The Self-Isolation Choir presents: Messiah at Home

COME AND SEE studies from Ariel Ministries, with Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum (English version)

The COME AND SEE studies are available in several languages at the post below.  There are plans to add more of these world languages, as time goes on.  For those who wish to study in English, however, here is the link:

You will find the studies at this link:

 https://www.ariel.org/resources/come-and-see/studies?navid=2390956

COME AND SEE: the BASIC COURSE with Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum via ARIEL MINISTRIES

Here is a basic course on things relating to God, to the Bible and to other related topics.  Right now, it is available in the following languages.  Here are the links and an introduction by Ariel Ministries:

Translations

Authorized Ariel branches and ministry partners around the world are working to translate the Come and See study materials into other languages. This is a considerable task, and we greatly appreciate their hard efforts. Foreign language translations currently available include:

• Afrikaans — provided courtesy of FaithEquip.co.za
• French — provided courtesy of Ariel Canada
• Hebrew — provided courtesy of Ariel Israel
• Hungarian — provided courtesy of Ariel Hungary
• Russian — provided courtesy of Ariel Israel

We'll be adding more other language translation links to this page as soon as they become available. Please check back. Thank you and Shalom!

THE NATURE OF THE BIBLE: DR.FRUCHTENBAUM: Spanish/Serbian/English

Here is a really good foundational resource that would be helpful to almost any Christian, and perhaps, to some non-Christians, too.  It is available in English, but also in Spanish and some other languages.  This is a PDF presentation -- very convenient for online viewing.  Here is your link:

Spanish

Serbian

English

GREAT PROJECT FOR THESPIANS: ORIGINAL TEXT BIBLICAL STORYTELLING

"God has given gifts to the Church:"  sometimes we forget what a varied lot they are.  We have all heard people who memorize the Scripture and recite it.  There are also those with a dramatic gift who recite the Scripture, but with a dramatic, storytelling style that brings it alive as we watch and listen. Various organizations encourage this.  Just yesterday, I noticed a few example of Biblical storytelling at The Network of Biblical Storytellers, International(nbsint.org).  There are numerous Bible stories on their Resources site.  One such example is presented here:  the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego -- enjoy!  And please encourage any person you know with a penchant for dramatic Bible story-telling to develop that talent!  Please note:  I am not, here, advertising for anyone who is offering lessons on Storytelling.  I am not at all affiliated with these groups.  I simply want to show an example of how someone used a certain dramatic talent in the re-telling of a Biblcial narrative, incorporating most of the actual words of Scripture. 

Why Should Christians Study the Old Testament?

The Characteristics Of A Godly Mother – Dr. Charles Stanley

WHERE TO FIND GOD DURING COVID-19: JOHN LENNOX

WHEN GOD SEEMS ABSENT: ED WELCH'S TAKE ON IT

FROM ED WELCH AT CCEF

https://www.ccef.org/experiencing-god-or-not/?fbclid=IwAR0FSeuYLlrAIezxxxlVw25di3st_5D-Gqx0s-XFnb5hrFbIqRQ1qbtDTr0

ANXIOUS ABOUT THE VIRUS? HERE'S AN OFFER...

TRANS-WORLD RADIO, also known as TWR, has indicated that, for anyone desiring prayer during this Covid-19 crisis, there is help at hand -- please see an excerpt from their message, below:

So truthfully, friend, how are you bearing up? Are you battling anxiety? Concerned about your own health or that of a family member? Worried about your business or job? Let us know and tell us how the TWR staff can pray for you during our daily devotions. We’d consider it a privilege and another great way to join hands with you as partners serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

Call 919-460-3700 or 800-456-7897 (7TWR) to talk with us or email your prayer requests to info@twr.org. When you call, just let the receptionist know you’d like to “share a prayer request.” The receptionist will see that you are connected with someone happy to take your request.

We promise to lift your needs before the Father as the TWR staff meets via video conferencing every morning for devotions.

