Neat Little Book, A Review of, “I Am A Church Member” by Thom S. Rainer
Apologetics · Book Reviews · Church · Theology

Neat Little Book, A Review of, “I Am A Church Member” by Thom S. Rainer

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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The Pastor at the SBC Church I attend gave these booklets out to everyone last Sunday after Service as an early Christmas present. It didn’t take long to read. I am a slow reader, so for me that is saying something. It was pretty concise and brief. Packed in a small booklet between two hard covers is a primer, if you will, on being in The Church and being in A Church simultaneously, instead of one or the other. The ideas inside this book truly express the gospel, and what it means to be part of the body. I encourage all new Christians and those of us who have matured to read this booklet. For the younger folks it will help them understand what this is all about and for us a bit further along it will help us remember what we are to be about. We aren’t in a social club, even though we socialize with one another. We aren’t there for the benefits, even though we do benefit from corporate worship and ministry to the body. We are there for the love of God and the worship of Him who made us. In the abounding overflow of His love expressed to us by Christ crucified we should lavish that same love on the body as we minister to each other and share the glorious gospel of Jesus with those who have never heard. As a healthy body, made of healthy members, we can magnify Christ and glorify God, through the proclamation of His gospel, His word, and our love for one another. This book is a great reminder and primer.

Some complain that this is legalistic or that the scripture verses are out of context. Some also complain about the contracts at the end of every chapter. I answer that by saying you need to look at the intent of the book. You don’t have to sign the contracts and turn them in.  They aren’t binding.  I think they are kind of silly myself.  As an entire mission, I agree that the local Church needs to shape up, but it can’t be done by people obligatorily signing up for things. The idea within this booklet is for you to have a changed heart and then you’ll want to do the things within the booklet. The problem with the Church is that it is full of unchanged people. You can’t expect them to, “get on board” when they aren’t even on the team. So to the critics, I ask, “Are you sure you are saved?” If you are then you won’t hate the Church.

Available for purchase here

amazon

Christianbook 

and from Holman the publisher

ISBN: 9781433679735

Trim Size: 0.24 x 5.00 x 7.00

Page Count: 96

Weight: 0.50

Binding: Paper Over Board

Status: IP

Publication Date: May 2013

I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the DifferenceI Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference by Thom S. Rainer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

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Update on the Cambridge Concord and Transetto Shipping Damage.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I was contacted by an employee of Cambridge Press. (I didn’t get permission to use their name or quote them so I’ll use general references.)  They told me they would be looking into how the two Bibles came to be packed improperly and incurred damage during shipping due to the improper packaging.  I promptly received an e-mail back from my contact at Cambridge Press.  They concluded during their investigation that it was indeed a training issue and have resolved the problem.  I commend them on their efforts to maintain high standards.  You can read about the damage here.

Apologetics · Theology · Uncategorized

A Quote From Randy Alcorn’s Book, “If God is Good”

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Page 122, 2nd from last paragraph, “…Jeffrey Dahmer, the notorious sexual predator and cannibal, stated in an interview, “If it all happens naturalistically, what’s the need for a God?  Can’t I set my own rules?  Who owns me?  I own myself.”…”

This is where evolution and atheism take you, to the edge of insanity and over.

Puritans, Pilgrims, and Reformers, a Review of the 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press.
Bible Reviews

Puritans, Pilgrims, and Reformers, a Review of the 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press.

Bob Snyder10 Comments

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Tolle Lege Press is responsible for the rejuvenating the 1599 Geneva Bible. Unfortunately not many people know about this or seem to care. (Except for Kirk Cameron)  I say it is unfortunate because I truly believe the historical importance of this translation has been overlooked for a blind allegiance to the KJV.  Many people don’t know anything about the Geneva translation.  They are happy with their King James versions.  I’ve always wondered why the KJV onlyists are so loyal to a version that was translated by order of the King to conform to the ecclesiology of the Church of England.  The royals and Church leaders were afraid of losing their grip on power.  The Bibles of that time period all relied on the Latin Vulgate to some degree as a resource for translation.  The Geneva and the KJV were no exceptions.  The KJV relied on the Geneva for reference during its translation.  The KJV onlyists are always spewing their venomous polemics towards all other versions being Papal translations from Rome.  It is disturbing that they can suspend rational thought in regards to the KJV, but seem rational most other times.

