Mark WardMy most influential mentor always told his charges that Bible teachers come to the text with one of two questions: either 1) “What can I say about this?” Or 2) “What does this say?” He saw these questions as a continental divide, and he urged us to...
John D. BarryNutritionists everywhere tell us that a well-balanced diet fuels our bodies, yet many of us continue to ignore their advice. The same is true for our Bible study habits. We know that nourishment for our souls lies in the pages of the Bible, but we...
In honor of National Read a Book Minute—which, sadly, is dwarfed in popularity by the annual celebration of International Watch TV Year—I want to teach you how to highlight a book. I went through more years of formal education than is really proper...
I love the Jesus Storybook Bible, because it thrills me to think that my kids might grasp the central storyline of Scripture long before the age at which I did. And the colors and textures are cool. And I like a little whimsy in text and...
I’m bad at reading the Bible quickly or in big chunks. I’m always getting stopped by interesting little questions (and interesting big ones). Here’s a representative example: Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people...
Logos StaffYou’ve seen it plastered on tee shirts, coffee mugs, bookmarks and Bible covers; it’s cross-stitched on throw pillows and wall art. Its words have comforted thousands of Christians in their darkest moments. But do you really understand the...
Guest AuthorThis is a guest post by Peter Krol. A reader of my blog recently emailed to say, “I was never intentionally taught how to lead a Bible study, and, when the time came for me to teach others how to do it, I had no idea even where to begin.” Do you...
For several weeks I’ve been trying to End Bible Translation Tribalism. I’m urging Christians not to make our good Bible translations into rallying points or battle flags for internecine warfare. Instead, we members of Christ’s body should recognize...
I remember the first time my personal devotions finally started to click. After growing up in the church, earning a Bible degree, and working in ministry, I developed the habit of separating my “study time”—which I spent preparing sermons, lessons...
Biblical theology is notoriously difficult to define. As one clever theologian has quipped, “ … everyone does that which is right in his or her own eyes and calls it biblical theology.” One reason for the confusion: a slim monograph on the...
Biblical illiteracy, particularly in the US, is increasing at a staggering rate. Now more than ever it’s critical that the people of God not only read the Bible more frequently, but study the Bible. There are many ways to study Scripture, and...
I want people who study the Bible to stop asking, “What’s the best Bible translation?” and feel free to use all the good translations we have. It’s what I called, last week, Ending Bible Translation Tribalism. In my vision of the ideal world...
I am on a mission to end Bible Translation Tribalism. If you don’t know what I mean by “Translation Tribalism,” see if any of these tribal stereotypes (some borrowed from another blogger) ring true for you: The NIV 2011 is the Bible of the broad...
Michael S. HeiserAnyone who has invested serious time into studying Scripture knows that it isn’t always easy to understand. For sure, there are core ideas in the Bible that are straightforward and quite within the grasp of most readers to understand. But to be...
This is a guest post about faith by Andrew B. Perrin. assistant professor of religious studies and co-director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University. A few years ago I googled “faith” and discovered that the top two hits...
Adam BorriesTell me if this sounds familiar: It’s December 31, and you think, “This is it. This is the year I will read the Bible all the way through.” You start strong through Genesis and Exodus. You power your way through the ritual laws in Leviticus and the...
Exodus 20:15 is pretty practical: “Thou shalt not steal.” There are complexities, there are always complexities whenever fallible and finite people like us try to apply God’s norms to our situations. But for the most part, we Bible readers feel we...
Why is the most important Christian holiday not mentioned by name in the Bible? Actually, the word “Easter” does appear in the Bible, but only once—and only in one translation. Among all major English translations of the Scripture, only the King...
Ryan NelsonWhen you study with Logos and present with Proclaim, you don’t have to spend hours preparing your sermon and then hours preparing your slides. You can get ready for the service while you study for your sermon. Add quotes to your sermon while you...
Today’s guest post is by Pastor Sam Luce of Redeemer Church in Utica, New York. Sam has been a pastor for 17 years—14 of which he served as a children’s pastor. He received his BA in theology from Portland Bible College, and he’s...
A clever and provocative author wrote something clever and provocative recently about Bible translation: We are accustomed to say things like “something got lost in the translation,” which it frequently does. But can anything ever be gained? Let me...
Jake MailhotThe New Year is a time for new beginnings. This year, challenge yourself to make Bible study a daily habit. Not only will you be meditating on the Word of God every single day, but hopefully new insights and reflections will become apparent as you...
Following the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century, the Latin Vulgate became the official Latin Bible of the Roman Catholic church—and that after centuries of dominance as the preferred Bible of the Western world. The Reformation revived...
G. K. Chesterton: Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. (85) I...
I was sitting at a lunch table with some acquaintances. Acquaintances, not friends. I admit we sat there for a while staring at our food and waiting for the awkwardness to subside. Kind of like me and my Bible sometimes, I’m sad to say. But then, at...
A while back, Randy Brown, creator of BibleBuyingGuide.com, shared how he chooses a Bible for preaching. Randy reviews Bibles in all price ranges to help people make the best choice for their budget. His mission is to promote Bible reading and...
I caved. Somebody sent me one of those time-wasting links you know you’re not supposed to click on if you want to get any work done. But I couldn’t help it. “Find out what your most used words on Facebook are,” the link said. I was like Digory at...
Almost four years to the day before I came to serve the church at Logos Bible Study, I wrote a post on my personal blog, “How to Pronounce ‘Logos’ in ‘Logos Bible Software.’” You see, there’s something of a schism among Logos aficionados, with...
I once had a grandmotherly friend, a secretary in my office, who had great interest in the Bible but no training in the biblical languages. Her strength as a Bible student came from one obvious and one hidden source. The obvious source was her daily...
Shane Barnard and Shane Everett—better known as the popular worship duo Shane & Shane—have spent a lot of time in the Psalms lately. Their latest album, Psalms II, is the result of a close study of the Psalter. I sat down with the guys, and...