Charles Spurgeon once observed, “Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens
and deepens with our years.”
No one better understands that truth than the preacher who spends years digging
deep into the truths of God’s Word. With the Bible as the source of our proclamation,
we will never lack for a meaningful message to share with God’s people.
That is why those who preach are always seeking to better understand and interpret
the truths of God’s Word through preaching. That means continuing to seek out
those resources which will make us more able expositors.
That’s
why for many years, Preaching magazine
has taken time at the end of each year to recognize the Bibles and Bible reference
tools that have become available in recent months. We know it is vital that
preachers be able to deal accurately with the text in the process of driving
home its meaning.
Advertisement
In most recent years, we have been able to discuss a recently-released translation
of the Scripture, such as the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) or the
English Standard Version (ESV). This year, however, no such new release is available.
That does not mean, though, that publishers haven’t been busy releasing additional
editions of their existing translations in a variety of covers and approaches.
For example, Broadman & Holman issued The
Minister’s Bible earlier this year, containing the HCSB text in
a volume adapted to the needs of ministers. The single column format with wide
margins is certainly a benefit for preaching and making marginal notes. I also
like the two ribbon markers instead of the traditional one. The volume also
contains 54 pages of material designed to assist ministers dealing with a variety
of pastoral needs, from weddings and funerals to counseling and visitation.
Of
course, we are often seeking Bibles that aren’t aimed at our ministerial responsibilities.
If you’ve got kids in the family, there are a variety of Bibles available which
offer features and resources aimed at the younger crowd. For example, Tommy
Nelson publishers (the children’s division of Thomas Nelson) offers John
MacArthur’s A Faith to Grow on Bible and Max
Lucado’s Hermie & Friends Bible, both targeted at kids ages
7-11. One thing I appreciate about both volumes is that they don’t try to decorate
every page with “cutesy” features; most of it is the text of scripture. Both
include some helpful teaching tools for kids. The MacArthur edition seems targeted
at the older end of the age range, while I suspect the Lucado/Hermie version
is going to be more of a hit with younger children because of the cartoon “bug”
art. But either one will offer helpful resources for children as they begin
to grow in God’s Word.