Tell Us How You Use Logos!

Logos often helps me find a passage that I forget the exact words of. I also use it to do topic studies using scripture only. I host a Bible based website, www.jacquesgauvin.com, and am an active participant on Facebook where I try to add meaningful comments. I also use Logos to assist in this task.

The way I use Logos the most is the daily reading through the Bible. I get so much out of being able to put the the study Bible right next to it and learn from both of them.  I like being able to instantly access related verses with a touch of the finger. I'm not a pastor or anything---just a person who is constantly amazed at God's willingness to communicate and bless and guide.

I'm just starting out with the software and haven't figured out how to copy and paste from the study Bible and my other books. Copying a Bible vs is easy enough, but I started a word pad document with a theme and wanted to include other comments too. I have a touch pad screen laptop with Win 8 and it is not like my old Win XP !

And a big thank you for the free books and affordable other ones. I always wanted a Kindle or Nook, but didn't get one, cause I didn't think I could find the kind of reading material I like.  Then by the grace and providence of God I was given several Bibles on a CD which included Logos software to access it. I just love being able to have all these books to read.  Thanks again.

I facilitate a class at church called Bible Basics.  It is a survey of the entire Bible.  I use Logos as a premier resource in researching the deeper meanings and nuances of scriptures.  Since I write my own curriculum, I make heavy use of different versions of the Bible, Commentaries, Biblical and Archaeological History to prepare the handouts.  Having all those resources at hand make the job so much easier.

There are two things that I find distracting.  The first is I keep getting repetitive and annoying popups asking if I like Logos.  I've begun answering "NO" in hopes they will cease.  The Perseus collection is great, but since I do not have the luxury of time in which to learn to read Greek or Latin, a less convoluted method of selecting the non-English versions to hide them would be greatly appreciate.

I would love to have the Portfolio package or the Diamond Package, but I simply cannot afford them.  I've no idea how many man hours go into coding the resources and preparing them for download are.  I suspect quite a bit and that is expensive.  I know Logos and its associated sites are designed to make the owners money.  I have no trouble with that, I just wish some of the stuff was less expensive.

Robert L McClain said:

I am a Moody Bible Seminary student. I plan to complete my all-online MA in Applied Biblical Studies this Fall.

I did not know Moody had an online program. I guess most are going to them and Logos will benefit as well as the students.

I'm a seminary student. Logos helps me with research for papers, plus I'll be digging more into the Biblical languages coming up. Plus it's great for personal study as well!

I love the datasets in L5. They've been lifesavers for my papers. Love the Bibliography tools as well. Can't wait to dig more into the Biblical languages stuff coming up.

As for particular feedback, I think I've already shared all I can think of for now. If I get more, you'll sure hear it. :-)

I use logos whenever I come up with a good, new, and secret Idea for a doctrine that is counter-culture and goes against the grain of the old-school-church.  it is easy to pick and choose quotes and out of context scriptures to eisegate what I want the Bible to say. (text-bite provided for someone to mis-quote me, of course and sarcastic humor intended)

Seriously, though - nearly the opposite.  I use L5 in many ways, I'll try to list them:

• Mobile Ed:  I have or pre-purchased nearly all courses (at least thusfar), for continuing my education in the Lord.  not seeking any further degrees at this time and having this available is an awesome opportunity for me as pastor to make myself get back into the habit of organized training/school.  Having a greater-than-portfolio library enables me to also do nearly all the extra reading.  In fact, L5's read to me feature is used a lot when I am going through that material.
• research for writing:
• articles for our church publication
• sermons for my local church and other preaching opportunities
• papers for other release, including "notes" that I will from time to time put on FB, as I don't really "Blog" anymore.
• research and assistance in creating teaching materials for church and other teaching opportunities.
• devotional reading and prayer-directions with prayer lists.
• quote and share devotionals and other readings to social media's for sharing and expounding as requested
• Bible Study for personal pleasure and challenge
• Bible study for familial sharing
• Teaching Bible Study using Logos
• teaching and presenting Logos software informally

There are probably other things I use, but this is just off the top of my head.

Let us count some ways:

1. At home in family/personal study
2. For prayer list
3. In church, sermons, lessons, etc.
4. In teaching at seminary
5. In writing commentaries
6. In ministering to the homeless
7. In ministering at a prestigious golf club

I use Logos for small study groups, sermons, and personal growth. My favorite feature is the sermon starter which does hours of research in seconds.

I am making a Devotional Help tool by inserting Bible verses and other Christian writings into the pages of a standard photo album.  I also print, slice to size and insert Logos Bible Art every third or fourth page.  Unfortunately I only print in black and white, so I wish I could order printed samples in colour.  Even the fridge magnets might work if they shipped to Canada.  I must add though that I enjoy the Bible Art very much, in colour or not.

