A strange thing keeps happening in the modern world. People who no longer believe in God still wander into churches.
Not for services and not because they have suddenly become religious. They simply walk in, sit on the hard wooden pews, and remain there for a while. When asked what they are doing there, the answer is usually something like, "I just come here to think." I have heard that explanation more than once, and it never seems to tell the whole story.
I suspect they are there because they are carrying something heavy and have not found anywhere else to set it down.
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Bible News
The latest Bible-related and Bible-adjacent news
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Cru Missionaries Are Evangelizing in Virtual Reality — July 2: For three years, missionaries with the evangelical organization Cru have gathered every Friday in VRChat to share the gospel with users in virtual worlds. Founded in 1951 as Campus Crusade for Christ, Cru has adapted its evangelism approach to reach people in digital spaces, drawing on a tradition dating to the 1990s when the Billy Graham Foundation trained Christians to evangelize in online chat rooms. (NPR)
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Chinese Pastor Released — July 5: Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing’s underground Zion Church, has been released and reunited with family in Los Angeles after being detained in China since October. Jin and 17 other Zion Church leaders were arrested in one of China’s largest crackdowns on a single church in decades. At least 8 Zion members remain detained. (NPR)
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Nearly 30,000 Christians Killed in Nigeria in Six Years — July 6: A 105-page report from the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) documents 28,551 Christian deaths across Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2025 — a death rate 4.4 times higher than Muslims in affected regions. Of 79,323 total deaths, 42,033 were civilians, with three-quarters occurring in attacks on farming communities. Christian hostages facing higher ransoms and greater risk of execution. (Christian Today)
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Did you know that Bible Gateway Plus isn’t just for pastors and scholars? It also has excellent options for Bible beginners who’ve never seriously read Scripture before.
But with dozens of resources from Study Bibles and commentaries to encyclopedias and dictionaries available for instant access, it can be overwhelming for a new user. Especially if you’re new to studying the Bible.
Newly updated for 2026, this guide will help you sort through all the resources available to Bible Gateway Plus subscribers for some of the best options for Bible beginners.
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Ever read a passage and wish you understood what it really means? Bible Gateway Plus gives you $5,300+ in study resources right alongside Scripture—so you can move from reading to really understanding in one click.
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Genesis Chapter 2 ends in a beautiful setting: Man, woman, God’s perfect rhythm, and no shame to be found. Within His order, He provided for their sustenance via a multitude of trees in the garden. There was only one prohibition: to stay away from one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Then, into this rhythmic, shameless, euphoric setting, walks the incarnation of shame himself — the shiny, crafty, talking Dragon-Snake.
“Wait. A walking, shiny, crafty, talking, Dragon-Snake,” you ask? To each of these I reply with a hearty “Yes.”
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Parables were one of Jesus' favorite ways to teach about the kingdom of heaven — he uses some 40 across the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Many, like the Prodigal Son and the mustard seed, are among the best-known images in Western culture.
Yet their familiarity belies how strange they are. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep for one. An enemy becomes the example of neighbor-love. Workers hired at day's end earn the same wage as those who labored from morning. A father welcomes home a son who wasted everything, while the obedient older brother stands outside.
When we stop and think about them, these stories are just as shocking and countercultural now as when Jesus first told them.
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Recommendations for Your Library
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NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print
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Edited by theologian D. A. Carson, the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible helps you see how Scripture's details and themes fit together in God's grand narrative.
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Seeking After the Heart of God for 52 Weeks
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In this 52-week Bible study—designed to be started at any point in the year—Max Lucado delves into King David's story to discover what it means to chase after God's own heart.
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Devotionals and Reading Plans
Sign up to get daily inspiration, biblical themes, and guided studies that allow you to engage with Scripture in a meaningful and practical way.
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Bible Gateway App
Connect with God's Word anytime, anywhere.
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Bible Audio App
Listen to God's word in your favorite narration. Enjoy features such as setting a timer, adjusting the speed, or repeating verses to better absorb the Word of God.
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ChurchSource's Back to Church Sale is here—with savings up to 50% on resources for the season ahead and the moments right in front of you.
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*All prices are USD. Additional sales tax may apply. The 7-day free trial is available to new subscribers only.
*FaithGateway sale price ends on 07/31/26 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free Standard Shipping for U.S. orders over $35 excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
*ChurchSource offers valid until July 26th, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements. Save 50% on your order when you purchase 50 or more resources from Alpha, Emotionally Healthy, and Celebrate Recovery with code BTC50. Offer only available to customers in the United States age 18 and older. To redeem offer, enter promo code during online checkout or provide the code to a representative during phone orders. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discount offer. ChurchSource reserves the right to de-activate the promo code in the event of fraud or technical issues and limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Not valid for resale.
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*All prices are in USD. Additional sales tax may apply. The free trial is available to new subscribers only.
*FaithGateway sale price ends on 07/31/26 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free Standard Shipping for U.S. orders over $35 excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
*ChurchSource offers valid until July 26th, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements. Save 50% on your order when you purchase 50 or more resources from Alpha, Emotionally Healthy, and Celebrate Recovery with code BTC50. Offer only available to customers in the United States age 18 and older. To redeem offer, enter promo code during online checkout or provide the code to a representative during phone orders. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discount offer. ChurchSource reserves the right to de-activate the promo code in the event of fraud or technical issues and limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Not valid for resale.
This email was sent to alitealbum.biblegateway@blogger.com by Bible Gateway, 501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214, USA. You received this message because you signed up to receive updates and offers from Bible Gateway and its sponsors. If you have questions or comments about
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