New Bibles, New Translation

We're making an important change for 2012. After years of using the New Living Translation as our base translation for the weekend messages and Group life, we are switching to the English Standard Translation (ESV).

If you have a NLT or NIV, you'll still use them a lot. Contrasting translations can help lead you deeper. But I'd also suggest adding the ESV to your collection. The NLT (New Living Translation) is still the best translation for reading through large portions of Scripture, in my opinion. If you're doing a "read through the Bible in a year" challenge or reading with your kids, I would not recommend the ESV.

Here's why we're switching:

• For the kind of verse-by-verse study we do on the weekends and in Group Life (for personal and group study), it's hard to beat. It's more "literal" in nature, which affords the opportunity to see more of the dynamics in the original languages. This also makes it a little harder to relate to immediately and requires more digging in for meaning, but this is good. As we have been doing more detailed study, I've become increasingly frustrated with the translation choices the NLT makes and the loss of some of those dynamics. So now, instead of saying, "In a more literal translation it reads...," I'll be saying, "Here's how the NLT (or NIV or Message) translates it." Subtle but important difference.

• The newest NIV revision would have been an equally good choice but the fact that the new NIV is called the NIV and not something like the R(evised)NIV would just lead to a lot of confusion. (Yes, even trying to explain it is confusing!) But other factors favoring the ESV are below.

• It has the best study Bible available by far. I always say that if you're only going to have one Bible resource, get a good study Bible. If you have a million resources, it's still one you'll use all the time. We just purchased and distributed the study Bible to all staff so they can lead the way on this. You can check it out here.

• It has the best study Bible app available for smart phones and tablets. Check it out here for iPad and iPhone (I'm not sure this same app is available outside of the Apple line). You get the whole thing in a very intuitive and easy to use format. And don't be fooled by ESV Study Bible apps that are cheap (under $10). They're just an ebook version of the print version, unless that's all you want. If you use an iPhone or iPad for most of your Bible study, I'd get the app first and then page through someones print version to make sure you find all the content in the app.

• If you buy the Study Bible print version, you have full access to it online. They give you a code. This is a great resource that's free only if you buy the print version. The apps are not included, though.

Mid-Week Memo

Dear Five Oakers, I have SEVEN things I want to share with you (actually EIGHT, with the addendum I added about our Christmas services):

#1- What a great service this last weekend. I loved it!

• The whole Stocker family was represented on the worship team. Todd (dad) was on the piano. You've heard him speak at Five Oaks (he shared the story of losing their 16-year-old daughter a couple of years ago). Kelly (mom) and Maddie (daughter, she led one of the songs) sang. Nathan (son) played bass. Todd is a college chaplain and often preaches in a variety of churches on the weekends. We're always glad to have them with visit with us (they are part of our "close extended church family").
• You may have also noticed our guest guitarist, Ethan Lynn. He's a former guitar student of Justin from Michigan, but he's become a phenom at 13-years of age! Justin is happy to admit that Ethan has surpassed him in guitar skills and is one of the best guitarist's he knows.
• I preached on Philippians 2:12-13 and what it takes to sustain change in our lives: vigilant effort and inner transformation.

#2- I don't know what the final number is, but thanks to your generosity and obedience to God in giving tithes and offerings, we finished the year well in the black! I don't have final numbers yet, but this is such a blessing for ministry. A lot of credit goes to Brian Burquest (our Business Admin) and our staff for keeping expenses well below budget as well. Our Board also does a great job of overseeing the big picture and setting great goals. Way to go team!

#3- I'm very glad to announce that Casey Hayden is coming on staff (part-time) to lead the Jr. High ministry under Tim. Casey's dad, Dana, use to serve as our Outreach Director, and when the Haydens came to Five Oaks, Casey was in 9th grade. Casey has completed two internships with us, most recently this last fall, focusing on The Retreat ministry and Jr. High. Casey is a lot of fun, he has a passion to help hurting people and I love the way he thinks.

#4- The Student Ministry had an overnighter last week where they completed several projects around the church and some for our Impact Ministry outside the church. One of the projects was to label all the new chair Bibles. (I'll write about the translation change tomorrow.) They were also trained in CPR, making it the first 80 in a new push to train hundreds (or is 1000's?) in Woodbury. This was led by Five Oaker J.B. Guiton, the EMS Commander for the City of Woodbury.

#5- Great opportunity to grow your faith: You can download a Christian classic for free for this month, Knowing God by J.I. Packer, at ChristianAudio. This is a great book. I'm pretty sure you'll grow to know and love God better by listenting to it.

#6- We're starting a 6-week series this weekend that I think will have a profound effect on us. It's called "EVERYTHING (A 'Story of God' Series)." It's another run through the whole Story of God, but it's focused on how real peace, joy and purpose come from orienting EVERYTHING in our lives toward God. The Story of God was written not only to make that point but to convince us that it’s true! Basically we're tracing the thread of one of the mega-themes of the Bible through the whole story, starting with Creation and working our way to the New Creation.

#7- Look for the new Five Oaks University Catalog this weekend. We're offering some great classes, including Financial Peace University. I'll talk more about FOU next week.

I just want to add this one thing for those who are interested. I met today with our Programming Team to evaluate our Christmas services. We've received some very constructive feedback in person and via email and Facebook. I'm not exaggerating when I say that many people told us they loved it and, for some, it was the best ever. But there were as many people who went out of their way to tell us that they were disappointed.

We believe we could have done much better. In my opinion, we over-programmed the service (something we tend to do on these special weekends), which just feels disjointed for some people and moves us away from what we do best. We included elements that some people found offensive to one degree or another, and that's just REALLY dumb on our part (thank God he loves people who do dumb things, right?). And we didn't keep little kids in mind when planning a couple of elements that were scary, on a weekend where we offer limited children's programing!

This, I believe, spoiled (for some) all the GREAT elements that were represented in the service. Yes, many of you come to these kinds of services with such diverse and sometimes impossibly high expectations that it is truly impossible to please everyone (you know that, right?), but in this case we deserved many of the criticisms we received.

We are partners together in ministry, therefore you need to know that you can expect good things to happen if you bring a guest to our services. Too many of you didn't feel that way and you let me know very gracefully, keeping our partnership in reaching people for Christ at the forefront of your critique. THAT'S  the kind of criticism I'm always going to listen to. Thank you!

Blessing to all of you. I love being your pastor. Henry