Knowable Word

Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

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Not the Rock but the Storm

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I was recently studying the end of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, and something struck me about the parable of the builders. Take a look at it.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matt 7:24-27)

This little parable brings the Sermon to an end, and it is famous enough that anyone who has been around church knows what it means, right? There’s even an old children’s song about it: “The wise man builds his house upon the rock…” According to the third and fourth verses:

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down.

The blessings come down as the prayers go up
The blessings come down as the prayers go up
The blessings come down as the prayers go up
So build your house on the Lord

Is that what this parable teaches?

Image generated with Jetpack AI Assistant from the prompt “beach house built on sand destroyed by hurricane”

A Closer Look at the Parable

Jesus is not the least bit mysterious. This parable is perhaps one of the clearest he ever told. No attempt to trick anyone here:

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man… And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will like a foolish man…

So the building of a house on the rock is a picture of not only hearing Jesus’ words but also obeying them. And the building of a house on the sand is a picture of hearing Jesus’ words and not obeying them. So the rock in this parable is a metaphor not for Jesus but for a Christian’s obedience to Jesus. The sand is a picture of disobedience, or perhaps even indifference, to Jesus’ commands.

Of course, this does not mean that “building on the foundation of Jesus” is an unbiblical metaphor. We find that very metaphor in numerous texts such as Eph 2:19-20 or 2 Cor 3:10-11.

So I’m not saying that it’s wrong to portray Jesus with the metaphor of a foundation on which we build. All I’m saying is that that is not what is going on in the parable of the builders in Matthew 7:24-27. In this parable, the rock is not a metaphor for Christ himself but for the Christian’s obedience to Christ.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Jesus himself is absent from the parable. I believe he still plays a major role within it. And maybe the context can help.

A Closer Look at the Context

We don’t have to go very far. The immediately preceding paragraph describes two different kinds of people as well: those who will enter the kingdom of heaven and those who won’t. And the person who will enter is “the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 7:21)—not necessarily the person who builds their case on a foundation of confessing Jesus as Lord (Matt 7:21) or on a foundation of seeking to represent Jesus when speaking the truth, overpowering satanic forces, or performing miracles (Matt 7:22).

The person who builds their Christian life from the groundwork of obedience to the Father will survive the judgment executed by Jesus himself. They will never have to hear him say, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt 7:23).

Do you see how, between these two paragraphs, Jesus equates doing “the will of my Father who is in heaven” with hearing “these words of mine” and doing them? Jesus places his commands at the same level of authority as the Father’s will. Jesus’ authority is thus complete and dramatic (Matt 7:28-29).

And because Jesus’ authority is both exhaustive and divine, he is the one whom every man and woman will one day have to face. He is the one who will break the nations with a rod of iron and own the peoples for his inheritance (Psalm 2:4-9). So on the last day, he will remove all pretenders from before him (Matt 7:23). Those who honored him with their lips but kept their hearts far from him (Matt 5:20-48) will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt 7:19). Those who practiced their righteousness before men, to be rewarded by them, will have reached the end of their full reward (Matt 6:1). Those who passed through the wide gate and walked the broad road with the rest of humanity will reach the end of that path—destruction (Matt 7:13).

And Jesus will be the one doling it out with all authority in heaven and on earth.

So Where is Jesus in the Parable?

By the time we reach the end of the Sermon on the Mount, it ought to be clear that Jesus is not, in this text, the rock on which a person must build their life. No, Jesus is the storm that will come and put severe pressure on the lives they have built.

Jesus is the storm. He is the flood, and the wind (Matt 7:25, 27).

Those who have only heard him, before going on with their precious little lives, will suffer from his storm, and they will fall spectacularly (Matt 7:27). But those who heard his words and then went and lived them out? Those folks will face the same Judge as the first group.

But they will remain standing before him. They will not be shattered to pieces. They will not fall (Matt 7:25).

What will be your experience of facing this Judge and the storm of his reckoning?

Eight Evidences that the Bible Tells a Single Story

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M.R. Conrad wants you to know the Bible is “one grand narrative,” and he gives 8 pieces of evidence. Included on the list are the one author, the one main character, the anticipation of Christ at every point, and the overall tension leading to a final conclusion.