The Geneva was translated by the Reformers. They had to flee to Geneva so that they wouldn’t be martyred by the Roman Catholic Church and Bloody Mary.   John Calvin and John Knox are most often credited for the Geneva translation.  There were other individuals working with them in Geneva to make this translation.  The notes and references of this Bible are retained and printed in modern font.  They are printed on the bottom of the page like a modern study Bible.  These notes are what made this translation such an enemy to the Crowns of the King and the Pope.  You have to understand that the Roman Catholic Church was in the business of hunting down and killing the reformers.  Then Puritans were persecuted for believing what the reformation brought to fruition.  This is what led to them becoming pilgrims.  They fled to America hoping to live God honoring lives obedient to His word.  The Bible they took with them was the Geneva Bible.

For more on the Geneva’s history visit this site; http://genevabible.com/

Here is a short youtube video about it as well; http://youtu.be/Nq1YhU8cGko

Don’t mind the trolls. They keep complaining about some pagan imagery on the cover, but I don’t see any.  I’ve asked them specifically and really haven’t gotten any answers other than, “You’re going to Hell for using anything but the KJV heretic!!!”  and now for something completely different, how about the review of the 1599 Geneva Bible?

The 1599 arrived in a cardboard box.

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Inside was the Bible in its retail 2 piece box.  The cd-rom contains searchable, printable PDFs of the Geneva Bible, plus the Apocryphal Books and Metrical Psalms, was also in the retail box.

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The packaging was sufficient to ensure the Bible was delivered without being damaged.  Tolle Lege did a wonderful job of giving the 1599 a modern typography.  They placed all of the references and notes at the bottom like a modern day study Bible.

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The Bible is printed on some pretty opaque paper.  It is off white and a bit more rigid than most Bible papers I’ve seen.  I don’t know what kind of paper it is for sure, but it seems suitable.  The text is printed in a double column verse format with an 8 point font.  The notes are printed at the bottom of the page like a modern study Bible.  Chapter numbers are larger and in bold print.  The pages are bound in a sewn binding done here in America.

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The sewn binding makes up for the bonded leather cover.  I can’t begin to tell you how much I detest bonded leather.  I would much rather see a hardcover or trutone fake leather cover.  Of course if this Bible came in a top grain cowhide or goatskin cover with sewn edge lining of leather it would be great.  The cover is lined on the inside with white paper that is glued down.

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The front outer cover is decorated with, “1599 Geneva Bible” at the top and some kind of flower on the bottom.

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I imagine that these are the pagan symbols the kooks are upset about.  Who knows?  The spine is also gilded with the same as is on the cover except on the bottom of the spine is the Tolle Lege logo.

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The sewn binding makes this Bible open better than it would without it.  It doesn’t open as nicely as it could with a better cover.

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The binding doesn’t completely stop the pages from folding closed on you while you are reading.  This is only just out of the box, brand new.  As I used it this problem went away.  It also will make this Bible hold up much better.

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There is one black ribbon marker.  The page edges are gilded.

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There is a Middle English Glossary in the back and several prayers including morning and evening.  There is a purely subjective quality about this Bible that makes me want to sit and read it.  The combination of the size, weight, paper, and layout, make sense to me and I find it easy to read.  Now just because that is the experience I have with it doesn’t mean I expect everyone to agree with me so don’t go launching fiery darts at me.  This Bible should be a part of every Christian’s library.  If you don’t have one, go get one.

Don’t get this Bible confused with the 1560 facsimile Geneva Bible.  This one is actually useful for daily reading.  The 1560 is a little tedious.

