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A clay seal possibly created by Hezekiah, the king of the ancient biblical nation of Judah, is reported to have been discovered at the foot of the southern part of the wall that surrounds Jerusalem’s Old City. Read more.
[See biblical history reference resources in the Bible Gateway Store]
Today's megachurches have fewer seats but fill them more often. They take in more money, yet giving has declined. More than ever take Communion weekly, while fewer than ever partner with other churches. They have less conflict than smaller churches, yet lose more staff and tithes when flareups occur. Read more from Christianity Today.
⇨ See more Bible-related articles in this week's Bible News Roundup.
⇨ See previous editions of Bible News Roundup and Weekly Brief.
The Force Awakens, the 2015 installment in the Star Wars franchise, promises to excite the longtime enthusiast and enthrall a new generation of admirers. Are there Christian themes found in the epic Star Wars saga? Bible Gateway interviewed Paul Kent about his book, The Real Force: A Forty Day Devotional (Worthy Inspired, 2015). Read this interview.
The Bible stands at the heart of the Christian faith. But why should we trust the Bible? Christians need to be able to articulate why they trust Scripture when it comes to understanding who God is, who we are, and how we're supposed to live. Bible Gateway interviewed Greg Gilbert about his book, Why Trust the Bible? (Crossway, 2015). Read this interview.
In this sixth lesson about studying the Bible, pastor and author Mel Lawrenz says, "Browsing casually through the Bible will not yield its deepest treasure, not just because of a lack of commitment, but because Bible study is the study of God. We are not longing to know God if we are giving casual glances his way." If you want to study the Bible better, read this installment of his series on our Blog and encourage your friends and followers to receive it by email.
See Bible reference books in the Bible Gateway Store.
Our recent blog survey asked the question, “How do you integrate the Bible into your Thanksgiving Day family celebration?” The most respondents (30%) selected the answer, “We haven’t included the Bible, but we will now.” See the other answers.
Then take our new poll: “What Bible passage does your family read together to celebrate Christmas?”
Advent is here and our free email Christmas devotionals are officially underway! Now we’ve also launched 3 new Christmas devotionals! They're all brief, written with your busy holiday schedule in mind. They’re aimed at helping to reduce the stress and exhaustion of the holiday season:
- The Best is Yet to Be: Are the pressures and stresses of middle age weighing you down, especially amidst all the Christmas preparations? This two-week devotional is written for anyone who feels their life has hit a mid-life plateau, and is wondering what the second half of life holds.
- The Case for Christ Devotional: Just who is Jesus Christ, and what do we know about him? Every day you'll receive a question and answer about the man who defines the Christmas season.
- Five Days of Hope: Beaten down by holiday stress? Find hope and peace in the midst of it all with this short devotional by Max Lucado. This five-day devotional will give you a reason to hope again.
Tell your social media followers to visit our Newsletters page to sign up for one or more of these devotionals. Read more.
Browse our Christmas section in the Bible Gateway Store.
Between systematic theology, dogmatic theology, historical theology, moral theology, and more, the study of Christian theology can be a bit overwhelming. Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Jim Hamilton about his book, What Is Biblical Theology?: A Guide to the Bible's Story, Symbolism, and Patterns (Crossway, 2014). Read this interview.
This feature in the Weekly Brief is intended to help you become aware of the plethora of Bible versions available for you to freely read on Bible Gateway. This week, learn about and read the King James Version (KJV).
Reading the Bible in multiple languages and multiple versions is always just a click away online at Bible Gateway and in print from the Bible Gateway Store, where you'll save money while supporting the ministry of Bible Gateway when making a purchase.
[Learn about and download the free award-winning Bible Gateway App]
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