Upgrading question.....

Don Jenkins
Don Jenkins Member Posts: 33 ✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

Before I ask the question, let me give some personal information that leads me to this post.

I purchased the Bible Study Package 4 in July. (Extremely happy BTW).

 I'm an adult Sunday School teacher. Most in the class are 40 +, but some are in 20's, just starting out & hungry to learn.

Personally I have felt a strong impression from the Lord lately to have a much stronger desire/zeal for greater accuracy in what I teach than I've ever had before. The fear of proof texting or teaching from personal preference, is greater than ever before. Especially to the young/new believers.

My heart for a lesson is to be led of the Lord to a subject or a verse, and teach it from the proper context and intent that it was originally written in. I'm not interested in any more Fiction/Non-Fiction books right now. That last sentence sounds rude. I didn't mean it to be. I made it applying to me, and where I'm being led personally. Rudeness has no place in the church IMO. (Always hard to convey intent in an e-mail!!)

I see things in some of the L4 Greek study videos that I say to myself "That's something I want to learn to do", but with out the various OL books/tools, I can't practice.

Here's my question:

In looking at the available stepping stones of L4 packages, it goes from  Bible Study(what I own now), to Leaders, to Original Languages, to Scholars........

 In studying the various packages, and looking to upgrade, the next jump to Leader's doesn't seem to give me the additional original language tools I'd like to use/learn how to use in my walk and teaching. The Original Languages package does. But when I click the upgrade button I get this, the OL package is not listed:

  As I said, I'm personally not interested in the extras of what Leader's offers. And a $300.00 upgrade is a little too much for me to go to Sholars. While I have used both 3 & L4 now for years, I've never upgraded before. Am I overlooking something obvious. (A huge fault of mine, tunnel vision in diagnostic skills!!!) One last piece of info, while I'm familiar with some original language tools, I'm definately classified as a begginer. Hungry to learn, but having zero college/seminary training.

 

Comments

  • Graham Owen
    Graham Owen Member Posts: 665 ✭✭

    As I said, I'm personally not interested in the extras of what Leader's offers. And a $300.00 upgrade is a little too much for me to go to Sholars

    Given what you are trying to achieve I think that you are right in focusing on the Original Languages package. I suspect that you will eventually want to move to one of the Scholars packages at some point but that's for the future.

    My suggestion is simple, eMail or call Jared in the Logos sales team (jared@logos.com) and ask him to price the upgrade that you want.

    When you mention the Greek Study videos are you referring to the Logos Product that ships as a training videos called Learning
    to use Biblical Greek and Hebrew?

    http://www.logos.com/product/5876/learn-to-use-biblical-greek-and-hebrew-with-logos-bible-software

    Personally I think that these are a great help in understanding what scripture is saying using the Logos software, if you don't already own this product it might be worth asking for a quote that includes this along with the Original Languages package that you want.

    God Bless

    Graham

    Pastor - NTCOG Basingstoke

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    The Original Languages package does. But when I click the upgrade button I get this, the OL package is not listed:

    Try this link to the product description page for Original Languages package:  http://www.logos.com/product/5478

    It should give you an upgrade price.

    I won't try to sell you on the Scholars package if you don't want that now. (I'm one of those "Logosites" who can't would love to have all 12,000 books in my library [:P] ) If you did want it Logos has am affordable payment plan and soon may be adding a "piggy bank" to enable saving in advance of purchases.

    I commend you for your desire to study 2 Timothy 2:15 .

    If you want pastors and other users to weigh in on your options, there will undoubtedly be several who do so.  Keep am eye on this thread and remember a lot of them are preparing for Sunday services. (They still visit the forums though.)

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • Bill Shewmaker
    Bill Shewmaker Member Posts: 751 ✭✭✭

    As I said, I'm personally not interested in the extras of what Leader's offers. And a $300.00 upgrade is a little too much for me to go to Sholars. While I have used both 3 & L4 now for years, I've never upgraded before. Am I overlooking something obvious. (A huge fault of mine, tunnel vision in diagnostic skills!!!) One last piece of info, while I'm familiar with some original language tools, I'm definately classified as a begginer. Hungry to learn, but having zero college/seminary training.

    Don, you can use a payment schedule to help reduce the immediate costs associated with an upgrade. A $300 upgrade could be broken down into 3 payments or more (as much as 12 in some instances). My best suggestion is call logos sales and see what they can work out with you.

