Showing posts with label Ligonier Ministries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ligonier Ministries. Show all posts
Monday, December 6, 2010
"Must Read' from Ferguson, Godfrey, Lawson and Sproul, Jr.
Here's an excellent list of "must read" books from Ligonier's Teaching Fellows: Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steve Lawson, and R. C. Sproul, Jr.
Friday, September 17, 2010
With Calvin in the Theater of God Available in PDF
Format: Softcover Book
Pages: 176
ISBN: 9781433514128
Publisher: Crossway
HT: Desiring God Blog
*******************************
As a side note, back in 2001 I read Susan Schreiner's The Theater of His Glory: Nature and the Natural Order in the Thought of John Calvin
(Baker Academic, 2001) and was introduced to Calvin's use of theater as a metaphor throughout his writings. Schreiner picked up on Calvin's repeated use of theatrum gloriae Dei, "the theater of God's glory," to describe the created world. This volume is an edited version of Schreiner's doctoral dissertation and is an excellent, scholarly introduction to the subject.I also recommend David Hall's short article form Tabletalk Magazine, July 1, 2009.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Keith Mathison's Bible Study Software Reviews
Keith Mathison of Ligonier Ministries has reviewed the three major Bible study software programs: BibleWorks, Logos, and Accordance. This morning Keith posted a summary and comparison of all three. What matters most when considering which of these three packages will be best for you is to consider the type of Bible study you do on a regular basis, the depth of that Bible study (devotional, for SS, for preaching, or for scholarly research), and how comfortable you are with doing your study on a computer (even PC or Mac).
I was given a copy of the Logos Scholar's Library, the smallest of the three Scholar's packages (compare them all here), in order to use and review, but I have hesitated to do so because of mixed feelings. I love the idea of a digital library and the possibilities of doing detailed searches, but after working at a computer all day long I find it difficult to sit and read via a computer screen in the evenings. Even with all of the search capabilities available, I love to sit in my library surrounded by real books, pulling them from the shelves, piling them up on my desks, thumbing through them, underlining and marking them up. The physical actions of handling them, turning their pages, and bookmarking them helps me to retain more of what I study. I realize that you can do similar tasks on the computer, but I find that the process of digging allows for more time to think and process information. Of course, a lot of this has to do with me and my circumstances, so I want to resist denigrating the value of the Logos Bible Study software. It truly is remarkable, and those willing to spend the time using this software will greatly benefit from it!
I have not used Bibleworks or Accordance, so I appreciated Keith's comments without being able to relate them to my own experience. On the other hand, I really appreciated his evaluation of Logos because it highlights some of my own concerns. Here are his comments:
Most digital books are sold in packages which truly does allow for greater discounts, however, packages tend to be expensive. As opposed to purchasing books by the 10s of dollars, you have to consider purchasing packages by the 100s of dollars. The cumbersome nature of software packages along with the extraneous resources and slow search speeds is a disappointment. This is why I found the old Online Bible programs to be frustrating; they included a lot of resources that I never used, however their presence drastically slowed down the speed of the program.
Well, I probably should defer to the testimony of those who are far more experienced with these software packages than myself. I recommend to you the following reviews:
I was given a copy of the Logos Scholar's Library, the smallest of the three Scholar's packages (compare them all here), in order to use and review, but I have hesitated to do so because of mixed feelings. I love the idea of a digital library and the possibilities of doing detailed searches, but after working at a computer all day long I find it difficult to sit and read via a computer screen in the evenings. Even with all of the search capabilities available, I love to sit in my library surrounded by real books, pulling them from the shelves, piling them up on my desks, thumbing through them, underlining and marking them up. The physical actions of handling them, turning their pages, and bookmarking them helps me to retain more of what I study. I realize that you can do similar tasks on the computer, but I find that the process of digging allows for more time to think and process information. Of course, a lot of this has to do with me and my circumstances, so I want to resist denigrating the value of the Logos Bible Study software. It truly is remarkable, and those willing to spend the time using this software will greatly benefit from it!
I have not used Bibleworks or Accordance, so I appreciated Keith's comments without being able to relate them to my own experience. On the other hand, I really appreciated his evaluation of Logos because it highlights some of my own concerns. Here are his comments:
LOGOSI heartily concur with the issue of cost as a weakness. With the rapid growth of digital readers and free research software online, the idea of re-purchasing digital copies of books I already own is difficult to swallow. The idea of purchasing new digital books at prices higher than printed copies is likewise difficult to justify (even though there are extra features included in the digital copies). It's the penny-pincher in me (along with the limited budget).
