Sabbatical

Merry Christmas!

The word sabbatical comes from the word sabbath, which means to stop. I'll be stopping as a pastor from December 25, 2008 to February 25, 2008 to refocus, renew, revive, rest, review, revise ... and probably a few dozen more words that start with "re." So, I won't be adding articles to this blog until afterwards. Feel free to leave comments, as long as you are OK with the possibility that I won't be able to post them until after the sabbatical. For any help on Bible reading or Bible study during my sabbatical contact Pastors Jay or Dave at Goodwill. 

Use the new year to set up a new Bible reading plan for yourself. I hope that you find the articles and comments on this blog a helpful resource for doing this. 

May God richly bless you in 2009!

The "Buffet" Bible Reading Plan

Is it named after Warren Buffet, billionaire investor or Jimmy Buffet, millionaire "party" songwriter who is also an investor? Maybe both. The idea with this plan is to leave behind the idea of accomplishing something with your Bible reading. If you go on a date, eat a bowl of ice cream, watch a movie you've already seen 20 times, or watch a sunset, you're not into achieving anything, just taking it in and enjoying it. The secret to this approach to Scripture is that it actually does accomplish quite a bit. Just like Jimmy Buffet can write a song about "wasting away ... " and turn its profits into a stealthy entertainment empire, so "pleasure-driven" Bible study can render the Christian hedonist (read John Piper please, if you don't understand) into someone growing in his or her knowledge of the Scriptures.

Ingredients of the "Buffet" plan are: 

1) A Bible you like in every way. You like the font, the cover, the style, the translation ... everything. Just the look of the Bible and feel of it in your hand ought to bring pleasure and satisfaction as well as evoke a sense of God's Presence.

2) A favorite Scripture: a "life verse" if you will. All you need is one, but having more than one is OK too. 

3) The best possible place or set of places where you will do your Bible reading.

4) The best possible time or set of times during a week when you will do your Bible reading.

5) Music that fits your encounter with God through Scripture.

6) Candles or something else you can smell that will further "tune" your environment.

7) A carefully chosen beverage, in other words, not just coffee, but your favorite coffee.

8) Anything else that fits the pattern you see here like ...

9) An overpriced "journal" covered with leather or artwork -  the kind you buy at Barnes and Noble, for recording your thoughts and prayers throughout the year. 

Pleasure drives this plan, but time and space frame it. The key and challenge here is not the content you cover, but the daily/regular meeting with God and His Word. The places and times should be planned, set, and seen as holy. Flexibility is fine, as long as it doesn't take on the feel of "fitting it in." The other ingredients, such as music, candles, and coffee are an important part of the process. They may seem extraneous, but they aren't. They set up the sense of expectation required for this plan. You'll see. It's like you're setting up a little, specialized worship service for yourself.

In terms of the actual study, the ESV Study Bible (I don't work for its publisher, really) is a good resource. Take your favorite Scripture. Read it out loud. Read the notes about it. Pray it. Enter every word in the ESV Study Bible online search engine and begin exploring the verses that come up. You can use any concordance for this as well. Repeat the process with each new verse you discover that you really like or are really interested in. Continue this every day for a year! Keep track of your progress and verses in your new "foofy" journal. If this is the plan for you, you will be amazed at how fun and edifying this approach is. Also, you may read quite a bit of Scripture over the year, but let's not focus on this; you're a hedonist after all. Enjoy how the Holy Spirit takes you on a journey you could never have predicted. Again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. God bless you as you enjoy Him and His Word in 2009!

  

A Prayer Before Reading Scripture

"Lord, help me today to read and understand Your written Word. I acknowledge that without the help of Your Holy Spirit, all my efforts to study the Bible are in vain. I further understand that any agendas or prejudices I bring to the study of Scripture will only interfere, so I ask that You cleanse my mind of all distractions and anything spiritually toxic. My time with the Bible is also time with You. If it is not, it is time wasted. Beyond this, my time with the Bible is Your time with me. So, I ask and invite You to have Your way with me and in my life. Help yourself to my heart, soul, spirit, mind, and body, so that I may serve and represent You well. All honor and glory be to Your Holy Name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen."  

The "Sherlock" Bible Reading Plan

Where the "Einstein" is about covering ground in reading through the Bible in a year, the "Sherlock" is about gaining ground in answering questions. Questions are the key to this plan. It can also feature a good amount of Bible reading, if you want it to. This plan starts with choosing a theme that you are passionate about exploring, that you NEED to learn about. Here are a few to choose from:

1) God's Love

2) God's Sovereignty

3) Mankind's Need for God

4) Christ Throughout the Scriptures

5) Hope

6) Healing

7) The Holy Spirit

You can choose another one. Whatever theme you choose you then apply to the following three questions: 

1) "What is the context of this verse or set of verses that speaks to my theme?"

2) "What did this verse or set of verse mean when it was written?"

3) "What does it say to me now?" 

