In a world where the ugliness of rage and retaliation are the driving story line, Unconditional? offers the beauty, reconciliation, and total restoration of forgiveness the way Jesus taught us to live it.
Unconditional? by Brian Zahnd
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Stumped on which Bible version is best for you or your family? Here’s your guide to the latest Word(s) on the street.
There’s no time like the present to begin a Bible reading plan or to ramp up an already established study routine. But where do you start? How do you navigate today’s sea of Bible offerings? Here’s a sampling of recently released Bibles and Bible resources, each offering you or someone in your family a unique way to go deeper in understanding God’s Word.
Start! The Bible for New Believers Thomas Nelson
Reading the Bible can be a daunting task for longtime believers and even more overwhelming for new Christians. Start! The Bible for New Believers hopes to change that for the latter crowd by presenting the basics of discipleship in easy-to-understand language. This New King James Version New Testament includes articles and devotions on subjects such as prayer, Bible study and determining God’s will. The “Grow” entries explain the disciplines of the Christian life. “Know” articles expose the core beliefs of Christianity. “Live” messages address salvation, and the “Learn” notes provide commentary on key Scriptures for spiritual growth. Evangelist Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., served as general editor, and his “Secrets to Spiritual Success” will undoubtedly help new believers begin their journey in studying God’s Word.
KJV 400th Anniversary Bible Holman Bible Publishers
This 400th anniversary, high-quality edition of the King James Version (KJV) features 13-point type, Christ’s words in red, a giant print concordance and eight full-color maps. Also indicated are Messianic prophesies from the Old Testament and prophecy fulfillments from the New Testament. Special articles include the original introductory essay to the KJV, the making of the KJV and articles on its historical impact and ongoing influence. Readers will also find helpful tools on how to study the Bible and instructions on how to use this particular edition.
KJV Study Bible Barbour Publishing
Another product created to celebrate the 400th anniversary, the KJV Study Bible brings this translation “into a 21st-century context.” The 6,000-plus notes from the Simplified Bible Commentary Series will help readers more fully understand this version. This study Bible also features introductions to all 66 books, color maps and a dictionary/concordance.
A Visual History of the King James Bible Baker Books
Who knew that Shakespeare played a role in the development of the King James Version? That fact and many others are revealed in A Visual History of the King James Bible as Donald L. Brake, Bible collector and expert, explores the history—from the controversy to the legacy—of the best-known version of the Bible. Through photos, illustrations, charts and articles, readers will learn of the translation’s mysterious beginnings, the translators, the manuscripts from which the translation was based, the people and places that influenced its production and more. This review brings the history of the KJV to life.
HCSB Study Bible Holman Bible Publishers
What took six years, 35 scholars and tens of thousands of hours to create? The HCSB Study Bible. Designed and developed based on research and feedback from consumers, this study Bible includes comprehensive study notes, more than 400 word studies, 100-plus photographs, 59 timelines, Bible reading plans and more. It’s also available digitally in five formats: digital study Bible, digital reference, digital text-only, an app for iPhone and iPad, and for a limited time as a free translation app at . Readers can also visit for commentary notes and the text of the HCSB Study Bible.
The Four Holy Gospels Crossway
This production of the four Gospels in the English Standard Version also commemorates the 400th anniversary of the KJV. It features the artwork of commissioned artist Makoto Fujimura, a devout Christian and one of the most highly regarded artists of the 21st century. Each of the gospels opens with a full-color art piece inspired by the text. Fujimura also designed letters to begin each chapter and added embellishments to every page. His artwork is shown in full color throughout. The quality and artistry make The Four Holy Gospels well suited for public reading and as a family heirloom.
iShine Bible Totally for Tweens Tyndale House Publishers
Using the New Living Translation, these Bibles for tween boys and girls feature full-color pages with articles focusing on the central themes of iShine: .—Value, Identity, Purpose. The iShine Bible answers questions relating to many of the issues tweens face and includes articles on having a relationship with Christ. This is also one of the first Bibles that links readers directly to online music, videos and live events via smart phones using QR (Quick Read) codes.
The C.S. Lewis Bible HarperOne
For the first time a Bible pairs C.S. Lewis’ own writings with corresponding Bible passages. With the New Revised Standard Version, this Bible offers readings comprised of selections from the famed author’s classics, including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, A Grief Observed, The Weight of Glory and The Abolition of Man, as well as letters, poetry and his less-familiar works. Key features include more than 600 selections from Lewis for contemplation and devotional reading, introductory essays on his view of the Scriptures, two-color interior, double-column format and presentation page.
Deluxe Family Bible Thomas Nelson
This commemorative handcrafted leather edition features 32 full-color, fine-art masterpieces and a 32-page children’s section with easy-to-read stories and illustrations. It also includes a special offer from the History Channel Club and a bound-in, 24-page full-color historical booklet in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the KJV. Watch out—it weighs in at 7 pounds.