I won’t list all 8 of Conrad’s proofs. You’ll have to click over to see the full description.

Check it out!

You Can Read the Bible to Your Kids

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When my oldest daughter was about to turn 6, she endured a season of feeling great burdens for people who don’t know Jesus. She prayed for them often. She wept. She brought Jesus into conversations. On occasion, she would wake in the night from sadness for unbelieving friends and family members. She spoke of becoming a missionary when she grew up so she could tell more people about Jesus.

My wife and I did all we could to foster such missionary zeal. We’d be delighted to see one or more of our children dedicate their lives to full-time Christian service, whether at home or abroad. So we spoke about this calling with our daughter. We gave her missionary biographies. We prayed fervently with her. Our church even invited her to join the Missions Committee.

And one day, out of the blue, she asks me an innocent question that cuts me deeply. “Papa, how can I tell people about Jesus when I grow up, unless you first read the whole Bible to me?”

The Quandary

I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s true: It had never occurred to me to simply read the Bible to my kids. We fill our home with things read. We read fiction and non-fiction. We listen to audiobooks during rest time and in the car. We read at the dinner table. We read independently and together, silently and out loud. We read and read and read. But, before my daughter’s question, our reading rarely included the Bible.

To be sure, we tried our hand at family devotions. I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be, but we still did it a few times each week. Such devotions involved a few short Bible verses, a passage from a wonderful children’s devotional, a few good questions, and prayer.

But if we were going to sit and just read something, it wouldn’t be the Bible. It couldn’t be the Bible, right? Children aren’t ready for that. Instead, we’d read The Chronicles of Narnia, or The Penderwicks, or the latest wonder from N.D. Wilson. Maybe The Jesus Storybook Bible. But not actually The Holy Bible. No way.

Yet my daughter’s question cut me to the quick. The shocking realization rocked my world: You can read the Bible to your kids. I can read the Bible to my kids.

So, on her 6th birthday, my daughter received my solemn promise, with the Lord’s help, to read her the entire Bible by her 18th birthday. She just turned 8 a few weeks ago, and so far we’re on track to fulfill that promise.

Jan Rowley, Creative Commons

How We Do It

I have more than one child, so as family patriarch, I made the call to include all the children in our Bible reading time. To help you picture the context, my children are now 10, 10, 8, 6, 2, and 10 months. Sometimes we exempt the baby from Bible reading time if she needs to be fed. And sometimes the toddler is still finishing her nap. Beyond that, however, nobody gets an excused absence.

To make time for family Bible reading, we actually had to drop out of a Bible club, where four of my children attended and I taught a class. The club was great, and everybody was learning and growing in Christ. But we decided to place higher priority, this one night a week, on our own family Bible reading.

So we gather Sunday evenings for an hour. The children get notified 60 and 30 minutes prior to Bible reading time, so they have enough warning to finish up whatever they may be doing. At 10 minutes before, we ask them to begin the transition by using the bathroom and bringing to the living room whatever they want to have with them during Bible reading time.

The children can have books, toys, games, legos, coloring books, painting supplies, dolls, matchbox cars, chess sets. Whatever. Just nothing electronic. They can do anything they want during Bible reading time, as long as 1) it is silent, and 2) it can be done without leaving the living room.

Then they sit, play, and listen while I read for about an hour.

We began with Genesis 1 and have gone straight through. Occasionally, I’ll stop to clarify something or to take a question. This way, we’ve discussed covenants, circumcision, uncleanness, prostitution, dreams, altars, ancient dating customs, the best ways to kill Philistines, and what it means for a woman to be violated. We’ve befriended Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Deborah, Barak, Gideon, Samson, and David. We’ve read long lists of names. We’ve jeered Saul. We’ve mourned for Absalom, our son, our son; if only we had died instead of him. We’ve climbed on the coffee table to picture Goliath’s scornful mocking and his brutal fall. And we’ve joined the tribes of Israel in shouting “Amen” after each covenantal curse (Deut 27:14-26).