The Perfect Size Bible to Sit and Read, The Cambridge KJV Concord Reference Bible in Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Edition.
Bible Reviews

The Perfect Size Bible to Sit and Read, The Cambridge KJV Concord Reference Bible in Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Edition.

Bob Snyder4 Comments

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Before I get into the vital features of this Bible I want to expound on its subjective qualities that have endeared it to me. At first glance most people won’t notice the exceptional quality of this Bible until they pick it up and give it a closer look.  Some folks won’t even notice even after picking it up.  That is not to say the Cambridge Concord Reference Bible is average or plain.  It is because the Concord is how a Bible is supposed to be.  It is the quintessential archetype of reference Bibles.  It smells like a Bible, it looks like a Bible, and it feels like a Bible.  When I pick it up to read from, I don’t have to struggle with it.  It does exactly what it should do.  It stays out of the way and allows me to focus on reading God’s word.  Everything about it is conducive to that end.

For me, it is the perfect size and weight to hold in one hand. I can comfortably read it while sitting in my favorite chair.  It isn’t heavy or unwieldy enough to require being laid on a table or desk.  It isn’t so small as to necessitate being held close.  It is not a thick Bible, yet contains many references and some helps.

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It is not printed on such light paper that the pages curl up and blow around while you are trying to read.  The pages are not a bright white.  They are off white.  Bright white pages tend to make my eyes strain during long durations of reading the word.  The India paper is strong and opaque.

There is approximately 7/16ths of an inch in the margins for note taking.

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The text is a nine point font that is printed appears pretty bold.

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The Concord is a double column verse format with pronunciations.  It has the references in the center column.

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Even with the references, 128 page Bible Dictionary, Concordance, Glossary, and 15 color maps, the Concord maintains a thin profile without sacrificing paper quality.  The pages are art gilded.  An art gilded page edge compared to a gilded page edge looks a bit more attractive.  It gives the page edges a red tint behind the gold color.  Before they put the gold colored aluminum foil on the page edges they first coat them with a red ink.  Then they apply the gold color gilding.  When the Bible is closed the edges show gold, when the Bible is open you can see the red show through the gold.

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The binding, outside cover, and inside liner, make it supple and comfortable to hold.  This one is edge lined not case bound.  It is rigid enough to not flop around like some unlined Bibles do, while it maintains flexibility with its synthetic liner that is stitched to the outside cover edges with black thread.

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The Binding is a smyth-sewn binding done by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.  They are famous for their quality work and history of Binding Bibles.  Currently, most luxury Bibles are bound by Jongbloed.  A sewn binding is a must in my opinion.  If you hope to hand a Bible down to your children and for them to use it a sewn binding is the only option.  With a sewn edge lined binding all of the pages are stacked in separate pamphlets called signatures.  These are then stacked and sewn to tapes or strings in the spine of the Bible as well as being sewn to each other.  This is why you don’t have the front and back pages falling out of a sewn binding like you would with a glued case bound perfect binding where the pages are cut, then stacked, then rubber cemented together.  Those pages are not connected to each other in any way.  If you bend the spine in a glued Bible, eventually pages will start falling out.  Not so with a sewn binding.  If you take care of it and treat it with respect it will last and last.  The other benefit of this binding is the functionality of it.  The Concord lays flat right out of the box.

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The cover doesn’t flop up and get in the way.  The covers can be rolled backwards and out of the way even.  I wouldn’t do this as a practice, but that is how flexible this Bible is.  This particular Bible is a red letter edition.

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That simply means that the words of Jesus are printed in red text, including places where He is quoted by the apostles.  Some people find this to be a very helpful feature.  The Concord has two black ribbon markers.  They are good quality without being too thick.

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I have had some Bibles with thicker markers that actually imprint on the pages they are between.  I have had other Bibles with markers that were so thin that they crinkled up and are almost useless.  It is very unattractive to open the Bible up to crinkled pages or markers.  The Concord has neither problem.  The Bible ships in a clamshell type retail box.  I would keep the Box for storage.  This Bible is to supple to stand on its edge.  It should be laid flat on a flat surface when not in use.  There was a slight problem with the shipping.  You can read about that here.

