New user with Questions

Hi everyone,

I'm just checking out Logos software for the first time and I'm hoping some of the resident experts can help me get started. Here's a little background:

I want to begin to studying the Bible in-depth. I've been in church my whole life, my parents are pastors, 3 of my brothers are in full-time ministry. Yet I have only a shallow understanding of what the Bible has to say on most topics, and that may be overstating it. My goal is to start on a life-long path of regular study to help in becoming a better leader to my family and my congregation.

I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of resources and packages available. I don't want to break the bank, but I also want to get a solid foundation of resources.

Would you recommend I start with one of the base packages? Or would it be better to start with a few of the commentaries?

I appreciate all the help!

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Lynden O. Williams

Welcome to the forums Erick. Glad to hear of your renewed awakening in Christ.

Start with one of the base packages. Additionally, the free www.faithlifebible.com is a good place to start. Login with your Logos email address and password that you used to access the forum.

Look at the cost of Starter or Bronze and see if the cost is within your reach. Logos also has a number of free resources. https://www.logos.com/products/search?start=0&sort=pricelo&pageSize=60 You may not use them now, but it does not hurt to have them.

EJP

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524192#Comment_524192

Hi Lynden,

Thanks for the note. I'll check out the faithlifebible.com app tonight.

I'm looking at the Bronze or the Silver base packages to get started. I realize that most of the resources are probably overkill right now, but I'm hoping they'll become much more useful down the road.

~EJP

Rosie Perera

Hi Erick,

I would make sure that whatever you start with includes a good Bible overview study guide. In order to be able to properly study what the Bible says on any given topic, you need to know its whole sweeping story so that you aren't attempting to interpret some passage out of context and deriving a theological message from it that is counter to God's purposes in redemptive history. You need to know where that passage sits within the contours of the biblical canon, and how to recognize what genre of text it is and how that affects its interpretation: whether it's poetry, epistle, law, narrative, apocalyptic, wisdom literature, prophetic oracle, etc.

I would highly recommend Gordon Fee and Douglas Stewart's excellent pair of books, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth and How to Read the Bible Book by Book. They're not included in any of the base packages but they're not that expensive so I'd add them on to whatever starting package you decide to get. Also, I'd recommend a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year program (you can take longer than a year if you need to). The one I'm working through right now which I find very helpful, because it has you skim quickly over some of the more repetitive passages (generations of "begots" and all the minutiae of decorating the temple furnishings, etc.) and take more time over the significant narratives and theologically foundational or spiritually nourishing passages, is A Guide to Reading the Entire Bible in One Year by Webb Garrison.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524200#Comment_524200

I'm looking at the Bronze or the Silver base packages to get started. I realize that most of the resources are probably overkill right now, but I'm hoping they'll become much more useful down the road.

Erick, I too would like to welcome you to the forums and commend you for your desire to go deeper. I don't think that you will regret going with a base package like this. May God richly bless you as you seek Him with all your heart.

Mark Smith

Would you recommend I start with one of the base packages? Or would it be better to start with a few of the commentaries?

A base package such as Bronze or Silver (see below) will give you powerful study tools

You can learn a lot just by reading your Bible systematically, checking cross-references, and using a good highlighting and note-taking system. Logos offers many Bible translations, cross references, many highlighting styles, and a workable note taking and clipping system.

A good study Bible is an aid to better study. The ESV Study Bible is about the best there is. It doesn't come with any package so would need to be added.

A good Bible dictionary is something you'll need. All Logos' packages have the New Bible Dictionary which will be sufficient for you for some time to come.

A basic multi-volume commentary will come in handy. At first you will not need too many commentaries nor too extensive or technical commentaries. Two of the best for beginning students would be the New American Commentary and the Tyndale Old and New Testament Commentary. The NAC is not quite complete but does come with the Silver package and above, making Silver the lowest package to consider in my opinion. Tyndale would be an extra purchase no matter the package.

The base packages have plenty of tools for cross-reference study and topical study.

So I'd recommend you go with the Silver package and add The ESV Study Bible.

Besides the recommendations Rosie made for good 'how to study' resources, you can benefit from Paul Karleen's volume The Handbook to Bible Study which comes in all Logos packages.

