Customer Reviews

Align: The Complete New Testament for Men (Biblezines)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I received this bible as a Christmas present and have just gotten around to reading it. So far I am pleased with the presentation and interpretation of the gospel.

I think all of the tips that are placed throughout this biblezine are great. Is it really any different then when your pastor tells you how to apply the gospel to your world today?? People seem to be freaking out about putting Sexcess on the front of this bible for some reason. I would argue that one of the biggest problems men face today is the pervasiveness of sex in todays society. And this biblezine has numerous points based all throughout it ranging from The Art of Romance to the The Pornography Paradox. These are real issues and I see no reason why not to include them in a biblezine. In particular, when they quote scripture to back up a point they are making.

Personally, I think it is a great idea and a great way to present the bible.

Now I'm off to go and see if they make one for the Old Testament.

As a pastor I am always on the lookout for ideas and methods that will enable us for more effectively minister to our generation and this is no doubt one of those tools. The Biblezine for Men deals with real issues that men face in everyday life. We live in a real world with real challenges and this is a real tool! Thanks Thomas Nelson!

I gave this to my husband and he loves it! He's 28 and deals with many questions about how to live out his Christian faith. I'm giving one to my brother and male cousins for Christmas!! I'd also recommend the Becoming BibleZine for women, which I read regularly.

This has to be one of the cleverest marketing tools to reach this generation of men for Jesus. It contains the entire NCV New Testament as well as some very informative and interest getting articles in a totally non (dare I say, "ANTI") religious style. I plan on buying one for all of my sons and my sons in laws.

This is one Bible that will have the moderns squaring off against the traditionalists. I find it peculiar that when a Bible is made to be relevant, exciting and informative, it is somehow not good. In other words, we need not all the side info. If that's the case we don't need study Bibles or other extra-Biblical material that might corrupt the text. As far as the NVC, it's a simple, straight forward and very understandable version of God's Word. The question is, why can't we move into the 21st century and atleast TRY to understand God's Word clearly?
This is a fun, exciting and excellent way to get into God's Truth. As for the cover, magazines were meant to be intriguing and inviting. The sexcess headline leads to informative articles based on what men struggle with each day. Heaven forbid, the Bible be relevant and informative on "controversial issues". Thanks Nelson, great job. I got my wife Becoming 2.

if this is the way we can "get" people to "come" to church, I think it is great! If there was not Purpose Driven Life I would "not" be in church today after 25 years of not going because of the hypocrites I had seen. That book "explained" why they will always be in churches and why it is a good place to learn to "live" with these types of people.

I see this magazine in the same way. It is a stepping stone to get those who have not been "in" the Bible for many many years or have never been in it, to see God's word in their way. This is not what a church will sit and preach from, by any means, but it is a wonderful "start" on the road to understanding the Bible.

Just like I ave never read any other Purpose books, but now study the Bible; these people can do the same and have something to share with others that is in the terms of their world. Jesus told parables to teach. . . What is the difference?

I only wish this was available in the Old Testament as well. This is great! My wife has BECOMING, which is the one for women.

This Bible was a great buy. Although it is impractical for a Bible Study, or for reference during Church it is a wonderful presentation for casual reading and reading while on commute.

Its magazine presentation allows me and those who are watching me to appreciate the simplicity and accessibility of the gospel. It reminds me that the Word of God isn't meant to be held behind ornate granite walls and stain glassed windows, but to be spoken on the street and shared with the masses. I hope that this presentation will be used by more Christians and new seekers to dispel the myth of a stuffy church, and a repressive Christ. -HisAmbassador.com

Sexcess? Fitness Tips? Financial Helps? Who ever came up with these titles to place on the front of the "Biblezines" has their mind upon the culture rather than what the Bible was truly written for. While Thomas Nelson is seeking to help churches with outreach and evangelism, they are shooting themselves in the foot by using the culture to determine evangelism and not the Scriptures themselves.

The "Biblezines" by Thomas Nelson are a joke to me. First we had the Biblezines for teenager girls and boys and now the Biblezine for men. Designed to be "attractive" to non-believers and "less offensive", the Biblezine uses the non-literal New Century Version and takes the New Testament and makes it look like a "how to" magazine rather than the Word of God.

The positives of the idea are that someone desires to reach the culture. I assume that Thomas Nelson truly wants to see men read the Bible (I hope this is true rather than just trying to make money off the Bible). Without a doubt I can applaude them for this. They also want men to see that answers are found in the Bible about questions concerning sex, marriage, money, etc. Answers are found in the source of truth, the Bible.

The negatives of this edition (as with the others) is that these questions are secondary issues in the Bible. The Bible is about Jesus. The Bible is written to show sinful humanity (Romans 3:10-23) that we need to be saved from sin (John 8:31-38). We are not seekers but rather we are depraved creatures who need to repent before a holy God (1 John 1:7-10). The ultimate story of Scripture is that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (Romans 5:1-11; 2 Cor. 5:21). It is our duty to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38).

Secondly, Thomas Nelson choose to use the New Century Version for its text. The NCV is a good children's Bible (as originally written) but is not a very good translation. Nelson would have been better to use the New King James Version or even the New American Standard for its text rather than the NCV.

Thirdly, evangelism is best seen in the context of showing men their sinfulness (Romans 7:7) through the Law (1 Timothy 1:8-11). The Law shows our sin (James 2:9-13). The Law shuts our prideful mouths (Romans 3:19-20). The Law is our school-master to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-26). You can't woo men through a "Biblezine" but only by preaching the Law (Romans 10:17) and then calling men to repent (Luke 13:5; 24:47; Acts 3:19; 17:30-31) and to confess Jesus in baptism (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38, 41; 22:16; Romans 6:1-4; 10:9-13; Col. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21-22).

For more on the Bible see Leland Ryken's THE WORD OF GOD IN ENGLISH and James White's SCRIPTURE ALONE.
For more on evangelism see Ray Comfort's HELL'S BEST KEPT SECRET and THE WAY OF THE MASTER.
For more on the Church and culture see John MacArthur's THINK BIBLICALLY! and ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

"...Be not comformed to the world..." Thomas Nelson! "Sexcess" to sell a New Testament? Did you delete "sin" to make it more pallatable? What's next, Britney Spears on a cover of a teen Bible? (somehow I feel I should not have suggested that!)