Transcription
BibleTypes
Helping customers find the right Bible Most customers don’t understand the breadth of Bible types availablewhen shopping for a Bible In fact, roughly 50% of Bible customers walk away from their first visitwithout purchasing a Bible Two key questions can help you guide customers in their decision:1. Who are you buying for?2. How do you intend for the Bible to be used?
Question 1: Who is this Bible for? Understanding who the Bible is for will: Help you begin to narrow the many options Give you a first point of entry for engaging with customers Help you get to know them and what they are looking for Bibles are available for all “Ages and Stages” This means you can buy a Bible specifically for an infant (presentation Bible) or an elderlyperson (who might need a super giant print Bible), and many, many options in between The answer to this first question will help you begin to assess how much thecustomer knows about the decision they are getting ready to face
Question 2: How do you intend for the Bibleto be used? Understanding how the Bible will be used will: Lead you into the details of the choices Each question you ask will move you from a general to more specific understanding oftheir needs You may need to prompt them with more specific questions to help you narrow thechoices Customers will appreciate your thoughtful approach to their needs
The 4 Main Bible Types There are primarily 4 different types of Bibles that you need to beaware of: Text BiblesStudy BiblesDevotional BiblesSpecialty Bibles
Text Bibles Text Bibles are primarily Scripture and may include: Reference Bibles (Scripture that links to other passages)Compact BiblesThinline BiblesLarge Print BiblesGiant Print BiblesEtc. What do all these Bibles have in common? There is little to no additional content included within the text of the Bible
Study Bibles What is the goal of a Study Bible? To provide study material that allows the reader to dig-in and study Scritpureand gain greater insight and understanding from the text itself Study Bible content can include the following: Book introductionsAnnotationsLimited commentaryIn-text articlesScripture cross-referencesMany other types of supplemental material depending on the study Bible
Study Bibles Study Bibles come in various formats Personality driven with notes from a particular author E.G. John MacArthur Study Bible Concept driven that focus on a particular topic E.G. Biblical Backgrounds Study Bible Broad appeal E.G. NIV Study Bible or Life Application Study Bible The best way to familiarize yourself with various study Bibles is toopen them up and compare them side-by-side
Devotional Bibles Devotional Study Bibles have built in plans and/or content toencourage reading of the Bible on a consistent basis Some options are: Daily reading Bibles where the Bible is set that organizes Scripture into chunksthat allow for similar readings each day throughout a given reading plan(often through a year) Author written devotionals placed within the text that support the Bible textaround it Audience specific (e.g. children, teens, women, men, etc.) Themed (e.g. writings from a classic author or devotions for those inrecovery)
Specialty BiblesSpecialty Bibles tend to be a broad and comprehensive category Depending on how a Bible department is organized, many Bibles within thiscategory could fall within other categories as well When we refer to specialty Bibles we could be referring to Bibles withspecial themed content could fall in between study Bibles and devotionalBibles or could be referring to special formatting The differences between each specialty Bible may be vast, but broadly fitinto three main categories: Special Content/Themed Special Format Special Purpose
Specialty Bibles Special Content/Themed Where the content included alongside Scripture focuses on a particular issue thereader might be facing E.g. Celebrate Recovery Bible Special Format Wide margin – Bible that provides ample space alongside the text for taking notes inthe margins Single column – One column of text on each page opposed to the more traditionaltwo columns of text Parallel Bibles – Bibles the place various Bible translations side-by-side for easycomparison Audio Bibles – Biblesthat are read aloud and are sometimes dramatized Electronic Bibles – E.g. Kindle Software – E.g. Logos Bible Software
Specialty Bibles Special Purpose (Not full text) These are Bible produced to deliver the Biblical text in an untraditional waythat would lead to greater engagement. Some examples include: The Story (created as a condescended version of the Bible to help the reader betterunderstand the over-arching story of the Bible) Graphic Novels (created to visually represent specific portions of the Bible with quality) Children’s Storybook Bible (Condescended and simplified Scripture, typically illustrated,allowing the Bible to be engaged by children)
E.G. John MacArthur Study Bible Concept driven that focus on a particular topic . Devotional Study Bibles have built in plans and/or content to encourage reading of the Bible on a consistent basis Some options are: Daily reading Bibles where the Bible is set that organizes Scripture into chunks
