AuthorJournal

7 Reasons I Love The Mission of God Study Bible

DevinMaddox — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:22:00 GMT

I recently got my hands on a Mission of God Study Bible. Now having spent some time with it on my own, here are some personal highlights I came away with.

1. Study for a Purpose: Missions

Why do we study the Bible? Jesus charged the entire Church with the Great Commission. I love the Mission of God Study Bible because it is specifically designed to point believers toward connecting study with practice. All study Bibles, and Bibles in general for that matter, are oriented toward God's mission. But the Mission of God Study Bible helps students of the Word by highlighting the missional thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation.

2. Portable Size

As Bible publishers pack study Bibles full of commentary, it is difficult to maintain a size that is attractive to take to church or in carry-on luggage. The Mission of God Study Bible is portable, and packs in a lot of helpful study aids at the same time.

3. Based on a Solid Translation (HCSB)

Of course we are going to say so at the HCSB blog, but I really like the translation and am glad it is the basis for the Mission of God Study Bible.

4. Outstanding Group of Contributors

Here are some highlights for me. There are many other great contributors in addition to these:

Glenn Burris Jr. - President, The Foursquare Church

Matt Chandler - Pastor, The Village Church, Flower Mound, TX

Eric Geiger - Vice President, LifeWay Christian Resources

Billy Graham - Evangelist

J.D. Greear - Lead Pastor, The Summit Church, Durham, N.C.

David Hesselgrave - Professor emeritus of mission, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

R.T. Kendall - President of R.T. Kendall Ministries

Andreas Kostenberger - New Testament Scholar

Eric Mason - Lead Pastor, Epiphany Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA

Juan Sanchez - Preaching Pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, TX

R.C. Sproul - President of Ligonier Ministries

Ed Stetzer - President, LifeWay Research

Tullian Tchividjian - Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbytarian, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Joe Thorn - Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship, Chicago, IL

Adrian Warnock - Top missional blogger at www.adrianwarnock.com

Trevin Wax - Managing Editor of The Gospel Project, blogs at www.thegospelcoalition.org

Keith Whitfield - Pastor and seminary professor

Christopher Wright - International Director of the Langham Partnership International

5. Cross-Reference Notes

Though cross-references are a standard feature for modern study Bibles, I love that the Mission of God Study Bible includes them. It is a helpful way to trace the mission of God through the entire Bible. After all, the mission of God doesn't begin in Matthew 28.

6. Dynamic Content Powered by Technology

Included throughout the Bible are QR codes that transport readers to video content, going deeper in the study helps with contributors. This is one way the publisher was able to pack so much content into a portable size.

7. Helpful Commentary

Throughout the Mission of God Study Bible, contributors have offered biblical commentary to sharpen readers working through the text. Some commentary features include: book introductions, "God's Heart for the World," feature essays, God Who Sends notes (Frank Dubose), "Text Messages," "On the Frontlines," "Worldview," "Praying for the World," "Church Unleashed," and "Letters to the Church." All of the content is helpful and unique.

Click here to learn more about the Mission of God Study Bible.

LifeWay Partners with Church to Replace Tattered Pew Bibles

DevinMaddox — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:41:00 GMT

Brentwood Baptist Church recently announced they are switching to the Holman Christian Standard version of the Bible. The church, who is celebrating ten years in a new facility in Brentwood, TN, is also the church home of LifeWay President Thom Rainer. For years the church had used the New International Version (1984) both in the pulpit and the pews. "Some of [the Bibles] were decorated with artwork from children who had faster pens than parents' eyes," said pastor Mike Glenn. "So every now and then you have to upgrade those."

The newly donated pew Bibles by LifeWay signals a switch for Glenn who will now preach from the HCSB.

"We were coming to a place where we needed to update the NIVs that had been in our pews since 2002 on Father's Day when we moved in," Glenn said. "And some of those Bibles found other places to live.

"[The HCSB] is a very good translation," Glenn said. "We know a lot of the people who did the work, so we feel very, very comfortable in using it."

According to the church's website:

"With the corrected Bibles now in pews, Brentwood Baptist will endorse and use this version of the Bible going forward. Anything publicly spoken, written, or quoted will come from this translation. In affirmation of the move, members took the Bibles and lifted them up in a prayer of dedication led by our Senior Pastor this past Sunday.

