TNIV Gatekeeper Profiles, Part 1
09/04/2008 13:01 Filed in: Faith & Reason
This post will be the first part of a series in which I profile the winners of Zondervan’s Renaissance Fine Leather TNIV Reference Bible (see a preview of this Bible here). I’m starting this series later than I intended, so I will profile two winners in each post.
Note: There are still two winners who haven’t responded to my email that I sent a few days ago. If you haven’t responded please do so soon. If you didn’t receive my email, let me know as well.
Kevin Womack
Pastor, Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church
El Cajon, California
I first discovered the TNIV right before the first New Testament edition was released. I was just finishing up my Master of Divinity degree at Bethel Seminary's San Diego campus. Dr. Mark Strauss, New Testament professor there, had done some work on the new translation and gave a few presentations about it to anyone who was interested. Since the TNIV's release had been surrounded by a bit of controversy (gender-neutral issues, singular "they" issues, even accusations of the use of "father/mother" God) I was interested in learning more about it from a scholar I knew and trusted.
Mark's presentation was convincing enough for me to start reading the TNIV alongside my long-trusted NIV. At first I would simply reference the TNIV's more accurate and understandable rendering of a passage during my teaching and preaching. But, it didn't take long for me to begin preparing my sermons and classes primarily from the TNIV. In my opinion, it's simply a better translation (how I wish that the translators would have gone with their original plan of releasing this as the revised NIV... think of the controversy that could have been avoided!).
I've found myself incredibly frustrated by the attacks that have been launched against this translation, mainly because the majority of those attacks are waged by folks who haven't even read the TNIV. If they had, they'd know that what they were saying wasn't true. I have been challenged by a few of the honest, academic critiques but still feel that the TNIV is the most accurate and accessible translation currently available.
When I first began to use the TNIV I served as an Associate Pastor at a Presbyterian Church in downtown San Diego. About five years ago I became the Senior Pastor of Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church in East County San Diego. I preach 40 Sundays a year and teach another 20-30 times each year (not counting the regular smattering of devotions and other informal teaching occasions) and I use the TNIV for all of my teaching and preaching. Of course, I study a number of different translations as I prepare, but I always use the TNIV as the text I read and preach from in the pulpit.
Members and visitors to our church ask on a pretty regular basis which translation I'm using. For many, they're following along in the NIV and wonder if I'm just a poor reader (since I always seem to "miss" words as I read and add others when compared to their NIV texts!). Others are looking to purchase a new Bible and want to know what their pastor recommends. I always recommend the TNIV because I believe it is the most accurate of the more accessible translations currently available. If they're asking about what to buy their children, I recommend the same unless the child is earlier elementary age in which case I recommend the NIrV (another excellent translation).
I'm thankful to Zondervan for publishing this translation. I'm looking forward to seeing more editions of the TNIV that feature paper that's a bit thicker for folks like me who enjoy to highlight in their Bibles and take extensive notes. I'm very grateful for the free TNIV Reference Bible that will be sent to me. It will receive extensive use!
Dan Thompson
Pastor of an Assembly of God Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I have pastored Assemblies of God churches for 20 years. We have used the TNIV as our primary text for about two years. We read from a common text every week and the TNIV is our translation of choice. I actually ran an experiment of sorts when I was deciding on which translation to use. I used the TNIV for a month, then another translation for a month. We have different readers each Sunday.
I noticed the TNIV went much smoother in public reading than the other translation. I have stayed with the TNIV since that time.
I was not a fan of the NIV, but after hearing Gordon Fee give his views of the translation process for the TNIV, I decided to look again. For one, I like the gender inclusive position it carefully takes. For another, the small passages that had needed work in the NIV did get work in the TNIV and the small differences were good to see.
I love the TNIV reference Bible because it is finally a "regular" Bible for "regular" guys like me who just want a basic leather Bible with plenty of room for notes. Okay, it doesn't have plenty of room for notes, but at least it's a decent size without funky colors. Thanks you Zondervan.
The new Bible with an even better cover would be well used for years to come. Thank you for the opportunity to win a free Bible that I guarantee will be well used. As proof, I will be willing to send photos of my new Bible's interior every few months to show how I am getting it marked up!