Waterproof Bible Bardin & Marsee Publishing
The perfect volume for outdoor use, the Waterproof Bible is guaranteed to be water-safe inside and out. Now available in the King James Version, English Standard Version and New Living Translation, it features three cover designs and is offered as a complete Bible or in the New Testament/Psalms & Proverbs edition. The Waterproof Bible was created and published based on the company’s mission to make the most durable, reader-friendly Bible.
Live Tyndale House Publishers
Featuring the New Living Translation, Live includes experiences and activities that help teens discover surprising things about God and His presence in their lives, while also enabling them to express their faith creatively. With space for readers to respond to God’s Word, it features stories from real-life people and photos and sketches created by teens.
Single-Column Bible Thomas Nelson
Readers who prefer a single-column style when reading the Bible have two new options. The NKJV Single-Column Bible and the KJV Single-Column Bible in leathersoft each feature large-print, black-letter text and an uncluttered page design to keep visual distractions to a minimum.
The Family Reading Bible Zondervan
The family that prays—and reads the Bible—together stays together. This edition will help parents successfully lead family devotions. The easy reading plans include stories, prophecy and poetry that will engage the entire family. Notes and discussion questions help guide participants in their study. This Bible also offers three unique options for study: the “Short Path” is helpful when the family schedule is tight; the “Long Path” plan is ideal for dinner devotions or for older kids; and the “Off the Beaten Path” offers interesting subjects or “just for fun” topics such as great escapes, animals or what does God look like?
See how one Bible publisher creatively illustrated the gospels at
With reports of teen suicide and bullying on the rise, the nonprofit ministry My Broken Palace (MBP) is creatively helping youth suffering from suicidal thoughts, self-injury, bullying and depression. Inspired by Psalm 34:18—“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”—this organization brings hope to teens using music, writing, painting and video on its Web community.
Ministry founder Scott Brinson cites alarming statistics from the Centers for Disease Control: Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young adults ages 15 to 24 and the fourth-highest cause of death of children ages 10 to 14. Most notably he says teen suicide is on the rise.
“MBP provides a variety of platforms for young people to communicate their feelings to draw them out and allow their voices to be heard,” Brinson says of the ministry’s purpose.
Brinson and his team travel to concerts, conferences, festivals and school assemblies across the U.S. to personally connect with young adults through an interactive prayer and art wall. MBP is also a one-stop referral service where at-risk youth can find a variety of counseling services available 24/7.
The Holy Spirit is on the move in prisons, and He’s targeting the wounded hearts of women inmates. According to Daughters of Destiny, more than 20,000 inmates attended the prison ministry’s evangelism events last year, with more than 7,500 making decisions for Christ.
“In the past, 7 to 10 percent of the inmates at a facility might attend our meetings. Now we’re seeing 30 to 90 percent,” says Annie Goebel of Daughters of Destiny.
The ministry’s mission is to spread the gospel to women inmates. It holds Bible meetings and evangelism events in 203 detention facilities in 25 states across America. Based out of Colorado, Daughters of Destiny is run by founders Annie and husband Mel Goebel, and approximately 850 trained volunteer staff. They teach and nurture incarcerated women and continue to minister to them after they’re released back into the community.
“More than 1 million women in the United States are incarcerated,” Annie says. “The majority of them want to change, to make better choices when they return to society. They need to know that God changes all who ask Him.”
The Daughters of Destiny team strives to bring hope and healing to these women. Upon being released from prison, the women continue their development through a program called Discipleship Network. This provides face-to-face interaction with leaders who help ease the former inmates back into society. The volunteers also guide the women through the challenges of finding employment, housing, a local church and learning to develop healthy relationships.
“We are experiencing revival in women’s prisons through the U.S,” Mel says. “We see a movement of repentance, and as a result the women inside are passionate to share their faith with others in prison.”
A pillow can offer more than just comfort; it can deliver a message of hope. For the last two years One Touch Awakening has been distributing pillowcases, snuggle pillows and insecticide-treated mosquito nets to people around the world. A prayer team prays over each individual pillowcase and mosquito net, asking God to comfort the recipients and give them a renewed spirit as they rest their heads at night.
Recently One Touch Awakening partnered with His Nets and Operation We Care to provide mosquito nets to homeless adults and children in Haiti, as well as pillows with pillowcases to newly deployed troops overseas.
“Solomon said, ‘Though I sleep, my heart is awake.’ All day long God is inspiring us,” says spokeswoman Cindy Richard. “We can hear His voice, but often the rat race of the world gets in the way of our thinking. But when we lay down at night in exhaustion, you can have a pure encounter with God. … It takes all the control off of us. All we do is surrender.”