Logos is strong in terms of the sheer number of resources it makes available. There are over 700 resources on the Scholar's Library Gold version that I reviewed. Logos is also the only program that currently has any kind of syntax search capability for the original languages. The Logos interface is one of the most intuitive of the three. It resembles a basic website interface. The amount and kind of resources is very helpful. To be able to do a search and see results in original language resources, commentaries, sermon illustration books, etc. is a strong point.
The main weakness of Logos is the cost. Even with the available discounts, the high price could be out of the reach of many pastors and seminary students who are trying to make ends meet. The other weakness of Logos is a byproduct of one of its strengths - namely the large number of resources. In the first place, most users will probably find a large number of these resources to be extraneous. Second, the large number of resources slows down searches - sometimes dramatically.
Most digital books are sold in packages which truly does allow for greater discounts, however, packages tend to be expensive. As opposed to purchasing books by the 10s of dollars, you have to consider purchasing packages by the 100s of dollars. The cumbersome nature of software packages along with the extraneous resources and slow search speeds is a disappointment. This is why I found the old Online Bible programs to be frustrating; they included a lot of resources that I never used, however their presence drastically slowed down the speed of the program.
Well, I probably should defer to the testimony of those who are far more experienced with these software packages than myself. I recommend to you the following reviews:
- Keith Mathison - BibleWorks
- Keith Mathison - Logos
- Keith Mathison - Accordance
- Andrew D. Naselli - Logos Scholar's Library Gold
- Andrew D. Naselli - PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC (three NT commentary series)
- Andrew D. Naselli - Anchor Yale Bible commentary series (84 vols.)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Free Study Bibles from Ligonier Ministries & World Magazine
UPDATE: 12/15/11- Although the below mentioned offers are no longer available, we highly recommend the ESV Study Bible and strongly suggest that you purchase a copy from the Westminster Bookstore which always offers the best overall value on Bibles and solid Christian books.
Today I stumbled across two noteworthy offers that may interest you. First, World Magazine is offering a FREE hardcover ESV Study Bible to all new subscribers. I followed a link suggested by James Grant (here) to read about World Magazine's Book of The Year announcement, and I found this banner ad:
Second, I read a Tweet by Ligonier Ministeries offering a free Genuine Leather Reformation Study Bible (See UPDATE) for all donor throughout today and tomorrow (July 7 & 8).
UPDATE: These offers are no longer available. (12/15/11)
Today I stumbled across two noteworthy offers that may interest you. First, World Magazine is offering a FREE hardcover ESV Study Bible to all new subscribers. I followed a link suggested by James Grant (here) to read about World Magazine's Book of The Year announcement, and I found this banner ad:
Start here to begin a 1-year subscription to WORLD Magazine at 68% off the cover price ($49.95)*. As our way of saying thank you for your paid order, we will send you the hardcover ESV Study Bible absolutely free. Click to see an ESV Study Bible sample page.
Simply complete the online form and begin enjoying:
For assistance with your order, call (800) 951-6397 or email us at customerservice@worldmag.com.
- stimulating journalism reported from a uniquely Biblical worldview perspective that delivers news and analysis found nowhere else but in the pages of WORLD Magazine.
- smart cultural insight and reporting on the latest books - fiction and nonfiction - plus profiles and interviews with authors, as well as reviews of movies, TV shows, music, and more.
- new features and expanded coverage of technology and trends, charity and economics, and even more political cartoons, always a reader favorite. As a bonus, you will receive full access to WORLD Magazine's upgraded website - complete with searchable archives that include 12 years of back issues (and more being added regularly), blogs, podcasts, commentaries, and daily news coverage - all from a Christian worldview perspective.
*$49.95 non-refundable with this offer
*New customers onlyThis offer is available only to new WORLD subscribers with a U.S. mailing address.
Second, I read a Tweet by Ligonier Ministeries offering a free Genuine Leather Reformation Study Bible (See UPDATE) for all donor throughout today and tomorrow (July 7 & 8).
As a thank you for your support, we would like to send you the featured resource, Reformation Study Bible (ESV) Genuine Leather Black, as a gift.
UPDATE: These offers are no longer available. (12/15/11)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Top Commentary Rec's from Ligonier Ministries: Excellent!
I have been following this series and am delighted that it is completed. Here is an index published this morning by Ligonier Ministries.
I have not yet added these recommendations into the TheoSource list, but will do so in the near future. In the meantime,here is the link to the TheoSource Top Recommended Commentaries.
Top Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible
Over the course of several months, Keith Mathison put together a list of his top 5 commentaries for each book of the Bible. With his recommendations of commentaries for Malachi and Revelation, he has now completed both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Here is a round-up of the complete series.
*****
For more recommendations, see our Recommended Reading List.