Never ask, "What does it mean to me?" This distorts Scripture and reduces the impact of studying it. The Bible can only mean what it meant when it was written. This is the meaning it has and this is the meaning it keeps. We don't decide what it means; we discover what it means. We don't come up with our own answers; we learn the answers through hard work and God's help. 

Use a concordance to research where the verses in Scripture are that speak to your theme. This is important and takes a little work. The plan itself requires a commitment especially because it is less driven by boxes you can check and more driven by a passion you have to learn something about what matters to you. The ESV Study Bible would be a good resource for this plan too. There is a search feature organized by theme online. Of course, a notebook would be required for this one, I think. It also might be helpful to pick a daily devotional or two to fill out this plan and give it some daily structure. You can use the Daily Bread for this. Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest is always a good choice. There are countless others and new ones every year. Again, ask questions about any of this if you like. Also, see the other entries. May God richly bless your search for answers! 

The "Einstein" Bible Reading Plan

This Bible reading plan asks the most work and time. The core of it is that you read through the Bible in a year: a great and worthwhile accomplishment. You don't need a special plan for this, really. You can follow the plan laid out in the Daily Bread, the RBC devotional we hand out at Goodwill Church every season. The 2009 plan it has features readings through both the Old (3 chapters) and New (1 chapter) Testaments every day. My suggestion here builds on this. Specifically, the "Einstein" plan:

1) Uses the Daily Bread "Through the Bible in a Year" reading plan

2) Uses the new ESV Study Bible (with the online helps it comes with)

3) Uses the online personal notes feature

4) Incorporates ALL the study notes

Of course, you're free to adapt this plan any way you want. I've read through the Bible 14 times in the last 15 years using 5 different English translations. 3 times I've read all Study Bible notes with the Scriptures. It takes time, but it's worth it, if you can pull it off. Please don't feel bad or guilty if you can't. The whole idea behind all Bible reading plans is that you read and enjoy the Scriptures. You weave them into your daily life and God weaves you into His. This plan isn't for everybody. There are two others I'll be writing about here as well.

So, in summary, the "Einstein" plan follows the Daily Bread reading plan (also available online) using the ESV Study Bible. You read the text (with or without the audio online), you read all the study notes, you record any observations, questions, insights, etc. in the online personal notes or in a notebook. For those who want an extra layer of accountability, you may email me a copy of your notes every quarter, editing out anything too personal to share. 

This is the plan I'm using in 2009. Ask any questions you like. Keep in mind that this web site will be silent and questions/comments may remain unanswered in January and February 2009 due to my sabbatical. Pastors Dave and Jay can help you in my absence. May God richly bless you through the reading of His Word!

    

2009 Bible Reading Plans Overview

For 2009, I've come up with three unique Bible reading plans. I've limited the offerings to three this year in order to invest more quality thought into each offering. I can come up with 100 Bible reading plans in 2 hours, but most will never be tried. I want to be like any good company or store and limit my offerings. No store sells everything and stays in business, so the Goodwill Church (free) Bible Reading Plan Store plans to stay focused, especially in light of the recession - the Bible reading recession that is. 

Let me unveil the plans first. I'll write separate articles about each plan shortly. As you read this you should hum a theme such as "Rocky" or the theme for the 4th movement of Beethoven 9th or the 1st movement of his 5th.  

Here they are (briefly introduced in outline form):

  

THE SHERLOCK

- The namesake for this plan is: Sherlock Holmes

- It features a yearlong plan for theme-focused Bible study and devotions

THE EINSTEIN

- The namesake for this plan is: Albert Einstein 

- This is a plan for reading through the Bible in a year using the new ESV Study Bible. This is the hard plan.

THE BUFFET

The namesake for this plan can be: Jimmy Buffet or Warren Buffet :)

- This is the "easy" plan, so to speak. It features "indulgence" (or investment) of a spiritual nature like pastor-theologian John Piper writes about: Christian Hedonism

In reading these, I hope you are intrigued. Stay tuned for details and explanations. Kick off for the plans is January 1, 2009. Also. I'm looking for representatives for each plan: people who will be willing to journal their year working the plan they chose. 

Begin to pray now about how God wants to spend precious time with you in His Word this next year. Keep in mind that this is very important to Him. What a blessing this is.

Another Good Bible, New Last Year

The Archeological Study Bible was new last year. It is also a great resource. It is the product of my doctoral Alma Mater: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. I think this study Bible is especially important for those who may have overdosed on content study Bibles and commentaries. Even the way the pages are "browned" helps readers regain a fresh perspective on and experience of God's Word. The notes are good, but it's important to understand they are not inspired by theological questions as much as archeological questions. Also, if you're interested in this, note that it comes in different sizes. There is a smaller "personal" size, but you'll want to see if the print size works for you. I would recommend seeing before buying in this case. Most bookstores in our area have a copy of this for sale that you can peruse. This Bible also comes with online resources.