EJP

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524227#Comment_524227

Hi Rosie,

Thanks for your reply. I don't think there has been any better indication about how much work I have to do than your last sentence in that first paragraph. I've got a lot to learn.

I'm going to check out those 2 resources you mentioned. I think it has been the lack of context that has derailed past attempts to further my understanding.

Thanks again.

~EJP

EJP

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524309#Comment_524309

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the very thoughtful reply. Based on my research and advice from others, I've decided to start with the Silver base package, as you've recommended. I'll look at the ESV Study Bible as well. I believe the Silver package comes with the ESV translation, so would I need to buy both the ESV Study Bible and ESV Notes, or just the Notes?

Are there some good articles about how to setup a proper highlighting/note-taking system in Logos? I can see where a well thought out system will be extremely helpful as I get started.

Thanks again Mark. I'm sure I'll be asking several more questions over the coming weeks. Good to know there are lots of knowledgable folks out here to help.

~EJP

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524316#Comment_524316

Peace, Erick! *smile* I'd also like to add my "Welcome!" to you as you've found the forums!

You're getting good advice! You're responding quite intelligently! *smile* I'm happy about your "excitement"!

To study the Precious Word of God! Nothing greater, eh???

The reason I'm chiming in here is to urge you to be patient with yourself and with Logos Software! The Journey of a thousand miles we are told begins with a single step ............... then another ........ then ....

Also, I want to mention that if you have "mobile" technology, the vast majority of your Logos Resources can be downloaded ... for example, in few minutes I'm leaving my study and will be studying on one of the Logos apps on my iPad...

The forums would be happy to help you orient yourself in this area also! Don't feel overwhelmed ... one step at a time! *smile*

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524316#Comment_524316

I believe the Silver package comes with the ESV translation, so would I need to buy both the ESV Study Bible and ESV Notes, or just the Notes?

Just the notes. [:)]

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524316#Comment_524316

Are there some good articles about how to setup a proper highlighting/note-taking system in Logos? I can see where a well thought out system will be extremely helpful as I get started.

It really depends upon what kind of notes and highlights you end up using. In another thread recently I bantered with another user about our preferred methods. Personally, I create resource specific note files for nearly every resource I use, and store my highlights in those note files. Other users create thematic note files. Volumes could be written on either of those…

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524316#Comment_524316

I believe the Silver package comes with the ESV translation, so would I need to buy both the ESV Study Bible and ESV Notes, or just the Notes?

What you would need is the Notes.

Are there some good articles about how to setup a proper highlighting/note-taking system in Logos?

You can find out some more about highlighting on the wiki. On the RHS of that page are some links to a couple of videos and to another wiki page with extended tips on highlighting by MVP Keep Smiling for Jesus.

Highlighting as you said, is something to spend some time working out. Some folks have real systems for highlighting. Those who follow Kay Arthur's inductive Bible study approach have a set of recommended highlighting styles. I personally don't care for that approach. While I do highlight in Logos, it is my paper Bible that gets the bulk of my highlighting. I highlight to draw my attention to specific things as I study. So I might highlight commands in one passage but highlight a list of blessings in another. Highlighting for me is a way of observing what is in the text and recording those observations for later.

In Logos you can search by highlight style so if I were more careful (and I confess I am not) I would highlight in Logos with more consistency of style. You'll get the chance to start off right by thinking through a system of colors and highlighting marks to distinguish various sorts of things you want to highlight.

I'll also refer you to something Morris Proctor, the official Logos trainer, sells. It is a manual on how to use Logos Bible Software for inductive Bible Study. Here is the link. While I don't have this resource, Morris is really helpful and this manual takes in more than just highlighting.

JDC

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524328#Comment_524328

You've already been given good advice, but let me share my experience. I started off testing out Logos 5 with the free download and all of the free resources that are available, especially from the Faithlife Study Bible app. What I found out is that by doing this, you don't get any of the data sets that give functionality to Logos, which made it a waste of time. If you just buy whatever set of commentaries and Bible translations, you won't get the data sets, either, and Logos will be severely gimped.

