Bible Studies - Learn from The Bible

Susan Slobac asked:


Did you know that most of the people in the world cannot read? We take free, public education in the United States for granted sometimes, but with it does come the opportunity for public literacy learning. This is unfortunately not the case worldwide, where political conflicts and poverty take a toll on the educational needs of citizens of other countries. When it comes to reading the Bible, therefore, there are many in the world that simply do not have the skills to do so. There is a solution to this problem, however, and that is the introduction of the audio Bible.

The translation process has been brought to the King James audio Bible, for example, bringing the wonders of modern technology to bear on the problem of sharing God’s Word in a way that all can understand. The NIV audio Bible, as well as the King James audio Bible have been downloaded onto a CD that uses mp3 files to compress the entire New Testament so that it fits on a single CD. People can then listen to the audio Bible and even conduct audio Bible Study groups using this fantastic audio version of the Bible. Of course, there are thousands of different languages spoken around the world, so how is Bible translation work done so that all listeners can understand what is being said on the CD?

There are several groups whose purpose is to translate the Bible so that everyone in the world will be able to read or hear it in their own language. Wycliffe Bible Translators is one such group. They take a scholarly, linguistic approach to Bible translation. Linguists are sent into the field to work with a people group whose language has never been written down before. These linguists work with native speakers to document a language’s phonetics, phonology, syntax and grammar. After this painstaking research, they apply what they have learned to translating the Bible into this newly recorded language.

Phonetics refers to the sounds of a particular language. The human voice can make many sounds, yet not all of them are used for language production. The linguist’s job is to listen well and document each of the individual sounds used in the particular language, in a way that is verifiable and repeatable by all speakers.

Phonology has to do with how the various sounds identified phonetically function within the language. The linguist will work, after gaining phonetic data out in the field, to identify what the phonemes, or the smallest unit of speech that characterizes meaning, of the language are.

Syntax is the study of sentence structure, and grammar is a listing of the rules that apply to the structure of sentences. Wycliffe, and other Bible translation organizations, apply linguistic standards to the study of languages that have never been written before, and then apply what they have learned to Bible translation. Some of these organizations have also partnered with audio Bible production groups, so that the Bible is now available in languages that many of the world’s speakers can understand.



Ava

Danny Belks asked:


Vacation bible school is a popular summertime activity for children from the ages of 3 to 10, or thereabouts. In many cases there is much more emphasis on “vacation” than “bible,” which is understandable for the age group, although like everything else there is a broad range of types and styles of these programs.

Some parents do consider the religious component of primary importance, especially for older children, and will choose a program that has more structured bible studies, at least stories with biblical characters and themes. For other parents, the most important thing is the socialization of their children, and the interpersonal skills they will develop in the vacation bible school setting. Children instinctively like being around other children, for the most part, and this allows most kids the opportunity for a great deal of fun, along with some education, too.

Denominational or not

For parents of all Christian denominations, from Catholic to Pentecostal, vacation bible school is good for themselves as well as for the children. It is, for many families, a happy combination of childcare, play time, class projects and Sunday school. Among the religiously oriented programs, parents can seek out one with bible instruction that is appropriate for their denomination. If their own church is large enough to offer such a vacation program, they will most likely place their children in that one to maintain the peer group associations and continuity.

Interestingly, some Hindu, Buddhist and even Muslin parents, if they cannot locate a vacation program in their own faith system, will place their children in a Christian vacation bible school. They are more concerned with their children getting socialized, learning to play together, having a positive environment and learning ethical behavior than they are with having yet another source besides themselves for their children’s spiritual instruction. These days, they can choose from a variety of programs that emphasize common positive themes, citizenship and education as opposed to a steady diet of religious lessons.

From the kids’ point of view

Children are complex little creatures, as all parents know. But no matter how unique they are (and they all are), they share certain traits, worldwide and in all cultures. The reasons all children should enjoy vacation bible school include the most basic one, of course, which is that they are social animals that love to play. With the great mix of activities, for both body and mind, the good vacation bible schools will help children channel their abundant energies into good things. They will learn that learning itself is enjoyable, and that working hard can be its own reward and a source of continuing enjoyment, too.

Some few children will have a hard time adjusting, and others will not want to let go of mommy’s hand at the door on the first day. The fact is, a parent who relents and lets a child decide on her own not to attend, is robbing the youngster of a tremendous opportunity for growing and maturing. Letting go of their parents and establishing their own “person” in the world is at once a frightening and exciting thing for children, and parents simply must allow them to go through it. In the vast majority of cases, the child who arrives crying and missing mom and dad will be up to her elbows in finger paint by mid-morning.

The truth is, many people remember their vacation bible school experiences with great joy, and consider them important landmarks on their life’s journey. The benefits of this time spent in learning, play and some kid-style morality tales can last a lifetime. In fact, some people do not realize until much later in life the tremendous impact things like vacation bible school had on their thinking, their ethics and their lives. If you’re a parent with young children, there are few better ways to support their general growth, positive play activities, education and (low-key) moral instruction than with a couple of weeks of vacation bible school.



Kimberly

Susan Slobac asked:


Children have been likened to sponges, in that when they are very young they are able to learn and pick up, or soak up, a huge amount of information. If you want to make a lasting impression on your chidren it makes sense to introduce your children to Bible stories early on. TOne easy way to do that is to offer your children a vele has created an he audio Bibrsion of the Bible that they can listen to long before they enter school and learn how to read, which is called the audio Bible. Kid’s Bibles are available as Children’s Bible Stories on audio CD, and in audio Bible mp3 format.

The audio Bible works well with children who are predominantly auditory learners, and learn by hearing. The audio Bible is one of the best ways to share God’s Word with them. Children’s versions of the Bible come in easy to understand language that reflects the Bible stories accurately, but in a way that children can understand. It is easy to play

children’s bible stories on audio cd. for your kids.

Kids can listen to the audio Bible from home computers with speaker systems, or in other playback devices, such as DVD or CD players. You can get children’s Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments on an easy to play audio CD, along with great songs for them to sing along with.

Children’s versions of the Bible and Bible stories and songs are also available in mp3 format as well. You can even find digital audio files of the children’s Bible available on the Internet in the form of podcasts. What this means is that for a small subscription fee, you can have daily programs of presentations of the children’s audio bible sent directly to your home personal computer, where you children can listen to them.

These wonderful podcasts can also be downloaded onto an mp3 player and listened to anytime your child has time. Children have busy lives, with school, sports, arts, and other activities, so finding time for one more activity, even a beneficial one, can be difficult. With a podcast of children’s Bible stories downloaded onto a tiny mp3 player, however, bringing the Word of God into your child’s life has now gotten much simpler. The easily portable mp3 version can go with your child everywhere he or she does, and can be listened to anytime your child has a free moment in his or her busy schedule.

It takes a while for a child to mature enough so that he or she is ready to be taught to read. For many years the Bible was only available in a written form, but now through the miracle of digital technology, the audio Bible is available for you and your children to listen to, and grow in the grace of God as a result.



Gabriella