Category: Bible Outreach

Where did Immerse come from? Turns out, it’s the result of over a decade of research and experimentation by the Institute for Bible Reading (IFBR), the creators of Immerse.

We caught up with Glenn Paauw, Senior Director of Content for Institute for Bible Reading, to dig deeper into the history, research, and mission behind Immerse.

Tell us about the Institute for Bible Reading and its mission:

The Institute for Bible Reading (IFBR) is a nonprofit ministry working to change the way the world reads the Bible. Coming out of a long history in Bible publishing, our founding team members have both the experience and passion to focus on the vital mission of making sure people not only have Bibles but also read and understand them.

We believe that the ongoing research into the place of the Bible among God’s people reveals a glaring problem. The lack of attention to the Bible, of sustained reading, of knowledge and understanding is an epidemic. Some voices are even promoting a “Bibleless Christianity”—growing out of their own inability to understand how the Bible really works and informs our faith. It is crazy that the church has been given this essential gift from God, yet it is not intimately familiar with it. Christian communities often take the Bible for granted. “Of course we’re biblical,” we say. But are we? Do we actually read the Bible? Do we understand how it works? Do we have a good pathway for living out its ancient story in our own world?

These are the questions that animate the work of IFBR. Our goal is to do new, ground-breaking research into what is actually happening with the Bible in our churches. We listen and learn from the finest biblical scholars about the meaning and context of the Bible. We interact with pastors and church leaders to hear their concerns and needs. Then we work hard to translate all this learning into real help and real resources for the life of the church. We provide education and resources like Immerse that are well-informed by the best insights of scholarship yet straight-forward and accessible to everyone.

We’re an activist think tank, therefore everything we do is deeply oriented toward giving people real-world help for reading, understanding, and living the Bible well.

Why did your team feel the need to create Immerse?

The Bible is the bestselling book in this country every single year. But as pollster George Gallup used to say, the Bible is the bestselling, least-read book in America. As we became increasingly aware of the research showing that people owned Bibles but did not know the Bible’s content or live out its message, we shifted the target of our own work to Bible engagement.

Too often we end up using the Bible in minimalistic ways and are guided by our own agenda. But God had his own purposes for giving us the Bible. We have this magnificent collection of books in order to invite us into his story of redemption and restoration. The only way to know this story well, and to live it in our own day, is to regularly read it—at length and in depth.

It’s clear that even highly-motivated people are struggling to read and live the Bible well. They pick up the Bible and it’s flat-out hard to read. It’s confusing. It can be kind of dry at times. So eventually, most of them give up. We knew that just telling people to do better and try harder was not going to cut it. They need new “tools” (i.e., a differently formatted Bible made for reading) and new practices that give them a fresh experience.

But we were also motivated by the positive vision that lies in front of the church: What if people loved reading the Bible? What if more and more people knew the Bible deep down in their bones? What if the majority of Christians were not only Bible literate but actually fluent in the Bible’s story? What would be the new story of the impact of the church in the world?

So we created Immerse as a new resource and a fresh experience for the church with the Bible. We knew that it would take a different kind of Bible presentation and a new kind of communal engagement for churches to have breakthrough encounters with the Bible. So we set out to provide something no one else is providing: a simple yet significant program to help people rediscover the riches of God’s word.

Your website says that Immerse: The Reading Bible was designed with one goal in mind: to provide the best reading experience possible. Can you talk about why the 6 volumes are designed the way they are?

We looked closely at the history of the Bible—the whole long journey from ancient oral tradition to contemporary electronic access. It’s clear the Bible is a cultural artifact that has changed in form over time. People have chosen to design and present the Bible in very different ways in different historical eras. As the medium has changed, so has the way people answer the two crucial questions: What is the Bible? and What are we supposed to do with it?

One of the critical periods for the development of the form of the Bible was the birth of the modern era. Within about 100 years of the printing press being developed, Bible translation took off, and a new chapter-and-verse format came to the forefront. As more people began to get their own copy of the Bible for the first time, what they encountered was a two-column, reference book presentation in which every verse was presented as a new, stand-alone paragraph. Add in new study notes and section headings, and the modern Bible format was born.

This led to a whole new set of Bible practices, adapted to the new form. This wasn’t a reader-friendly Bible, so it became harder and less likely that long-form reading would happen. Think about it: What other book have you ever read that is formatted like the Bible?

In place of long-form reading came the practice of proof-texting and focusing on single verses, often taken out of context. As Philip Yancey has said, we’ve now created an entire culture of Bible McNuggets.