What a privilege and responsibility to live under the protective hand of God so much that we can have a discussion of which luxurious study Bible we want to buy next. Many Christians in other parts of our world cannot imagine this. Don't take it lightly. Keep praying and studying as if you know such privilege can at best be a temporary thing in a world like ours where God has assured us that if we live for Him, we will eventually face persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). 

If you've chosen a new Bible for a new round of Bible study, perhaps timed with the new year, drop me a line to let me know. I'm especially interested in encouraging any who want to read through the Bible in a year. All commitments get stronger when we tell others about them. It makes us less likely to talk ourselves out of it when the going gets tough: when you get to Leviticus. Have fun exploring the wonders of God's Word.   

So Cool!

The ESV Study Bible. Wow. And you get the whole thing online too! You get ALL the notes, everything. You can LISTEN to the Scripture too. This is an excellent way to get through the Bible in year, by the way! Such a blessing.

Just go out and buy it. 

Do it.

And it's huge too. The thing is giant. It will probably be the biggest, heaviest Bible you own, aside from that monster family Bible someone gave you for a wedding gift.

Enjoy!

The ESV Study Bible

It's a best seller. The industry marvels at this new study Bible's sales. The ESV is a new "essentially literal" translation of the Bible. I read through the entire Bible every year, usually following the plan found in the "Daily Bread" devotional that we hand out in church. In 2006, I used the ESV translation for this, so I know it well. At one point, I wondered about changing the Bibles in the church from NIV to ESV. 

So, if you're looking for something new, then join me in getting this new study Bible. I'll probably use it for my reading through the Bible in 2009. When I use a study Bible, I also read through all the notes. For three different years, I've used the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV) for this. I highly recommend it, although reading through all its notes everyday will be overwhelming for most people.

November 4th is election day, but it also is a good time to start thinking and planning for your Bible reading in 2009. Have fun with this. I always do. Nothing beats a brand new Study Bible! 

Favorite Verses and Life Verses

Many of us, in telling the story of our lives with the Bible, talk about a first verse or a key verse. I talk about my three all the time. They are:

Psalm 118:14 - "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."

I think the idea of a key verse can help more people connect to the Bible. If someone doesn't read the Scriptures at all or regularly, ask him or her to locate a favorite verse and get back to you with it. The search process will be valuable and help them establish a permanent footing with the Scriptures. So, what's your favorite verse or life verse?

What's your favorite version of the Bible?

Ok, Folks. Thanks for the interest and visits so far! I've added a poll. What is your favorite Bible version? If you want to add a comment here on why, that will help too. Remember, lots of people are looking at this, so maybe they can learn a little from you. I think the poll is open for 30 days. One vote, one person, please - just like in voting for President of the United States. 

Thanks again. May God bless your reading of and time spent with His Word.  

Bible Reading Hints and Helps

1) The Bible is recorded in many different versions. You can simply listen. You can also follow along with a recorded version as you read. This helps you keep your mind from drifting and actually get through significant amounts of text.

2) Keep a Bible open at work or at home where you work. Just having it open will help you want to pick it up and read a few verses. This is part of what's behind the idea of a big Family Bible.

3) With so many variations of Bible available today, make sure you buy one (spare no expense) that you like to see and hold. This is the Word of God after all.

4) Understand which versions of the Bible are best for each circumstance. The NIV is a good overall translation. It is a "dynamic equivalent" translation (thought by thought). The ESV, NASB, NKJV, and KJV are all good too. They are "essentially literal" translations of the Bible (word by word). Then you have individual translations like "The Message." I like the NIV for overall use, but am growing fonder and fonder of the ESV. The NASB is my major English study Bible. It's what you use when you have to know what it "really says." The NKJV and KJV are classics. It's a good idea for every Christian to own one of each as well. Having many translations around the house is a good idea. If you have questions about a translation, please feel free to ask. 

5) Remember that the Real Word of God is the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments in THEIR ORIGINAL LANGUAGES. The Old Testament original language is Hebrew (with a little Aramaic) and the original language for the New Testament is Koine Greek (ancient "street" Greek).  

I Just Don't Do Any Bible Reading

OK, well now is a good time to start, and the first question is time. What time will you do this and how much time will you invest in this. The key here is to find windows of time where you can be flexible in the long run and to determine how much time you will spend and where. So that's three questions you have to answer: 1) when will I do this, 2) how long will I take, and 3) where will I do this. Even five minutes a day is better than nothing. You can read at your desk at work, in the bathroom, in bed right before you go to sleep or right before you get up, in the car before you pull out of your driveway, in your car at lunch, and even in the shower. (To read Scripture in the shower, use your computer and any of the Bible sites I give you links to in this blog. Paste the Scriptures to a document and print it out in chapters or books. Put individual sheets in plastic sheet protectors. Most of the time the plastic sheet protector will simply stick to the tile wall of the shower and you will be able to spend the time you shower with the Word!) If you have any questions about Bible reading, please post them as comments to this blog. Thanks! May God richly bless your time with His Word!  

The Gideon's Introduction

"The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents."