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Bible.org Ministry in Review

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The Lord has truly blessed bible.org and all of us involved in this exciting global Internet-based ministry. And we are truly honored that the LORD has used bible.org to impact so many millions of lives this year. We continue to see growing demand from people around the world looking for trustworthy Bible study resources. From those with hurting marriages, to new believers. From church leaders teaching and training others to small group members. We are helping them as they mature in Christ and teach and train others (Eph 4:11-13) Thank you for being a part of what God is doing in and through the ministry of bible.org.

We completed several new projects this past year, a couple of which were very significant. First, we have been listening carefully to our users as you have encouraged us to develop a new version of the printed NET Bible®. In 2005, after 10 years of development, bible.org completed the NET Bible® – First Edition with 60,932 translators' notes. It has been very well received by NET Bible users around the world in both print and electronic formats. You expressed your desire to have another version of the printed NET Bible that was lighter weight, with larger print, and minimal notes. The new NET Bible® – Reader's Edition was completed in October 2006 and early feedback indicates we hit the mark on providing just what you wanted.

Secondly, the NeXt Bible Learning Environment TM was completed as an online Bible study tool extraordinaire. A team of programmers has spent the past 18 months developing the most powerful free online Bible study tool ever produced for global ministry purposes. While there are many excellent Bible study programs available commercially, there has never been one, even with a small fraction of the capability of the NeXt Bible that is free for online research and study. And we have many exciting new features planned for future releases. We wanted the world to not only have free online access to the NET Bible itself along with 40,000+ pages of trustworthy Bible study resources at http://www.bible.org/, but also a learning environment which cohesively integrates all these resources. With 2 million views in the first 30 days, we have exciting early confirmation we have something of great value to our 15 million users.

There are several major new ministries under development at bible.org targeted at the unique needs of different groups such as women, men, youth, and more as well as ministries to people with a particular area of interest such as theology, spiritual formation, Bible study and more. We call these groups or areas of interest "Super Categories". In 2006, we added a new "Women of bible.org" super-category. This is a ministry created by a team of very capable and godly women (all volunteers…thank you ladies, and especially Micki Maris, for their faithful service) who are taking their many years of Bible teaching and women's ministry experience to teach other women around the world through the global reach of bible.org's web presence.

We also added a new "Spiritual Formation" super-category this year for two primary purposes. First, we wanted to address an area of weakness of our times, i.e. a lack of wholeness in all too many professing Christians. While our heads may be full of biblical knowledge and comprehension of difficult theological issues, our hearts can still be dark places and our lives can be lacking disciplined spiritual practices of prayer, fasting, meditation, and time alone with God. Our knowledge must ultimately produce in us a spiritually transformed life or else we risk the fate of too many of our Christian leaders who are failing morally and spiritually.

Secondly, although the nomenclature "Spiritual Formation" can be a highly charged term for some, bible.org has chosen to take this hotly debated subject head-on and present a sound biblical view of this culturally popular topic. We wanted to enter the debate and allow bible.org's scholars and pastors to help shape the discussion and combat the liberal extremes that can be found in this subject area. Dr. Michael Burer has been commissioned to exegetically develop a proper biblical understanding of what God has communicated about "spiritual formation" in the life of the believer. Read his initial work, titled Orientation to Spiritual Formation with Special Reference to the New Testament. Further biblical research is underway…stay tuned!  There are many other excellent and biblically sound resources in this new ministry area on bible.org.

Another great resource is the new Transforming Life Series just obtained recently from Dallas Theological Seminary's Center for Christian Leadership. This is designed for small groups who desire to journey together and explore how a community of followers of Christ can grow deeper in their walk with Christ and with one another (loving God, loving people). Additionally, Dr. Emery Nester has also provided his 50 year magnum opus on discipleship titled Lifestyle Discipleship, an amazing 5 volume collection.  All of these resources are accessible online at bible.org for free.

A new Men's Ministry for bible.org is just about ready for prime time. We hope to launch this new ministry targeted at the unique needs of men on January 1st, 2007. A team of volunteers has been assembled and work is well underway. A few samples to wet your appetite can be found at:

  • Occupational Hazards of Being a Man
  • Sex: A 12-Step Program for Men (Caution: mature subject matter by pastor Jeff Miller…just for men)
  • A new leadership series (using portions of Dr. Ken Boa's excellent teaching series titled Leadership Qualities) on this important subject for men is close to completion. You definitely won’t want to miss this new study series…it will be a full 1 year curriculum perfect for any men's ministry. We would also like to thank Jim Smith, a dedicated bible.org volunteer for his tireless service on this project.

Bible.org has greatly enhanced our online store and there are exciting additional plans in the work for 2007. May of our users are looking more and more at bible.org for their Christian material purchases. This creates a win-win relationship as these purchases along with user donations help support and fund the rapidly growing ministry of bible.org. Bible.org is committed to offering only the most trusted resources in our store. So, just like all of the thousands of trusted resources our users have come to expect from bible.org for free online access and use, bible.org Store products  have the same level of trust and make online shopping easier and more intentional.

There are many more exciting areas that could be highlighted, but suffice it to say that 2006 has been a very fruitful and blessed year for the ministry of bible.org. We owe so much gratitude to you, our users, our staff, volunteers around the world, the pastors, seminary professors, scholars, and Bible teachers who continue to provide their time, talents, and Bible teaching resources and materials in support of this ministry. Literally millions of people like you from the uttermost parts of the earth depend on bible.org for free online access and use of our Trustworthy Bible Study Resources. We are fully committed to continuing this important work for the glory of God until our Savior returns. May He find us all ready and prepared as we share the truth of His Word and the Good News to a lost and dying world.

Thank you and many blessings from the bible.org Team

The ministry of bible.org is funded solely through private donations and purchases of products. Your donations  are tax deductible through the Biblical Studies Foundation, a 501c3 ministry of bible.org.

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