So in order to help the church get back to big, contextual reading, we reverse engineered the Bible to an earlier, more holistic format.

First, by collecting the books into six manageable volumes instead of one massive book, the intimidation factor is reduced.

Next, we placed the books in an order that makes more sense for good reading. For example, rather than using the size of books as an organizing principle (like in the prophets and Paul’s letters), we’ve put the books in those sections back into a better historical order. This allows readers to follow events in a chronological way and make more sense of things. We’ve also reunited books that were split into smaller books: Samuel–Kings, Chronicles–Ezra–Nehemiah, and Luke–Acts. In the New Testament, we’ve gathered books around each Gospel that naturally fit with that telling of Jesus’ story—for instance, Peter’s letters are now with Mark’s Gospel, and so forth with the other Gospels.

Then, in a crucial move to enhance better reading, we’ve removed all the modern additives. So there are no chapter and verse intrusions, no footnotes, no section headings or cross-references—all features that tend to distract readers and work against big, immersive reading of whole books. This allows us to present each book with its natural literary sections intact. So the five natural sections of Matthew’s new Torah can be clearly seen, letters look like letters, songs like songs, proverbs like proverbs, etc.—all across the literature of the Bible. This restores the Bible to the kinds of literary forms that authors chose and God inspired and helps us to have a more authentic interpretation.

Finally, we’ve designed each page for easy and smooth reading. The single-column text, comfortable type size, and generous margins and line spacing—all surrounding the clear, straight-forward New Living Translation text—make for a significantly rich Bible reading experience.

What is your vision for normalizing Bible “book clubs,” and how are these different from Bible studies?

The original experiences of God’s people with the Bible were all communal experiences. Before the books were written down, ancient stories were being recounted and passed on to new generations; prophets were delivering their oracles openly and publicly at city gates and Temple entrances; and regular, ongoing Bible readings and discussions were organized in local synagogues. Traditions about Jesus were being told and retold in villages and early Christian gatherings. All of this was done in community.

Then, even when the Scriptures were first written, the copies were few in number and always read aloud in groups. Think of the apostles’ first letters to churches as an example. These would have been written down, transported, and then read to gathered followers of Jesus, most of whom were not literate. People overwhelmingly heard the Bible read, and they listened together.

It was only much later in church history that technological advances gave individuals the chance to have their own copy to read alone. Personal use of the Bible began to replace the previous communal experiences.

Personal reading of the Bible is, of course, a great thing, and none of us should stop that. But something different and very important happens when we read the Bible in community. It’s crucial to remember that the Bible’s own goal is the formation of a distinctive Christian community of people. It is addressed to communities and meant to be lived out as communities.

When we read and discuss the Bible together, we get beyond our own biases and filters. We get to hear how the sacred text impacts others. We see more and learn more. Our own personal understanding is enhanced. It is also important for us to practice the virtues (the fruit of the Spirit) required for true community. Patient listening, striving to understand the point of view of my neighbor, and shared learning are all critical parts of being a genuine Christ-following community.

Traditional Bible studies tend to focus on dissecting smaller parts of the Bible text. While there is certainly value in doing that, what’s been missing from the church’s experience with the Bible is taking in the messages of whole books and having bigger, more open-ended discussions about them.

A book club approach to our gatherings around the Bible is a fresh way for Christian communities to read, learn, and even struggle with the Bible together. And if we were to embrace this as a regular, ongoing pattern of the Christian life, we could begin to see more serious discipleship in understanding and following the way of Jesus. Not just in our personal lives, but our community presence is meant to be a witness to the coming of God’s gracious rule into the world.

The first vision of God’s people for engaging the Bible was a pattern of lectio continua—the continual (weekly or even daily) immersion of the community into whole books of the Bible. Ongoing penetration into the depths of God’s word allowed gatherings of believers to understand all that God had said before and to effectively live into the story in their own day. A re-envisioning of church life today—around deep engagement in the word of God—could strengthen our struggling churches and empower a new sense of identity and calling.

How do you think Immerse and the other work of the Institute for Bible Reading can help the church?

Once upon a time, God’s people were known as the People of the Book. Israel developed the only religion in the ancient world that was so deeply oriented toward a set of sacred texts. Then the earliest followers of Jesus, who were all Jewish and were shaped by this orientation, continued this profound commitment to reading, knowing, and living by the Scriptures.