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Cambridge has assured me they are looking into this and it shouldn’t happen again.  This Bible is as pretty close to being perfect.  If Cambridge would produce this in an NASB I would be satisfied.

Here are a few good places on the web to purchase this Bible if you are in the market.

evangelicalbible.com

Amazon.com

Christianbook.com

Cambridge.org

Here are a few pictures of the Concord compared to the TBS Westminster

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Over all, I found the Concord to be a superlative Bible. It stands out from the mass produced Chinese and Korean Bibles as an example of what they should be aiming for.

KJV Concord Reference Bible, Black Edge-Lined Goatskin Leather, Red Letter Text KJ566:XRE

Black Goatskin Leather RCD266

isbn: 9780521512978

A Pleasant Surprise from Holman, Review of the Holman KJV Minister’s Bible in Black Genuine Cowhide.
Bible Reviews

A Pleasant Surprise from Holman, Review of the Holman KJV Minister’s Bible in Black Genuine Cowhide.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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Holman sent this Bible packaged in a cardboard box with some paper padding it.

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The retail box was inside.

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I had no idea which Bible they had sent me.  I didn’t remember requesting one for review.  I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the KJV Minister’s Bible.  When I had originally requested it they were out of stock.  It seems that Holman remembered and sent it when it became available.

When I opened the shipping box I found the retail packaging inside. Keep the two piece gift-box to store your Bible.  This Bible is so supple that it will need to be laid flat for storage.  When I opened the retail box I could see that the Bible was wrapped in a dark colored construction paper to keep it safe from being deformed.

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I like this better than being, “shrink wrapped” with plastic wrap.  Plastic wrap has the tendency to pull the corners down and deform the cover and text block.  If the Bible arrives damaged or during use develops premature wear rest assured, Holman has a lifetime warranty on this product.

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I was impressed by the feel of the genuine cowhide leather cover. It was soft and supple.

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The Bible is edge lined not case bound.

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The edges of the outer cover are rolled over and sewn down.  The spine of the Bible has decorative spine hubs.  They used to be where the signature tapes or ribbons were sewn to the signatures.  The cover would have to be fitted over them which produced the raised hubs.  Now it isn’t an indicator of a sewn binding or not.  You’ll be glad to know this one does have a very flexible sewn binding.  It allows this Bible to do some pretty amazing things and come out unscathed.  It lays flat right out of the box and can even curl back under the spine with both covers at the same time.

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I wouldn’t make a practice of that, but it can do it.  When held open with one hand it drapes over your hand.

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The spine of the Bible is imprinted with, “KJV” at the top, “Holy Bible” in the Middle, and Holman’s logo at the bottom.

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The pages are edge gild with gold colored foil.

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There are two very nice quality ribbon markers in this Bible, one is red and the other is black.

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The pages are opaque, but could be a little more so.  They have a generous inch wide margin for adding your own notes.

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Wide margins are quite helpful for Pastors.  The opacity of the paper is important so that text doesn’t show through the page.

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While preaching and looking down at this Bible you should be able to focus on the text and not what is behind it.  The font is equally conducive to preaching.  It is a neat and clean 12 point font that is consistently inked throughout the Bible in this black text edition.  The text is arranged in a double column verse format making it easy to quickly locate verses.  Book names, chapter, and verse are printed on the top of the page along with headings.