Mike said, "We're glad to partner with LifeWay in providing this resource to you. … They're a very good partner for the local church."

The church developed a unique strategy to make good use of the old pew Bibles. Every member was challenged on a Sunday in February to take a pew Bible and give it away. In an auditorium that seats thousands, only 200 pew Bibles remained that afternoon.

...

Parts of this post come from a story written by Kaylan Christopher, staff writer at Brentwood Baptist Church

Preferences of American Bible Readers

DevinMaddox — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:53:00 GMT

LifeWay Research recently released new statistics on the preferences of Bible readers. They polled 2,000 Americans, asking them questions aimed at uncovering how adults read the Bible. To qualify for the poll, participants had to read the Bible outside of a corporate worship setting.

Here are some interesting findings from the release:

"In addition to their personal study, 75 percent of regular Bible readers also read along with others each month as Scripture is read in church worship services, 49 percent read it as part of Christian education or Sunday school classes at a church, and 42 percent do so as part of a small group Bible study or prayer group."

"On average, Bible readers in the United States personally own 3.6 copies of Scripture. Eighty-four percent of readers have more than one Bible."

"When it comes to how a preferred translation is selected, 75 percent of regular Bible readers personally chose the version they use most while 19 percent had it selected for them by someone else. Six percent do not remember how they arrived at their preferred version."

"Nine out of 10 Bible readers are satisfied with the version they use most for personal reading. That includes 56 percent who are completely satisfied and 35 percent who are mostly satisfied. Only 2 percent are mostly dissatisfied with the translation they use, and 4 percent are completely dissatisfied."

*Click here to read the entire release.

(HT: Ed Stetzer)

HCSB's Most Technologically Advanced Study Bible

DevinMaddox — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:18:00 GMT

In February, on the blog and on Facebook, we have been talking about Study Bibles. In addition to indexes and other types of literary guides, most Study Bibles contain biblical commentary and doctrinal essays. Below is an essay on written communication from the gospel of Luke in the Life Essentials Study Bible. With over 250 hours of teaching by editor Gene Getz, this HCSB Study Bible offers readers a window into in-depth Bible study via QR codes (see the bar code at the bottom of the post, scannable with your smart phone). We hope you'll enjoy the essay, and take a moment to consider, "What are the most important features in a Study Bible?"

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#1 We should look for opportunities to use personal letters to help fellow believers develop a more intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

In many respects, this Gospel represents a personal letter to a man whom Luke addressed as the “most honorable Theophilus.” Though we know very little about this individual, he was probably a Gentile, perhaps a high-ranking official in the Roman government. Evidently, he was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ—not just a seeker—but a man who needed a lot of encouragement in terms of spiritual growth. It appears he may have still had some theological questions about Jesus. Luke wanted Theophilus to “know the certainty of the things” he had been taught about Christianity. The term know indicates more than just intellectual assent; it is a deep, abiding assurance of the heart (v. 4). Luke wanted his knowledge of Christ to be experiential.

Nevertheless, like all of the letters in the New Testament, Luke’s Gospel demonstrates the impact and importance of written correspondence to help Christians mature in their faith. For example, when Paul received a report from Timothy that the believers in Thessalonica were confused about what happens to Christians before Christ comes again, he wrote a le␣er to clarify the issue—along with other teachings to help them continue to more and more reflect faith, hope, and love in their relationships with one another and their unsaved neighbors and friends.

Reflection and Response

How have personal letters encouraged you in your walk with Christ and how can you do the same for others?

Reading God's Story is March 12' Bestseller

DevinMaddox — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:46:00 GMT

The Association for Christian Retail (CBA) recently released the March 2012 bestseller list, naming B&H Publishing's Reading God's Story at the top of the Study/Specialty Bible category. Using the HCSB, editor George Guthrie takes a clear narrative approach to the Bible, arranging the complete text into a fresh chronological reading plan developed for LifeWay's Read the Bible for Life biblical literacy initiative. Congrats to B&H and editor George Guthrie!

Did the Apostles Report Jesus’ Words Accurately?

