The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible: A Devotional Study [Hardcover]

John Alan Turner (Author), Ken Boa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2008

In today's world, the basic building blocks of a Christian world view are often missing in people's lives. To help fill in this missing information, The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible presents a foundational, clear synthesis of the most significant narratives of the Bible along with the implications and applications of these interrelated stories. It presents the big story in such a way that it will: Connect the dots for readers of the Bible, demonstrating how each individual story is really one chapter in the larger story; Show how Jesus is the point of the story, especially his death and resurrection; and Build a biblical world view by showing the reader how the Bible answers the ultimate questions of life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

You probably know a few Bible stories——Adam and Eve entertaining a serpent in the Garden of Eden, the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, Jonah camping out in the belly of the whale, David surprising Goliath with something that had never entered his head before——but do you know how each of these stories fits into the Big Story uncovered in the pages of God’s Word? Whether you’ve been reading the Bible all your life or don’t even know where to start, The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible will help you connect the stories that may be familiar——Noah’s floating zoo and thousands of people being fed from a single sack lunch——with the Biggest Story of all: reconciliation of broken and sinful mankind with a holy God. Through the course of a year, Ken and John will guide you through 52 of the Bible’s most famous stories and reveal how each one is critical to a full understanding of Christian beliefs, values and practices. The Bible holds the answers to life’s most pressing questions— questions about truth and lies, life and death, beginnings and endings. This book is a place where God’s Story comes to life!

About the Author

KEN BOA is engaged in a ministry of relational evangelism and discipleship, teaching, writing and speaking. Dr. Boa's recent publications include Conformed to His Image. He is the contributing editor to The Open Bible and The Leadership Bible, and is the consulting editor of the Zondervan NASB Study Bible.
JOHN TURNER  has studied Theology, Psychology and Philosophy, earning an undergraduate degree from Pacific Christian College and a Th.M. from Bear Valley Bible Institute. Having served churches in California, Maryland and Texas, Mr. Turner is now the President of Faith 2.0 Ministries.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Regal (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830745823
• ISBN-13: 978-0830745821
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended!, September 26, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible: A Devotional Study (Hardcover)

The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible is a devotional study that will teach us that the twists and turns and bends in life are not random. Nothing happens to us pointlessly. God will use each and every circumstance to shape us and form us into the kind of image we were designed to be.

The authors started in the Old Testament, and had a hard time determining which stories to include in this book. After some discussion they decided on the fifty-two stories included. John Alan Turner wrote the devotions for Monday through Thursday and Kenneth Boa wrote the devotional for Friday. They are divided up as such:

Monday - a conversational retelling of the story, including historical context
Tuesday - a discussion of the orthodoxy of the story and how it shapes our beliefs
Wednesday - a study of how it shapes our values
Thursday - exploration of how it should shape our actions
Friday - the conclusion of the study that will guide you through a prayerful response

The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible was a true pleasure to use as a devotional. I enjoyed delving into the stories at the depth that was included in this book. My pastor husband was very excited to see this book and he wanted to go through it as soon as I finished it.

If you are looking for an in-depth Bible study devotional, then the 396-page The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible is definitely a book to consider.

Armchair Interviews says: It is highly recommended. Don't miss this book!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great 52 Review, August 26, 2008

By 

Matthew Dabbs - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible: A Devotional Study (Hardcover)

Kenneth Boa and John Alan Turner offer a very distinct and useful approach to a daily devotional. Selecting one major narrative of the Bible each week they explore the story itself and how it impacts our life and and faith in different ways each day of the week. The tone is conversational, the stories are retold in an engaging way and the application is excellent. It is rare to find this many biblical narratives examined with this quality in as few pages as Boa and Turner manage.

This is a unique approach to devotional reading through the year and I would highly suggest picking up a copy. It would also be a good book to recommend to people looking for a daily devotional.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars first rate resource for youth or adult Bible study, May 12, 2010

By 

Mike Sublett "pawdad" (Pampa, Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible: A Devotional Study (Hardcover)

OK, so this isn't a ground breaking theological wonder. But to be honest, how many of us even want to read ground breaking theology? I know I don't & the folks in my church don't. This is a FIRST CLASS resource for youth or adults who want a GREAT Bible study. Factually on the mark, entertaining and best of all soooooooooooooooooo practical. If you want to understand the Bible better, this is your book. If you want to live a better life, more like God wants, this is your book. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book. In our adult Sunday School class it has been a real hit with our new converts AND our well seasoned believers. That's hard to do. Check it out. God bless. Mike