A Thought from the Biblical Counseling Movement: The Ineffectual Work of Human Anger -- Van Rees

Anger seems efficacious, sometimes, in effecting SOME changes.  Are these always really the changes we want, or the changes that are desirable?   The following article by Betty Ann Van Rees explores this subject:

The Ineffectual Work of Human Anger

"THE LAMB:" originally written for children, but good for everyone: EASTER VIEWING!

This story is available at the link below:  probably it is especially good for those from the age of 10 onwards, but I think I would have enjoyed it at and even earlier age.  The story explains the significance of Easter, and, in fact, of much of the rest of the Bible!   Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEj4XKD0cNg&feature=youtu.be&mc_cid=3f007b2b29&mc_eid=7ffcb91be7

More, much more!

Good Seed, the Christian publisher, seems to be offering the PDF version of The Lamb for free in several languages.  It is a beautifully illustrated booklet and really informs the reader about the story of salvation in the Bible.  It is not difficult reading, and, in fact, was originally written with children in view.  Here are some links to various language versions of this booklet:

https://av.goodseed.com/free/lamb-lux-059008.pdf(Luxembourgish)

The Lamb is also offered in other languages:  Amharic, Simplified Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Faroese, French, and German.   Each of these is found at the page below, and you just need to look for the terms Download and PDF (usually in blue):

                         https://av.goodseed.com/free/lamb-lux-059008.pdf

The Lord Reigns - Mark Anderson - Family Bible Hour - March 29th

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross Introduction

Alistair Begg: Holy Devotion

MARRIAGE TALK: True Woman '16: A Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wolgemuth

Joan Bakewell Interviews Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones

Dr. MARTIN LLOYD-JONES: JUSTIFYING THE UNGODLY

Here we have a message about the most important topic:  justification.  By justification, we mean being made right with God.  The concept is a lofty, but difficult one, because most people realize that they are not completely right with God, and attempt, by good works, to make themselves more worthy of His favour.

The Bible, however, has a rather different message, and it is a good one.  Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches this classic sermon which explains the difference, and you will find it at the link below:

https://www.mljtrust.org/search/?q=justifying+the+ungodly

The particular message found at the link, above, is one of a series.  If you have enjoyed this message, then, do avail yourself of many others that would be found on this MLJ TRUST web page:

https://www.mljtrust.org/

If you are looking for more messages on the same topic, you might wish to look under the heading "Romans."

INTERESTING BOOKLETS TELLING THE WAY OF SALVATION

GoodSeed has published a number of helpful books and courses and booklets on the subject of personal salvation.  I was acquainted with "Stranger On the Road to Emmaus," before, as well as with another book called "The Lamb."   Both of these were very interesting, but a person needed to have enough time to read an entire book.

GoodSeed's booklets, on the other hand, require less time, but deal with similar themes.   Two that I looked into recently are "

The Story that Matters

free download at http://goodseed.com/the-story-that-matters.html

which takes less than an hour to read, and

What are Christmas & Easter All About?

free download at  http://goodseed.com/what-are-christmas-and-easter-all-about.html

which is fairly short, as well.  

I thought that these two booklets, which can be obtained from GoodSeed in English or Spanish, did a fine job of explaining the gospel.  The booklets can be ordered, but it would be a good idea to download a copy in order to get an idea of their contents.

HOW I LEARNED TO LIVE JOYFULLY: J I PACKER

There are some specific areas in which we would not agree with J. I. Packer, particularly with his signature to a particular document some years ago.  The following article, however, is interesting and, probably, helpful, in understanding personal aspects of Ecclesiastes:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/september/ji-packer-how-i-learned-to-live-joyfully.html?share=

Why Is The Gospel Coalition Complementarian?

Gimmicks in Todays Evangelical Preaching, by Dr. Phil R. Johnson

Beyond a Mere Sound-Byte: Does the Bible Permit a Woman to Preach? McArthur Elaborates from the Bible!