DevinMaddox — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:01:00 GMT

This month on the blog and on Facebook, we are talking about Study Bibles. In addition to indexes and other types of literary guides, most Study Bibles contain biblical commentary and doctrinal essays. Below is an essay on the reliabilty of Scripture from the Apologetics Study Bible for Students. This Study Bible, similar to our best-selling Apologetics Study Bible, is specifically designed for students. We hope you'll enjoy the essay, and take a moment to consider, "What are the most important features in a Study Bible?"

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by Jeremy Royal Howard

A great many people base their lives and eternity on Jesus and His teachings, and yet Jesus Himself left us no writings. Obviously, not a single scrap of audio or video recorded His teachings. So how can we know what He taught? The New Testament claims to convey Jesus’ teachings accurately, but how can we be sure that the apostles got it right? There are at least four reasons for trusting that the New Testament reports Jesus’ words accurately.

Master Teacher Rather than broadcasting His teachings randomly in hopes that someone would by chance remember what He said, Jesus chose a group of 12 men to be His full-time students. For three years they listened closely as Jesus taught the crowds. They also received private instruction on the side (Mt 24:3; Mk 13:3). Jesus used proven teaching tools such as parables, repetition, and visual aids to make learning easier. Jesus also taught the disciples how to spread His message (Mk 6:7-11), and commanded them to give their lives to this task (Mt 28:18-20).

Fresh Memories The disciples did not divorce themselves from Jesus’ storyline once He ascended to heaven (Ac 1:9). Instead, they returned to Jerusalem and became the focal point of ongoing controversy. In the weeks, months, and years after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples repeatedly defended their beliefs and explained Jesus’ teachings to anyone who would listen. Thus their memories were rehearsed daily as they gave unbroken attention to spreading Jesus’ teachings. In later years, as speaking and traveling grew more difficult due to old age, these men set their memories down in the Gospels.

Powerful Memories Living in the age before notepads and computers made data storage a cinch, Jewish students of religion had to achieve herculean feats of memorization. It was said that advanced students were like a basket full of books; they kept everything in their heads. Though Jesus’ disciples lacked formal education, it is certain that from the moment Jesus called them to be His students they knew they were expected to comprehend and remember his teachings. Possibly they even took detailed notes during Jesus' ministry as was sometimes done by students of leading rabbis. These notes would have been available to support their memory in years to come.

The Counselor Jesus’ strategic teaching efforts and the prowess of well-honed memories put the disciples in a good position to remember Jesus’ teachings, but there was another factor that helped them preach and right with accuracy: Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help His disciples comprehend and remember his teachings (Jn 14:26). The New Testament shows that the disciples became aware of the Spirit's role in their writings. Paul quoted the words of Jesus as recorded in Luke 10:7 and called it Scripture (1Tm 5:18). Paul was convinced that Luke had accurately reported Jesus’ teachings, plus he believed God had inspired Luke’s Gospel. Similarly, Peter affirmed that Paul’s writings were Scripture (2Pt 3:15-16). Clearly, the men whom Jesus appointed to spread His teachings believed they were enabled by God to report Jesus' teachings correctly.

Bible Study: Incarnation and Christology

DevinMaddox — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:16:00 GMT

This month on the blog and on Facebook, we are talking about Study Bibles. In addition to indexes and other types of literary guides, most Study Bibles contain biblical commentary and doctrinal essays. Below is an essay on the incarnation and Christology taken from the HCSB Study Bible. The HCSB Study Bible is designed for serious students of God's word, those who want to go deeper in their study of Scripture. We hope you'll enjoy the essay, and take a moment to consider, "What are the most important features in a Study Bible?"

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Incarnation and Christology

Stephen J. Wellum

The word “incarnation” derives from a Latin word developed from in + caro [flesh], which literally means “in the flesh.” In Christian theology the term refers to the supernatural act of God, effected by the Holy Spirit, whereby the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead, took into

union with Himself a complete human nature apart from sin. As a result of that action, the Son of God became the God-man forever, the Word made flesh (Jn 1:1,14; Rm 1:3-4; 8:3; Gl 4:4; Php 2:6-11; 1Tm 3:16; Heb 2:5-18; 1Jn 4:2).