Logos is an almost overpowering tool.  Too be honest I have not had time to learn my way into much of the maze.  There are other online Bible programs that are very helpful without the complexity of Logos.  Perhaps some future need will cause me to delve into the "breadth and length, and depth and height" of Logos, a true exposition of the Word of God.

Peter Plowright

How do I use Logos? To begin with, I am a layman. I grew up in Sunday school and church, but never really heard the gospel until my teen years. Now I may have heard it before then, but it never really penetrated until my junior year in high school, at which time I received Christ as my Savior. Since then God’s leading has been very real in my life, and He has allowed me to serve Him largely in teaching (Sunday school, Bible study groups and an occasional pulpit fill) and in administration (in church and the regional boards of a couple of Christian organizations).

A number of years ago I sold my insurance agency and took an early retirement to care for my wife who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. But what to do in retirement? I bought an aluminum fishing boat and motor along with equipment for a wood shop. And, at that time there was a new computer operating system called “Windows.” So I retired my old IBM DOS based computer and bought a new one.

Shortly after that, I think it was around 1992, I discovered and purchased a new Windows based Bible study program to replace the primitive DOS based one I had been using. That began a love affair with Logos, and we have grown together from that original version all the way through Logos 2, 3, 4 and now 5. The boat, used only a few times, is long gone, and the wood shop equipment has long been used only for maintenance around the house. But Logos remains a vital part of my life.

Every morning, after shaving-showering-dressing, etc., I put on the coffee, feed two dogs and a cat, and then sit down for my daily Bible reading (I follow the Gideon through the year plan) and a time of devotions. Then I turn on my computer and first check world news on The Times of Israel and then my E-Mail. Then I open Logos on one side of my screen and Word on the other. But what do I do with it?

Over the years my life has increasingly been one of study and writing; Bible study lessons and papers on various subjects, etc. Three years ago, though, my first book was published, an eschatological study entitled Nearing Midnight. I have now completed a doctrinal study (yet to be published) with the title of Pelagius, That Saintly Heretic in an Appellate Court, and I am currently working on another one, a collection of (opinionated) papers on a number of subjects called What Have You Heard? And Logos has not only enabled me to do all this, but enriched my life in the doing of it.

So, what do I like most about Logos? That’s hard to say, but perhaps the best thing is that it is such a well-rounded program, and that increasingly so through continuing development. And I can customize it (and have) to my own personal tastes. With the click of an icon I open my basic study set up; my preferred Bible, one commentary, and the list of all my other commentaries, all linked together. And with a click on a few other icons additional resources can be opened without having to look for them. In addition, I like the vast resources I have in Logos, from which I can draw and cite from the minds of many reputable and godly people. I like being able to so easily compare verses in all my preferred Bibles. And the access through the interlinears to the original languages is invaluable. Also, the ability to so easily copy and paste into Word is something I use every day, as well as being able to click on a reference I have cited in Word and having it open in Logos.

Well, I could go on, but let me simply say that for me Logos is a wonderful, God-given tool, and a very important part of my life. And, from the length of this you can tell that I like to write.

http://robertgeiss.tateauthor.com

One of my favorite uses of Logos is the notes feature.  I use resources such as Textweek.com to find out what other preachers and others  are saying about a text.  When I find something that is particularly rich, I clip it and drop it in Notes arranged by Biblical text.  When I get done with this "research" I have a note full of great material under a particular text that I can come back to later.

One of my frustrations is that I have on many occasion typed a term or a place in the search box and came up with nothing.  At those times I resort to Google and get real information about my question.

Bruce Logue

Rev. Fred Mordecai Wireko said:

I am a Pastor and I have used Logos for Bible studies and academic research for about five years now. I love devotional features in the software. I wish Logos price would be moderate for me to purchase the Portfolio version. 

I too am a Logos and L5 user, and a Pastor.  The costs of such a huge collection, can be overwhelming as you mention.  I had started with Logos many years ago, and slowly collected resources for my library.  when L5 came out and offered portfolio, I too thought that it was something I could only wish for.

I knew it would help me in the various areas of my teaching, preaching and writing.  when I found out about their payment plans, this helped me move toward that decision as well.  I had to decide that it was important enough, and then researched the licensing policies of Logos and discovered that for a small fee (I think $20), I could transfer my library to another person, as part of my last will and testament.  in other words, I could now view this as a rather long-term, investment.

Perhaps this isn't appropriate for this thread, but I wanted to drop my support for you and my opinion about your question.  the admins can feel free to move this as necessary.