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL, by HEARTCRY

HERE IS A LINK TO THIS QUICK SUMMARY:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/heartcry_missionary_society_radford_va/gm_gospel_tract.pdf

Interview with: Jay Adams: Nouthetic (Biblical ) Counseling

Free, Downloadable Life Guides from Hope for the Heart: Many Topics

Do you need a concise, Biblical summary on a popular topic?   A ministry called Hope for the Heart has made many of these available on the website at this link: 

https://www.hopefortheheart.org/free/  

Each of these guides is available as a download.  Quoting from their page, here are a few of the most popular, and there are many more:

Some of the Most Downloaded:

• Forgiveness
• Grief Recovery
• Depression
• Codependency
• Verbal & Emotional Abuse
• Stress Management
• Anger
• Reconciliation
• Conflict Resolution
• Manipulation

• Self-Worth
• Fear
• Rejection
• Critical Spirit
• Decision Making
• Marriage
• Premarital Counseling
• Domestic Violence
• Guilt
• Adultery

ETERNAL SECURITY 6: WHAT WE HAVE TO LOSE

ETERNAL SECURITY 5: THOSE SOLEMN WARNINGS

ETERNAL SECURITY 4: YOU CAN BE SURE 2

ETERNAL SECURITY 3: YOU CAN BE SURE 1

ETERNAL SECURITY 2: DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

ETERNAL SECURITY 1: WHERE IT ALL BEGINS

Charles Stanley Surviving The Tough Times In Life

GOSPEL TRACTS AND BOOKLETS IN OVER 300 LANGUAGES -- FOR FREE

I read something rather astounding on the Internet, today.  World Missionary Press, in Indiana.  Here is a quote from their website:

World Missionary Press is an interdenominational literature ministry producing topical Scripture booklets in more than 345 languages, plus Bible study booklets, New Testaments, and salvation coloring books in a variety of languages.  During our 57 years of ministry, God has enabled us to produce more than 2,000,000,000 (2 billion) Scripture booklets.

As God provides financially, these tools that have proven useful for evangelism and discipleship are printed and provided free of charge for evangelists, pastors, and other Christian workers in 210 countries and islands of the world.

Perhaps you would like to take a tour through their headquarters, where 700 volunteers work:

https://www.wmpress.org/tour-plant/

What languages are available?  Here is a link to the list:

https://www.wmpress.org/read-booklet/languages-produced/

What does this mean to you?  It could mean many things.  If you need gospel literature and cannot afford to buy it, then you should check out the situation at World Missionary Press.  They most probably have tracts, booklets, and perhaps even New Testaments in your language.

What booklets do they have?  Here is a list:

https://www.wmpress.org/read-booklet/booklets-available/

Here is the link to the website homepage:

https://www.wmpress.org/

Teach Bible to a Four-Year-Old

Here is an interesting link to this discussion:

https://www.knowableword.com/2013/06/07/teach-bible-study-to-a-4-year-old/

Saga of Dr. HELEN ROSEVEARE: MEDICAL MISSIONARY TO AFRICA

https://youtu.be/ij6hwPfKLPM

FREE SEMINARY CLASSES from D.T.S.

SOME WELCOME NEWS!

A lot of colleges and schools are democratizing their offerings, these days:  after all, why should only the rich be able to access knowledge on whatever?

Dallas Theological Seminary is putting ten courses online, for free, given by actual profs of the past and/or present, some of whose names you might know (e.g. Dwight Pentecost). 

I don't know who, in particular, might be interested, in one or another of these -- maybe someone who is going to lead a study on a given book of the Bible?  Or, for personal profit, of course, which is the best way, probably.  Actually, a course could be used as a small-group study, if the people in the small group were interested in studying at length and depth on a book or topic.

Here is the link:

https://courses.dts.edu/

I hope some people enrol and enjoy these courses!

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum "The Spiritual Life and Spiritual Warfare"

POLISH GOSPEL WEBSITE: ZYCIETOWIECEJ.COM

ZYCIETOWIECEJ.COM

IMPORTANT FILM: The God Who Speaks

The link to this important film, which has various formats, is:

https://afastore.net/the-god-who-speaks

Needless Fears! - Charles Spurgeon Audio Sermons

The Power of the Cross - Stuart Townend [with lyrics]

How God Saved David Powlison from Destroying Himself

DA Carson What is the Gospel? Session 3

DA Carson - What is the Gospel? Session 2

DA Carson - What is the Gospel? Session1

A RESOURCE: "The God Who Is There" with D. A. Carson 14 episodes on DVD

Here is a valuable resource for introducing people to the Bible and to the gospel:  it is an introduction to the gospel hosted by Donald A. Carson, a well-known Biblical scholar.