Did you know you don’t have to fly to the other side of the world to go on a missions trip? Try traveling across the street next time—it’s cheaper and you might affect just as much change. So says Nashville, My Own Backyard ministry, which is redefining the concept of missions work.
The group equips volunteers to make a difference in their own cities through everything from monthly block parties to mentoring young people to creating “action days” for churches and groups to go out and serve their communities.
While in South Africa in 2009, founder Kathleen Murphy was inspired to start this ministry after a life-altering vision: “What struck me was the contrast between the rich and the poor. I thought, How is it that you could live five miles down the road from complete despair and ignore the problem? Then it hit me: This was just like my hometown. This is the picture of America. People with and people without, living as next-door neighbors.
“God was calling me to wake up to the issues in my own backyard,” she says. “How could I take a trip once a year and compartmentalize my life to the extent that ‘missions’ was only a part of who I was? He was calling me to live missionally.”
Prison Food Never Tasted This GoodThe America’s Chef Competition, part of the 14th America’s Food and Beverage Show and Conference held in Miami, included two special competitors late last year: Florida state prison inmates Terry Garrish and Lance Wissinger.
As part of the faith-based Bridges of America work release/therapy program, these men, who have since been released, completed rigorous culinary instruction and were entered in this prestigious tournament. Their entry is a noted milestone, as this is the first time that inmates have competed.
Cecilia Denmark, facility director of the Broward County, Fla., office of Bridges of America, commented on this landmark event: “To have had these two men in the competition is one more evidence that God’s hand is on our program. These men have no formal training, but through their instruction they are now tax-paying citizens and productive members of society—which is one of our main goals.
“But beyond giving members of our programs skills that will help them re-enter the workplace, we are in the business of helping men learn that submission to a higher power is what life is all about. I’m proud to say that many who enter our program leave changed, and God gets all the credit.”
Bridges of America was just awarded a $25,000 grant from the National Institute of Fatherhood for its redemptive work in the lives of inmates. As a result of the program, thousands of felons have not only found new skills to lead new lives, but they have met a God who brings them redemption as well.
Garrish and Wissinger, who placed fourth in the competition, now work as professional chefs at Ruby Tuesday.
Besides clothes, Taylor’s Closet gives young women a sense of self-worth
Sometimes changing the world begins after changing the clothes in your own closet.
Lindsay Giambattista, founder of Taylor’s Closet (TC) clothing store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., started by giving her extra clothing to at-risk teen girls when she was 14. She then began gathering outfits from friends and family, and soon she had an entire store full of merchandise. From there, Giambattista acquired a building and launched a full-scale ministry boutique.
TC is no ordinary thrift store, however. Giambattista’s boutique has made designer clothing available to young women and girls who would not be able to purchase such items for free.
“Our goal is to provide a wonderful shopping experience for girls in need so they in turn can grasp the extravagant love of God for them in a practical way,” Giambattista says.
“My faith is the sole reason behind what I do. Although TC started out as a community service project for high school, as it grew it hit me that the entire purpose of the organization has nothing to do with clothing. It all has to do with the love of God, which we represent through beautiful clothes.”
Since opening the store in 2006, Giambattista has garnered national attention for her vision, has received donations from top labels and designers, and has even launched a mentoring program for girls. The Awaken program is an eight-week class for girls 18 years and older who are taught cooking, sewing and art lessons in a family-like setting. Through Awaken, these girls also learn the reason behind all the compassion they are being shown: God’s Word.
When asked what inspired the ministry name, Giambattista responds simply, “It’s from my twin sister, who died at birth. Her name was Taylor.”
Imagine if your child were abducted from school and forced into a life of slavery that included raising other children groomed to become soldiers. This scene isn’t just a nightmare for Filder Akech—it was her reality.
Ugandan rebels kidnapped Filder when she was 9 from her schoolyard, and for a year and a half, she cared for children born in the bush and forced to fight. Eventually, Filder escaped and now studies at a school in a village set up by Watoto, a holistic care program that serves abandoned and vulnerable children and women in Uganda.
Now Watoto is sharing a story of the children’s courage and redemption through the Restored Tour: Child Soldier No More. Young people chosen from Watoto villages participate in the live theatrical productions of music, dance and song. The show chronicles the children’s horrifying experiences and puts the spotlight on their restoration.
Team leader Joe Ogwal says restoration is a key message because half the choir has been through unimaginable atrocities such as being abducted from their homes and enslaved. But they have been rescued.
“The idea of the tour is to tell the world … there is hope,” Ogwal says. “The purpose of this is for the children to tell their stories and for us to raise awareness all across the world of what is taking place in Uganda.”
Ogwal declares that faith is key: “We believe in Jesus. I know all around the world there are different belief systems, [but] everything that we do is centered on who Jesus is.”
