Imagine preaching to a congregation that is attentively following your every word, jotting down notes voraciously on a small journal that has the Bible text you’re unpacking on one side, and space for note taking on the other. It’s a six-week series, and your congregants have been bringing that same journal that contains the book of the Bible that’s the subject of your series.
And, to take it a step further, imagine that several of your members are using their small group study sessions to dig further into the book that’s the subject of your preaching. They bring their Bible journals with them to small group, so they benefit from key points you made during the series. And they’re adding additional thoughts as the group finds more truths from the Scripture.
And, if you’ll indulge me one further step, as the study group settles in on one chapter, they’re scanning a symbol on the top of the page they’re studying, which links to app content about the content on that page—textual notes, articles, and reflections about the passage, and even videos, such as Bible Project videos, interactive maps, worship music, and more. The content on the Filament Bible app enhances the study and the learning.
Fortunately, it’s not your imagination. It’s the new NLT Filament Bible Journaling Collection, which offers the books of the New Testament in 19 journals (some have a single larger book; others have two or more of the smaller books). These inexpensive journals all feature the Scripture on the left side of each spread and lightly lined blank pages on the right. All are equipped with the Filament Bible app.
We’re finding that the journals are popular with pastors, who arrange to make the journals related to their teaching available to congregants—with either the church buying these for those who attend or making them available for purchase (they’re about $5.99 each).
Individuals and small groups are using them for reading and study, with their notes available the next time they study the book, or to pass along to their children or grandchildren.
An added feature of the collection: these journals come in interesting box sets that help readers learn about how the books of the New Testament fit together. There are five sets.
The People of God Set. Includes Matthew, Hebrews, and James. These three books were written with Jewish believers in mind. In the first century, many Jews needed to see how the Christian faith fit together with the Old Testament story and teachings. These books, in different ways, show how Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s Old Testament longings and story and that his teachings fulfill the instructions given to Israel in the Old Testament law.
The Birth of the Church Set. Includes Luke, Acts, Mark, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude. All of these books are connected by a common thread: the birth, growth, and concerns of the early church. You can read these three journals consecutively to notice their similarities or enjoy each on its own.
The Alpha and Omega Set. Includes the Gospel of John, 1–3 John, and Revelation, which are all attributed to the apostle John. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and throughout the Bible, these two letters are used as a symbolic name for Jesus, signifying his eternal existence: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega―the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come―the Almighty One’” (Revelation 1:8).
Two sets provide a new perspective on the apostle Paul’s writings by presenting them in the order they were written.
The Chronological Letters from Paul, Volume One. The set contains Paul’s earliest letters: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and Galatian
The Chronological Letters from Paul, Volume Two. The set contains Paul’s later letters: Romans, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus.
The NLT Filament Journals are wonderful new resources for pastors and churches, small groups, and individuals looking for new depth and connection in their personal Bible study.