The early church did whatever it took to make sure every new congregation of believers in the growing movement had access to the Scriptures and were regularly engaged with them. This happened in a world where 90% of the population was illiterate. The practice of reading through the Bible in regular cycles was brought from Judaism right into Christianity. At one point, being a lector, or Bible reader, was an official church office. It was considered essential in early Christianity that all of God’s people were consistently and significantly occupied with God’s word.

We have fallen from this. The work of the Institute for Bible Reading is geared toward helping the church regain this status and rediscover God’s story found in the Bible. We believe that a renewed commitment from church leaders, together with great new resources that surprise people with the Bible, are the things that can feed genuine renewal in the church. The Scriptures are infused with the power of God to bring real transformation into individual lives and into the life of the world. We believed and practiced it once, and we can do so again.

Learn more about Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience

Learn more about the Institute for Bible Reading

As the son of a marine, Joshua grew up moving from military base to military base. Rarely having time to catch his breath, let alone put down roots, he moved from one location to the next feeling alone and unable to connect, especially when it came to church. From talking to the base chaplain to going to local churches, he kept getting discouraged and gave up on church for several years. Until he found Cherry Point Baptist Church, a loving community that encouraged him to find out why he believed what he believed.

“After I was saved, I wanted to learn all that I could about the Bible. When I heard about the New Living Translation (NLT) my curiosity was piqued. Reading the NLT has brought a sense of vividness and clarity. I have read lots of translations, but keep coming back to the NLT,” said Joshua.

Joshua’s enthusiasm for God’s Word continues to grow and he can’t keep it to himself. He leads a multigenerational Bible study at his church and has become an active member in a local community feeding program.

“We live in a world filled with competing ideas. Not only reading but understanding the Bible helps people find their way. If they aren’t in the Bible, they are putting themselves at risk. I know, because it happened to me,” said Joshua.

From past experiences Joshua learned the importance of discernment and finding truth in God’s Word, not in the world around you. In his Bible study he helps others understand that too. It’s not only about reading the Word, it’s about studying it and applying it to our lives.

“Readability helps a person to understand what God is telling them. If a translation is hard to read and understand, I’ve seen people struggle when asked to read aloud or feel frustrated that they don’t understand. I’ve had that experience in my own study, finding myself mentally rephrasing or using a dictionary to try to understand some of the words. I wonder how many people have given up reading the Bible when faced with these issues?” said Joshua.

Making sure that doesn’t happen has become paramount to Joshua. The NLT is used every week in the Bible study Joshua leads to make concepts clear and help people feel confident while reading God’s Word. He has also found that the NLT is a great way to engage with people who attend a local feeding ministry.

Called Loaves and Fishes, this ministry invites community members to a free meal. Volunteers bring hot meals and desserts and they talk to people around the tables. The evening includes a short devotional, Scripture reading, and a time of prayer.

“I started attending as a visitor, and now I’m a volunteer. I give the devotional, but I also hand out plates, set up the tables, and help wherever I can. Just being a listening ear or extra pair of hands to someone who needs it is a powerful ministry,” said Joshua.

“Reading the NLT gives me a sense of peace. I feel I can turn off the distractions of the world around me and just pray, read, and ask God for wisdom,” said Joshua.

Explore New Living Translation Bibles

With a uniform comes a sense of responsibility. No matter the country of origin, when a man or woman puts on a military uniform, they are representing their nation. They have become a protector of ideals and a defender of the people. But at times this weight of responsibility can seem overwhelming or a person may not feel they are not up to the task.

The Operation Worship Bible was created to point people to God’s hope. No matter our circumstances, internal or external, we have a God who cares. The first thing someone sees when they open one of these Bibles is Jeremiah 29:11:

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”

It is only in trusting in that hope that any of us can move forward into the future, no matter what it holds.

Read the words of Lt. Colonel Steven R. Young, retired chaplain in the U.S. Army, has he shares this hope in the forward of the Bible.

To all you—our men and women in uniform—and to your families,

It is our prayer that the contents of this book will feed your soul, enrich your heart, and broaden your understanding of relationships with your fellow man and with your Father in heaven, who loves you beyond compare.

The Bible is a book about hope, forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. It has rightly been declared the greatest book ever written, for it openly reveals the loving heart of the Everlasting God. It is his love that compels us to serve well, to live with honor, and to defend the causes of right and freedom throughout the world, protecting the vulnerable and promoting equality. The world’s greatest minds have studied its sacred contents, and the world’s premier orators have proclaimed its truth principles. We are honored to provide this Bible for your enrichment and edification.

