I, myself, have struggled with this very problem for most of my own life. My affection for sermons and books comes from a dependence upon other people, whom I trust to interpret the Word of God accurately in my ignorance.

In my previous small group, it was requested that we take time apart from study guides to study a book of the Bible directly, and I specifically avoided doing so because of my fear of misinterpreting the text.

In my time here, I have spent time specifically learning how to study the Bible on an academic level, and in a small group setting, thanks both to my school and my church. I am grateful for the opportunity to sit under men who have spent time learning to facilitate group discussion. I am elated to be listening to the instruction of men who have spent their entire careers studying the Word of God and translating many of the English Bibles we use today, including the newly released Lexham English Bible.

Unfortunately, the proper tools for proper Bible interpretation are still largely inaccessible. The most used English Bible interpretations are not free electronically (NIV, NASB, NKJV, MSG, NCV, NLT) and the only commentaries and lexical aids available are those that are so old they are outside copyright protection. These commentaries, like the one by Matthew Henry, are not helpful in understanding the text, since they mainly rely upon a limited understanding of Greek and the context of first century Israel. Dictionaries and Commentaries (IVP Bible Background Commentary and the TDNT) and Lexical Aids like BDAG and HALOT are $100+ a copy, in print or electronically. Bible Software with relatively helpful and accurate commentaries cost from $200 up to $2,000.

Scholars and teachers in the Christian circles get paid poorly enough, so I do no wish to downplay what little royalties they receive, however, I dearly hope that we can make these resources cheaper and cheaper in the future. In this respect, I do recommend to the computer user, The Word Bible Software, which is available freely and includes some original language tools, and iLumina Software, which is the best commentary-type resource I can find for the price.

I am also extremely hopeful that we can start teaching our church members, especially our small group leaders, to lead Bible studies with a accurate understanding of the text. I think the Bible is a book that needs to be experienced in a group setting apart from listening to the pastor lecture from the pulpit. I think it is powerful and life changing to discuss the text at every level, and I hope to help men and women feel more confident in leading those discussions in the future.

After some initial disappointment over the lack of Chronological Bibles available, I stumbled upon a gem by Thomas Nelson. Full color pages, integrated discussions on parallel secular historical events, and beautiful illustrations drew me into the great resource, and I highly recommend that you take a moment to look at it yourself at http://www.chronologicalstudybible.com/

I also need to mention that in my opinion, Chronological Bible Reading Plans are an insufficient solution. There are a lot of them, both electronic and print, but they do not do justice to the experience I am looking for, for the following reasons:

1. They do not help me understand where the events of the Bible fit into the events of the surrounding world and cultures.
2. They don’t provide any commentary on how the passages they put together relate…so sometimes I do not know why I’m reading two passages on the same day.
3. It’s not easy to follow reading plans…not as easy as simply picking up a single book and reading straight through it.
4. A physical Bible allows me to write notes, and go back to a single book for later reference, and surf through the historical organization of the text by flipping through pages.

In the end, if you are a serious Christian looking for a great new experience in reading the Word of God, add this to your library. I plan on having it as a constant companion over the next few years, as a testimony to another read through the entire Bible, and as a reference for my library for future ministry.

Thanks Thomas Nelson Publishers! I know that this Bible project was not cheap, free from criticism, or easy. It’s a HUGE accomplishment and one that deserves a lot more appreciation than it has been given. For my part, I love it!

Buy it cheap at Christian Book.com

Everyone reads a lot more than they think they do:

Regardless of whether it is scrolling stock prices, passing billboards, online news headlines, or interesting novels on the shelves at Barnes and Noble, we live in a society of readers. And most of us digest a lot more text than we think. A year ago a friend of mine posted an astounding analysis of this very phenomenon on his blog, and it seems appropriate to share the results here:

What are we feeding our minds with?

The question is not, ‘Are we reading?’ The question is, ‘Is what we read building us up, or tearing us down?’ If the principle of ‘garbage in, garbage out’ is true, then what is our constant appetite for television shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “24″ doing to us? What is it turning us into?

Reading the Bible takes more time than reading a book:

The Bible is a book that involves deep meaning in every page. The act of reading it is an act that allows us to hear the voice of God. It should read at the speed of an academic paper…accompanied by notes, prayers, and appropriate amounts of research.

Thanks to Whitney, Dan and others for their insightful and challenging questions.

I spent the last semester preaching passages from the book of Proverbs for class. I found the process of study and communication deeply challenging, and deeply humbling. I realized just how ignorant I really am regarding the book of Proverbs, along with many other books of the Old Testament. So when Soveriegn Grace Ministries posted a guide on understanding Proverbs based on their summer sermon series on the book, I was ecstatic. Links to books, charts, and sermons on the subject are priceless treasures for me.

I hope you will join me in appreciating the fruit of their labors, even if you just take time to download and listen to the first sermon. Resources are here. the first sermon is here.

Thanks Sovereign Grace!!!

Language Tools:
If you only speak English, one of the most profitable things you can do is read from various translations. If you are a multi-lingual individual, I definitely suggest that you read from non-English translations as well. My favorite translations are the New American Standard Bible, and the New Century Version. The first is VERY accurate to the reading of the original language, the second is a paraphrase intended to be readable to children. Bible reading sites are very prevalent: bible.logos.com, www.youversion.com, www.biblegateway.com, etc. My favorite one is currently www.biblos.com, which has over 90 multi-lingual translations, and also makes an interlinear view available.

If you are a student of the original languages, I also recommend that you utilize online tools. I find the Greek view of www.biblos.com to be very helpful in my study–but am most impressed by John Dyer’s readers bible, where you can customized the view to provide only the elements of the text that you need to read successfully.

Bible Reading Plans:
Both online and offline, I am also a huge fan of Bible reading plans. My wife and I are currently following the plans available through YouVersion.com, so that we can keep each other accountable to reading through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice this year. However, online reading guides are a dime a dozen, so take your pick. Most sites even provide the option to have your daily reading emailed to you, or send via RSS feed.

Bible Study Tools:
In addition to these tools, I suggest that you consider using one of a few different approaches to Bible study:

• Chronological reading of the Bible
• Topical studies in the Bible
• Character Studies on Biblical Characters
• Parallel reading of the Bible’s four gospel accounts

Here again, www.biblos.com shines with great resources and views for all of these.