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Good Old Fashioned Biblical Literacy

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Ben LeBlanc has a wonderful and thoughtful piece on “How One Gen Zer is Gaining Biblical Literacy the Old-Fashioned Way.” In the article, he tells the story of how he had to go without a smartphone for two years in Bible school, and it transformed the way he approached the Scripture.

Not only does online life erode our capacity to read, but it distorts how we read by cluttering the page with links, notifications, and widgets. In one study, participants found it harder to recall what they’d read as the number of links in an article increased. And research by Nielsen shows that online readers don’t read: They skim and “powerbrowse”, moving their eyes across the page in a spasmodic F-pattern.

LeBlanc offers three practical suggestions for how to avoid such dangers and improve your own experience of the Lord in his word. You’ll have to go see them for yourself.

Check it out!

What We Miss When We Skip the Prophets

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isaiah

woody93 (2014), public domain

From what Biblical book is your pastor preaching? What are you reading in your devotional times? What book of the Bible are you studying in your small group?

Let me guess: An epistle? A gospel? An Old Testament historical book? Some of the Wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.)?

I’d bet very few of you would answer Ezekiel, or Micah, or Zechariah.

The Forgotten Prophets

The prophetic books of the Old Testament make up 250 of the Bible’s 1189 chapters. That’s about 21% of the Bible! And I think those books are sorely neglected.

I don’t have any recent data or research to back me up. But when I talk to other Christians about what they’re reading, the prophets come up the least. If someone mentions the prophets, it’s usually because they’re following a read-through-the-Bible plan. (And they’re usually eager to get to Matthew!)

Five Things We Lose When We Skip the Prophets

Aside from missing out on a fifth of God’s word, here are five specific treasures we miss when we consistently neglect the reading and study of the prophets. (These are not all features exclusive to the prophets, but they appear in most of the prophetic books.)

1. Background to the New Testament

If you want to know what the people of Jesus’s day were thinking about and expecting from God, you need to read the prophets. The prophets were the most recent revelation from God, and yet there had been no word from God for hundreds of years when Jesus was born. The people’s expectations were shaped by prophetic promises of rescue, deliverance, and victory over enemies.

2. References in the New Testament

The New Testament writers assumed a high level of Biblical literacy. They often made reference to portions of the Old Testament, either through allusion or explicit quotation. It seems likely that by referring to a verse New Testament writers assumed their hearers or readers would think of a much larger passage of Scripture. Especially when reading those authors who explain how Jesus fulfilled prophesy, it’s essential that we pay attention to the prophetic books.

3. The communal nature of God’s people

In the prophets, God gives a message to one person for broadcast to his people. There are collective accusations of rebellion and idolatry, collective threats of punishment and exile, and collective promises of salvation. In the modern West, we tend to read the Bible through an individualistic lens, but the Jewish people of the Old Testament were bound together in a way we must understand. While the Bible has plenty of implications for individuals, God frequently addresses us as his church, and we need the counter-balance of thinking collectively that the prophets provide.

4. Hope

Because disobedience has serious consequences, the future was bleak for many who heard the prophetic announcements. But God rarely left his people without hope. The exile would end. The oppressing nations would be defeated. Hearts would be changed and the people’s longing for God’s presence would finally be realized. God always sustains his people through a sure hope.

5. God’s omniscience and sovereignty

In the prophets, we read prediction after prediction about what will happen to God’s people and we see the extent of God’s knowledge. We read of God’s judgment against Israel’s sins and we recognize the extent of his authority and personal rule. Now as then, he is not a God to take lightly.

Start Reading

If you’ve been neglecting the prophets in your own Bible intake, the fix is easy. Start reading!

Here’s a concrete suggestion. Take a month this summer and devote it to reading the prophets. Pick one major prophet (Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel) and three minor prophets, and make yourself a reading plan. (Here, I made one for you!)

Take a look at the historical background of each book before you begin. Most good study Bibles have this information (and many web sites do too).

Then read with purpose. If you get confused by the language or bored with what seems repetitive, push through. Write some notes on each chapter as you go to help you understand what you’re reading.

Let’s give our attention to the whole counsel of God, without consistently ignoring any of what he’s given us.

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

(This was originally published in 2018.)

3 Questions for Bible Reading and Reflection

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This is a guest post by Micah Colbert, who trains African pastors as an international theological educator with ABWE. He also serves as the discipleship and outreach pastor at Community of Grace Church in Buffalo, NY. Micah has written two evangelistic books designed to help Christians lead evangelistic inductive Bible studies with unbelievers. You can find him on Facebook.