I have not yet added these recommendations into the TheoSource list, but will do so in the near future. In the meantime,here is the link to the TheoSource Top Recommended Commentaries.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
More Resources for Calvin 500
Some of you may have already seen notices of the new set of Calvin's Commentaries to be released by Baker Publishing. They should be available very soon, and you can purchase them from one of the following site:
Remember, that Banner of Truth is still offering a great discount on a seven-volume set of Calvin's Tracts and Letters. See here for details.
Crossway has recently released a new biography of Calvin by Robert Godfrey: John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor.
I also recommend Herman J. Selderhuis' John Calvin: A Pilgrim's Life (IVP, 2009) which is excellent and well documented.
I have not purchased a copy of Ligonier Ministries' John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology, but it also appears to be a superb collection of essays.
Finally, I wanted to note (for those of you who prefer snuggling up at a hard desk with a keyboard :)), Logos has announced a new collection in celebration of the 500th anniversary of John Calvin: The Calvin 500 Collection (97 volumes).
This massive collection contains:
Check these out. Also, I'd like to hear your recommendations, too. Leave a comment.
Remember, that Banner of Truth is still offering a great discount on a seven-volume set of Calvin's Tracts and Letters. See here for details.
Crossway has recently released a new biography of Calvin by Robert Godfrey: John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor. 
I also recommend Herman J. Selderhuis' John Calvin: A Pilgrim's Life (IVP, 2009) which is excellent and well documented.
I have not purchased a copy of Ligonier Ministries' John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology, but it also appears to be a superb collection of essays.Finally, I wanted to note (for those of you who prefer snuggling up at a hard desk with a keyboard :)), Logos has announced a new collection in celebration of the 500th anniversary of John Calvin: The Calvin 500 Collection (97 volumes).
This massive collection contains:
- 45 volumes of commentaries
- 5 editions of the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 3 languages, including the original 1559 Latin edition and the rare Norton translation
- 4 volumes of Calvin's letters and correspondence
- 35 theological tracts and treatises in 8 volumes
- 10 biographies of Calvin
- 20 volumes of secondary literature on the history of Calvinism
- 2 volumes on Calvin from the Library of Christian Classics
- and much more!
Check these out. Also, I'd like to hear your recommendations, too. Leave a comment.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Reformation Resources (please read)
Cumberland Valley Bible Book Store has posted an annotated list of recommended reading in light of the fast approaching 500th anniversary (this year is the 491st) of the Protestant Reformation. Pastor Steve Martin breaks up the list into three sections: VIDEO HELP ON THE REFORMATION, ENTRY LEVEL BOOKS ON LUTHER AND THE REFORMATION, and MORE ROBUST (yet still readable) TREATMENTS OF THE REFORMATION.Also, Renewing Your Mind (the broadcast ministry of Ligonier Ministries and R. C. Sproul) is offering a free genuine leather copy of The Reformation Study Bible (ESV) to all donors to their ministry. If you have been blessed by their ministry, I would encourage you to consider this opportunity. My wife has been using this Bible for a few years and has been helped by the notes. This is a very generous offer!!! Click here for more details.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Book Review: The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Stephen Lawson
A few weeks ago I made contact with the folks at Reformation Trust (an imprint of Ligonier Ministries) about reviewing some of their books. They have been very gracious in providing review copies of some wonderful titles. Doug Smith has reviewed one of these already and we have posted his comments on SharperIron. I hope that you'll take a moment to read his review. This looks to be an excellent beginning to a historical look at expository preaching.
Lawson, Steven J. The Expository Genius of John Calvin. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2007. Hardcover, 142 pages. $15.00.
(Review copy courtesy of Reformation Trust.)
ISBNs: 1567690858 / 9781567690859
LCCN: BX9418 L37
DCN: 251.0092
Subjects: John Calvin / Preaching
Steve Lawson is senior pastor at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church (Mobile, AL). Dr. Lawson serves on the board of directors of The Master’s College and on the ministerial board for Reformed Theological Seminary. He also teaches with Dr. John MacArthur at the Expositor’s Institute. In addition, Dr. Lawson has written numerous books, including Foundations of Grace and Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching.
(Read the full review here.)
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Reformation Day Sale | Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries has published the ESV Reformation Study Bible and will be selling it at a discounted price this Wednesday, October 31. The sale is for that ONE DAY ONLY and the rock bottom price is $15.17 each (Hardcover). They are offering the leather bound edition for $26.83 each.This is great! I bought my wife a copy a while ago and she has been enjoying it. I check it out every now and then for the notes and am always pleased with what I read. This is a great opportunity you'll not want to miss.
Read more about this here.
(HT: DG Blog)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
