I am unfamiliar with the developer (iTourSoftware) or the church affiliation, but the app is first rate. It is much more than an audiobook. It is really a KJV Bible application with the option to listen. The user interface, search function, bookmarks and notes features are simple to use and more than adequate for their purpose.

This app won’t replace a Bible study app like Logos, but the audio function definitely makes this app worth having. I have downloaded, tried and erased several iPhone Bible apps, but this one is a keeper.

And best of all it’s free. You can donate, of course, and the proceeds support a good cause as best I can tell. I haven’t found where the app is available for other smartphones, so sorry non-iPhone users.

Note: since the app contains the entire audio KJV Bible, it will take a while to download on wifi (it took me almost an hour), or you can transfer from iTunes. But, the app loads and runs fast and I have not noticed any side effects from the file size. Enjoy!

I am not an affiliate or in any way associated with Christian Audio, but you can get:

• ESV Hear the Word Audio Bible (Complete and Unabridged)
• NRSV New Testament
• The Message, and a lot of other stuff.

I am seriously considering buying the ESV for when I’m traveling. I missed the chance to download the complete KJV last time, and I regret it to this day.

There are three steps to enter: (1) provide name and email and you automaticall win a free NLT Gospel of John Bible Study, (2) share your testimony about how the NLT has provided you clarity, and (3) share your story on facebook, twitter, myspace or linkedin. Contest dates are November 9, 2009 – December 18, 2009.

Everyone who enters will also be entered for a free NLT Study Bible which will be given away daily or a chance to win 100 Bibles for your church. Good luck!

Book Details:

Holy Bible Mosaic (NLT)

Tyndale House

ISBN 1414322032

Buy Holy Bible Mosaic (softcover) (or hardcover)

Those of you familiar with me and this blog will know that to the extent I am critical of another member of the body of Christ, it is only ever for causing division in the body. That is why I was so excited to post about the release of Holy Bible Mosaic back in June. It seems to me Mosaic is an attempt to bridge division and bring the body together.

Here is an excerpt from the Mosaic website:

Key Features

• Writings from every continent and century of the Christian Church – Contemporary and historical writings from Christians across the globe such as St. Augustine, Charles Wesley, and Henri Nouwen.
• Full-Color Art – Full color art offers another kind of reflective devotional experience, with artwork from contemporary and historical artists.
• Variety of Reflective Content – The content is arranged so that every week the reader has a variety of content for reading and reflection. Each week follows a theme appropriate to the Church season (such as Advent, Easter, etc). The content included for each week includes full-color art; Scripture readings; a historical reading; a contemporary reading; a prayer, creed, hymn or quote; and space for reflection.
• Space for your response to God’s promptings – Add your tile to the mosaic-write or draw your response, prayers and questions in the provided space.

And that is only a small sampling of what Mosaic contains.

Before I get in to the substance of the review, I want to mention a few technical matters. First, at 8.6″x5.8″ (5.7″ for the softcover), Mosaic’s size is ideal for personal use. It’s not a Bible you have to keep on a coffee table or at home because of its size. It is certainly attractive enough to display openly, but not so bulky that you won’t be able to carry it around if you choose.

The paper (off-white for the insert, bright white for the Bible text), the typesetting, and the cover are as attractive as any Bible I’ve seen in recent memory, and I look at a lot of Bibles.

I have previously reviewed the the NLT Study Bible, so I won’t go into an in-depth review of the Bible text portion. As far as the Mosaic material, it is well worth your time, effort and money. The artwork spans from ancient to contemporary and is included with every section.

The scripture readings, essays, quotations, and other material are laid out according to a church calendar: A four week Advent, the Christmas season, a six week Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and 28 weeks of Pentecost. And there is related material for each week of the year.

For example, according to the calendar, this is Pentecost, Week 23, and the topic is “Diversity.” The scripture readings are Ruth 1:1-22, Psalm 145, Philippians 1:27, and Matthew 12:46. There is also a “Prayer for the Heart and Will of God” by Thomas A. Kempis (c. 1380-1471), an essay by Derek Chinn entitled “Distinguished by Diversity,” quotations from Justin Martyr and Jerome Nathanson, additional suggested scripture reading, an area for your reflections, and more. A different topic is covered each week, including “Blame,” “Forgiveness,” “Justice,” “Apocalyptic Blues,” “Wealth,” “The Birth of the Church,” and many more. Each section, Advent, Christmas, etc., are treated similarly.

Mosaic is not a study Bible, per se, but you will learn a lot by reading it beyond what you would learn from the Biblical text. These particular uses came to mind when I was reviewing Mosaic:

• Obviously, personal Bible study
• Small group Bible studies
• Family Bible studies
• Inter-faith Bible studies
• Sunday school classes

In my interview with Keith Williams, Mosaic’s General Editor, I asked Keith to suggest ways pastors and other church leaders could incorporate Mosaic into their church life, and his suggestions were certainly appropriate and well thought out. Click the interview link above to read those.

I don’t see Mosaic as a replacement for a good study or life application Bible, but, if your primary reading Bible is the New Living Translation, it could certainly replace a regular reading Bible. What I do see Mosaic being is a magnificent addition to any library and a useful tool for every Christian.

Mosaic is not just another themed Bible, and to lump it in with the vast majority of themed Bibles would do it a tremendous disservice. But, there is without question a theme that threads through this book, that we are all part of one mosaic, and it’s a work in progress.

