By Beth Murphy
Spring is a momentous time in the life of a church.
And it is not just because Spring is the time of renewal and rebirth (although it is both); it is because Spring is the time of transition. Of next steps. Of hope merging with wisdom – and learning a little more about the mark one would like to make in the world.
Traditionally, this time of year means the end of the school year. And the unbridled joy of summer. But, in the life of a young believer, it can also mean: salvation, baptism, profession of faith, and–for high-school students–graduation. In addition, Promotion Sunday is when young people who aren’t graduating get “promoted” from one ministry level to the next. For some, this may be a time of uncertainty. For others, it’s a time of confidence and excitement.
ChurchSource has hand-picked a very special Bible for each one of those milestones in the life of a young person. In fact, we’ve been doing that for a very long time. Next year marks the 35th year ChurchSource has come alongside leaders in churches to help equip their members to understand and get truly excited about each of those five major events.
So without further ado, here are some of our top Bible picks for celebrating faith milestones.
Salvation
When a person professes faith in Christ for the very first time, the Bible you put in their hands is one they will always treasure. Look for Bibles that are durable, beautiful, and will hold up to daily use and weekly trips to church and Bible study. Study helps like those found in a study Bible are fantastic for helping people understand and apply the Bible to their life.
My all-time favorite study Bible that I recommend to those who have never had one, is the Quest Study Bible. This Bible is packed with insightful, pastoral, and theologically solid answers to common questions people have when reading the Bible. I've lost count of how many times, when I'm reading along and a passage makes me go, "What's that all about?", a really good answer to that exact question has already been provided in the margins of the Bible. I highly recommend it as a resource for new Christians.
There's a teen edition, too!
Another solid choice is the Foundations Study Bible. This Bible comes in NKJV, KJV, and NIV, and has a smaller number of notes in it than our flagship study Bibles, making them more portable and less overwhelming to someone brand-new to Bible study.
Baby Dedication and Baptism
The little outfits. The tiny shoes. The unpredictable behavior. I absolutely love baby dedication Sundays at my church! And while they're too little to read yet, they have parents and family members who are pledging to raise them to know and follow Christ.
It's never to early to start teaching children about Jesus! Equip families to share Christ's love with their tiniest members. Here are my favorites:
- The Jesus Storybook Bible Gift Edition
- My Little Library of God's Great Love
- Tiny Truths for Little Ones
And while you're at it, parents like presents, too! These Bibles were designed with parents' busy schedules in mind.
Profession of Faith
When a young person or adult stands up in front of their entire church, declaring boldly their belief in Jesus, it's a powerful, memorable moment in their faith journey. As they enter into full participation in the church, your church can give them a gift that communicates your commitment to walking alongside them in their faith.
I can think of no better gift than what a friend of mine calls "grown-up study Bibles," Bibles with robust study tools and features to guide and deepen the Bible reading of maturing believers.
NIV Study Bible: Thousands of newly written or revised notes and articles combine with hundreds of four-color maps, charts, photos, and illustrations to create an entire library of study helps designed to increase your understanding and application of God’s Word.
Standing apart from all other KJV study Bibles on the market, The King James Study Bible, Full-Color Edition is the only Bible featuring over half-a-million words of commentary, doctrinal notes, archaeological insights, and time-tested study aids developed exclusively for the King James Version Bible.
NKJV Study Bible: This beautiful full-color Bible provides a complete resource for study, including over 1,000 articles, notes, word studies, photos, illustrations, maps, and other tools, combined with the accuracy and clarity of the New King James Version.
Promotion Sunday
Many churches celebrate with children as they move from one level of children's or youth ministry to another. For example, when a sixth-grader is moving into seventh grade, leaving the elementary student ministry and entering the middle school ministry at their church.
Celebrate these milestones with a Bible that helps them level-up their faith!
- From Nursery to Early Elementary: The NIrV Tiny Theologians Bible is designed to help kids ages 6 to 10 grow in their faith while learning how to navigate Scripture. This easy-to-read NIrV Bible introduces children to the basics of biblical literacy, equipping them with the tools they need to understand God's love, mercy, and promises.
- From Early Elementary to Later Elementary: The bestselling NIV Adventure Bible will get kids excited about reading the Scriptures! Kids will be captivated with the full-color features that make reading the Bible and memorizing their favorite verses engaging and fun. Available in NIV, NKJV, and NASB translations.
- From Elementary to Middle School: Full of study features to help today's teen learn more about God, the Bible, and how God's Word relates to their lives, the NKJV Teen Study Bible will help them keep in step with all God has done, is doing, and will do in the world. Available in NIV, NKJV, and KJV translations.
- From Middle School to High School: Filled with powerful study tools, the Student Study Bible is the go-to guide to knowing and living God’s Word. Its insightful study notes will help students better understand the message of the Bible. Its devotionals will invite them to immerse themselves in its storyline.
Graduation
For high-school and college graduations, there is no more meaningful gift than a Bible. Our most popular graduation Bible for decades is loved for its light weight, timeless designs, and unassuming, carry-it-everywhere portability.
I'm talking about Thinline Bibles. Thinlines are slim and light, while still being readable and having a few extra study helps like concordances or maps. The typesetting is incredibly efficient, and the features are trimmed back (no study notes, for example), leaving you with the pure text of the Bible in a size you can fit in any purse, backpack, or bike bag.
If you order 100 or more, you can even have them stamped with your church or school logo, making them a special keepsake for all your graduates for years to come. I still use the forest-green bonded leather NIV Thinline my high school gave me for graduation decades ago!
Still not sure which Bible to get for a special occasion in the life of your church? Schedule a chat with Alicia. First of all, she's delightful, but she's also our resident Bible expert at ChurchSource and can help guide you to the perfect Bible for your church.