WORDsearch debuts a new iPad app this week. iPad users can now access their WORDsearch library of Bibles (including the HCSB), books, and commentaries via the new free app in Apple's App Store. Here are some of the features highlighted on WORDsearch's website:

Below is an overview of the new WORDsearch app:

Often on Facebook we get a questions about a nuance of a particular translation in the HCSB. The questions are usually very sophisticated, and require the expertise of the contributor who helped translate that particular book, chapter, and verse. The questions prompt a chain of emails from social media moderators that persist until the "expert" repsonds with an explanation for why the Greek/Hebrew was rendered into English in a particular way. 

Biblical studies are an important discipline for local church ministry. Increasingly, churches are faced with more and more choices in regards to English Bible translations. There are many good English Bible translations to choose from, so church leaders continue to examine deeper issues in translation when selecting a Bible for their churches.

Back in 2010, we highlighted the launch of new blog co-sponsored by BibleGateway.com and the Gospel Coalition. 'Perspectives in Translation' is described on the site as "a discussion on English Bible translations." Drawing from a diverse pool of biblical scholars, the blog goes deep on issues in translation. We would heartily recommend this as a resource in keeping up to date on trends in biblical studies, and for those of you who are examining (or re-examining) all of the issues related to choosing an English Bible.

Contributors to 'Perspectives in Translation' include:

Collin Hansen -  editorial director for The Gospel Coalition

Craig Blomberg - distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado

Douglas J. Moo - Blachard Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois

Tremper Longman III - Robert H. Gundry professor of biblical studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California

Denny Burk - associate professor of New Testament and dean of Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky

James M. Hamilton - associate professor of biblical theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky

Ray Van Neste - associate professor of biblical studies at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee

Michael Bird - lecturer in theology and New Testament at Crossway College in Brisbane, Australia

E. Ray Clendenen - Bible commentary editor for B&H Publishing and associate editor of the HCSB

Darrell L. Bock - research professor of New Testament studies  at Dallas Theological Seminary

T. David Gordon - professor of religion and Greek at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania

Thom S. Schreiner - James Buchanan Harrison professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and chairman of the HCSB translation oversight committee

Robert Yarbrough -  professor of New Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri

Richard L. Pratt Jr. - president of Third Millennium Ministries

George Guthrie - Benjamin W. Perry professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee

We are grateful for increasing awareness and engagement in these issues, indication of growing concern for maintaining the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. We pray you will find this resource (and others from B&H and HCSB as well) useful as you study the Scriptures to the glory of God.

We are often asked what factors a church should think through when considering switching their Bible translation. For the past decade many churches have switched Bible translations, deciding a switch is worth the effort. Here are two important questions churches are asking in the process of evaluation:

Is the translation readable?

Many have switched from older translations like the King James Version, for a more readable translation. As English continues to evolve and change, new Christians and seasoned Christians alike find it increasingly difficult to study an English language Bible with ancient speech patterns and vocabulary.

Is the translation accurate?

Churches also tend to switch when they discover a translation they feel is more accurate in rendering biblical manuscripts into English. Evaluating accuracy can be difficult without a great deal of research. A background in the biblical languages is helpful in this regard. But tools like MyStudyBible.com  make study in the original languages more accessible than ever before. One of the unique features of the tool is the ability to hover over an English rendering in multiple translations and correlate the corresponding Greek and Hebrew words.

Each church has unique questions to consider when it comes to changing translations. This is why we like to tell stories of churches making the switch to the HCSB, highlighting why making the switch is helpful in their individual ministry context. First Baptist Church Houston, TX recently posted their decision to switch to the HCSB on their website. We are always excited and honored when churches make the switch, because we know churches do not do so flippantly. Here is a look at why First Baptist Church Houston made the switch:

As we talk about the HCSB all over the world, we use videos like these to give a bird's-eye-view of the translation. Below we have 3 different versions of the video, all different lengths. Since, in many cases, conference vendors and meeting planners have different time needs, we trimmed the same video into 3 different edits. Feel free to use any of the three below as you have need. 

Version 1 (4:12)

Version 2 (5:42)

Version 3 (2:01)

Does your church participate in an Advent Bible reading plan? John Piper's ministry, Desiring God, recently posted an article on their blog about Advent with some compelling reasons why you might consider doing so. Jonathan Parnell describes Advent this way:

"Advent" is from the Latin word for "coming" — translated from the Greek word parousia. It's a stretch of four weeks where we reenact and remember how the Old Testament saints longed for Messiah to come. 

Noel Piper, the wife of pastor John Piper, describes Advent in Desiring God's free online book Treasuring God in Our Traditions, saying:

So here we stand in the middle. Advent is the season of looking back, thinking how it must have been, waiting for the promised salvation of God, not knowing what to expect. And at the same time, Advent is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at his Second Coming. (Treasuring God in Our Traditions, 77).

While many evangelicals have tended to avoid more liturgical approaches to Christian worship, recent trends have reversed to embrace more an more events on the "Christian calendar." Advent, often observed for four weeks before Christmas, can be a focused time of Bible study and prayer centered on remembering the first time Jesus came into our world. Many churches provide devotional guides for families to use throughout the week in family worship to prepare for Sunday services that focus on the same Scripture passages and biblical themes.

The Village Church in Texas has produced an excellent devotional guide for their church that they are sharing for free online. You can download the guide here. The Village Church sets aside 5 weeks for Advent (instead of 4) and focus on the following themes:

WEEK 1: PROMISES AND PATIENCE

Theme: Our God makes and keeps promises, and His people are called 

to wait with patient longing.

WEEK 2: AWAITING AN ADVENT

Theme: God made a particular promise of a Messiah, and Israel longed 

for His coming.

WEEK 3: INCARNATION AND IMPLICATIONS

Theme: God fulfilled the promise of a Messiah in the first advent of 

Jesus Christ. 

WEEK 4: RESURRECTION AND RETURN

Theme: After dying to redeem His people from slavery, Christ rose from 

the dead and promised to come again to redeem us fully.

WEEK 5: WATCHING AND WAITING

Theme: As we await the second advent of Christ, we are called to a life of 

prayerful and prepared patience.

If you are looking for something less devotional and more focused on the biblical text itself, YouVersion offers a free Bible reading plan for Christmas. You can choose to read in the Bible translation of your choice, including the HCSB.

If you are willing to spend $12.99, Nancy Guthrie has edited a short but exhaustive guide to writings of theologians throughout history. Some of the contributors include:

Nancy Guthrie (Editor), Alistair Begg (Contributor), James Montgomery Boice (Contributor),Joseph Ryan (Contributor), John Piper (Contributor), J. Ligon Duncan (Contributor), Randy Alcorn(Contributor), John MacArthur (Contributor), Francis A. Schaeffer (Contributor), R. C. Sproul(Contributor), Joni Eareckson Tada (Contributor), George Whitefield (Contributor), Martin Luther(Contributor), Timothy J. Keller (Contributor), Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Contributor), Jonathan Edwards(Contributor), Charles H. Spurgeon (Contributor), Augustine (Contributor), J. I. Packer (Contributor),John Calvin (Contributor), Alistair Begg (Contributor), Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. (Contributor), J. C. Ryle (Contributor)

You can find Come Thou Long Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas by Nancy Guthrie here.