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Guest Post
October 31, 2022

How I Escaped the World of Trafficking

For nearly six years, Rebecca Bender was sold across the underground world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. This is how she escaped.By Rebecca Bender

Editor’s Note: For nearly six years, Rebecca Bender was sold across the underground world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. She was branded, beaten, told when to sleep and what to wear, and traded between traffickers. This article shares the beginning of her restoration and deliverance from slavery and drug addition, adapted from her book In Pursuit of Love.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” — Matthew 21:31

I knew I needed professional help if I wanted to get my life together and my little girl back. Bryan my pimp was furious about the hospital incident due to my drug overdose and kept his distance, spending time with his other girls. Yet somehow he convinced me that it was my drug use that caused all the prostitution, and that he wanted me to go to rehab because he loved me. I called my mom and got a list of women’s rehabs in the Pacific Northwest that she’d compiled for me. Last on the list was Victory Outreach, a Christian women’s home.

“Those Christians don’t have a clue what real life on the streets is like,” I told her as she read the phone numbers to me. I hung up and began calling the numbers on the list.

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Zondervan Academic
October 27, 2022

Stan Gundry’s Tribute to the Late Gordon D. Fee

I first became acquainted with Gordon when we were both still young men—about 50 years ago. The man I came to know was one to be admired, respected, and emulated:

  • A devout Christian whose faith inspired those who knew him.
  • A New Testament scholar of the first rank whose scholarship was admired and appreciated by both liberals and conservatives. 
  • A Bible translator committed to communicating the Bible’s message to ordinary people accurately and accessibly.
  • An author who wrote scholarly tomes for the academy but who had the ability to write books for beginning Bible students.
  • A believer who was loyal to the Pentecostal tradition in which he was raised but was also able and willing to subject that tradition to biblical correctives.
  • A man of integrity who held others to the same standard.
  • A family man who was obviously devoted to his wife and children.
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Chris Fann
October 25, 2022

Scripture Engagement is Different than Bible Study – An Interview with Phil Collins

Has anyone ever taught you how to read the Bible so that you grow spiritually? Do you know how to come to the Scriptures in a manner that promotes a thriving, living relationship with Christ? For many, the guidance ends with someone telling you to “read your Bible and pray every day.” Too many people have come to the Bible with an inadequate approach, flounder around, get distracted and then stop coming to the Bible; thinking that something was wrong with the Bible or with themselves.

In The Abide Bible Course, a professor and a pastor – Dr. Phil Collins and Randy Frazee – walk through five transformative Christian practices for reading the Bible. In this Q&A, Bible Gateway interviewed Dr. Phil Collins about the 6-session video Bible study, The Abide Bible Course, (HarperChristian Resources, 2022).

What is The Abide Bible Course?

It’s a six-session small group video curriculum designed as a very practical training tool to help people learn how to engage Scripture – how to read it in a way that’s vibrant and life changing. Each session has a set of opening questions for discussion, a 20-minute or so video, notes for the video teaching, directions for activities and discussion questions.  One of the great things about the sessions is that each one has a series of personal studies for individuals to practice between sessions.  Our friend, pastor, and author J.R. Briggs, did an amazing job developing the written materials.

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Guest Post
October 24, 2022

Jesus: The Word Made Flesh

Andrew Klavan expounds upon Jesus’ life as it expresses the Logos, the Word that speaks the world into being, the Word that is with God and that is God.By Andrew Klavan

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. —John 1:1-4, 14

A work of art speaks a truth we can’t speak outright: the truth of the human experience. Love, joy, grief, guilt, beauty—no words can communicate these. We can only represent them in stories and pictures and songs. Art is the way we speak the meaning of our lives.

Throughout the play Hamlet, the prince seeks the answer to Pontius Pilate’s question: What is truth? How can we tell the difference between our prejudices, our assumptions, our feelings, and the reality around us?

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Zondervan Bibles
October 20, 2022

A Conversation with OneHope About the New NIV Telos Bible

The NIV Telos Bible

Bible Gateway interviewed Erika Andujar, Director of Publishing for Bible Media Group/OneHope. She shared the inspiration behind The NIV Telos Bible, now available from Zondervan.

What inspired OneHope to create The NIV Telos Bible?

Erika Andujar: For more than 10 years, OneHope has been researching and building a community of youth pastors, next generation ministry leaders, and theologians to address the condition and challenges spiritually facing North America. We live in a post-truth age when the claims and teachings of the Word have been deconstructed, relativized, and challenged in ways that it never has been before. We created The Telos Bible to help students search the scriptures to find the life-giving truths they so desperately need.