The means whereby the incarnation came about is the virgin conception, commonly known as the virgin birth—the miraculous action of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary—so that what was conceived was fully God and fully man in one person forever (Mt 1:18-25; Lk 1:26-38). He did this in order to become the Redeemer of the church, our Prophet, Priest, and King, and thus to save His people from their sins (Mt

1:21). By becoming one with us, the Lord of Glory not only shares our sorrows and burdens, He is also able to secure our redemption by bearing our sin on the cross as our substitute and being raised for our justification (see Rm 4:25; Heb 2:17-18; 4:14-16; 1Pt 3:18).

The Humanity and Deity of Jesus in Scripture

Biblical evidence for the full deity and humanity of Christ is abundant. In regard to His humanity, Jesus is presented as a Jewish man who was born, underwent the normal process of growth and development (Lk 2:52), experienced a full range of human experiences (e.g. Mt 8:10,24; 9:36; Lk 22:44; Jn 19:28), including growth in knowledge (Mk 13:32), and the experience of death (Jn 19:30). Apart from His sinlessness, which Scripture unequivocally affirms (Jn 8:46; 2Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1Pt 1:19), He is one with us in every way.

Scripture also affirms that the man Christ Jesus is also the eternal Son of God and thus God equal with the Father and Spirit. From the opening pages of the NT, Jesus is identified as the Lord: the One who establishes the divine rule and inaugurates the new covenant era in fulfillment of OT expectation— something only God can do (e.g. Is 9:6-7; 11:1-10; Jr 31:31-34; Ezk 34). That is why Jesus’ miracles are not merely human acts empowered by the Spirit of God; rather they are demonstrations of His own divine authority over nature (e.g. Mt 8:23-27; 14:22-23), Satan and his hosts (Mt 12:27-28), and all things (Eph

1:9-10,19-23). Because He is God the Son, Jesus has the authority to forgive sin (Mk 2:3-12), call Himself the fulfillment of Scripture (Mt 5:17-19; 11:13), view His relationship with the Father as one of equality and reciprocity (Mt 11:25-27; Jn 5:16-30; 10:14-30), and do the very works of God in creation, providence, and redemption (Jn 1:1-18; Php 2:6-11; Col 1:15-20; Heb 1:1-3).

Theological Expression of Jesus’ Natures

Later church reflection, especially at the Council of Chalcedon (a.d. 451), affirmed that we cannot do justice to Scripture without confessing that Jesus of Nazareth was fully God and fully man. God the Son, who gave personal identity to the human nature He had assumed and did so without putting aside or compromising His divine nature, must be confessed as one person who now exists in two natures. Additionally, Chalcedon affirmed that we must not think that the incarnation involved a change in the properties of each nature so that some kind of blending resulted which was neither divine nor human, as the Eutychians wrongly affirmed. Rather, we must affirm that the properties of each nature (human and divine) were preserved so that Jesus is all that God is in all of His perfections and all that we humans are except in terms of sin.

This affirmation entails at least two important points. First, the man Jesus from the moment of conception was personal by virtue of the union of the human nature in the person of the divine Son. At no point were there two persons or two centers of self-consciousness, as the Nestorians wrongly affirmed. That is why in our Lord Jesus Christ we come face-to-face with God. We meet Him, not subsumed under human flesh, not merely associated with it, but in undiminished moral splendor. The deity and humanity coincide, not because the human has grown into the divine, but because the divine Son has taken to Himself a human nature for our salvation. He is the divine Son who subsists in two natures, who has lived His life for us as our representative head, died our death as our substitute, and been raised for our eternal salvation. This is why the Lord Jesus is utterly unique and without parallel and thus the only Lord and Savior. Second, since in the incarnation the eternal Son took to Himself a human nature, He can now live a fully human life. Yet He was not totally confined to that human nature as if for a period of time the divine nature was divested of its attributes or function. That is why Scripture affirms that even as the incarnate One, the divine Son continued to uphold and sustain the universe (Col 1:15-17; Heb 1:1-3) even while He lived out His life on earth as a man dependent upon the Father and empowered by the Spirit (Jn 5:19-27; Ac 10:38).

