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Thompson Chain Reference Bible
by Dr. John Luton |
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible is A Great Approach to Systematic Bible Study
Soon after my decision to enter the pastoral ministry, a pastor friend gave me a Bible that had been the first one he had used as a minister. The cover was badly worn, and many of the pages were in tatters, but I could tell the old Bible still had a lot of use left in it.
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible – A Great Tool For Personal Bible Study and Sermon Preparation
I had no way of knowing at that time just how much I would depend on my first Thompson Chain Reference Bible for both personal Bible study and sermon preparation. I used that Bible for just about every Bible study I’ve ever led. When I was called to serve as pastor of my first church in Baltimore, Maryland, I embarked upon that daunting task with my trusty Thompson Chain Reference Bible in hand. By this time, I was thoroughly convinced that it would help me through any teaching or preaching task that came along. I was right!
If you’re not familiar with this important Bible study reference tool, allow me to point out and briefly describe some of its most helpful features. Now, in our age of ubiquitous personal computers and PC Bibles, all of these features are available in easily accessed digital files as well as in various print formats.
A Couple of My Favorite Thompson Chain Reference Bible Features
Chain Reference System – This system, found only in Thompson Chain Reference Bibles, enables the student to follow more than 8,000 different names, places and topics from cover to cover. All you have to do is choose a topic and follow the links. The feature is particularly helpful when developing Bible study material or sermons that cover both Old and New Testament scriptures. The section on characters of the Bible is particularly useful.
The topics are also catalogued in the back of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, according to both numerical and alphabetical indices. See How to Use the Thompson.
Updated Archaeological Supplement with Photos, Maps and Charts – This is probably my favorite section in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible because of my avid interest in the archaeology of the world of the Bible.
Major archaeological finds are identified and defined. Pertinent applications to the study of biblical literature are also provided.
In addition to some really great maps, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible also includes a large number of charts that can be adapted as visual aids for Bible study.
For more information about the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, please check out the following Web sites:
About the Author: Dr. John W. Luton
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Before joining the mass communication faculty at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Dr. Luton served as pastor of churches in Maryland and North Carolina for almost 20 years. He and his wife, Cheryl, remain active in their church and Dr. Luton serves as an Unreached People Group Coordinator for mission work among the Bisu people of Thailand.
Dr. Luton is currently working on an exciting project with field missionaries to translate the Bible into the Bisu language. This language had previously existed only as an oral system (without an alphabet). Now, because of the diligent labors of the missionaries, sections of the Bible are available in the Bisu language. The project is jointly sponsored by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Wycliffe Bible translators.
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