If you would like to submit a guest post for consideration, please see our guidelines 

Do you ever pine for that perfect Instagram Bible study moment? You’ve seen the pics plenty of times before. Steam rises off the fresh cup of coffee. Highlighters form a perfect splash of color to augment the mauve leather cover of your prayer journal. And every inspiring devotional thought ends with exclamation points and heart emojis.

a man writing on the notebook
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

The reality of Bible study, however, takes a lot more time and thought. Below are a few questions to help you think deeply and reflect faithfully on the meaning and implication of God’s word to everyday life.

What does this passage reveal about God’s glory?

This may be the most neglected, yet vital question we should be asking ourselves every time we read God’s word. The Bible is not primarily an instructional manual or “how to” book, but it is God’s revelation of himself, graciously given so we would know him and the majestic depths of his character and work. 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us that spiritual growth happens as we behold in awe the glory of the Lord revealed in the Scriptures.

Every time we open our Bibles, we should come with a prayerful eagerness to discover, ponder, and rejoice in the glory of God. As John Piper notes, “When we seek to enjoy communion with the Lord, we read the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s words and God’s deeds reveal God himself for our knowledge and our enjoyment.”

How does this passage relate to the gospel?

The gospel is the main message of the Bible. In this good news, we discover all that God has done, is doing, and will do for his people through his Son Jesus Christ. Everything in the scriptures 1) shows us our need of the gospel, 2) reveals God’s work for us in the gospel, 3) encourages us to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith, or 4) unpacks the implications of the gospel for the Christian life. We simply cannot understand the Bible if we do not read it through the lens of God’s saving work through Christ!

Jared C. Wilson states, “Everything the Bible teaches, whether theological or practical, and everywhere it teaches, whether historical or poetical or applicational or prophetic, is meant to draw us closer to Christ, seeing him with more clarity and loving him with more of our affections.” Whether we’re reading Leviticus or Luke, we should ask ourselves how the truths of the text point to our need for the person and work of Jesus Christ.

How should I respond to what I have just read?

The Bible is a book to be not only admired, but actually applied to the nitty gritty of daily life. As you read God’s word, prayerfully consider how the gospel-shaped, God-exalting truths you are discovering influence your worldview, values, priorities, activities, and responses to life’s circumstances. Think about what your life would look like today if you lived in the reality of what you’ve just read.

I have found the following categories (and corresponding questions) helpful as I consider the application of God’s word to daily living:

  • Thinking: How do the truths of this text shape the way I view God, myself, the world, and my present circumstances?
  • Feeling: How do the truths of this text inspire greater gratitude, humility, and/or joy in Christ?
  • Living: What attitudes and actions need to change because of the truths I’ve studied from this passage? Practically, what steps need to be taken to live in the light of the truths of this text?
  • Praying: How should I respond to this passage in prayer (or worship, repentance, petition, etc.)?

Conclusion

Ultimately, the purpose of reading the Bible is to deepen our relationship with the Lord. As you read the Scriptures, look for the glory of God revealed in the text. Ponder how the passage deepens your understanding and appreciation of the gospel. Carefully consider how the eternal truths you have just read transform your thoughts, actions, and attitudes today. As you do so, you will find your time spent in the Scriptures greatly enriching and rewarding!

Originally posted on Rooted Thinking on Sept. 19, 2018.

Reading the Bible for the First Time

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bible on table

Ryan Riggins (2017), public domain

Imagine that a friend of yours has just become a Christian. She knows of your faith and asks to meet with you.

Your friend knows the Bible is an important book for Christians, and she wants to read it. But she has no familiarity with the Bible at all.

What would you say to her?

Only the Essentials

This post isn’t an attempt to say everything about the Bible, just what would be most helpful to a person reading the Bible for the first time.

In what follows, I’ve collected some important facts and advice aimed at first-time Bible readers. If you have further additions or suggestions, I’d love to read them in the comments!

6 Facts About the Bible

Welcome to the Bible! As you begin, you should know some information about the book you’re about to read.

  1. The Bible is God’s word. Though the Bible was written in time and space by human authors, it is divinely inspired. God’s love and sovereignty are such that the words we have are exactly what he intended. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
  2. The Bible is true. If God is the ultimate author of the Bible then we will see his character throughout this book. Since he is perfect, pure, and unable to lie, the Bible is trustworthy and true.
  3. The Bible is important. A small number of questions in life have ultimate consequences. What is God like? What does he think of me? What does he want people to do? Because God wants to be known, he has answered these questions in the Bible.
  4. The Bible is concerned with God and his people. The relationship between God and his rebellious people—first the nation of Israel and then the church—is the focus of God’s word. Biblical teachings have massive implications for individuals, but they are primarily addressed to groups of people.
  5. The entire Bible is about Jesus. After Jesus rose from the dead, he explained to some of his disciples that every part of the Bible spoke of him. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
  6. The Bible is clear. Though some parts of the Bible are difficult to understand, far more of the Bible is plain. After all, in several places, God commands his people to teach the Bible to their children. We must interpret the more challenging parts of Scripture in light of the portions that are clear. The Bible is not only for those with high IQs or advanced degrees; the Bible is knowable to everyone.