Perhaps you’re now serving in a foreign country, far from home, where hostility and uncertainty are the norm. Or perhaps you’re serving safely at an installation elsewhere. To all, we want you to know that America supports your efforts and deeply appreciates your tremendous dedication to duty. Your distinguished service demonstrates with remarkable clarity the values you believe in and the determination of character you bring to your profession. Because of your faithful service, not only are hostile tensions diminished, but the helpless, the hopeless, and the oppressed have hope for a better tomorrow.

Jesus Christ entered a hostile environment more than 2,000 years ago. He came on a rescue mission. John 3:16 says, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus saw a troubled world in desperate need of help—so he came. He lived a sinless life and he died a sacrificial death, all for you and me.

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross has provided every person with the opportunity to gain eternal life with God. Though the appointed time for Christ’s first coming occurred a long time ago, the results of his life and death are still in full effect today.

If you’re in close communion with Christ, keep it up. There is no greater joy in life. If you feel distant from God, please be encouraged. Your Savior has never left you. He remains as near as ever. Call on Christ Jesus often, anytime—anywhere. Call on him in your time of need. That’s when he loves to hear from you most. Whisper his name—he will joyfully and quickly respond. Request his grace—he will be merciful beyond measure. Believe in him—and all the promises contained in this Bible will become your inheritance instantly.

To those who wear the uniform, thank you for your service to our great nation. As you continue to carry out the mission before you, we pledge our loving support to you and your families. To family members and friends, you are the reason for our constant duty. With all of our strength and will, we are devoted to protecting your freedom and safety.

Learn more and how you can be a part of Operation Worship

Devotional from the Beyond Suffering Bible

“One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, ‘My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”What can I do to help you?’ Elisha asked. ‘Tell me, what do you have in the house?”Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,’ she replied. And Elisha said, ‘Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.’ So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! ‘Bring me another jar,’ she said to one of her sons. ‘There aren’t any more!’ he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, ‘Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.’” 2 Kings 4:1-7, NLT

In life, we manage changing circumstances, losses, pressures, and ambitions that make us vulnerable. Our bodies are susceptible to disease, abuse, and accidents. Our minds regularly cope with a wide range of emotions such as confusion, fear, anger, and trust. All of these can increase our sense of vulnerability in ways that can affect the rest of our lives.

A father of a young daughter with Down syndrome fears that she will grow up in a harsh and violent world. While he can’t be with her every minute, he longs to protect her so she can become the sociable, funny, loving woman of faith that God created her to be.

In the story recounted in 2 Kings 4:1‑7, a husband’s death brought economic hardship, poverty, and suffering to his wife. She became vulnerable to creditors, and if she failed to pay, her two sons would be taken as slaves (4:1). There was no governmental assistance, insurance policy, or benefit system to save them.

She sought out the prophet Elijah, who offered help. He began by asking what she had in the house. He concentrated on what she had, not on what she lacked. She had nothing except a flask of olive oil (4:2). Next, he involved the close community around her by instructing her to borrow as many jars as possible from her neighbors (4:3). She filled the jars to the brim until there were no more jars left, and the oil stopped flowing (4:5‑6). Then Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay off the debts, and live on what was left over.

What God did for this widow happens often in the lives of his followers. When we’re stressed and filled with anxiety, God’s Word offers practical guidance. His miracles frequently make use of the resources we have right in front of us. Be careful not to miss the miraculous in the middle of the ordinary!

I can’t think of a neighbor without picturing the kindest man in a zip-up sweater singing “Won’t you, please. Please, won’t you be my neighbor?” Fred Rogers understood being a neighbor and turned the world into his neighborhood, because he knew the author of community. God is all about relationships. The Bible is filled with stories of relationships and helps guide in us in how to respond to our neighbors.

Let’s read from the HelpFinder Bible to learn more about being a good neighbor.

Most of us think of our neighbors as the people who live next door or across the street. Jesus’ teachings expand our neighborhood to involve anyone around us who needs his love. This means not only the people who live near us but also the people next to us on a plane, our coworkers, or the people in our town who are homeless. It is also important to expand our neighborhood to people around the world who need the love of Christ.

When we begin to view people we see or meet or even hear about as our neighbors, we can begin to establish the kind of relationships that allow us to share the love of Christ by offering a helping hand. How will you treat your neighbors today?

Who is my neighbor?
LUKE 10:29-37 | The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. . . . A priest came along . . . and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. . . . he took care of him . . . Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Your neighbor is anyone around you who needs help, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, or friendship.

What are my responsibilities to my neighbors? How am I to love my neighbors?