Of course, the Pentateuch was a challenge. But the children are used to enough rituals, rules, and procedures that it was probably harder for me than it was for them. We’re just about to finish 2 Samuel. And yes, we’ve hit some dark content. But, as we allow the Scripture to drive our spiritual discussions, the children have been more than mature enough to handle the subject matter. I can’t yet comment on how we got through the Psalms or Prophets.

Before we start a new book, we always watch The Bible Project’s overview video of that book, and this proves to be a highlight for the children. They refer to the videos as we then work our way through the book.

Conclusion

Of course, you don’t have to do it the same way I do. But I hope to encourage you with a simple proposition: You can read the Bible to your kids. You don’t need a perfect schedule, or a perfect set of devotions from an expert. Your children can handle it, as long as you are enthusiastic about it. Who knows how God might use his knowable word in your family?

This post was first published in 2017. At the links, you can also find my reflections at the mid point and completion of our family Bible reading adventure.

Five Basics for Building Bible Study Habits

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Matthew Boffey has some important things worth considering as you seek to reinforce consistent Bible study habits.

  1. Know your why
  2. Know your what
  3. Know your when and where
  4. Know your how
  5. Prepare to change things up

I especially appreciate that last point, as even the best-laid plans need constant revision. As boxer Mike Tyson famously said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” I’m grateful for Boffey’s reflections.

Check it out!

Wisdom Ought to be Attractive

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When we hope in the right person, and listen to his instruction often, we should expect others to be attracted to do the same. Why wouldn’t they be? God is giving us garlands and pendants.

For they are a graceful garland to your head
And pendants for your neck (Prov 1:9).

My beautiful wife Erin doesn’t wear a lot of jewelry, but she does have that one pearl necklace for special occasions. I won’t go into too much detail about it, but hooo boy!

close up photo of woman wearing beaded white pearl necklace
Photo by Rene Terp on Pexels.com

Wisdom’s Powerful Influence

True wisdom is attractive. It is like jewelry that beautifies. It attracts others by holding up the beauty and blessings of wisdom’s path. If we are truly becoming wise, then others around us should see that wisdom and be drawn to it. You can’t keep it to yourself.

For example, I have been involved in churches where the elders are such wise and godly leaders that I make up stuff to talk about just so that I can be around them and learn from them! When I see a group of people loitering with one of those elders, I find a way to get myself in on that conversation because I know that “pearls of wisdom” will drip from his lips, sneak into my ears, and infiltrate my heart. I will become a better person simply by hanging out with those who are really wise.

Unfortunately there are often times when we (even as leaders, teachers, and parents) truly love Jesus but have stopped listening to him regularly and thus have little influence in the lives of others. Maybe we go into lecture mode and fail to draw others out (Jas 1:19-21). Perhaps we think people ought to pay attention to us because of our leadership position, when the Bible says real influence flows from our wise and godly character (1 Cor 10:32-11:1; Phm 8-10). Maybe we’ve plateaued in our walk with Christ, and we are no longer growing in wisdom. Whatever the issue is, we haven’t made the effort to become biblically wise, and then we wonder why no one listens to our opinions or why our children rebel.

Wisdom’s Attractive Influence

The greatest struggles in my marriage usually center on money issues. In our best moments, when we acquire some unexpected funds, my gut instinct is to give them away, and Erin’s gut instinct is to save them for the future (especially for our children). Both instincts are biblically informed and reasonably selfless. Yet every time the situation arises, we must make a decision on what to do. How should we go about it?

One way I could do it is to make a power play. “Well Darling, I’m the head of this household. So here is what I think we should do….” I’ve tried this method before, but it rarely results in the swoons and contented sighs I expect. Nor has she said, “I’m so glad to have such a wise husband to make these difficult decisions for me.” But other tactics have been more helpful.

  1. I try to listen to her: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Pr 18:13).
  2. I attempt to draw out her concerns: “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Pr 20:5).
  3. I consider first how I need to change before we can make a good decision on this issue: “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Pr 26:12).
  4. I seek to approach any faulty thinking I see in her in a way that lowers her defenses rather than raising them. This tactic requires me to know what serves her: “A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle” (Pr 18:19). For Erin, this means that I introduce any criticism with “I love you, and it’s just a small thing, but…”
  5. In the rare cases when I have actually followed through on these wise principles, she usually wants to follow my lead! “They are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck” (Pr 1:9).