There is a guidebook and, as well, a student's book:  each retails for around ten U.S. dollars.  The video series generally retails for around twenty-four U.S. dollars;  however, it can be seen for FREE at the link given below.  Just click on the links at the LEFT side of the page that pops up:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/course/the-god-who-is-there/#course-introduction

At this point in time, I have viewed only Part 13 of the course.  I was impressed by its thoroughness and by the very clear explanations that were given.

I think it might be a good choice for a Sunday School class from teenage upwards, or for a church outreach to those unfamiliar with the Bible or with the gospel.

In a YouTube chat at the link below, Dr. Carson discusses the gospel and the fact that people today often do not have a background that helps them understand the gospel.  You might find this interesting:

https://youtu.be/0RImYisUYxM

Tim Keller | You Must Be Born Again

A SERIOUS (and interesting!) GOSPEL MESSAGE: Francis Chan -- Speaker

Charles Spurgeon (acted by Doug Whitley): "CHRIST IS ALL"

Dr. Erwin Lutzer: "D.L. Moody, An Unlikely Servant"

C.S. Lewis Original Recording: How Can God Hear All Prayers At Once

Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath

What About "Girl, Wash Your Face?" A Thoughtful Book Review

Here is a popular book, and a review has been done, detailing its positive and negative sides, from the Christian perspective:

Here is a book review that tells the positive and negative aspects of the popular book: "Girl, Wash Your Face." It comes to us from the US version of Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/girl-wash-face/

What is the Best Way to Handle Stress? Quick Interview with Josh McDowell

What is the Best Way to Handle Stress? Quick Interview with Josh McDowell: What biblical principles apply to handling stress? Is stress unique to this younger generation? Sean interviews his father, Josh, with three quick questions.

The Seven Traits of False Teachers

From the Gospel Coalition come this article:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/7-traits-of-false-teachers/

Learn How To Pray with Power with Zack Eswine

The Perilous Practice Of Platform Building

The Perilous Practice Of Platform Building

IS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SINFUL?

Here is an article by Jon Dykstra, a Canadian, of Reformed perspective, on the subject of recently (in Canada)  marijuana legalization, and what this might now mean in terms of Christian practice:

https://reformedperspective.ca/marijuana-is-it-sinful/

A PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: "Is Your Church a Preaching Centre or a Discipleship Community?"

Here is another thoughtful article from the Rick Thomas site.  You may not agree with every premise on this website, but it is almost certain that you will agree with some:

Here is the link:

https://rickthomas.net/why-do-you-attend-your-church/

The KSOC: A Musical Outreach for Jesus in the Ukraine

Here is a very interesting site:  this group, the Kiev Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, from Kyiv (also known as Kiev) was new to me until I saw it perform tonight, courtesy of the Internet, in Texas -- they are presently on a tour, but usually work in the Ukraine, which is home to the performers.  Amazing musicians, they reach out with the gospel of Jesus Christ to fellow countrymen and countrywomen, in particular, to pensioners and to widows and the children of widows.  Here is a link where you may enjoy some of their music:

https://www.musicmissionkiev.org/listen-1/

Sam Allberry and Others: Same-Sex Attraction and Identity

Here are some resources on the subject:

https://www.str.org/blog/sam-allberrys-advice-conversations-about-sexual-identity#.W6gMRM5KjIV

http://www.livingout.org/resources

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christianity-offers-transgender-persons/

https://www.frc.org/university/how-sexual-orientation-became-the-idol-of-our-day-and-what-christians-need-to-do-about-it