ROMANS 13:9-10 | For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

JAMES 2:8 | Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love your neighbors, regardless of your differences.

DEUTERONOMY 22:1, 3 | If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner.. . . Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility.

PROVERBS 3:28 | If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

Help your neighbors in times of need.

EPHESIANS 4:25 | So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

Be honest with your neighbors, even when it is painful.

LEVITICUS 19:18 | “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Never try to get back at your neighbors for something wrong they have done to you. Let the Lord deal with them.

LEVITICUS 19:16 | “Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people.”

1 TIMOTHY 5:13 | And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.

Don’t gossip about your neighbors.

DEUTERONOMY 5:21 | “You must not covet your neighbor’s wife. You must not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

Don’t covet what your neighbors have.

PROVERBS 27:14 | A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!

Respect your neighbors’ time and privacy.

PROVERBS 3:29 | Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you.

Don’t break your neighbors’ trust by planning against them.

For decades people who loved to color had to find excuses to participate in their favorite pastime. Coloring with children or grandchildren was considered acceptable, but coloring on your own—that’s for kids. At least it was until research found that coloring as an adult isn’t childish at all. In fact, it has great health benefits, including reducing anxiety and improving motor skills, vision, focus, and even sleep habits. No one was happier to freely be able to express herself through coloring than Lynnee.

“I just love coloring. I have always loved coloring,” said Lynnee.

Though coloring was giving her a sense of calm and she truly enjoyed it, she still felt something was missing.

“I knew there were journaling Bibles with space to create art, and I was looking for one when I stumbled upon the Inspire Bible.”

As a Bible reading enthusiast, she was excited to see two of her loves combined into one—a Bible that helped you meditate on God’s Word through coloring and art journaling.

“This Bible is such an awesome tool of inspiration and just keeps me going back for more of God’s Word. It has brought me deeper in my understanding,” said Lynnee.

While Lynnee colors a verse, she meditates on it, asking God to speak to her through his Word. Then she reads the broader passage to gain a deeper understanding by reading the verse in context.

“It has brought reading the Word of God to a whole new level for me,” said Lynnee. “It is such a cool way to journey through Scripture in an artistic way. So grab one and start your colorful journey with Jesus.”

Explore all the products in the Inspire line.

by Joni Eareckson Tada, from the Beyond Suffering Bible

When life takes one negative turn after another, we feel helpless. When loved ones suffer, we are often tempted to ask: Where is God? Why is he letting this happen? In these times, I draw a lot of inspiration from the story of Joseph. Although he was never paralyzed, a lot of things happened to him that could be construed as accidents. He was tossed into a pit by his envious brothers and almost left to die; later he was put in prison in a foreign land—Joseph could have become bitter. But years later, he told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He [God] brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (50:20, emphasis added).

I like that word intended. God is full of intention—he has a purpose, a target, a goal, and a plan. God was a giant step ahead of Joseph’s brothers, aborting their evil intentions to suit his own purposes. Joseph’s problems did not catch God off guard. From the beginning, God planned for Joseph to experience those things. Why? Not only for his own growth in godly character, but for the salvation of others.

God is not a sweep-up boy who follows you with a dustpan and brush, second-guessing how everything will fit into a divine pattern for good. He does not put on a hazmat suit so that an evil situation doesn’t contaminate his holy reputation.

Think of the disappointing or bad things that have happened to you. God’s hands stay on the wheel of your life from start to finish so that everything follows his plan. This means your trials have more meaning—much more than you realize. Your problems have more purpose than you can imagine. Not because God merely uses bad things, but because God intends them so that others might be introduced to Jesus through your example.

Joni is one of the world’s leading international advocates for people affected by disability. A diving accident in 1967 left her, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. She founded Joni and Friends in 1979, which quickly grew to provide Christ-centered programs to special needs families, churches, and communities. Joni survived stage III breast cancer in 2010, and still keeps a very active ministry schedule. Learn more about her ministry at Joni & Friends.

Taken from the HelpFinder Bible

Humility is the honest recognition of our own worth—our worth as God sees us. It is the delicate balance between humbly recognizing our sin yet knowing how much God loves and values us. While pride elevates us above others, and often above God himself, degrading our sense of self-worth is also unacceptable, for it denies the value God placed upon us when he created us in his image and when he sent his Son to die for us. Jesus did not die for worms but for people he loves very much, and those people have great value in God’s eyes. To see ourselves as God sees us—that is our goal.

What is true humility?
• 1 CHRONICLES 17:16 | Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”
Humility is not thinking too highly of yourself.