These data sets come with the base packages, and they are what adds all of the amazing features to Logos. If you can afford it, you should go with at least the Bronze package to get more features from the data sets. I was looking between the Starter package and the Bronze package because for the price difference, I thought I could get by with what the Starter package includes. But when I saw that the Starter package only comes with 4 data sets, and the Bronze comes with most of the things that makes Logos what people want, I realized that a person really needs to go Bronze or better to get the functionality. To me, the price difference between Bronze and Silver wasn't worth it, but that's just me.

Roger G Black

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524729#Comment_524729

I recently decided to take a leap of faith. I purchased the platinum package.

While looking up a few things I noticed that The New American Commentary Set,

I am missing 4 books; Psalm, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Revelation.

I don't understand, purchasing such a package which has commentaries

I would assume that it would be complete. This is not good in my book.

I also realized that the book of Revelation is available for purchase.

This doesn't make it to me. Does anyone have an answer or noticed the

same?

Roger {BlueBird}

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536456#Comment_536456

Roger, the volumes you mentioned have not been released yet. The Revelation volume was on prepub when Logos 5 came out so it didn't get included.

DAL

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536456#Comment_536456

I am missing 4 books; Psalm, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Revelation.

As you saw, Revelation came out a little while ago. B & H says the following on their website:

"We greatly appreciate those who have continued to purchase and use the NAC, and we hope that with God's help the final volumes will be available soon. We are expecting to publish 1 Corinthians in 2013, Psalms 1-72 in 2015, Ephesians in 2016, and Psalms 73-150 in 2017."

Bear in mind that those dates are for the print editions. Digital editions may be a little later.

As a general rule, there are very few modern commentary sets that are totally complete. It's a huge undertaking, and publishers have to spread the workload and the cost over many decades.

Evan Boardman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/524729#Comment_524729

To me, the price difference between Bronze and Silver wasn't worth it, but that's just me.

If you can afford it, silver is worth it, if you bought just the NAC just by itself it would be well over the price of what you would pay for the silver package.That is if you were to upgrade from bronze to silver.

John Goodman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536456#Comment_536456

I believe the tyndale set is complete, if that is helpful to know? That said, complete is a woolly concept. They are already contracting authors to replace and update the older volumes.

John Fugh, Jr.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536670#Comment_536670

I am not sure if this is still free, but it ships in a few days. I would get the Audio ESV. Look at https://www.logos.com/product/34146/esv-hear-the-word-audio-bible

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536767#Comment_536767

Erick -

I am not sure if you have already purchased a package, but if you have not, contact sales at Logos. Sometimes they can give you a better deal than the price on the website. It does not hurt to start a relationship with one of the sales folks there for future purchase either.

They are very good about helping you find what you need without being high-pressure. Give them a try sometime.

Jerry

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536810#Comment_536810

p.s. I love the Tyndale commentary set too. One of my best purchases.

Jerry

Roger G Black

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536812#Comment_536812

Having taken the plunge with purchasing platinum, I am looking forward to drawing on the knowledge of those in the forums. Trying the best to have certain resources that are fairly current, and of course, complete. Such resources (electronic, like most people limited space for paper) in these categories that are less than 50 years or preferably 30 years of age: Dictionary's both: words (OT & NT) & theology dictionary or systematic theology, Handbooks, Commentaries, various study bible notes, Church History current to last 150 years, and Concordances.

Some history, I am a disabled army veteran (basically retired). I am planning to close a chapter I should have many years ago. I desire to complete a BA and eventually a masters in bible. I'm 3 courses short for BA. Having the desire to enter back into studies and living on a strict budget I will be developing a wish list of other resources. From that, looking forward I decided to go with the platinum package. I do plan, by grace from the Lord, to bring my license forward (reactivated).

Any helpful suggestions will be much appreciated.

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536840#Comment_536840

I've written a short buyer's guide for Logos 5 which is aimed primarily at evangelical seminary students. It highlights some of the most useful resources in each base package.

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/536867#Comment_536867

Mark -

That is fantastic! Thanks for all you do for all the Logos users. Your videos and information is a true asset to the Body of Christ!

Jerry