Our affirmation of the biblical Jesus is beyond our full comprehension, but it is only in such a Jesus that we have One who can meet our every need. Apart from Him as God the Son incarnate, we do not have a Redeemer who can stand on our behalf as a man, let alone satisfy God’s own righteous demand upon us due to our sin. After all, it is only God who can save us. By becoming one with us, our Lord not only becomes our sympathetic Savior, He also accomplishes a work that saves us fully, completely, and finally.

Apologetics–The Trinity: Is It Possible That God Be Both One and Three?

DevinMaddox — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:44:00 GMT

This month on the blog and on Facebook, we are talking about Study Bibles. In addition to indexes and other types of literary guides, most Study Bibles contain biblical commentary and doctrinal essays. Below is an essay on the doctrine of the Trinity taken from one of our most popular Study Bibles, The Apologetics Study Bible. The Apologetics Study Bible is uniquely designed to help students of Scripture wrestle with the questions at the intersection of faith and culture. We hope you'll enjoy the essay, and take a moment to consider, "What are the most important features in a Study Bible?"

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The Trinity: Is It Possible That God Be Both One and Three?

by Douglas K. Blount

Like Jews and Muslims, Christians are monotheists. In other words, they be- lieve in the existence of precisely one God. Unlike other monotheists, however, Christians also believe that, while there exists just one God, He is three persons— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The belief that the one and only God exists eternally as three persons is known as the doctrine of the Trinity. And this doctrine plays an important role in Christian faith. In fact, the doctrine of the incarnation—which says that Jesus as God became a man and that He is thus both fully divine and fully human—assumes it. This latter doctrine lies at the heart of Christian faith.

On its face, however, the doctrine of the Trinity might look like a contradiction. It might seem impossible that God be both one and three. Indeed, the apparent ab- surdity of this doctrine has led to at least two major errors, each of which elevates one of the doctrine’s claims at the other’s expense. On one hand, some stress the oneness of God at the expense of His threeness, claiming there is only one divine person. Those who describe God in this way usually say that the one divine person appears in different guises or masks, sometimes as Father, other times as Son, and still other times as Spirit. Since this view says the one divine person changes His mode of appearance, it is called modalism. On the other hand, some stress God’s threeness at the expense of His oneness, claiming each of the three divine persons is a distinct god. This view, which says that there are three gods, is called tritheism.

But modalism and tritheism are at odds with the Bible, which presents God as both one and three. There is just one God (Dt 6:4), yet this God is three persons— Father, Son, and Spirit (Mt 3:16-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-22). No doubt it is difficult (or perhaps even impossible) for us to understand how God is both one and three. But something’s being difficult (or even impossible) for humans to understand doesn’t make it a contradiction.

A contradiction involves saying that something is both true and false at the same time and in the same way. So, for instance, one who says both that Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo and that Napoleon did not lose the Battle of Waterloo contradicts himself. It is logically impossible for Napoleon to have both lost that battle and not to have lost it. His claim is contradictory.

Now if Christians said both that (1a) there exists precisely one God, and that (1b) it is not the case that there exists precisely one God, they would contradict them- selves. So also if they said both that (2a) there are three divine persons, and that (2b) it is not the case that there are three divine persons, they also would contradict themselves. But Christians do not affirm both 1a and 1b. Neither do they affirm both 2a and 2b. Rather, they affirm 1a and 2a. And this would be contradictory only if either 1a entails 2b or 2a entails 1b.

To put the point differently, when Christians say that God is both one and three, they do not say that He is one in the same way in which He is three. So, for instance, they do not say both that (1a) there exists precisely one God, and that (1c) there exist three gods. Nor do they say both that (2a) there exist three divine persons, and that (2c) there exists only one divine person.

Since 1c entails 1b, affirming both it and 1a would be contradictory. And since 2c entails 2b, affirming both it and 2a also would be contradictory. But, as a matter of fact, Christians deny both 1c and 2c. In affirming 1a and 2a, then, Christians affirm that in one way God is one and in another way He is three. And in so doing they do not contradict themselves.

