The Apologetics Study Bible for Students HCSB with a giveaway

The HCSB Apologetics Study Bible for Students anchors younger Christians in the truths of Scripture by equipping them with thoughtful and practical responses for whenever the core issues of their faith and life are challenged.

In addition to the complete HCSB text and dozens of articles collected from today's most popular youth leaders, including editor Sean McDowell, this new study Bible also includes:

Two-color design-intensive layout
60 "Twisted Scriptures" explanations
50 "Bones & Dirt" entries (archaeology meets apologetics)
50 "Notable Quotes"
25 "Tactics" against common anti-Christian arguments
20 "Personal Stories" of how God has worked in real lives
20 "Top Five" lists to help remember key apologetics topics

My review:

  This is actually more than a review of just the Bible, but I will review it first:

I am not familiar with the regular Apologetics Bible, so I don't know how much this one for students differs from the one for adults. I personally didn't find this one "dumbed down" for lack of a better way to put it. I found everything on a level that I could appreciate, but then it is geared for kids that are almost adults.

  I liked all of the features in the Bible, but the one I liked the best is the Twisted Scriptures feature. It takes 60 passages that are often twisted by skeptics and shows that the verses do mean what they say and not what the skeptics say. The other features are also helpful and inteesting, and are what I would expect out of a Bible geared for apologetics.

  The Bible itself is the Holman Christian Standard Bible, which is a newer version but is very reliable and easy to understand without straying from the original manuscripts. It is hardcover and has the tabs for the books of the Bible to make the books easier to find. Sean McDowell, son of Josh McDowell, is the general editor of the Bible and is one of many contributors to the features of the Bible. I would recommend it for any teenager, as they can find answers to questions they may have and find answers to questions others are throwing at them, though as I said adults can use it also.

There is a website for the Bible at ApologeticsBible.com. It has more information about the Bible, and also has study guides, videos, and other resources. As part of my review, I was asked to watch a few of the videos and share what they are like. I watched three: pornography, homosexuality, and is it OK to have doubts. (videos at this link). The videos are short, most of them coming in at 3 1/2 minutes or so, and I assume all are done by Sean McDowell since he did the 3 I watched. I thought they were great. He addresses the issue in a compassionate and knowledgeable way, and in a way that will connect and resonate well with teens.

They are putting up a new video each week in the Gift of Confident Faith line, and are archived at the link above with the newest one on the homepage.

  In both the ones about homosexuality and pornography, he makes a quick case for why they are wrong, yet offers compassion for those dealing with it, and in the case of homosexuality he discourages joking about it and making fun.

 In the one on is it OK to have doubts, he makes an interesting case that it is OK to have doubts, as anyone intent on finding the truth will find their way to Jesus on their search.

  I am impressed with not just the Bible, but also with the resources available on the website. A lot of work was put into this, and it shows.

Giveaways:
There are actually two giveaways to list here. One is not from my blog,  and the other is on my blog:

1) Win an Apologetics Study Bible for Students, a mini Aplogetic Library, or a free trip for 2 to NCCA's conference. Go to the Apologetics Study Bible website and enter on the right by clicking on the Sweepstakes banner, or go straight to the sweepstakes entry here.

2) And courtesy of FlyBy Promotions, I have one copy of the Aplogetics Study Bible for students to give away to anyone who comments on this blog post.

To enter, do one of the following, and comment by telling what you did:

  a) Go to the page where the video archive is, and either watch a video, listen to the MP3, or read the PDF sample page from the Bible on the subject. Comment and say which you did, and what subject was covered.

  b) Download a study guide and read over it, and comment with which one you read.

 c) Download an app for the regular or student version of the Bible here, and comment with which one.

10 days from today on August 23, I will pick a winner using Random.org.
Important: please make sure I have a way to contact you. If there is no way to contact you through Google, leave your email in a way similar to this: marcus(at)yahoo(dot)com. On my last giveway, I couldn't find a way to contact any of the entries. Thanks.


The Apologetics Study Bible for Students is available from Broadman and Holman Publishing.

Thanks to FlyBy Promotions for the review and giveaway copies.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”