https://rosariabutterfield.com/sexual-sinners-jesus/

MANY VISUALS ILLUSTRATING THE BIBLE, in ENGLISH, SPANISH, CHINESE and INDONESIAN

Just today, I made an unexpected find -- I have never used these diagrams, but they come highly recommended from a pastor who wrote an article on The Gospel Coalition website.   He had found them useful and pretty accurate.  The Chinese diagrams are usually in both Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.  The website is:

https://visualunit.me/

5 Reasons to Believe in the Historicity of Jesus’ Resurrection | Josh Daffern

5 Reasons to Believe in the Historicity of Jesus’ Resurrection | Josh Daffern

How to Keep Your Sanity in the Ministry | Scott Slayton

How to Keep Your Sanity in the Ministry | Scott Slayton

Conflict, Political Racial, Ethnic, Philosophical, and the Christian Believer -- a View from Retiring Congressman, Trey Gowdy

The well-known congressman, Trey Gowdy, about to retire to the private sector, who has by trade been a criminal prosecutor, delivered a speech at a church in Texas, where he gave opinions as to what could be the basis for unity amid conflict -- it is worth the listen:

https://youtu.be/iPgmCANKbKk

JONI EARECKSON TADA Give Advice to Her Younger Self

Do you remember Joni Eareckson, now Joni Eareckson Tada, who became a quadriplegic in her teens, felt very bitter about it at the time, but later, saw God's hand in it, and has become one of the greatest advocates for the handicapped?

Joni believes that, if she were to give some advice to the young woman she was at age thirty, it would be the following:
http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2018/08/20/beware-of-running-too-hard-letter-to-my-30-year-old-self/

Enjoy!

CHINESE LANGUAGE RESOURCE: Ariel MInistries Books

Since I cannot read Chinese, I cannot tell you a great deal about the Ariel Ministries resources in Chinese languages (not even sure if they are available in Mandarin or in Cantonese).  I do know that Dr. Fruchtenbaum's "Footsteps of the Messiah" is one of the titles available.  Since, if you are reading this, you probably read Chinese, I shall simply put the link below, and you can decide:

Resources in Chinese from Ariel Ministries

ARIEL INDIA NOW TO BE A FULL OFFICE:

For those of you who are not familiar with Ariel Ministries,  perhaps I should start by clarifying, using words from the Ariel Ministries website: Bible teaching from a Messianic Jewish perspective.  Some of the background to this ministry is quoted from their website, again, below:

Arnold Fruchtenbaum graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1971 and received his Ph.D. from New York University in 1989. After graduating from Dallas, he moved to Israel with his wife, Mary Ann, and established a Bible institute, a school which became so effective in discipleship that after two years certain religious leaders forced Arnold and Mary Ann to return to the United States.

When they returned, they saw a most wonderful thing: The Holy Spirit was doing a tremendous work among Jewish young people, with an explosion of new believers rivaling that recorded in the Book of Acts. But along with the joy of seeing hundreds saved came the agony of watching new Jewish believers falter and ebb in their enthusiasm because of poor discipleship by their older brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The concept of a new and powerful ministry simmered within Arnold's heart during the following years, as he worked first with the American Board of Missions to the Jews (now Chosen People Ministries) and, then, The Christian Jew Foundation. Finally, he could resist the call no longer, and Ariel Ministries turned from a dream into reality.

Today, Ariel Ministries has plunged directly into the mainstream of Jewish missions by combining the two key areas of evangelism and discipleship, with a heavy emphasis on Bible theology and doctrine. We seek to develop a balanced program of reaching out to others, as we grow in maturity ourselves. And, today, there are thousands upon thousands of Jewish Christians eager to live well-balanced lives — sharing their faith, praying, diligently studying the Word and pursuing fellowship with other believers.

We praise God for other Jewish missions as we work together to pursue the common goal of reaching the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Our Lord will use all who are willing to listen and obey during these last days before Messiah Jesus returns: Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they will come trembling to the Lord and His goodness in the last days (Hosea 3:5).

And, so, in these “last days,” the necessity and future for Jewish missions has never been greater. Yet we cannot accomplish this work ourselves. We need our brothers and sisters in the Lord — Jew and Gentile alike — to join with and uphold us in this endeavor. We pray that the Spirit of God will move you to unite with us in our vision.