  • nicky crane
    nicky crane Member Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭

    Don, I was excited to read your post, your desire to be led by God and teach the verse or subject in its context, rather than using it as a peg on which to hand your own ideas.  For many years I gave up using commentaries, letting God speak to me through the text, preferably in the original.  Over the last  2 years or so, I have come to find commentaries indispensable for helping me understand what the text means in context.  I actually spent a lot of money getting Greek and Hebrew resources and commentaries, when it would have been cheaper for me to upgrade.  I've recently upgraded from Leaders to Scholars, and am glad of the new resources, particularly dictionaries.  I wonder whether the possibility of a payment plan might mean it was more affordable for you?  You'd end up paying slightly more, but would be able to spread it out over the year.

    I don't go on "inspirational" type commentaries, as I believe God is quite capable of talking to my situation through his Word. And I'd prefer to hear his voice first hand, where possible, rather than second hand, mediated by some godly man.  But I do appreciate the sort of commentaries that give background information, and there are lots of commentaries like that on offer in community pricing. They are old, out of copyright, but God's Word doesn't change overnight, so a good commentary is a good commentary, even if hundreds of years old.  Ditto Bible dictionaries.   (I do also go for the modern stuff sometimes, being of a self-indulgent nature). I read the text, prayerfully, and then consult the commentaries, basically to help me understand it better.

    I do Bible storying, and to tell the story in my own words, faithfully to how the Bible tells it, means I have to understand it very well.  A member of our group used the word 'winebearer' without knowing what it meant.  I pointed out that if she doesn't know what it means, neither will those to whom she is trying to teach the story, and they'll all miss the significance of Pharaoh's winebearer and his dream that Joseph interpreted.  Our semiliterate Albanian women don't have access to commentaries, but they can ask me.  And it's useful that I do have access to commentaries, tho I don't often quote from them. Telling the story of Abraham and Isaac, I realised from the commentary that part of the reason Abraham left the donkey behind may have been that the  mountain was too steep for the donkey.  As I told the story, I puffed and panted and thus, without saying anything, conveyed the idea that the path was a steep one.  Someone asked me if people knew where the sacrifice/substitution took place and was there as shrine there?  I was able to answer than from my reading in a newly acquired commentary that morning, which had enabled me to see the whole so familiar story with more  information and from a new perspective.  The men (enquirers) were much more moved than usual, particularly as it was a familiar story they might have found boring, and agreed without complaining that we would meet again in a month's time.  As they are usually difficult to pin down and we had not met for 18 months for one reason or another, this was a big change.  And the help of the commentary was part of what God used to do this!

    So keep up your serious Bible study and desire to let God lead you through his Word and the tools Logos provides to help us understand it better!

  • Randall Cue
    Randall Cue Member Posts: 685 ✭✭

    Hi Don,

    I teach a class of about 60 adults that range in age from 19 to 80+. I started out with the Bible Study package and have since moved to the Scholar's. They both have been great. The Scholars has more resources, obviously, but the cost factor may inhibit you. The Bible Study package is very good. I too teach as John MacArthur says, one verse at a time. The Lord will use you as you are faithful to His word. Fight the good fight. Keep the faith.

    Soli Deo Gloria,

    Randy

  • Don Jenkins
    Don Jenkins Member Posts: 33 ✭✭

    Thanks for the advice and exhortations.

    To Graham:

    No, I was talking about the regular Logos 4 tutorials. Would love to have the videos you speak of.

    If no one else can shed some light  on finding an "upgrade price for the OL's, I'll probably take your advice and call Jared at sales Monday.

    To Matthew:

    I followed the link you gave me, but never did see an upgrade option. I even filled out the buy now up to "confirm", hoping to find the upgrade price factored in, but only the full price shown. I may have missed something, but I even had my wife looking over my shoulder to keep me from overlooking the obvious.

    I hear ya on the payments. But in my home I've tried over the last few years to get everybody to cut back on spending, and increase giving. They're all onboard now, even though it's a diffucult for them to do. So I try not to make any large personal purchases. But I'll keep that door of thought open for the $500.00 Video series someday(Maybe)

    Thanks again for the responses.

  • Dave Hooton
    Dave Hooton MVP Posts: 36,133

    If no one else can shed some light  on finding an "upgrade price for the OL's, I'll probably take your advice and call Jared at sales Monday.

    This would be the wisest course judging by this discussion.

    Dave
    ===

    Windows 11 & Android 13

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭

    I followed the link you gave me, but never did see an upgrade option.

    I am sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase. I was unaware the Original Languages package was outside of the upgrade paths. Follow the link Dave Hooton gave and you will see the poster in that thread finally got satisfaction when he dealt with the human element of Logos Customer Service. Call a Rep tomorrow morning and explain your needs and I think you will be helped to your satisfaction.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • Don Jenkins
    Don Jenkins Member Posts: 33 ✭✭

     Thanks Dave for looking up the link to the discussion. That set me straight as to what I'll need to do, and gave me some other resources I may want to purchase.

    Thanks to all for the help and advice.