Bible Study Magazine—November–December 2013 Issue

• Feature Stories
  Discover new ways to connect the Bible with your ministry and life through in-depth interviews and articles from the biggest names in the church and biblical scholarship.
• Bible Study Tips
  Explore the Word—thoughtful and engaging authors tackle the tough passages in Scripture, explain difficult concepts, and confront complex interpretations in a way that helps the Gospel make sense in your life.
• On the Cutting Edge
  Keep up to date on the latest news in biblical research, including archaeological and historical findings.
• A New Kind of Bible Study
  Encounter God by yourself or with other believers with an ongoing Bible study in each issue.
• On Teaching
  Get advice on how to preach or teach the Bible in any setting from well-known pastors and teachers who use the Bible every day.
• Tool Box
  Learn how to effectively use the latest Bible study tools with our how-to guides.
• In the News
  Keep informed about the latest news in biblically related topics, discoveries, and events.
• Thoughts from the Ancients
  Read the Bible together with those who have come before you, and learn from the wisdom of the early church—in its own words.
• Word Studies
  Get a close-up view of the Bible! Each issue contains insights about specific words found in the Bible and tutorials on how to do word studies.
• If Only Someone Would Explain It to Me
  Enrich your understanding of the Bible with explanations of biblical and theological concepts by top scholars.
• Did You Know?
  Discover interesting facts about the place of the Bible in the contemporary and the ancient world.
• What They Don’t Tell You in Church
  See things you never noticed in biblical passages you have read dozens of times.
• Biblical Humor
  The funniest stories and the best comics related to the Bible, useful for any setting.
• Book Reviews
  Stay on top of the latest books about Bible study. Each issue contains reviews of books and commentaries to equip you in your study of God’s Word.

Excerpts from the Nov–Dec 2013 Issue!

David Platt: No More Spectators

“We have a revelation of who Jesus is and what He has said in His Word,” says David Platt, author and pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. “We have no right to customize or personalize Him. Instead, His Word changes us. When we believe His Word, it transforms everything about us. We see that Jesus is the only way to live, and we’ve got to make that known.”—Jessi Strong

Bringing the Gospel to the Streets

“Some Christians may think that if you want to hear the gospel, you should go to church. No—the church should go out with the gospel for these people,” says Dr. Tharwat Wahba, professor and chair of missions at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. “This is our moment. There is hunger, and society is struggling. There are many wounds in our society, and the solution is Jesus.”—Jessi Strong with Rebecca Van Noord

Ongoing Bible Study: Living as a New Creation

The final two chapters of Ephesians include practical, detailed instructions for several different groups: wives, husbands, children, parents, servants and masters. We often study these instructions to learn how to best fill these roles. But what if you don’t fall into any of these categories? How can you apply Paul’s instructions to your life?—Miles Custis

Special Section: Will It Preach?

Cutting Edge

I’ve reached Ezekiel again in my Bible reading plan, and I’ve been worn down by all the judgment and destruction. But now that I’ve reached the temple vision in Ezekiel 40, I sense the mood is changing. We’re shifting gears away from judgment and toward consolation. As I read, I realize I’ve never heard a sermon from this part of the Bible.—Doug Mangum

Is This Where God Wants Me?

Search as we might, we won’t find a Bible passage that tells us whether our current job is the right one. However, there are helpful texts, such as the two stories of men meeting Jesus for the first time found in Luke 18–19. Their responses illustrate what following Jesus actually requires.—Ryan J. Pemberton

Insights from June Hunt

“The Bible is a framework for all of life’s issues. Although certain issues are not discussed in the Bible, that doesn’t mean the Bible is silent,” says June Hunt, biblical counselor and founder of Hope for the Heart. “. . . It’s important to mine the Scriptures for principles related to real-life problems and develop steps to put those principles to work in our lives every day.”—Lynnea Fraser