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There are many aids for Pastors included in this Bible.  Here is a list of some of them; Sixty-six page KJV concordance, eight maps, Where to Turn When, Plan of Salvation, color presentation page, Various wedding and funeral outlines by Jim Henry, “Why Read the King James Version?” by Calvin Miller, “8 Traits of Effective Church Leaders” by Thom S. Rainer, “21 Essentials of Authentic Ministry” by James T. Draper, “Four Kinds of Expositional Preaching” by Ed Stetzer, “30 Keys to Giving an Invitation” by O. S. Hawkins, “Leading a Child to Christ” by Bill Emeott, “Reaching Students with the Gospel” by Lynn H. Pryor, “The Importance of Baptism and Communion” by Rick White, Commitment Counseling, The Christian Year and Church Calendar, The Apostles and Their History, and Table of Weights and Measures.  With all that this Bible offers it would be a wonderful blessing for your Pastor as a gift, even if the Pastor is your Dad.  Pastors shouldn’t feel bad about buying such a nice Bible.  It is money well spent on a product that should last for a long time.

You can purchase it on Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or direct from Holman.

ISBN-10: 1586409301

ISBN-13: 978-1586409302

Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds

Intriguing, a Bible that opens from top to bottom you say? Review of the Cambridge KJV Transetto Text Edition Bible
Bible Reviews

Intriguing, a Bible that opens from top to bottom you say? Review of the Cambridge KJV Transetto Text Edition Bible

Bob Snyder2 Comments

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I saw this Bible on the publisher’s web site and was intrigued by it. It was a very novel idea at least and a practical one at best.  Unlike traditionally bound compact or pocket editions this Bible does not open and read like the same.  With a traditionally bound book you would open the front cover from the right to the left and read from the top left to the right and proceed down the page until you move on to the next page to the right and then you would turn the page and continue.

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In the picture above I have it laid open on top of a Cambridge Pitt Minion NASB.

In the Transetto you lift the front cover up and you are presented with the two pages becoming one book width page laid out as a double column text format to be read as one page, from to left to right all the way to the bottom of the other open page. Then you would flip up the next page and continue in the same way.

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The way you read it is not the only unconventional thing about this Bible. The cover is made of a reinforced card paper.  It is not connected to the text block all the way around like a regular book.  It is only glued to the text block on one side while the rest floats freely around the Bible when closed.  When opened and laid flat you can see the individual signatures and how they are sewn together in the spine.  When opened towards the middle of the Bible you can see how the sewn binding allows the Bible’s spine to bend all the way around and back into itself.  This is critical for the success of this kind of binding.

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The only cons of this particular book that I noticed were the corners of the Bible were bent due to the lack of care involved in the shipping process, the flimsy quality of the cover material itself, turning pages up instead of right to left, and the lack of chapter and verse numbers next to the book names on the corners of the pages.

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For some reason someone in shipping at Cambridge thought it would be a good idea to package this Transetto KJV with a $250.00 KJV Concord Reference Bible in goatskin leather? The packaging would have been sufficient for just the Concord Bible by itself, but when you cram the Transetto in there on top of it all it is a different story.  The package arrived mostly open due to shipping.  The USPS put a rubber band around it to keep it together.  When I opened the package the box for the Concord Bible was caved in and creased.  Most people like to keep their Bible boxes in nice shape to store their Bibles in.  The Transetto had one corner smashed up about three quarters of an inch.  This wrinkled the pages.  If I had purchased these Bibles instead of getting them gratis for review purposes, I would have had to send the Transetto back for replacement.  This would have cost Cambridge the shipping it should have paid in the beginning as well as a Bible.  Proper shipping saves money and is better customer service and appreciation in the long run.

The cover could be made a bit more sturdy or out of a more flexible fake leather material. They just need to do something a little different to protect the text block.  It is tough to do on an inexpensive, unique binding like the Transetto’s.  It is not a big con, but one nonetheless.

The unique binding makes turning pages counter intuitive. We are all used to doing it the common way so it takes some getting used to.  That being said, it really isn’t a big con either.  How many people have gotten used to hitting a button to turn a page with e-readers?  It’s not a big deal.

It wouldn’t have taken much for Cambridge to put the chapter and verse numbers on the pages along with the book names. It would have made turning to a specific spot much faster.  I can understand why they didn’t do that.  This is a small text Bible meant for reading daily, not as a reference Bible.  We can’t expect too much from something this small and portable.  The main reason for buying this, besides novelty is portability.

