As I continue to use and get more acquainted with Logos Bible Software, I will post and bring some of these things to your attention, as I hope you too may find them useful. I’m currently using the Scholar’s Library and I’m amazed at how convenient and fast it has been to access and gather material for teaching and preaching, as well as how it has enhanced my study time.
There are many ways one puts together a sermon or teaching time, as well as how they use material in their personal study or devotion time.
Let me just share briefly how I have found this software useful for my own preparation time (i.e. teaching, writing, blogging, researching, etc). Let me walk you through some steps.
First of all, location is key to me. I like to study at coffee shops. Not everyone likes this method and prefers the quietness of an office, or a mixture of both. But I love studying in a busy environment and I feel like it keeps me from isolating myself from the realities of life, as I get to watch, listen and observe others.
Second of all, I need to figure out what kind of tools I will need to take (books, paper, computer, pens, etc). This is where the software comes in real handy. Instead of packing lots of books and writing material, I just pack my computer and am good to go.
Third, what I am using most often from the software.
- One of the things I love is that I have 21 English translations and paraphrases at my hands, which is great when I begin my study. Many start their study with the original languages, I tend to start with the English and then move to the Hebrew and Greek (probably because my languages are not my strong point).
- Then, when I’m ready to move over to the Greek and Hebrew I have tons of language tools to access from interlinear to lexicons.
- Then, when I have finished the language translations and study I move over to some commentaries. There are tons of commentaries to choose from, and this is the one part of the software where if I don’t find the commentary I am looking for I can often order it directly through Logos, or I just pick a hardcopy up from my library and take it with me.
- Last, there are a lot of other tools from images, to illustrations, to historical allegories that can benefit a teaching time. This is the one area of my study where I may peruse what is offered but I tend to make up all my own illustrations, and use personal stories rather than ones that are often disconnected from my experience.
But the reality is this…I’m able to take a minimal amount of tools (backpack, computer, Logos software, and maybe 1-2 hardcopy commentaries) and I’m set to study, prepare, research for any type of teaching, preaching, writing or personal devotion.
Mobility is what is most attractive to me about using a Bible software tool such as Logos. For someone who likes to be on the go, study in coffee shops, as well as meet people there, it’s important that I can be as self-contained as possible.
I have noticed that many pastors who spend 30-40 hours a week in their study preparing their sermon do little in the way of pastoral care and meeting with those in the congregation. The office is their space. But for someone like myself, who spends a great deal doing pastoral care and one on one meetings, a mobile office with mobile tools is key. I’m not saying one method is better than the other, just that each may require different type of tools, but that is for another post.
How do you use Logos?
Which tools do you find the most helpful?
Which tools do you use the least?
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