Bible Study Tips | Faithlife Blog

April 26, 2016 By Chuck McKnight | 27 Comments

3 Perspectives on Hell

We’ve seen a lot of discussion and debate in recent years on the nature of heaven, hell, and what happens after we die. But these discussions are nothing new. The church has been debating eschatology (the study of last things) ever since the time of Christ, and the Jews before Christ were discussing the same.

Scripture provides many insights about the afterlife. But when theologians combine these insights into a coherent whole, they come to some very different conclusions about what the Bible teaches. The nature and duration of hell is one such example.

March 24, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 6 Comments

3 Sermon Illustrations on Sin

In a culture that doesn’t sacrifice animals on altars when we make mistakes, it’s sometimes tough to explain how and why Jesus’ death on the cross atones for our sins. Without a system for understanding sin, sacrifice, and repentance, something doesn’t quite add up.

Sometimes when sharing the gospel we want to cut to the chase—Jesus rose from the dead and offers us eternal life. But to understand the significance of that world-changing event, people have to understand how sin hijacks our relationship with God, and how Jesus’ death restores that relationship.

March 17, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 9 Comments

3 Ways to Define Sin

As Paul highlights the contrast between Adam and Jesus in Romans 5, he communicates powerful truths about sin.

In Confronted by Grace: Meditations of a Theologian, Professor John Webster draws out three ways to define sin using Romans 5, all of which are needed to fully grasp its significance.

March 12, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 52 Comments

Predestination in the Bible: A (Possible) Counter Example

Christians believe that God knows everything. But does that mean that he predetermines everything?

Dr. Michael Heiser says no.

In The Unseen Realm, Heiser explores a biblical account of David which suggests that while God has divine foreknowledge of the future, not every event is predestined.

March 10, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 17 Comments

39 Old Testament Maps—One for Every Book

When the events of the Bible take place on the other side of the world, it’s easy to miss the significance of geography. A single verse could transport you miles away, and you might never notice. The books of the Bible deal with real, physical places, and even if we can’t be there, we can still use maps to get our bearings.

Sometimes the right map can help you see Scripture in a whole new way.

March 2, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 8 Comments

Share Your Logos Media with Your Entire Church

Inside every Logos 6 base package, you’ll find unique media designed to help you explore the biblical world. If your church has Proclaim Church Presentation Software, you can share some of your exclusive Logos media with your church. And only one person has to have Logos for your entire team to use this exclusive media in Proclaim.

Here are a few examples of the types of media your entire church can take advantage of when you connect your Logos account to your church’s Proclaim group:

February 29, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 32 Comments

Everything You Need to Know about Goliath

Goliath, the infamous giant and “champion of the Philistines,” first appears in the Bible in 1 Samuel 17:4—but he also shows up in other Old Testament books, and ancient Jewish writings not included in the Bible.

In this video, adapted from an article in the free Lexham Bible Dictionary, you’ll find everything you need to know about Goliath:

February 11, 2016 By Guest Author | 3 Comments

5 Steps to Prepare Bible Studies for Children’s Ministries

Today’s guest post is by Pastor Sam Luce of Redeemer Church in Utica, New York. Sam has been a pastor for 17 years—14 of which he served as a children’s pastor. He received his BA in theology from Portland Bible College, and he’s been involved in children’s ministry for 23 years. Sam writes regularly about children’s ministry and Christian parenting at SamLuce.com.

“Bonhoeffer would often say that ‘if one couldn’t communicate the most profound ideas about God and the Bible to children, something was amiss.’”—Eric Metaxas

One of the most important and most neglected disciplines for children’s ministry work is personal study. Often when it comes to children’s ministry curriculum, the Bible story is either too complicated or too simplistic. The answer is not “buy a better curriculum.” The answer is personal bible study.

February 6, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 45 Comments

Genesis Chapter 1: Functional Creation vs. Material Creation

What if taking the Bible “literally” doesn’t mean what you think it means?

In The Lost World of Genesis One, Dr. John Walton of Wheaton college affirms that Genesis 1 is talking about a literal seven days of creation—but he also argues that “creation” might not mean what you think it means.

February 5, 2016 By Ryan Nelson | 5 Comments

Free Online Bible Study Course

Serious Bible study is hard work. But it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Whether you read the Bible every day or you’re opening it for the first time, the right tools can help you see the Bible in powerful new ways—without taking hours of your time.

That’s why we created a free, 30 day course to help you start doing better Bible study.