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With all of that in mind, there are more pros than cons or at least the pros are more significant than the cons in my opinion. If you are looking for as compact a Bible as you can find, that is still legible, then this is it.  The layout enables the Bible to use a 7 point font and fill most of the space on the India paper making it easier on the eyes than conventional compact Bibles.  Most conventional compacts use between a 6 point font and a 6.x size font.  You have to buy what they call a large print compact and they are usually thicker and/or bigger in width and height.  So if small, stowable, and legible are your primary concerns for a take anywhere compact then this is a very good option.

ISBN 9780521249294

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.
Bible Reviews

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.

Bob Snyder3 Comments

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First I’m going to address the physical attributes of this Bible and its features with minimal critiques and then I will flesh out my opinions of the essays and notes included in this Bible. Keep in mind that part of the review is highly subjective depending on your theological position.

The Bible arrived sufficiently packaged in a cardboard box.

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It is a pretty big Bible as most study Bibles tend to be.  It measures approximately nine and half by six and three quarters by two inches and weighs a little less than four pounds.  It sells for about thirty three dollars on most internet retail sites.  The Bible has a dust jacket.

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I don’t like dust jackets.  They always get in the way.  Some people like to use them to mark their place, but I’d rather have some good quality ribbon markers.  This one only comes with a single brown ribbon marker.

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The hardcover itself is nice enough.  It has kind of a brown marbled look.  It is made in China, but seems to be well manufactured despite that fact.

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The binding is sewn.  The Bible opens and lays flat right out of the box.

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I expect if it is treated well it should last a long time.  It does have a lifetime warranty.

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It comes with a free download that I found quite useless.  It is not a download of the entire Bible.  Crossway gives you access to their study Bible online when you purchase theirs.   It is laid out really well and makes good use of the full color printing.  It is a double column paragraph format with references in the center column and notes at the bottom of the page.

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Each chapter has a book introduction and outline.  There are full color features like maps, word studies, essays, and photos dispersed throughout.

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The impression I got from reading some of the articles and notes is that this is a Bible for the masses. If you are Reformed, you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you are Arminian you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you don’t know what either of those are, you’ll probably love this study Bible.  That is just the impression that I got.  It could be that I am being overly sensitive.  Most people will find the notes well balanced between the two predominate theological positions.

An example of that is the language used in the explanation of women’s roles in the Church. It goes to extreme lengths to be sensitive to readers who might not agree with the biblical position and then briefly states the biblical position and then tries to scoot past in hopes of nobody noticing.  This technique usually pleases nobody and only confuses neophytes.  Of course if you wanted a study Bible that was more aligned with your position I imagine you could find one.  I like the MacArthur Study Bible, ESV Study Bible, and the Reformation Study Bible.  When you get a bunch of theologians from different tents within the camp of Christianity together to contribute to a study Bible, you end up with the modern study Bible.  It isn’t supposed to be a systematized theological work.

I actually would recommend the Holman NKJV Study Bible over the Thomas Nelson. You can read my review of it here.  I think the entirety of it is a little more honest and direct.  Think NonDenom vs SBC…  I think that sums it up.

 

 

 

ISBN: 0529114380

ISBN-13: 9780529114389

I received this Bible from the publisher gratis for the purpose of review and am under no obligation to render a positive review.

An outstanding reference Bible and a great value! Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society, Westminster Reference Bible, Authorized KJV, 90U/BK in Black Premium Calfskin Leather.
Bible Reviews

An outstanding reference Bible and a great value! Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society, Westminster Reference Bible, Authorized KJV, 90U/BK in Black Premium Calfskin Leather.

Bob Snyder24 Comments

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Just a little disclaimer first, I am not a KJV only guy. I love the KJV and I do read the KJV, but I also use the NASB as my primary translation.  In addition I use the ESV, NKJV, HCSB, and Geneva.  This should be good news to people looking for an honest, unbiased, review.  The bad news is that I received this Bible gratis from TBS.  Some of you might believe that will make me biased, but if you look at my blog you can see that there are a few publishers represented by reviews of their products, all of which were gratis.  I am under no obligation to give a positive review to any of the books or Bibles I review.