7 Suggestions for Reading the Bible

There is much more to say about the Bible, but for those just starting out, it is more important for you to start reading. Here are some suggestions for reading the Bible that apply just as much on Day 1 of your Bible-reading adventure as they will on Day 10,000.

  1. Pray before you read the Bible. Because the Bible is God’s word, we need his help to understand and benefit from reading it. God loves to answer this prayer!
  2. You don’t need to read the Bible from start to finish. Many Christians read the Bible from Genesis straight through to Revelation, but this is not necessary. I suggest starting with the Gospel of John, then Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Then move on to Genesis and Exodus. There’s no single correct way to read the Bible.
  3. You don’t need to read the entire Bible right away. Read-the-Bible-in-a-year plans are popular, but these are not mandated by God. You should eventually make your way through the whole Bible, but it is far more important to read carefully and slowly than to read quickly without understanding.
  4. Reread the Bible. Plan to read the Bible for as long as you live. We need to reread the Bible both because we forget what is true and because each reading of the Bible offers more riches than the last.
  5. Read the Bible with others. Christians are a part of God’s family and we are called into community with each other. This is important for many reasons, including understanding and applying the Bible. Seek out a Bible-believing church and some people within the church with whom to read and discuss the Bible.
  6. Establish a habit. The sooner you can make regular Bible intake a part of your life, the better. Find a good time and place for reading the Bible, and try to read regularly. A habit like this doesn’t make you more precious to God, but it could make God more precious to you.
  7. Study the Bible. While the Bible is knowable, sometimes it requires work to understand what it says. Older Christians in your church should be able to offer guidance, and we have lots of articles and resources on this web site to help.

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our RSS feed. 

This post was originally published in 2018.

Piper’s Advice on Commentaries

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We don’t want you to become commentary junkies. And neither does John Piper. While there are certainly people out there in danger of arrogant isolation, refusing to consider the opinions of others recorded in Bible commentaries, Piper’s world is a bit different:

Now, in the world I live in — where I function at Bethlehem College and Seminary and Bethlehem Baptist Church and Desiring God — and the circles I go in, there aren’t many people who are falling off the horse on the first side, who say, “I never read commentaries. I never read books about the Bible. I just read my Bible, I pray, and that’s all I need.” I don’t know anybody like that in my sphere. That’s not the world I live in. I’m sure they exist; I just don’t have anything to do with them.

In my sphere, the error is almost always on the other side, the other direction. And therefore, I have devoted most of my life to encouraging people not to be dependent on commentaries and books about the Bible but to give assiduous attention to the biblical text directly — for themselves. When it comes to church leadership, I see more danger in becoming an inauthentic second-hander than in spending too much time assiduously thinking for yourself about what the Bible text is teaching.

My experience within my own circles has been similar to Piper’s. Which is why we want to help you learn how to study the Bible for yourself. By all means, don’t avoid commentaries altogether. The question is not whether but when.

And Piper can help you think that through further.

Check it out!

Your Secret Weapon in Bible Study

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bible pen notebook

Aaron Burden (2016), public domain

It’s still early in January, so many Christians are working hard on their Bible-related goals for 2025. Some may even be participating in our 90-day Bible reading challenge.

Some others may have recommitted to studying the Bible this year. If this describes you, you’ve come to the right place! This blog exists to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible.

But there is a Bible study tool that many people neglect. This device is both accessible and inexpensive. It is a key ingredient in your spiritual growth. This secret weapon for studying the Bible is …

A simple pen.

The Difference Between Reading and Studying the Bible

The contrasts between reading and studying the Bible might be obvious. They typically take place at different speeds and with different levels of attention. We can summarize these distinctions as differences in engagement.

When we study the Bible, we must engage deeply with the text.

Instead of continuous reading, one verse to the next, we pause. We re-read. We live in the words of the Bible, walking among the divine sentences like massive trees in a forest. We consider their meaning, their order, their connections. We ponder the author’s main point and prayerfully consider what it means for us.

So, how does this participation happen physically? What should we do with our bodies to help our hearts and minds engage with the Bible?

The best way I know to engage with the Scriptures is through writing. Writing triggers our thinking in surprising and powerful ways. You might do this on a phone or computer, but I’ve found that using pen on paper is the most effective way to push my nose into God’s word.

There are many ways to use this secret weapon to your advantage, but here are three to get you started.

