The Model-Based Bible Project

For years, engineers have used modeling to cut through complexity, improve clarity, and ensure traceability. From defense programs to software systems, model-based approaches have transformed the way we design, build, and sustain what matters most.

So here’s the question I couldn’t shake: why not apply that same discipline to Scripture?

From System of Interest: Me to the Divine Reference Architecture

In my upcoming book, System of Interest: Me, one of the key ideas I explore is the concept of a Divine Reference Architecture (DRA). In engineering, we design with a reference architecture to ensure consistency, compliance, and alignment across systems. In the life of faith, Christ Himself is that reference architecture.

Every believer implements their own “identity architecture,” but the model only works when it’s aligned to the true DRA of Jesus Christ. As Scripture says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).

That’s the heart of this project — modeling not only the Bible’s structure but also our lives, in alignment with Christ as the perfect fulfillment of God’s design.

A Turning Point in My Journey

I’ll never forget when I first listened to Chuck Missler’s “Bible in 24 Hours” study. His thesis that the Bible is an “integrated message system, written from outside the time dimension” absolutely blew my mind.

For the first time, I began to see Scripture not just as a collection of stories, but as an intentional, engineered design. The most profound moment was when I realized that Messianic prophecy functions like a System Requirements Specification.

• Written 500–1000 years before Christ.

• Hundreds of requirements.

• Fulfilled perfectly in one Person — without a single trade-off, compromise, or waiver.

If only systems engineers today could write a spec that gets fully implemented a few years later — let alone centuries later! That realization was both humbling and awe-inspiring, and it led me to want to dive into this work wholeheartedly.

My Own Wrestling with Scripture

I’ll also be honest: I’ve been intimidated by Scripture for much of my life. As an engineer, not knowing how everything works often kept me lukewarm in my faith.

This project isn’t about solving every mystery or “decoding” the Bible completely — I don’t claim that modeling Scripture will suddenly illuminate how everything works. But approaching biblical truth through the lens of systems engineering has brought me so much closer to God.

My hope is that it will do the same for other engineering minds out there — giving us a framework to see the coherence, intentionality, and beauty of God’s Word in a new way.

Why SysML?

The Word was meant to be shared in all languages. Why not add SysML to that list?

For now, I’ll be working in SysML v1 (realities of free time + three kids under six don’t leave much bandwidth to master v2 just yet!). But my hope is to see this project grow into v2 and beyond, opening up even more possibilities for collaboration, visualization, and teaching.

What’s Next

The Model-Based Bible Project is my attempt to create a traceable, model-driven representation of Scripture — an open resource that reveals the Bible’s divine architecture.

The first kernel of the model will be released on GitHub within 30 days. It will be small, imperfect, and just the beginning. But it will be real, and it will be open.

A Call for Vanguards

Every great project needs pioneers — the first few who see the vision and are willing to help chart the course. I’m calling these early contributors vanguards.

Who qualifies?

• If you love modeling and want to use your skills for something eternal.

• If you love Scripture and want to see its beauty revealed in new ways.

• If you love both and are excited by the idea of a Model-Based Bible… then this is your invitation.

Whether you contribute models, provide biblical study insights, or simply help shape the vision, there’s room to join the vanguard.

Join the Journey

This is just the beginning.

If this sparks your interest, I’d love to hear from you. Comment here, message, or reach out at info@christiansystemsthinking.com

Together, we can explore the divine architecture of Scripture — not just as text, but as a model-based system that reveals God’s intentional design.

Let’s build it.