That being said, this is an AMAZING reference Bible! I was very surprised to see the quality of this Bible considering the price they ask for it.  You can purchase one from TBS directly for $80.00 and they use the proceeds to provide Bibles and resources to Christians around the world.  Or you can buy it from evangelicalbible.com for a little less.

TBS took great care in packaging this Bible for shipping. When it arrived at my house it was in a clamshell type cardboard box filled with packing peanuts.  The Bible was placed on top of a foam pad inside the box.

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Its retail packaging is a blue clamshell box with product information on it.  Save the box for storage.

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I was so glad to see they took good care to ensure the Bible arrived undamaged.  I have received numerous Bibles that have had bent corners, wrinkled covers, and scratches on them due to insufficient packaging.

When I opened the box I could smell the calfskin leather. It was soft to touch and has a fairly smooth texture.  It isn’t heavily textured.  The cover is lined with typical vinyl looking material that is glued down.  It is a case bound book.

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The first and last pages are glued up higher to ensure the text block is securely fitted to the cover.

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The printing and binding were done by Jongbloed in the Netherlands.  They are well known for producing luxury Bibles like R.L. Allan, Schuyler, and Cambridge.

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The spine has, “Holy Bible” at the head, “Westminster Reference Bible” in the middle, and the TBS logo at the foot. These are written in gold lettering.  The page edges are gold gilt as well.

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The binding is smyth-sewn and very flexible. Fresh out of the box the Bible lies flat on the table from the first book to the last.

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When you hold it by the spine it drapes over your hand.  The cover has some rigidity due to the lining.  This is only a con if you are looking for a cover that edge lined.  I have had both types of covers on Bibles.  For a time I thought it was the mark of a good quality Bible to have a lining as flexible as the cover material, but I have come to appreciate some rigidity in the cover.  It helps to hold onto the Bible, if there is something to hold onto.  Some of the Bibles without it are more difficult to read because they are too flexible.  They tend to flop around.  This one has a great quality cover and it adds to the utility of the Bible.  The fit and finish of the text block to cover is very clean and well done.  It is obvious that they are doing this work with honoring God in mind.

The Bible comes with four ribbon markers. There are two red ones in the Old Testament and two black ones in the New Testament.  Both sets of ribbons are good quality and about a quarter inch wide.  I really appreciate this feature.  Often times Bibles only have one ribbon marker if you are lucky.  Sometimes you can get them with two, but four is almost unheard of.  I end up gluing more in on my own.  I love having four.  I can use one from the Old Testament for my daily reading plan and the other for following along with the sermon.  I do the same with the two in the New Testament.

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The first pages are made out of a heavier paper and TBS instead of just leaving them blank has tastefully printed some scripture quotes on each one of them. Instead of being out of place, they were quite a propos and well done.  After that we have a presentation page on the same paper, and then the paper changes over to Bible paper for the, Translators to the Reader, Epistle dedicatory, and the, Guide to Using the Westminster Bible, pages.

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At the beginning of the books there are verses that are helpful for the reading of each book and the Chapter numbers are larger and bold. The text is in a double column verse format with over 200,000 references printed on the gutter and page edge sides of the page.  I love these cross references, the TBS Westminster lives up to the claim of being a reference Bible.  They aren’t there to be pretty.  They actually are relevant to what you are reading.  One of my favorite features, is the archaic words are in the margin with an * by them in the text and in the margin.  In the margin you get the modern word or short definition.  This makes reading the KJV much simpler.

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In the top outside of the page you get the Book and Chapter, the inside has the heading, while the bottom outside has the page numbers. The font is clear and sharp 9.6 point, with consistent ink distribution making it quite legible and easy on the eyes.  The paper is opaque and a bit thicker than some of the very thin paper used in lesser Bibles.  It is a bit off white, but not so much as to diminish the contrast against the text.