That premise makes it possible for the workers to commit to the long-term process of seeing the children become responsive Christians and responsible adults, Ogwal says.
“Our faith is critical. Without the faith we would not be doing what we are doing.”
Stay Debt-Free For The Holidays!
Getting into the spirit of the holiday season is no reason to go into debt (“No More Plastic Holidays!” by Amie Streater, November). Retailers and charge-card companies pull out all the stops in an effort to make people think that buying gifts is what gives holiday seasons their meaning. Debt-free gift-giving, however, will warm one’s heart far more than the shock of a higher charge-card statement to begin the brand-new year.
Haven Swess,
via e-mail
Stormy Weather
James W. Goll’s testimony is awesome (“When You Have Done All”; October). I can relate to his story of pain and holding steadfast to faith. I lost my mother, my youngest sister and my best friend all within a year and a half. My sister suffered from cancer, but it did not cause her faith to waiver. Jesus’ name was the last name she uttered. One must continue to look to God and trust in Him regardless of the type of “weather” a storm brings.
Sheila Church,
via e-mail
This was a wonderful testimony from James W. Goll that will give hope to many. There is no magical formula or doctrine for Christian living. Saints do get sick, saints do die, saints do suffer, and God is in control. We can’t just speak problems away. God has a higher purpose, and His ways are not ours. American Christianity needs to rethink its understanding of Scripture.
name withheld
Is ‘Labeling’ Going Too Far?
I am confused by the article “Terms of Offense” by Eitan Shishkoff (October). He states that Jews, who believe in Christ as the Messiah, are to be called “Messianic Jews” and not Christians. Aren’t all Jewish people Messianic Jews? Isn’t the belief in the eventual coming of the Messiah a basic and fundamental part of traditional Judaism? Shishkoff makes the statement, “We are a curiosity because we tear down the wall between Jews and Jesus erected by both church and synagogue.” Really? It seems to me that what you are doing is building a wall of distinction that identifies Messianic Jews as something “curiously” special, set apart and perhaps set above mere Christians. It is this requirement for special “labeling” that is so very divisive to the church today. When Jesus Christ called His disciples, He did not differentiate between classes, races, labels or occupations. If the end times are near, shouldn’t we as believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah try to find more ways to come together rather than trying to invent ways to separate us?
Art Handy,
Tybee Island, Ga.
If it is true that Jews do not want to be called Christians, I do not blame them one bit. When I look back at all of what has been done in the name of Christianity, I don’t particularly want to be called one either. If I understand correctly, to be a Christian means being like Christ. I am a member of the body of Christ and I just don’t understand the lack of love shown by many so-called Christians. People who are Christians need to live and act like Christ in word and thought and deed.
Velma Harding,
Coffeyville, Kan.
More Substance, Please
It seems that this recent “dumbing down” of our spiritual heritage leaves believers less informed and subsequently less empowered to counteract ungodly forces of the culture. If helping people become “fully devoted followers of Christ” is the goal, then isn’t providing full knowledge of spiritual gifts a practical step in that process? Having an intimate awareness of the Holy Spirit and yet refusing to share that with one’s own congregants seems a bit like sending troops out to battle without adequate armor and arsenal.
Darla Haas,
Little Rock, Ark.
My Turn
As a pastor, I too am frustrated and embarrassed by the hypocrisies, inconsistencies and fabrications of the charismatic movement, as Greg Surratt pointed out (“How to Be Charismatic Without Being Crazy”; November). After pastoring for 27 years, I can share my own horror stories of embarrassing moments watching people act and minister in bizarre ways, claiming it was the Lord. My greatest concern is that somehow I become an apologist for doing church “the crazy way” or be seen as one who is simply anchored to the old way of doing things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just as I would affirm that Greg is not trying to corral the Holy Spirit, I am not trying to advocate for a three-ring circus either.
I think Greg has fallen into the ditch many a philosopher has found by analyzing the landscape accurately but answering it with faulty solutions. Critique is somewhat easy because human nature can always “pick at specks” in others’ eyes or even the church’s practices. The hard part is a solution. The word crazy, for example, is a slippery concept. Most of the times God moved in Scripture supernaturally tended to look crazy to the natural mind.
I too, like Greg, have been disillusioned by much of the charismatic silliness. I have pondered on more occasions than I can count just how edgy and crazy a church should be. I believe that one of the greatest mistakes pastors make in our current era is to embrace the trendy and not see the eternal. It is easier to rest a ministry on management theory with occasional Scripture sprinkled in than it is to rest it on the whole counsel of God. No pastor wants to be “seeker-alienating.” No pastor likes seeing people walk out the door. However, every pastor needs to remember that this is God’s house, and He needs to be the most comfortable person there.
Kevin R. Baird,
Charleston, S.C.