If you are a parent or leader of any sort, would you prefer for your children, students, or congregation members to follow your influence only when they have no other option, and then pull away from you once they do? Or would you prefer for them to be so attracted to the godly wisdom they find in you that they’re always coming back for more?

Let’s commit to trusting in Christ, seeking him daily, and transforming our world for his glory.

This post was first published in 2012.

Logos Bible Software: More Affordable Than Ever

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I’m an avid user of Logos Bible Software, using it for hours every day. It serves my personal Bible reading and Bible study, theological reading, small group preparation, sermon preparation, training of others, original language work. I call upon it for random questions that arise in conversation. It even helps me track my preaching schedule, history, and sermon database.

So I have benefitted from this software tremendously for both personal and ministry reasons. I was thrilled when the generous people at Faithlife (makers of Logos) offered me free early and continuing access to their new subscription model, which just launched at the end of October, in exchange for an honest review.

Part 1 of this review will summarize what Logos is and does. Start there if you’re brand new to Logos. Part 2 will highlight what is new or has changed. Jump to that section if you already understand how Logos generally works.

What Logos Has Always Been

Logos has two main parts to its identity: Bible software and a digital resource library. You can use the software inexpensively without much of a library, or you can invest deeply in a modest, moderate, or exceptional library, depending on your needs and budget.

As Bible software, Logos comes with many features. The most important features are those that enable you to interact with the text of Scripture (using whichever translation(s) you’ve acquired in your library—and many translations are completely free). You can mark up the text, click a word to highlight every time it’s repeated, review a grammatical/propositional outline of the text, toggle verse/chapter numbers and footnotes on and off, compare translations, and quickly identify quotes and allusions to other parts of the Bible. Of course, it does so much more, but those are the features I find most helpful for OIA Bible study.

As a digital resource library, Logos enables you to research Scripture via Bible dictionaries, commentaries, theological texts, atlases, journals, and so much more. Your entire library is interconnected, which means you can search the library for a person, place, item, or Bible passage and immediately scan all the resources that mention your subject. Logos thereby becomes a virtual research assistant that provides lightning fast answers to your questions. Also, I use Logos to simply read books that I want to read. When an author cites a Scripture reference, I don’t have to flip open my Bible to read the supporting text. I can simply hover over it (desktop) or tap the reference (mobile) to immediately call up the full Scripture text in a popup. If one book cites another book (let’s say one commentator quotes an older commentator), the citation is hyperlinked; if I have the cited resource in my library, tapping the link automatically opens the cited reference in a new window at the very spot being cited.

Basically, if a Christian book exists in a Logos edition, I will only buy it in that form, in order to keep my library all in one place. I enjoy reading Christian books in the Logos app on my iPad, just like I might read on a Kindle.

Try Logos

Logos has such robust support and development behind it that they’re always releasing new features. Some of my favorite features connect the Bible with my digital library in dramatic ways.

  • For example, when I’m studying a passage (after I have a guess at the main point!), I can immediately pull up every commentary in my library that addresses that passage, quickly scanning them to find one that answers any particular question I have.
  • Also, Logos has a built-in word processor (the Sermon Builder) designed from the ground up for Bible teachers. In the Sermon Builder, I can add Scripture text by merely typing the verse reference. I can also add quotes from other resources, slides, and handouts with discussion questions.

  • The Sermon Manager feature maintains a database of all my sermons, along with data such as the date and location when I preached the sermons. So I when I visit a location as a guest teacher, I can quickly look up what I taught there previously.
  • One tool enables me to view and filter every NT reference to the OT. So when I’m studying a passage, I can check that database to see if there might be some citation or allusion that I failed to recognize.

One last thing you should know is that Logos has a desktop app, a web app, and mobile apps. Your library and database are stored on the cloud, so you can access it from any device connected to the internet. That way, I can look something up on the go. In my pocket, I now carry not only my Bible (in dozens of translations) but also the library of 5,901 resources I’ve accumulated. Or I can keep working and studying any time in any place. Or I can use my phone for a convenient reading or listening plan. Logos makes it ridiculously convenient to work my annual Bible speed-read into the flow of daily life.