So, then, those who think the doctrine of the Trinity is contradictory misun- derstand either the nature of a contradiction or the doctrine itself. Perhaps they confuse contradiction with mere paradox, taking our inability to understand how the doctrine is true to entail that it is false. But our inability to understand how God is both one and three tells us far more about ourselves than it does about God. The Bible presents God as both one and three; that suffices for us to know that He is so, regardless of whether we understand the how of it.

New Bible Study App for iPad

DevinMaddox — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:10:00 GMT

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:

Easy-to-Use Navigation Buttons

You’ll discover navigating is easy with the handy buttons located above and below each open window. These buttons put you one tap away from choosing books in your library, searching scriptures or topics, bookmarking, answering questions, setting preferences, and much more.

Easy Searching for a Bible Text

Quickly navigate to any Bible passage by tapping your Bible, book and chapter. Your selected Bible will open exactly where you want it.

Switch Bibles Easily

You can switch to a different Bible with a simple tap or two. Your new selection will open to the same verse you’re studying.

Synchronize Bibles and Commentaries

It’s easy to sync any Bible to any commentary by tapping the handy Lock/Unlock icon between your two window panes. Tap on any scripture reference, and the entire reference will pop up for easy reading, just like it does in WORDsearch.

Highlighting Bible and Book Text

You’ll love the intuitive highlighting tool. You can color-code your highlights with six different colors, or underline any text. You can also add your own notes anywhere in the text and save it to your iPad.

Study Pane That Saves Your Personal Notes

Tap the “Study Pane” icon in any book to open a personal work area. This is where you can enter your own notes, and paste in text you have copied from Bibles and books. When you “save” notes in this Study Pane, a little note icon will appear in your Bible or book next to the referenced text.

Fast Answers to Your Questions

As you are growing familiar with your iPad app, tap the Info icon any time you have a question. You’ll find FAQs to explain most anything related to the app.

Below is an overview of the new WORDsearch app:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Going Deeper on Issues is Translation

DevinMaddox — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:21:00 GMT

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.

Considering Changing to the HCSB? One Church's Story

DevinMaddox — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:32:00 GMT

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:

A Fresh Look at the HCSB: 3 Videos

DevinMaddox — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:18:00 GMT

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)

Advent and Bible Reading

DevinMaddox — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:20:00 GMT

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.

New Mobile Bible Study Tool from B&H

DevinMaddox — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:27:00 GMT

Yesterday, B&H Publishing launched a new mobile version of MyStudyBible.com. The HTML 5 site is compatible with both Android and iPhone, making it easier than ever to access your free and paid MyStudyBible.com library. Choose from different translations of the Bible, including the HCSB, in the mobile version while you're on the go. Mobile users can quickly and easily search the entire Bible with MyStudyBible.com's new mobile search feature. To access the mobile site, simply key in www.MyStudyBible.com on your Android or iPhone device, or use the URL www.MyStudyBible.com/mobile.

To read more about updates to MyStudyBible.com, visit the B&H Blog.

How many times have you opened your suitcase only to discover you left your Bible on the kitchen counter miles away? People today are busy and mobile. There are hundreds of scenarios when it would be really handy to have access to your bible and some study helps. At “MyStudyBible.com” you will find an attractive interface to do verse-by-verse bible study with cross reference study notes side by side with the text. You will have access to word study databases, including the original biblical languages. In addition to all of these features, you will find a Bible dictionary and footnotes. If you find yourself on the road without your bible, hop on to “MyStudyBible.com” for help, now available on your Android or iOS device.

Thom Rainer Giving Away HCSB Study Bible Today

DevinMaddox — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:26:00 GMT

Today at thomrainer.com, Dr. Rainer is giving away an HCSB Study Bible. Here are the details:

"My giveaway this Friday is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Study Bible. The unique, full-color design and format are the direct result of a nationwide research project. The Bible people wanted is the Bible B&H built. The result is a visual Bible that's comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use, with features and formats specifically designed to enhance your Bible study experience. You can also go to MyStudyBible.com and dive right in for a complete digital experience.

This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

To be eligible to win, take a fresh look at your favorite Scripture or passage at MyStudyBible.com. Then copy and paste it in the comment section for this post.

The deadline to enter is midnight CST this Saturday. We will select one winner from the entries on Monday morning."