Bible Study Magazine—January–February 2010 Issue

• Feature Stories
  Discover new ways to connect the Bible with your ministry and life through reading great interviews with and articles from the biggest names in the church and biblical scholarship.
• Bible Study Tips
  Thoughtful and engaging authors tackle the tough passages in Scripture, explain difficult concepts, and confront complex interpretations in a way that helps God’s Word make sense to your life.
• On the Cutting Edge
  Keep up-to-date on the latest news in biblical research, including archaeological and historical findings.
• A New Kind of Bible Study
  Encounter God by yourself or with other believers with an ongoing Bible study in each issue.
• On Teaching
  Get advice on how to preach or teach the Bible in any setting from well-known pastors and teachers who use the Bible every day.
• Tool Box
  Learn how to effectively use the latest Bible study tools with our how-to guides.
• In the News
  Keep informed about the latest news in biblically-related topics, discoveries, and events.
• Thoughts from the Ancients
  Read the Bible along with those who have come before you, and learn from the wisdom of the early church—in their own words.
• Word Studies
  Get a close-up view of the Bible! Each issue contains insights about specific words found in the Bible, and tutorials on how to do word studies.
• If Only Someone Would Explain It to Me
  Enrich your understanding of the Bible with explanations of biblical and theological concepts by top scholars.
• Did You Know?
  Discover interesting facts about the Bible in the contemporary and ancient world.
• What They Don’t Tell You in Church
  See things you never noticed in biblical passages you have read dozens of times.
• Biblical Humor
  The funniest stories and the best comics related to the Bible, useful for any setting.
• Book Reviews
  Stay on top of the latest books about Bible study. Each issue contains reviews of the books and commentaries to equip you in your study of God’s Word.

Excerpts from the Jan-Feb 2010 Issue!

US Senate Chaplain Barry Black on Impossible Goals: Possible with Bible Study

Far from the desperate poverty of the Baltimore ghetto he was born into, Chaplain Barry C. Black has amassed an extraordinary list of achievements in his sixty-one years. Currently the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, Black is also a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. In this interview, he says, “I am using Bible study as a time of communion, reflection and interaction with God.”

Convinced from an early age that God wanted him to excel, Black earned a Doctorate of Ministry from the Eastern Baptist Seminary in Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the United States International University in California. About the Bible, he says, "It takes us away from the things that are seen, or temporary, in order that we can see the unseen, which is permanent. It enables equanimity."

Acts Top 40: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The book of Acts is almost as much of a maze as Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. It’s hard to keep the cast of characters in your heard. As you navigate Acts, you inevitably run into someone you don’t recognize and wonder, “Should I know who this person is? Will I need to remember them for later?” And the problem just compounds when the next character is introduced.

With a startling 164 individuals, groups of people, “gods” and nations mentioned in Acts, it’s not surprising that it’s a difficult read. Fortunately, the problem now has a remedy—the Acts Top 40. If someone is crucial to the book of Acts, they made our cut. Consider this a character–based Cliff Notes to Acts.

More is More for the Editor of the Ryrie Study Bible

Asking the man who edited the bestselling Ryrie Study Bible about the importance of Bible reading is like asking Bill Gates if you should buy a computer. The answer is obvious. “What is important is regular reading, variety of reading, and the freedom to choose your path through the Bible,” says one of the most prolific Bible scholars of our time, Dr. Charles Ryrie.

The Ryrie Study Bible has helped millions of Christians worldwide understand the Bible's basic truths. Though he did not realize the effect his notes would have on Bible study when it debuted in 1978, Dr. Ryrie tells Bible Study Magazine he is overwhelmed by its impact, particularly on laypersons.