Bible Study Magazine—September–October 2011 Issue

• Feature Stories
  Discover new ways to connect the Bible with your ministry and life through reading great interviews with and articles from the biggest names in the church and biblical scholarship.
• Bible Study Tips
  Thoughtful and engaging authors tackle the tough passages in Scripture, explain difficult concepts, and confront complex interpretations in a way that helps God’s Word make sense to your life.
• On the Cutting Edge
  Keep up-to-date on the latest news in biblical research, including archaeological and historical findings.
• A New Kind of Bible Study
  Encounter God by yourself or with other believers with an ongoing Bible study in each issue.
• On Teaching
  Get advice on how to preach or teach the Bible in any setting from well-known pastors and teachers who use the Bible every day.
• Tool Box
  Learn how to effectively use the latest Bible study tools with our how-to guides.
• In the News
  Keep informed about the latest news in biblically-related topics, discoveries, and events.
• Thoughts from the Ancients
  Read the Bible along with those who have come before you, and learn from the wisdom of the early church—in their own words.
• Word Studies
  Get a close-up view of the Bible! Each issue contains insights about specific words found in the Bible, and tutorials on how to do word studies.
• If Only Someone Would Explain It to Me
  Enrich your understanding of the Bible with explanations of biblical and theological concepts by top scholars.
• Did You Know?
  Discover interesting facts about the Bible in the contemporary and ancient world.
• What They Don’t Tell You in Church
  See things you never noticed in biblical passages you have read dozens of times.
• Biblical Humor
  The funniest stories and the best comics related to the Bible, useful for any setting.
• Book Reviews
  Stay on top of the latest books about Bible study. Each issue contains reviews of the books and commentaries to equip you in your study of God’s Word.

Excerpts from the Sept-Oct 2011 Issue!

Hope in Kenya: Developing Future Church Leaders in Africa

Death and suffering are common experiences in David Ngaruiya's native Kenya. In a land blessed with abundant resources, poverty retains its stranglehold and diseases like AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis pose a constant threat. However, Ngaruiya is optimistic about the Church initiating change throughout Africa.

How Have You Loved Us, God?

In our anger we tritely rebuke God. Empty words are often cast out of dark thoughts, emotional anxiety, or physical pain. Whether or not we believe our words, we speak or think them like we mean them. It pains us and it pains God; yet, just like the people living in the mid-fifth century BC—when the words of Malachi we likely spoken—we cast the Lord's grace aside.

Can We Ever Overcome Sin?

Sometimes sin can feel like slavery. We can feel uncomfortable in our own skin. Shouldn't we know better and do better? Should we throw up our arms and cry, "Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" like Paul in Romans 7:24?

Some people certainly do that. But is Paul really communicating that Christians are bound to struggle—that we should just acknowledge our weakness and move on? If Romans 7:14-25 reflects Paul's fight and failure with sin, the rest of the letter doesn't make much sense.