Try Logos

What Logos is Now

So much for the basics of what Logos is and does. What is new this year, and how does it work?

Previously, to board the Logos train, you had to spend lots of money up front on a software feature set or digital library package. Logos has had a free version for quite a few years, but the most common reason I’ve heard people give for not moving to Logos was the price tag for all the features and a substantive library.

Now that has all changed, as Logos has moved to a subscription model. So you can choose among three tiers of subscription levels to gain access to the features and resources you need. I’m currently on a Pro subscription (the middle tier), and it offers me way more than I’ll ever need. The highest tier (Max) will likely appeal only to academics. Most of the people reading this blog would be able to meet their needs and more at either the lowest (Premium) or middle (Pro) tier.

Some subscriptions will give you access to mobile education courses each quarter of the year. Every subscription gives you discounts whenever you purchase additional resources for your library. Some offer you cash back at the end of the year. All subscriptions give you two free books each month. Anything you buy for your library remains yours forever, even if you cancel your subscription someday.

Learn about what comes in each subscription tier here.

In addition, subscriptions come with some new features not previously available, that I love.

One such feature is Smart Search. Logos has always had a tremendously powerful search function, where you can search the Bible or the resources of your library for just about anything. The challenge, however, was that, in order to get the results you wanted, you had to learn a complex syntax. Or at least look up the Help documentation to find the kind of search you wanted to do so you could then enter the proper syntax.

Well, no more. Logos subscriptions now come with a number of built-in AI tools, and one of the best is Smart Search. Now I can use a plain-language inquiry, and Logos can figure out what I’m trying to do. For example, I was recently studying Matthew 1. I knew from past research that Matthew’s genealogy skips at least a few generations of kings, but I could remember which kings. I could have gone back to skim all the way through the book of 2 Chronicles to figure out which kings are skipped. Or… Now I can simply run a Smart Search.

Even though the “Synopsis” answer is generated by AI, it is footnoted with legitimate resources from my own library (not from the Internet at large). To verify or explore any detail of the answer, I can simply click the link and go right to the resource. Scrolling further down, I get excerpts of additional resources that may help with my question.

Try Logos

Another lovely addition to the Pro and Max subscription tiers is the set of AI features in the Sermon Builder. Now I’ll be honest that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Logos using AI. This technology will be so easily abused. But I’ve also become a believer in the benefits when used responsibly. For example, after I complete a sermon manuscript, I always struggle to come up with good discussion questions for the small groups at our church. Logos AI can now read my sermon and suggest possible discussion questions for me. I can tailor those questions to a certain age group or a certain type of question (comprehension, application, etc.). And while I have never found the AI-suggested questions to be useful enough to simply copy and paste for our church to use, they have always stimulated my own thinking in just the right way to help me overcome my writer’s block and come up with something we can actually use.

The Sermon AI Assistant can now also suggest possible illustrations and applications, which can have a similarly stimulating effect. I’m frankly alarmed by the option to also generate sermon outlines from a text, as I believe it short-circuits the need for teachers to do their own work in the text. However, even with that tool, I can imagine someone using it responsibly as a way to generate ideas (despite the danger that some will use it to replace the need to think for themselves). When I train teachers, I don’t mind if they get outline or content ideas from other people, as long as they can still show me from the text why they made the choices they made with respect to their final outline and content.

One last feature I’ll mention is the in-app Help Center. Earlier I mentioned that the financial layout used to be the most common objection to Logos. The second-most common objection is the learning curve. Logos has always provided a fabulous set of tutorials and training videos online. But now, the in-app Help Center makes all that training immediately accessible when and where you need it. If I’m working on a sermon and can’t remember how to pull a quotation from one of my resources into my manuscript, I can click the question-mark icon for the Help Center and just ask my question. Using the same AI technology as the Smart Search I mentioned earlier, Logos immediately provides me with the help I need. So the learning curve just got a lot shallower, reducing the barriers to entry for this wonderful software.

