Life In the Word

Life In the Word: Life Essentials Study Bible

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Gene Getz, who compiled the Life Essentials Study Bible. Dr. Getz has been involved in nearly every aspect of ministry including pastoring churches, planting churches, teaching at seminaries, speaking “on the air” with radio programs that are still being heard today, and encouraging and equipping young people who feel God’s call on their lives to minister in a way that is pleasing to Christ.

Today, I want to introduce you to this bible that is very relevant in this technological “age”. Ten years ago, Broadman and Holman released a brand new translation called The Holman Christian Standard Bible. According to Dr. Getz, “it has the friendliness of the New International Version and the literal aspect of the King James Version.” Over 1,000 scholars were involved in this project and on completion; the publisher asked Dr. Getz if he would create a Biblical Principle aspect to this new translation. Dr. Getz took the challenge and the 2 year project that Dr. Getz obliged to, turned into a 7 year project. He went from Genesis to Revelation pulling Biblical principles from the scripture and highlighting them. There are 1,500 Biblical Principles imbedded into this project. This aspect alone makes it different from other Bibles. He lays the Biblical Principle as close as possible to the Biblical text and highlights the Biblical text so that the reader can easily associate the principle with the scripture passage.

Another reason that the Bible is so relevant to us today is because of its technological aspect. There is a QR code on the front of the Bible as well as throughout the entire scriptures. The QR code on the front of the Bible explains the process of how Dr. Getz created this new study Bible. As Dr. Getz continued this project, he taught these principles to an audience and recorded the sessions in HD quality video. As a result, there is a QR code throughout the scriptures for every principle where you can take your smart phone and scan the code with a “free app” and study the scriptures with Dr. Getz using your smart phone and this Bible. You may be wondering how someone who doesn’t have a smart phone can access the teachings on these principles by going to http://www.mystudybible.com which will direct you to the videos.

The technology that is incorporated with this multimedia Study Bible, people around the world has access to studying the Word of God with a smart phone. Dr. Getz shared with me of his travels to Hong Kong and India and how pastors are using their Iphones and Android phones to access his teachings. Small groups have embraced this Bible as well. Dr. Getz told me about a high school student who gets his buddies together to study the scripture and they pull up the teaching through their television and automatically have a facilitator while discussing Biblical principles.

he Life Essentials Study Bible is the first of its kind but I believe that because of its Biblical principles, strong foundation, and the technology to access sound Biblical teachings, this idea will be widely adapted in the years to come.