Many of us are not Jewish -- so why would we post an Ariel notice on a general website?  Well, to get an in-depth insight into the world of the Bible, the Jewish perspective is really helpful in many ways.  The Old Testament, of course, was written in Hebrew, so there are linguistic insights that a Jewish perspective might offer.  The New Testament, though not originally written in Hebrew, mentions many events in the Gospels, and these events are not immediately understandable to the Gentile reader.  There are many allusions to Hebraic practices from the Old Testament in the epistles, as well, that become much more clear when viewed through the lens of a Hebraic scholar.   In addition to these reasons, having a good, sound teacher of the Bible is a major plus when studying Ariel materials:  Dr. Fruchtenbaum, along with his Jewish background, also has a BA in Hebrew and Greek, a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from New York State University.  Dr. Fruchtenbaum is able to show from history where some of the church schisms that have occurred throughout the centuries might have been avoided had there been a Jewish, as well as a Gentile perspective on the Bible.

NOW, BACK TO INDIA:  You will find a great deal of information about Ariel India at the following link:

ARIEL INDIA

If you wish immediate contact information for this ministry, it is given below:

Ariel Ministries India
Bakul N. Christian
D-20, Anand Colony,
Near Baroda Express Highway,
CTM Cross Road,
Ahmedabad - 380026
GUJARAT - INDIA

Email: bakulchristian@ariel.org
Landline: 0091-79-25853245
Cell phone: 0091-9978128038
Skype name: bakulkumar.christian

How Offering Different Worship Styles Contributes to Church Decline

I find the following article interesting, in that, while you may not agree with every item of its content, you may find perhaps TWO of its main ideas to be very important.  One is the proposal that the worship is not so much about us, but about the Lord Jesus Christ.  This notion goes against the grain of modern me-ism.
The other idea is that the centre of church worship is not the pulpit, but the Table -- that is, the Table of Remembrance: some would say of Communion, or of the Lord's Supper.

The author suggests, further, that a strong liturgy, rather than an entertaining program is important to our thinking in worship -- since I do not come from a church group that utilizes liturgy, I tried to make an authentic translation to my situation.  Liturgy, in many church groups, is usually prayers or sayings rooted in the biblical truth that are not Bible quotations, per se, but literary compositions of Christians of the past.  People repeat these during a communion service. 

Many Christian groups, including the one where I fellowship, do not do utilize a liturgy.  However,  the practice of singing certain very solidly grounded, rather traditional hymns specifically chosen for their theological meaning, especially that which is about the suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, would be the nearest correspondence in our experience, to liturgy, since written words of believers of the past are utilized, although, in the case of the non-liturgical Christian groups, they are sung, rather than recited.  If I apply the author's comments about liturgy to this practice of singing very theologically-correct hymns of the past at the Remembrance (Communion), then I get what he means, pretty much.

I will go on no longer, since you might wish to read his article, which I think is a good one, even though he appears to be quite irritated, at times, breaking into the use of an expletive at one point.  I do think that his main points do resonate, though, so I thought I should include the article here:

How Offering Different Worship Styles Contributes to Church Decline

French Language Messianic Book about Prophecy (Fruchtenbaum): Sur Les Traces du Messie

Are you looking for a book on prophecy in the French language?  Sur Les Traces du Messie, pictured on the left may be that book.  Available from Ariel Ministries in both the United States and Canada, and possibly elsewhere, and, of course, on Amazon, in hard cover book format, or in PDF, it is a rather encyclopedic work taking the literal/historical perspective, and is authored by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, well-known as one exceedingly acquainted with its theme.

If you are interested in this book, it is possible that you would like to read its description in the French language, below, where the quote is taken from the Ariel USA site (www.ariel.org):

En utilisant le Livre de l'Apocalypse comme une feuille de route de la fin des temps, le Dr Fruchtenbaum tisse les écrits prophétiques des Écritures hébraïques et les enseignements du Messie pour révéler le plan de Dieu pour l'avenir d'Israël et du monde. Dr Fruchtenbaum rassemble les nombreuses pièces du puzzle prophétique et les place dans l'ordre séquentiel avec le résultat résumé par le Dr Charles Ryrie dans son avant-propos: «Ceux qui lisent ce livre ne peut s'empêcher d'être instruit et stimulé par son travail.