Conclusion

As I mentioned at the beginning, I love Logos and use it all the time. And the new set of subscription features have made my study even more efficient and more effective than ever before. Research and preparation tasks that used to take hours now take minutes, without sacrificing the quality of my study (or replacing my study with AI enhancements!). I can simply get where I was getting before, but faster and with increased depth of knowledge that increases credibility and persuasion.

The subscription model also gives you access to a wider variety of features and a larger digital library at a more affordable price than ever before. What used to cost hundreds or thousands of dollars up front (even with a payment plan) now comes for much less. A substantive library of over 250 books, plus many tools and datasets, can be had for $10/month or less.

And if you’re not totally sure, you can try it out for free. Using this link (or any others earlier in this review) will not only help support our blog; it will give new subscribers a free 30-day trial.

Try Logos

Your Buying Guide for Bible Study Resources: Updated for 2024

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If you’re in the market for gifts to encourage Bible study, here are our top recommendations. We’ve reviewed most of these products on this site at many times and in many ways, but here they are in one place for you.

Bibles

readers-bible-6-volumeYou can’t beat a good Bible. Our top recommendation is to get yourself or someone you love one of the best editions of the Bible to hit the western world: the ESV Reader’s Bible, 6 Volume Set.

Our first review. Second review.

Get it at Amazon | Westminster

And while we use the ESV translation more than any other, we must mention that the 4-volume NIV Sola Scriptura Bible Project has perhaps the most innovative layout and presentation of the Scriptures, which make it a sheer delight to read.

ESV Reader's BibleIf 6 volumes seem too much to you, the single volume ESV Reader’s Bible is still well worth picking up.

Our review

Cloth over board: Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Reader’s Bibles are arriving with increasing frequency in other translations as well. See our reviews of the CSB, NIV one-volume, NIV 4-volume, and ESV Gospels. They’re even starting to come out with editions for kids.

And for something completely different, consider getting an entire book of the New Testament on a single page spread, with the ESV Panorama New Testament.

Chronological Bible

The ESV Chronological Bible is worth your attention. It’s not what you want for deep study, but it’s wonderful for extended reading or reference. Here is our review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Study Bibles

There are so many options. See our buying guide for recommendations about which ones succeed at promoting OIA Bible study.

Markup Bibles

For something you can write in with greater ease, see our recommendations. Also consider large print and journaling Bibles. Or Scripture journals. If you prefer more space between lines of text, see the Inductive Version of the Journaling New Testament.

Journibles

If you or a loved one like the idea of copying out the Scriptures by hand, you might want to consider a Journible.

Audio Bibles

The Dwell app for mobile devices is a remarkable tool designed completely for listening to the Bible. NIV Live is a terrific dramatized audio Bible.

Bible Study

For a snapshot of the OIA process, see this blog post.

For a little more explanation of the principles, see our free booklet.

To go even further, with lots of illustrations, examples to follow, and exercises to practice, see One-to-One Bible Reading or Peter’s book Knowable Word (now revised and expanded).

If you’re familiar with the OIA model, and you’d like to hone your skills to perfection, consider getting Methodical Bible Study by Robert Traina. This book is dry and doesn’t tell many stories. But it delves the depths of the model like nothing else.

Leading

If you’d like to grow as a Bible study leader see Peter’s book Sowable Word or Colin Marshall’s terrific book Growth Groups.

Commentaries

See our page with recommended commentaries that promote OIA Bible study skills. We don’t have recommendations for every Bible book yet, but we update this page as we come across helpful volumes.

Beginners

Great places for beginners to start in gaining familiarity with the Bible’s layout and message are The Beginner’s Guide to the Bible (see Peter’s review), The Visual Theology Guide to the Bible (see Ryan’s review), and The Visual Word (see Ryan’s review).

Software

Peter still happily recommends Logos Bible Software, as it has drastically improved the speed and quality of his Bible study. See his reviews of Logos 7, Logos 8, and Logos 9 for details. Logos is now more affordable than ever through subscriptions (see Peter’s review of this latest development). Here is a link for a 30-day trial.

While Logos is remarkable with its reference libraries and powerful features, it’s not for everyone. If you are more interested in slimmer, free software, you may want to check out E-Sword or STEP Bible.