At the back of the Bible there is a, Tables of Weights and Measures, List of Words and Proper Names with their Pronunciations, Daily Reading Plan, Maps and an extensive concordance. I was impressed with the size of the concordance.  Most Bibles have one, but generally they are little more than a few pages.  This one is actually large enough to be useful.

After spending some time using this Bible and reading from it, I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a King James Version Reference Bible. I have some Local Bible Publishers Bibles and the TBS is superior in the printing and binding.  Compared to the ones made in China and Korea the TBS wins hands down.

ISBN: 9781862281684

Review of the Lockman Foundation, Large Print, Ultrathin, Reference Bible, in Black Calfskin Leather.
Bible Reviews

Review of the Lockman Foundation, Large Print, Ultrathin, Reference Bible, in Black Calfskin Leather.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

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I’m kind of biased because I love the NASB translation and Lockman Foundation… but, I know there is always a, “but” after the review starts the way this one did.  The, “but” in this case is the hit and miss nature of  some of the Chinese manufacture processes.  This would have been a great Bible if fit and finish quality of the work were better.  This is $100.00 Bible and should reflect that in the finished quality.  Their was a section in the back where the overly thick card paper edge was glued improperly so that the white paper edge was visible and exposed.

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also on the front of the Bible the card paper was splitting on the bottom corner.  I don’t know if it was not glued well, bent during shipping from China, or the card paper that was used was just to thick and rigid for this application. three bibles 147

The Head and foot areas of the Bible could do with more precise attention to quality.

The notches could be smaller.

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The ribbon markers could be a thicker, higher grade of ribbon. three bibles 169 Lockman needs to move away from using the higher clay content shiny paper for the presentation pages and maps and move to a flat paper.  The glossy ones are too prone to falling out.  The presentation page should have been a couple of pages in so that you could actually write on it.  It is glued to the card paper that attaches to the binding and cover.

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I think if Lockman Foundation left the manufacture of their Bibles that cost less than $50.00 in China it would be alright, but with their middle and top end products they really need to bring it back home.  They sent me a copy of the hardcover Charles Stanley text Bible that is made here in America and it was excellent.  I loved the paper and the binding. If this Bible got the same treatment it would be worth the $100.00 price tag, but as it is I would have to pass.  They did send this Bible to me for free to be reviewed on my blog. With all the cons, I don’t want you to get the idea that this Bible does nothing right.  It has a sewn binding, and a calfskin cover.  It includes two ribbon markers and it is pretty thin considering that it is a real reference Bible.  You get all the benefits of a full reference Bible with a pretty thin profile. The Side Column Reference Bible I did a review on previously had more attention paid to fit and finish.  It was better so I overlooked some of the smaller cons like the opaqueness, excessively notched near the head and foot, and ribbon quality.  The opaqueness isn’t near as bad as other Bibles I’ve seen.  I just mention it because it isn’t as good as some in the same price range.  It seems like a more flexible card paper was used to connect the cover and text block on the side column reference which I love. This one con seems to cause others or make them more noticeable.  It is difficult to design the perfect Bible because, well it is subjective.  We like what we like though, so you can either make a ton of variations and try to please a lot of people, or you can make a few, really well made Bibles and hopefully sell a bunch of them to a smaller crowd. The bottom line is that you still get a great translation, in a sewn binding that is very flexible and lays flat, with genuine calfskin cover.  If you order one and it is good it will be very good.  If not, it has a lifetime warranty.  Just mail it back for a replacement.  I’m sure Lockman Foundation will stand behind their product.  I would just suggest they make these here in America or lower the price. Features, Ultrathin, large print 10 point font, making it easy on the eyes, double column verse format with center column references, Black letter edition, 8 pages of full color maps, Concordance, 2 Ribbon markers, gilt page edges, Presentation page, Family record pages, Gilded edges, Smyth Sewn, Printed on high-opacity paper to limit bleed-through, Lifetime guarantee, Black Calfskin leather.