Pas à pas est détaillé, approfondie et savante, mais écrit dans un style que le lecteur moyen peut facilement comprendre. Avec une richesse de sagesse tirée de son passé juif et de la recherche approfondie, l'auteur aborde même les «passages de problème» pour fournir un aperçu complet de la gamme entière de vérité prophétique. »Dans une présentation complètement biblique, équilibrée et claire, Arnold Fruchtenbaum Expose clairement le plan de Dieu pour l'avenir tout en évitant les erreurs sensationnelles des autres écrivains prophétiques. Je me suis appuyé sur ce livre comme une ressource depuis des années. »- Michael Rydelnik, professeur de programme d'études juives, Moody Bible Institute

Vingt ans d'enseignement de l'Eschatologie depuis l'écriture originale de ce livre a donné au Dr Fruchtenbaum des réflexions supplémentaires sur certains passages. Cette édition mise à jour comprend cinq nouvelles annexes au livre.>

Care Givers and Orphans: Audio Dramatizations to Help!

Trans World Radio Logo (above)

All of us are, undoubtedly, aware that one of the mandates of the Bible is the care of orphans and of widows.  James describes it as an evidence of "pure religion and undefiled."  That is pretty strong language.

Trans World Radio (TWR), among many other activities, is ministering to caregivers and orphans with these two audio dramatizations, in English, in an African situation (AIDS epidemic decimated homes). 

The caregiver one is called "Holding Esther" and info can be found at Holding Esther

The second is called "Jabota Bridge" and can be found at Jabota Bridge

Although there will be an African situation, specifically, it could be that the scripts may at some point be available.  Maybe you have some local thespians who could produce, adapt and so on.  I think the second, Jabota Bridge, will not be aired until 2019.

However, these are very listenable, as is, and may be downloaded.

"What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?"

A very interesting video was passed on to me from the Canadian Biblical Counseling group.  It is the recording of a guest speaker at one of their conferences, whose name is Brag Bigney, from Grace Bible Church in Bozeman, Montana.  Here is the link, so, enjoy!

What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?

"You in Your Small Corner - And I, In Mine" -- Gospel in the Performing Arts

In an earlier post, which dealt with a Bible translation, I mentioned that one of the narrators of audio-Bibles on Bible Gateway was Max McLean, a former Shakespearian actor.

I embedded one of his stage recitations in a post which you will find immediately below this one, for your enjoyment.  If you wish to watch more, you can probably find more on YouTube.   I posted this excerpt for two reasons:  one, to show a little of what Christians in the performing arts are doing in relation to making the Gospel and the Bible known; two, so that some of you, perhaps, might prevail upon your local theatre to invite such a performer to your town.  There are probably numerous persons who would not be likely to hear the Word of God at an evangelistic event, but who might listen, perhaps for the first time, at a theatrical event.

I should probably mention a third possibility.  Perhaps we have ignored the dynamic of simple recitations of the Scriptures in recent years.  I know that when I have heard kids, for example, recite chapters of the Bible well, it has been an inspiring experience.  I think it can be an interesting part of a church program, whether in the Sunday School or elsewhere.

Many of us will never spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the performing arts.  It is interesting to note, however, that at least one organization, founded by Max McLean, is attempting to do that.   For your interest, I have put a link here which gives a little idea of the scope of their present work, which includes a stage performance about the conversion of C. S. Lewis, Luther on Trial, and other matters, and, of course, as we already know, The Gospel of Mark.

Here is that link:   Fellowhsip for the Performing Arts

Do people really buy tickets for theatre performances that are the Bible, or Bible-related?  It would seem so, judging by the information at the following link: 

Theatre Schedules

Gospel of Mark Chapter 1: Performance -- Max McLean

AUDIO BIBLE with special impact (English Language): Accessible but Accurate

I don't know about you, but I've explored, in the past couple of years, audio-Bible choices.  It all happened when I had a situation that required me to lie down for twenty minutes and to apply warm compresses to my eyes: ophthalmologist's order.   This was an intensely boring exercise, until at one point I thought that maybe I could listen to my Bible reading at that time, rather than reading it.

