{"id":614,"date":"2015-03-30T12:00:17","date_gmt":"2015-03-30T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/forbiblestudynerds\/?p=614"},"modified":"2015-02-26T05:17:56","modified_gmt":"2015-02-26T05:17:56","slug":"bible-resource-spotlight-complete-bible-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/forbiblestudynerds\/2015\/03\/bible-resource-spotlight-complete-bible-handbook.html","title":{"rendered":"Bible Resource Spotlight: Complete Bible Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reader Appeal: Students, Small Group Leaders, Sunday School Teachers<\/p>\n

Genre: Bible Reference<\/p>\n

FBSN Rating: A<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Full disclosure first: I\u2019m a total fan of Stephen Miller. I own several of his Bible reference books because I always find his work intriguing, well-researched, and accessible to just about anyone. So when I saw he\u2019d published a Complete Bible Handbook<\/em>, it was a no-brainer for me to get a copy.<\/p>\n

Miller didn\u2019t disappoint. Going book by book through the Scriptures, he provides background and insight to introduce the Bible to just about anyone\u2014even someone who\u2019s never read the Bible before. In fact, the Complete Bible Handbook<\/em> seems designed for you or me to place it into the waiting hands of a new Christian, or into the backpack of a student who is just curious what this Bible thing is all about.<\/p>\n

Each Bible book is covered, highlight-style, in just a few digestible pages. Chapters are broken into bite-sized bits as well: a quick description of the Bible book \u201cIn one sentence\u201d; a \u201cSound Bite\u201d theme verse from the book; \u201cOn Location\u201d info about the time and place; and a \u201cNewsmakers\u201d section that spotlights the main people in that book. Additionally, each chapter offers nugget-style summaries of the contents of that Bible book. Loads of full-color photographs and illustrations are also packed into every page; sometimes it almost feels like reading a graphic novel about the Bible.<\/p>\n

If that were all that was in this book, it\u2019d be worthwhile\u2026but this is Stephen Miller we\u2019re talking about. He\u2019s not interested in just helping people read the Bible\u2014he wants people to understand<\/em> what they\u2019re reading. That\u2019s why he\u2019s included over 200 pages of introductory materials to help readers get familiar with the Bible\u2014how\u2019s it\u2019s organized, what\u2019s in it, what it means for us today.<\/p>\n

Many will admire the A-to-Z topical index, \u201cWhat the Bible Says About\u2026\u201d This highlights Scriptures that discuss hundreds of subjects relevant to us today\u2014and that section is helpful, But what I thought was great was the \u201cBible Fast Pass\u201d that opens the book. In here, Miller takes time to explain how the Bible was formed, the different literary styles that make up Scripture, a Bible history timeline, and even offers advice for how to shop for a Bible just right for you. The \u201c10 Tough Questions Atheists Ask\u201d section is also priceless, especially in light of the aggressive \u201cnew atheism\u201d that often shows up on high school and college campuses.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s true that most of the information in the Complete Bible Handbook<\/em> may seem a bit basic for a typical Bible Study Nerd, I still found it interesting and very well done. It makes me want to teach a Bible class or small group study using this as the textbook\u2014and maybe that\u2019s what you should do too. I don\u2019t think Stephen Miller would mind, do you?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Complete Bible Handbook<\/em> <\/a>by Stephen M. Miller<\/p>\n

(Barbour Books)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2126\u2126\u2126<\/p>\n

About: For Bible Study Nerds\u2122<\/a><\/p>\n

About: Mike Nappa<\/a><\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2014 to present by\u00a0Nappaland Communications Inc<\/a>. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reader Appeal: Students, Small Group Leaders, Sunday School Teachers Genre: Bible Reference FBSN Rating: A   Full disclosure first: I\u2019m a total fan of Stephen Miller. I own several of his Bible reference books because I always find his work intriguing, well-researched, and accessible to just about anyone. So when I saw he\u2019d published a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":571,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[274,275],"class_list":["post-614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-resource-spotlight","tag-bible-handbook","tag-stephen-miller"],"yoast_head":"\nBible Resource Spotlight: Complete Bible Handbook - For Bible Study Nerds<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bible Resource Spotlight: Complete Bible Handbook - For Bible Study Nerds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Reader Appeal: Students, Small Group Leaders, Sunday School Teachers Genre: Bible Reference FBSN Rating: A   Full disclosure first: I\u2019m a total fan of Stephen Miller. 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He's a former youth pastor who shepherded kids on staff at Chuck Swindoll's church in Southern California\u2014and he's a bestselling and award-winning author with more than a million copies of his books sold worldwide. Plus, he holds a degree in Christian Education with an emphasis in Bible Theology. So, you know, he\u2019s got that going for him. Mike is also a pop culture dork who watches too much TV, reads too many comic books, utters too many bad words, laughs at all the wrong jokes, and often gets in trouble because he says whatever he happens to be thinking at the moment\u2014like quoting an R-rated movie in the middle of a sermon. Yeah, he\u2019s a mess (just like you!), but he kind of likes it that way. Most of all, Mike Nappa loves Jesus, and he figures that covers over a multitude of sins. 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