There are dozens of translations of the Bible and you’ll want to find one that fits your reading comfort level. You can read about different Bible translations below. Once you have selected which translation best suits your reading style, you’ll want to select the size, shape and style of Bible that fits your need.

• NASB (New American Standard Bible): Released in the early 70s with an accurate word-for-word translation- this may be more difficult to read because the translation is more literal.
• ESV (English Standard Version): In 2001, Crossway Bibles introduced the English Standard Version (ESV) and it has quickly risen in prominence among evangelical Christians for its accuracy and readability.
• HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible): was released in 2004 and is another popular translation.

One primary consideration is whether you’ll want a study Bible or not. A study Bible is one that has notes included to help you understand the Biblical text – this makes the size of the Bible (number of pages) usually double or triple in size. There are some outstanding study Bibles available – depending on which translation you’ll want:

• Reformation Study Bible (uses ESV translation)
• Life Application Study Bible (uses several different translations)
• MacArthur Study Bible (uses different translations)
• NIV Study Bible (obviously for the NIV translation)
• ESV Study Bible (obviously for the ESV translation)

The first thing you need to ask is, “What’s a good church?” A good church is a place that lays Christ as the foundation and teaches the Gospel according to the full counsel of Scripture. A good church is not centered on any individual or personality other than Christ. A good church is a place that teaches and trains its members to be workmen as defined by 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” And don’t just attend a good church, get plugged in and involved. Find a small group Bible study that provides fellowship and accountability for your spiritual journey. If you are part of the family of God, then you need to be involved with the family of God in a good church body.

Just as Paul was a spiritual mentor to Timothy and encouraged him in His spiritual walk-- it is important to find an individual who will help you develop a deeper relationship with Christ! The expectation of Scripture is that you’ll not only grow and mature in your own walk, but that you’ll also journey with other believers learning from those more mature than you and helping to model and teach those less mature. Talk to fellow individuals in your church to help you find that spiritual mentor!

One of the great concepts in Scripture is that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” – men and women of faith who have gone before us to model the way to live out the authentic Christian life. While some of these men and women may still be alive during our day, many more have gone on before us to their great reward in heaven – but they have left documentation of their journey in many of their writings and in books written about them.

To find some outstanding books, check out our PCA Resources page on our website, The list of resources is broken down into five areas for spiritual growth: Biblical Literacy, Cultural Apologetics, Spiritual Disciplines, Marriage and Family and Passion and Devotion. Selecting one or more from each category will help you grow in a well-rounded fashion – similar to the benefits of a good liberal arts education. Also, check out the resources below that are specifically designed for New Christians to help launch them on their journey! {Link}