Children’s Resources

The best thing you and your church can do for your children is to buy them a Bible and teach them to use it. In my household, that means we buy ESV pew Bibles (the cheapest we can find) almost by the case. These things will get beat up and need to be replaced often, so there’s no use in getting the authentic-porpoise-leather-imported-from-Mars-heirloom-editions just yet.

When children are first learning to read, it may be helpful to give them the NIrV. This builds their confidence in reading the very words of God in their own language. Remember, the story Bibles are good, but God’s undiluted word is even better.

And before dipping into the supplemental resources below, perhaps you’d consider printing out a few simple devotional pages for your kids, so they can explore the Scriptures for themselves before hearing what others have to say about the Scriptures.

Ages 0-2

The Big Picture Story Bible – A marvelous overview of the Bible’s rich storyline: The people of God under the rule of God in the place God gives. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Read Aloud Bible Stories – Brief Bible stories that draw in young children, letting the children know these are their stories. Get it at Amazon.

Ages 3-5

The Gospel Story Bible – Retellings of 156 Bible stories, synchronized with the Gospel Story for Kids curriculum, and devotionals Long Story Short and Old Story New. The best part of these stories are that much use is made in the retelling of the actual text of Scripture. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

God’s BIG Promises Bible Storybook – Traces 5 major promises through the Bible from beginning to end. Great to read aloud to preschoolers, or to have young elementary students read themselves. See our review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

The Jesus Storybook Bible – Gripping gospel focus, though it sometimes seems to suggest that Bible stories are not meant to serve as examples (contrast with 1 Cor 10:6, 11, etc.). Get it at Amazon | Westminster

Ages 5-7

Mark’s Marvellous Book – I still hope this becomes more of a trend: A children’s story Bible that follows the shape and themes of a book of the Bible (rather than cherry-picking certain stories, ignoring the fact that they were written to an audience in a context). See my review. Get it at Amazon.

God’s Daring Dozen – Similar to Mark’s Marvellous Book, these short volumes each follow the shape and theme of a book of the Bible. These sets work through the twelve minor prophets, from Hosea to Malachi. And they are simply extraordinary. See my review. Get box 1 (Amazon | Westminster), box 2 (Amazon | Westminster), or BRAND NEW box 3 (Amazon).

The Big Picture Story Bible – A marvelous overview of the Bible’s rich storyline: The people of God under the rule of God in the place God gives. Read this to your kids at ages 0-2; then have them read it to themselves at ages 5-7. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

radical-book-for-kidsAges 8-14

The Radical Book for Kids – This is the kind of gift you get for your kids, but it’s also, sort of, partly, perhaps, for you. You know, like Legos, football tickets, or family room surround sound systems. It’s an engaging and delightful handbook of the Christian faith. See my review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster

The Really Radical Book for Kids – Just as wonderfully radical as the first one, only really so. See my review. Get it at Amazon | Westminster. Or get a deal on both Radical books at Westminster.

Or perhaps you’d like to consider getting them their own beginner reader’s Bible.

Family Devotions

I highly recommend the series of devotionals by Marty Machowski. These volumes don’t merely communicate Christian truth, as important as that is; they train children to study the Bible and find that truth for themselves. In addition, the “daily” family devotions take only 5 days/week, and they truly take only 10 minutes per day. The payoff is high, but the price of entry is low. This makes it more likely you’ll be able to stay consistent with them. Every volume in this series has the same high quality; each also has the same basic structure for each day’s devotion. See my review.

Happy gift shopping!

Disclaimer: Links in this post to Amazon, Westminster, and Logos are affiliate links, which means this blog receives a small commission when you click those links. Doing this helps us to cover our costs, enabling us to continue recommending decent resources. Thank you.

When Biases Drive Your Interpretation of the Bible

By

Stephen Kneale has a brief but provocative piece on “Three ways we might find our biases driving our biblical interpretation.” Of course, I don’t ever think I bring my biases to the study. But shouldn’t I take note when the fruit of my study matches one of Kneale’s signs?

  1. The Bible always agrees with you
  2. The Bible always affirms your politics
  3. You cannot fathom why Christians in different contexts do things differently

This is worth your time to consider.

Check it out!