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Guest Post
October 17, 2022

The Profound Importance of Habits

Justin Whitmel Earley. Habits are fascinating little things. They are the things we do over and over, semiconsciously to unconsciously. But their impact is profound.By Justin Whitmel Earley

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
—Ephesians 4:22-24

“You’re going to love school today,” I tell Whit as I zip up his coat. “You have PE, which means you get to go outside,” I go on as I tie his shoes. “And if you see your brother Ash in the hallway, make sure you give him a fist bump,” I remind him as I buckle his seat belt, “because brothers stick together, okay?”

This is a remarkable moment, and totally normal. You do it too. We do complicated, difficult tasks on autopilot. We flip pancakes and change diapers while also doing much more important things like chatting with a spouse or mulling over a work problem. We can do this because of the amazing phenomenon of habit.

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Guest Post
October 10, 2022

Finding the Courage for Your Moment

Madison Prewett uses the Bible story of Esther to explore what true God-honoring courage is really about.By Madison Prewett

In recent months, I have felt strongly that God is raising up women of today to stand firm and carry an unshakable and unbreakable spirit of courage, using the skills and resources they possess to make an impact on this generation.

There will always be people or situations that try to limit our impact, silence our voice, and keep us from our purpose. We need courage to stand up to people who oppose us, not only for ourselves but also for those who look up to us, whether they be our siblings, our friends, our coworkers, or strangers on social media.

But what is the source of courage? Where does it come from? Why do some seem to be more courageous than others? We can find the courage we need in our relationship with God and his Spirit within us. He promises never to leave or forsake us, and that should make us brave! I discovered that I could rely on God to give me courage when I most needed it, and when I called on him, I knew his Spirit was with me.

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Guest Post
October 4, 2022

Identity: Who Do You Think You Are?

Dr. Dharius Daniels discusses our identity, specifically who each of us was uniquely created to be.By Dr. Dharius Daniels

“Who do you think you are?”

That phrase usually has a negative connotation in today’s culture. It’s a challenge. It’s confrontational. When someone is getting up in our space or operating outside their area of expertise, we may ask that question as a way to say, “Check yourself.” “Step back.” “Take a moment to evaluate your actions and attitudes.”

Who do you think you are?

Notice the emphasis on the word think. We’re not asking, “Who are you?”—which is a valid question in and of itself. We’re asking, “Who do you think you are?” What is your opinion about who you are? Who do you believe yourself to be?

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Guest Post
September 26, 2022

The Critical Importance of Facing Your Trauma

Dan AllenderBy Dr. Dan B. Allender

Joan, a Bainbridge Island firefighter, was in my house with a group of our neighbors, telling us how to prepare for the earthquake that will inevitably hit our island. Apparently our neighborhood sits squarely on the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Earlier, when Becky informed me that we were hosting the gathering, I’d asked her if I needed to attend. When her eyes flashed with incredulity, I quickly retracted my question.

I had no doubt that Joan, no more than five feet four inches and 120 pounds, could swing my dead weight over her shoulder and carry me down a flight of stairs if I needed saving. But now she was telling us, “You are on your own. When the big one hits, don’t expect the fire department, EMS, police, or any other cavalry to save you.”

Joan reminded us that we live on an island. I knew this nearly 20 years ago when we moved here. I ignored it. She explained that the bridge to the peninsula would likely go down and the ferry to Seattle would be terminated. Access to save our burning home or to attend to our crushed arm would be delayed until those not on duty could get to the island.

Those first responders would naturally tend to their families first and then their neighbors. We would receive care only after those in greatest need were served. Therefore, we must have at least two weeks’ worth of food and water, cooking and camping gear, medication, clothing, and first aid supplies to deal with our needs.

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Jonathan Petersen
September 21, 2022

The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God: An Interview with Tim Challies

Tim ChalliesWhat do you do when you receive the shocking news that your son has suddenly died? How is God sovereign over loss? How is he good in loss? How do you pass through times of grief while keeping your faith? How is it possible to love God more after loss than you loved him before?

Bible Gateway interviewed Tim Challies (@challies) about his book, Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God (Zondervan, 2022).

Please describe how this book came to be.

Buy your copy of Seasons of Sorrow in the FaithGateway Store where you'll enjoy low prices every day

Tim Challies: On November 3, 2020, my family received the news that my son had collapsed and died. Nick was a seminary student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary when, without warning, his heart failed and he passed away. We were quickly able to get a flight down to Louisville to be with our daughter who was also a student there. While I was on the plane I began to write. I wasn’t writing a book yet—just writing for the sake of processing my shock and grief. Over the months that followed I continued to write as my way of thinking and meditating, of considering my fears and doubts, my joys and laments. And as time went on and the amount of writing grew, I began to wonder if I may have been writing a book all along. It eventually grew to become Seasons of Sorrow.

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    The Bible Gateway Blog features the latest news, announcements, and reflections from Bible Gateway. We hope what you find here will add to your understanding of and appreciation for the Bible.