  • Take notes — Grab a Bible, a pen, and some paper. It doesn’t get any easier. Write out your observations, your questions, and your conclusions; think and process what you’re reading on the paper. (If you’re new to Bible study, take a look at some of the steps we recommend.) There’s no need to be picky or fussy—any pen or pencil with any notebook, journal, or loose paper will work. We also offer free printable worksheets if you prefer a more structured writing environment.
  • Use a markup Bible — Instead of keeping your notes separate from your Bible, make your notes in your Bible. Consider dedicating one Bible as your markup Bible, your space for thinking, underlining, highlighting, connecting, and recording your thoughts on the Biblical text.
  • Copy the text — Writing out the words of the Bible is a powerful, tangible way to meditate on the Scriptures. Grab a notebook or a blank piece of paper and slowly copy the passage you’re studying. This is a great way to start observing the text, and it can help with memorization too.

Engage With God’s Word

There’s nothing special about a pen, of course. But we grow in our relationship with God as we engage with the words of God. And using a pen—writing in any form, really—can help us immerse ourselves in the Bible.

And that is a great goal for 2025.

This post has been lightly edited since it was first published in 2018.

How Much of the Bible Should I Study?

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measurement

Arek Socha (2016), public domain

It’s a natural and practical question. When you’re studying the Bible, how much should you study at once?

On this blog we write a lot about studying the Bible. But most of these articles presume you already have a section of Scripture to study. Today we’ll talk about choosing that section of Scripture.

As you read, keep in mind this is more art than science. What you’ll find below are suggestions, not rules.

Units of Thought

Though inspired by the Holy Spirit, the biblical authors were humans. In some ways, their writing is similar to ours.

Recall your most recent email. Though your message had an overall purpose, each paragraph had its own function. So it is with the biblical texts. Authors usually have one overarching point for writing. But the author builds his case for that main point by assembling arguments and examples. At the smallest level, think about these as units of thought—an author stacks and arranges these units to form larger points, all supporting the main point of the book.

When mapping out a Bible study, this is where I begin. Study complete units of thought.

The length (number of verses) will vary across genres, and remember, there’s no right answer. Your small group might study five verses in an epistle or two chapters in a historical book. The key is to identify and respect these units of thought.

Here’s a simple example. Suppose an author’s main point rests on supporting points A and B. Perhaps A is established by a, b, and c, while B is established by d and e. Your Bible study might consist of just the text for point a (one unit of thought) or for points a, b, and c (three units of thought forming one larger unit). I’d advise against studying the texts for points a–d all at once.

Finding the Units of Thought

If an author’s units of thought are so important, how do we find out what they are? The simple answer is to read the entire book as many times as possible. This is part of what we suggest when completing a book overview.

The more you read the text, the more you’ll understand the author’s flow of thought. You’ll see the transitions and the divisions in the text will become clearer. Some of these markers are obvious—a change of location or main character, a shift in topic, a transition word. Some authors use structural cues to signal their units of thought. These were more obvious to the original audiences of the writing, but we have to work a bit harder to see them.

Here are two of the often-overlooked structural tools used in the Bible.

  • Inclusio — An inclusio occurs when an author places the same idea, word, phrase, or character both at the beginning and end of a unit of thought. What falls between these two markers should be included (inclusio!) in the same unit of thought. Without the space to explore this further, I’ll point you to this page for an explanation and an example.
  • Chiasm — In a chiasm an author presents a series of ideas and then repeats them in the opposite order. This can be used to mark off the text or to emphasize the point in the middle. The structure might look like A-B-C-B‘-A’. In this case A and A’ would share something in common, as would B and B’. This would help the reader identify the author’s focus on C. (Here’s a short reference on chiasms.)

Wisdom from Others

When you’re trying to decide how much of the Bible to study at once, don’t be afraid to ask for help! God has placed us in a body of believers across space and time, so we’re not in this by ourselves. Here are some resources to consider.

  • Book outlines in your study Bible or in other reference material can help you see a book’s structure.
  • Bible commentaries can be a great aid. Devotional or pastoral commentaries are usually more helpful than academic commentaries on this front. (Check out our recommended list of commentaries.)
  • The chapter divisions in the Bible can be helpful. They aren’t divinely inspired, but they weren’t inserted at random either.
  • Don’t ignore your church! Ask your elders, friends, and family for help in setting up your Bible study. In addition to offering you wisdom, sometimes talking through the matter with a friend can help you understand a book more clearly.

In Service of the Main Point

Deciding how much of the Bible to study might seem like a small matter, a tiny decision before you get to the “important stuff.”

But in fact, this is one of the key parts of studying the Bible! If your divisions follow the author’s flow of thought, you’ll be swimming with the current of the book, making it easier to see the main point of each passage.

And if you can understand and apply the main point of a Bible passage, genuine change in your life is next!

This was originally published in 2017.

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!

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.

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