As you can see, there is a virtual plethora of books available. I was a fan of PC Study Bible when it was in the DOS version. A friend had it and I was always envious. I was excited when I received it to review, especially since it has Adam Clarke's 6 Volume Commentary. It does offer a rather unique feature that is only found in elsewhere in the WORDsearch Bible Software. Through it's Authoring System, PC Study Bible allows you to create your own commentary that can be shared with others. They have even set up a web site to allow folks to trade commentaries. That is a GREAT idea for sharing ideas.

However, I'm a little disappointed in several aspects of the software. The most critical to me is that, as far as I can tell, you can't save your screen set up. It still acts like the DOS version. You can re-size the screen and customize the screen layout to your liking but once you close the program, there is no way to save it. When you start up you have to do it all over again. Nearly every other software package allows you to save a layout. I believe this is a must. But if that feature doesn't bother you, this is a solid package.

For more information contact: BIBLESOFT, 22014 7th Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98198. Phone: 206-824-0547 or their Web Site: www.biblesoft.com.

CSS PUBLISHING

SERMONPREP: This is one of most useful programs I've ever used. At first glance, it doesn't look very useful at all -- just kind of a big blank screen. But as you begin to play with it, you find out its usefulness, especially if you preach from the Lectionary. It comes in two formats, one with the Lectionary (you can order the version of the Bible you prefer, too: KJV, NIV or NRSV) and one without.

This is much more than a notepad, more than a database, and more than just the text of the Lectionary. This is a tool for writing, organizing, working on and storing sermons. You can even add on and access books of sermons, sermon helps, worship helps and Barclay's Daily Study Bible in SermonPrep.

One of first things you have to do is set up your own "Notebook" in which to store your sermons and sermon notes. Once you set up the "Notebook" you are in business. Any time you begin work on a sermon, you can open a "new document" in your notebook. All of your notes and thoughts and ideas are there. The stacks and piles of paper disappear. You can cut and paste from illustration programs, from your in-depth Bible study in Logos, WORDsearch, Parsons or any of the other Electronic Bibles. Then next year, or during the next cycle of the Lectionary, you can call up the ideas and notes you had the last time you used this passage or preached on that particular Sunday. You can even store your sermons in the same manner. Set up one notebook entitled "Sermons" and one "Notes," and you have developed on ongoing library of your own resources.

CSS has tons of support material, sermons, commentaries, series, study materials, worship materials, etc., even a bimonthly magazine, Emphasis, that works with the program. Like many of the software folks, CSS has put all of its offerings on one CD. You can call in and unlock books and study material at almost anytime. They tell me they are working on a new menu-driven CD to make installation of new works easier and more user friendly.