Feel free to interact with Kevin and Dan in the comments.
Other Posts:
Part 2
Part 3
Note: There are still two winners who haven’t responded to my email that I sent a few days ago. If you haven’t responded please do so soon. If you didn’t receive my email, let me know as well.
Kevin Womack
Pastor, Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church
El Cajon, California
I first discovered the TNIV right before the first New Testament edition was released. I was just finishing up my Master of Divinity degree at Bethel Seminary's San Diego campus. Dr. Mark Strauss, New Testament professor there, had done some work on the new translation and gave a few presentations about it to anyone who was interested. Since the TNIV's release had been surrounded by a bit of controversy (gender-neutral issues, singular "they" issues, even accusations of the use of "father/mother" God) I was interested in learning more about it from a scholar I knew and trusted.
Mark's presentation was convincing enough for me to start reading the TNIV alongside my long-trusted NIV. At first I would simply reference the TNIV's more accurate and understandable rendering of a passage during my teaching and preaching. But, it didn't take long for me to begin preparing my sermons and classes primarily from the TNIV. In my opinion, it's simply a better translation (how I wish that the translators would have gone with their original plan of releasing this as the revised NIV... think of the controversy that could have been avoided!).
I've found myself incredibly frustrated by the attacks that have been launched against this translation, mainly because the majority of those attacks are waged by folks who haven't even read the TNIV. If they had, they'd know that what they were saying wasn't true. I have been challenged by a few of the honest, academic critiques but still feel that the TNIV is the most accurate and accessible translation currently available.
When I first began to use the TNIV I served as an Associate Pastor at a Presbyterian Church in downtown San Diego. About five years ago I became the Senior Pastor of Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church in East County San Diego. I preach 40 Sundays a year and teach another 20-30 times each year (not counting the regular smattering of devotions and other informal teaching occasions) and I use the TNIV for all of my teaching and preaching. Of course, I study a number of different translations as I prepare, but I always use the TNIV as the text I read and preach from in the pulpit.
Members and visitors to our church ask on a pretty regular basis which translation I'm using. For many, they're following along in the NIV and wonder if I'm just a poor reader (since I always seem to "miss" words as I read and add others when compared to their NIV texts!). Others are looking to purchase a new Bible and want to know what their pastor recommends. I always recommend the TNIV because I believe it is the most accurate of the more accessible translations currently available. If they're asking about what to buy their children, I recommend the same unless the child is earlier elementary age in which case I recommend the NIrV (another excellent translation).
I'm thankful to Zondervan for publishing this translation. I'm looking forward to seeing more editions of the TNIV that feature paper that's a bit thicker for folks like me who enjoy to highlight in their Bibles and take extensive notes. I'm very grateful for the free TNIV Reference Bible that will be sent to me. It will receive extensive use!
Dan Thompson
Pastor of an Assembly of God Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I have pastored Assemblies of God churches for 20 years. We have used the TNIV as our primary text for about two years. We read from a common text every week and the TNIV is our translation of choice. I actually ran an experiment of sorts when I was deciding on which translation to use. I used the TNIV for a month, then another translation for a month. We have different readers each Sunday.
I noticed the TNIV went much smoother in public reading than the other translation. I have stayed with the TNIV since that time.
I was not a fan of the NIV, but after hearing Gordon Fee give his views of the translation process for the TNIV, I decided to look again. For one, I like the gender inclusive position it carefully takes. For another, the small passages that had needed work in the NIV did get work in the TNIV and the small differences were good to see.
I love the TNIV reference Bible because it is finally a "regular" Bible for "regular" guys like me who just want a basic leather Bible with plenty of room for notes. Okay, it doesn't have plenty of room for notes, but at least it's a decent size without funky colors. Thanks you Zondervan.
The new Bible with an even better cover would be well used for years to come. Thank you for the opportunity to win a free Bible that I guarantee will be well used. As proof, I will be willing to send photos of my new Bible's interior every few months to show how I am getting it marked up!
Feel free to interact with Kevin and Dan in the comments.
Other Posts:
Part 2
Part 3