My Other Mosaic Posts:

• NLT Mosaic Coming Fall 2009
• Holy Bible Mosaic Released Today
• Holy Bible Mosaic (It’s Gorgeous) and Blog Tour Info
• Mosaic Blog Tour Interview with Keith Williams
• Holy Bible Mosaic Giveaway

Mosaic Links:

• Try Mosaic Online
• Holy Bible Mosaic website
• Holy Bible Mosaic Blog

Tyndale and NLT Links:

• NLT Website
• NLT Blog
• NLT Study Bible Website
• Tyndale House Publishers

Holy Bible Mosaic

Next Friday, October 23, 2009, the Holy Bible Mosaic Blog Tour stops here at Beauty of the Bible. There are a lot of cool things planned for the tour stop including a giveaway for a free Mosaic.

I am running a 10-day contest for your chance to win a Gift Certificate redeemable at any bookstore for a free Holy Bible Mosaic (hard cover edition). I have one myself, and let me tell you, it is gorgeous.

All you have to do to enter is leave me your name in the comments below and check back on Friday to see if you win.

If you post a link to this contest on facebook, you will get one additional entry – if we are not yet friends, you will need to befriend me so that I can confirm the facebook link.

If you have a blog, you can write a post about this, link back to this page, and I will give you another entry for a possible total of three (3) entries.

Bloggers, if you already have a review copy, don’t worry, I will let you designate the person you want to receive it if you win. For example, if you want your grandmother who has no idea how to turn on a computer to win, you can enter for her.

Entries will be accepted until 12:00 noon (CST) on Friday October 23, 2009, and I will have my daughter Libby draw the winning name. The winner will be posted at 5:00pm (CST) on Friday, October 23, 2009. The winner will then contact me via the Contact page above with their mailing address (U.S. mailing addresses only please), and I will mail them their prize.

Here are a few key features (from the Mosaic website):

Writings from every continent and century of the Christian Church – Contemporary and historical writings from Christians across the globe such as St. Augustine, Charles Wesley, and Henri Nouwen.

Full-Color Art – Full color art offers another kind of reflective devotional experience, with artwork from contemporary and historical artists.

Center column reference text with word study system – The clear New Living Translation text in this Bible is set in a center-column reference format, with Greek and Hebrew word studies to give you greater insight in study. There are also icons in the margins of the text to indicate which Scripture passages are linked to which writings.

Variety of Reflective Content – The content is arranged so that every week the reader has a variety of content for reading and reflection. Each week follows a theme appropriate to the Church season (such as Advent, Easter, etc). The content included for each week includes full-color art; Scripture readings; a historical reading; a contemporary reading; a prayer, creed, hymn or quote; and space for reflection.

Space for your response to God’s promptings – Add your tile to the mosaic—write or draw your response, prayers and questions in the provided space.

My Other Mosaic Posts:

• NLT Mosaic Coming Fall 2009
• Holy Bible Mosaic Released Today
• Holy Bible Mosaic (It’s Gorgeous) and Blog Tour Info

Mosaic Links:

• Try Mosaic Online
• Holy Bible Mosaic website
• Holy Bible Mosaic Blog
• NLT Blog Mosaic Release Party Announcement

Holy Bible Mosaic

How about that(?)! While I was writing my last post about the release of Holy Bible Mosaic, the mailman delivered my copy courtesy of Laura Bartlett at Tyndale House, and let me tell you it’s gorgeous.

Also, I want to announce that Beauty of the Bible will be hosting the Mosaic Blog Tour on Friday, October 23, 2009. Here are a few of the BOB Blog Tour Highlights:

• I will be conducting a Q&A with Paul Louis Metzger, a contributor to Holy Bible Mosaic who wrote the article for Pentecost Week 15 on the topic of Justice. How appropriate is that for a Bible blog hosted by a lawyer?
• I will post my review of the Holy Bible Mosaic.
• I will be giving away a certificate for a free copy of Holy Bible Mosaic redeemable at any bookstore, and anyone can win.

All of these are, of course, subject to change, but I will keep you posted.

Mosaic Links:

• Holy Bible Mosaic Official Site
• NLT Blog Release Party
• Buy Mosaic from Amazon at BOB Bookstore

Holy Bible Mosaic

Back in June, I wrote about the upcoming project Holy Bible Mosaic from Tyndale House due out in the fall of 2009. Well, it’s here. And the NLT Blog is celebrating with a release party.

Check it out. You can enter to win a free deluxe edition Holy Bible Mosaic and up to a $500.00 Amazon gift certificate.

If you’re a facebooker, all you have to do to enter is become a fan on facebook. Bloggers can blog about it. And Twitterers can tweet about it. This is really a great giveaway. Don’t miss your chance to win the deluxe edition Mosaic.

Buy Mosaic from Amazon at the BOB Bookstore.

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

Also, to be quite honest, it’s hard to come across a copy of a TNIV in a book store around here. I do live in rural Texas after all, and most bookstores around here do not carry the TNIV. I shop online a lot, and I buy books online a lot, but I have never bought a Bible online (to the best of my recollection) because I need to look at, feel of and smell a new Bible if I’m going to buy it. I need to drool over it for a few weeks before I get up the gumption to buy it.

I just totally lied, because now that I think about it, I did buy a paperback JPS Hebrew/English Tanakh and a copy of David Stern’s Complete Jewish Bible a couple of years ago. My apologies for misleading you.

In any event, a Mardel opened recently in Abilene and it does carry a reasonable selection of TNIVs. I was thinking this Hebrews Bible Study would be a great way to try out a new Bible translation. But, I’m having second thoughts because (1) my other Bibles are already marked up and (2) I would bet money that no one attending will be reading a TNIV.

I’m also probably treading on thin ice because I was forbidden from purchasing any more Bibles until we move into a new house with more bookshelves. I better break the news about the purchase to my honey before she reads this post.

Well, please join me in congratulating Bob because he has finished his translation. You can read through the translation on the blog or download the pdf version.

I’m no expert, but the feat alone is remarkable. I know he would welcome any comments or feedback. I have downloaded it, and if the first few chapters are any indication of the whole, it will be well worth your time.