• MATTHEW 18:4 | “So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Humility is childlike. It has an attitude of total trust in a great God.

• TITUS 3:2 | They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
Humility is truly caring about others and looking out for their best interests.

• PSALM 51:3-4 | For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you,and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Humility is the willingness to admit and confess sin.

• PROVERBS 12:23 | The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.
Humility is refraining from proving what you know, how good you are at something, or that you are always right.

• MARK 10:45 | “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Humility is the pathway to serving God and others.

• PROVERBS 13:10 | Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
Humility allows you to ask for advice.

Women in Prison Unlock Hope and Healing with The Life Recovery Bible

By Stephen Arterburn, Editor, The Life Recovery Bible

I was raised in Bryan, Texas, so I did not think it was unusual to be opening a letter from a woman who lived in Brazos County near Bryan. What follows was anything but usual. She wrote:

“I am filled with joy to inform you that your Life Recovery Bible has changed about twenty lives filled with different kinds of addiction in my community. I regret to inform you that the women (including me) are all locked up in The Brazos County Detention Center in Bryan, Texas.

I was incarcerated on the 29^th of March, 2018

Twenty-five years ago, I held the first Life Recovery Bible in my hands and quickly passed it on to a woman who was addicted to crack and headed for prison. She went home and, rather than allow her Life Recovery Bible to take on the role of most Bibles as Chief Dust Collector, she actually opened it up and started reading it. Through her drug addicted, half on and half off, cracked brain, she discovered that God could help her out of her addiction and that the path involved 12 steps based on and found within that Bible. The impact was so great and the transformation so radical that she was not incarcerated, and within six months she was helping other young women in their recovery.

Twenty years later I found myself in the midst of some very normal everyday housewives who just happened to be in the Polk County Florida prison after being arrested for making, selling, or being in possession of methamphetamines. These meth addicts, in a weak moment of desperation or a curious moment of living on the edge, decided to try using meth, just once, and never again. But that one time became a lifetime of using and finding ways to make stuff or sell stuff, including themselves, to be able to feed the addiction that seemed to develop instantly with that first hit.

I was invited to join these women, who looked and talked like anything but a hardened criminal, in their daily Life Recovery Bible study. This Bible was a reward for those entering the drug rehab program offered by a group of women who were once addicted and also had been incarcerated in the same prison. They loved this Bible because it was unlike anything they had ever experienced. Up until then, the Bible was just something that was old, difficult to understand, and even more difficult to apply to your life in any meaningful way. But this Bible is different, and there is a reason why.

When Dr. Dave Stoop and I developed this Bible we included many helpful features not found in other Bibles, including devotionals for each of the 12 Steps, The Serenity Prayer, and Recovery Principles. While those provide deep insights and spiritual inspiration, they are not the feature that make The Life Recovery Bible so amazing to anyone in recovery. The most valuable and unique feature is the study notes found at the bottom of each page. Why? Because they are written by recovering Bible scholars who teach at Universities and Seminaries all over the world. They not only have PhDs in Theology, but every one of them has had a problem that involved them in 12 Step Recovery. Rather than a study note having to do with some remote or abstract theological construct, the note speaks to the struggle for freedom within the heart of anyone imprisoned by the power of addiction, incarcerated or not.

The Life Recovery Bible does not bring the Bible into the recovery process. It brings the recovery process back to the Bible where it began. Bill W. and Dr. Bob worked together to develop the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous after they had found victory over an illness that rarely spared the life of anyone who contracted it. Both men had been members of the Oxford Group, which had purported 4 Absolute Truths: Absolute Honesty, Absolute Purity, Absolute Un-selfishness, and Absolute Love, which were all based in Scripture. In the transcript from the last talk ever given by Dr. Bob, he tells where he and Bill found the 12 Steps. He said “We got them from the Good Book. Especially the Book of James, the Sermon on the Mount and 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter.” So The Life Recovery Bible brings the 12 Steps full circle and identifies the true higher power of the 12 Steps as the God of the Old and New Testaments.

Twenty-five years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the impact The Life Recovery Bible would have on those around me both in Brazos County and many thousands of miles away from where I grew up. God has blessed this Bible and the people who read it, teach it, and share it, and for that I am thankful. He alone is the true source of recovery and the author of transformation—always has been, always will be.

Bethesda Community Church in Fort Worth, Texas, is a thriving multigenerational, multiethnic, multilingual congregation. Watch this video and discover how Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience has helped them grow together in unity and community.