt most personally — in small groups, churches, and families learning how to read the Bible together and apply its truths to life’s hardest moments.
Her work continues to encourage both seasoned teachers and everyday readers to approach Scripture with confidence, humility, and joy, trusting that God’s Word speaks into every dimension of human experience.
Why Nancy’s Work Matters
In a time when many people struggle to see connection, meaning, and hope in the Bible, Nancy Guthrie’s teaching offers:
A compassionate voice that understands suffering and points to Christ.
A framework for seeing the Bible as a unified story, helping readers connect passages and themes across thousands of years of biblical history.
Practical tools for teaching and living out Scripture in community.