So, off to Bible Gateway audio!

I explored various readers.  At that moment, I was not thinking particularly about versions of the Bible.  Perhaps, I might have been listening to the NIV.

There was Max McLean, the former Shakespearean actor, and, while, to a former colonial, his accent sounded rather old-country, still, in the Psalms, he had the ability to convey subtle and thoughtful emotions. By the way, he is one of the few persons who has managed to take his recitations of whole books of the Bible to the secular theater in the United States, an admirable feat, I think.

One of the preachers I know, Peter Bolton, recommended, one day, George W. Sarriss, and I listened over a long period to his readings, since he did not sound ministerial, which might have been offputting, but, he did sound in synch with the text, and that was good

And there were others, as well.   I heard some of the prophets rendered in dramatic form, which could be a helpful rendering, particularly for kids or for a first read.

Lately, I have been scrolling through various versions.  When not on audio, you normally think of the dynamic, highly readable versions such as the NIV and NLT and the CEV, or, conversely, of the highly word-for-word translations such as the KJV and the NASB that try to adhere to the original Greek words, but may lose a little linguistic grace in the process, given that the languages are different. The choice of approach, however, has been either/or.

One day, I listened, simply by chance, it would seem, to the Holman Christian Standard Bible, kind of thinking, "What is this?"  After a while, I was surprised by both the grace and the impact of this reading.  I also enjoyed the reader, who was the late Dale McConachie.  I really enjoyed this audio, and soon looked up information about it.I find that this version has been revised, a bit, to become the CSB, but information on the original HCSB is still available at Holman Christian Standard Bible

It seems that a group of scholars from 17 denominations thought that there could be something they call an "optimal" translation, that, where the Greek translated word-for-word had a perfectly obvious meaning to the English reader, they would utilize that word-for-word approach, whereas, when the Greek translated word-for-word to the English was not clear, they would, in that case, translate it in a dynamic way, so that its readability would be good.  These scholars felt that, in this way, they would be able to give us, the readers, or, in the audio case, the listeners, the advantage of both approaches.

Now, I knew none of this theory when I started listening to the Holman Standard Christian Bible, but I really found that the text was not only more understandable but, as well, more impactful.  As one brought up on the King James Version, I was accustomed to hearing some rather bluntly impactful words in the Bible, and, sometimes, in the dynamic versions, I felt that that impact had been lost and that the text seemed, somehow, rather bland. 

(It was as if someone had taken a blender to my dinner, and had rendered it much easier to eat.  All of the vitamins and minerals and such were still in the dinner, and all of the flavours were, likewise, present, but something, the texture, had been lost).  Conversely, with the Holman, it was as if that texture had been restored, but not at the cost of readability or listenability.

Anyway, that is just an observation that came to me recently.  I know that one group, at least, of scholars, are now staying that there does need to be some modulation of over translation that may occur when everything is done with the dynamic aim in view.   There is presently a book out about it: 
As for the Holman Christian Standard Bible, someone else, with more experience, has recently written an article explaining why he now reads chiefly from that version.  I find it an interesting article, to be found at Why I Use....     There is a great chart on his page, which shows the various translations and paraphrases, as well, on a scale of readability and of formal equivalence.

Am I/Are You REALLY O. K.?

 When I used to read popular-level psychology books in the 1970's, as a kind of recreational activity after work -- one of the then-current titles was "I'm O.K. - You're O.K." by a Thomas Anthony Harris.On a blog, this morning, quite a different author, Rick Thomas, a Biblical counselor, made a parallel, yet contrasting statement:  "I'm Imperfect You're Imperfect - Let's Get Over It."
Whether you agree or disagree on the details, I thought that there was a lot of food for thought in the article -- what do you think?

https://rickthomas.net/im-imperfect-youre-imperfect-lets-get-over-ourselves/