Bibles

'I have long regarded the NRSV as the gold standard of English Bible translation. . . This edition's care over word choices and language makes it very appropriate for reading aloud and for personal Bible reading or use in Bible study groups.'
Steve Walton, Professor of New Testament, Trinity College, Bristol

Acclaimed by both biblical scholars and general readers as the most reliable English Bible available, the New Revised Standard Version follows in the great tradition of the King James Version in being true to the original meaning of the text while conveying it in a dignified style that speaks powerfully to today's readers.

Now with British spelling, grammar and punctuation, and with over 20,000 updates and enhancements to the text, this is the first comprehensive revision of the NRSV since it was published in 1989.

Features:
British text
Clear readable 9 pt typeface
Double-column layout
Hardback binding
Illustrated silver endpapers featuring 'Presented to:'
Silver ribbon marker
Durable black cover material with silver foiled design
Silver head and tail bands
Removable white bellyband
Printed on paper from sustainable sources

'The new British version of the NRSVue. . . reflects the latest scholarship while being sensitive to cultural changes on issues such as gender, race and disability. It also echoes a more distinctly English tradition which will be welcome to many who are the cultural descendants of those who still treasure the King James Version.'
Angela Tilby, Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

'Thirty years of advances in textual analysis make it more accurate than any other translation, and now its sensitive rendering into elegant and inclusive British English ensures a smoother and more rewarding reading experience for millions of English speakers, both in the UK and around the world. All of which means the NRSVue now stands at the pinnacle of English Bible translations.'
Emma Ineson, Bishop of Kensington, London

'The finest English Bible we have today.'
Richard J. Foster, theologian and writer

Evangelical Bible study groups are the most prolific type of small group in American society, with more than 30 million Protestants gathering every week for this distinct purpose, meeting in homes, churches, coffee shops, restaurants, and other public and private venues across the country. What happens in these groups? How do they help shape the contours of American Evangelical life? While more public forms of political activism have captured popular and scholarly imaginations, it is in group Bible study that Evangelicals reflect on the details of their faith. Here they become self-conscious religious subjects, sharing the intimate details of life, interrogating beliefs and practices, and articulating their version of Christian identity and culture.
In Words upon the Word, James S. Bielo draws on over nineteen months of ethnographic work with five congregations to better understand why group Bible study matters so much to Evangelicals and for Evangelical culture. Through a close analysis of participants' discourse, Bielo examines the defining themes of group life—from textual interpretation to spiritual intimacy and the rehearsal of witnessing. Bielo's approach allows these Evangelical groups to speak for themselves, illustrating Bible study's uniqueness in Evangelical life as a site of open and critical dialogue. Ultimately, Bielo's ethnography sheds much needed light on the power of group Bible study for the ever-evolving shape of American Evangelicalism.

Using personal anecdote, a witty and lively style, and drawing on his considerable theological knowledge, John Goldingay takes us deep into the unfolding story of the Old Testament.

A short, simple and thoroughly biblical explanation of the meaning and purpose of Holy Communion, designed to appeal to all ages • Explains its biblical origins, the different ways in which Christians have understood it over the centuries, and its crucial place in the Christian life today • With questions for reflection or discussion at the end of each chapter • Ideal for complete beginners, and anyone wanting a quick and easy refresher course

A straightforward, user-friendly guide to how to read the Bible - dig deep into God's word for yourself.

'It's all a matter of interpretation.'

Most conversations I've had with non-Christians about the Bible end up there sooner or later. It's all a matter of interpretation. Sure, you say it means that Jesus is God and that sex outside marriage is wrong and that heaven is only for Christians, but maybe for me it means that Jesus was just a good teacher and sex with anyone is OK as long as you both want it and heaven is for everybody. It's all just a matter of interpretation.

Actually, we've all been conditioned to think like that. It's part of the whole philosophical movement called postmodernism, and over the last few decades it has infiltrated the TV shows that we watch and the classrooms that we sit in. Postmodernism teaches that when I come to a piece of literature such as the Bible, what matters is not what it means, but what it means for me. And that might be different from what it means for you. And that's OK.

I wonder if you've ever been in a Bible study like this:

Leader: Does anyone have any thoughts about verse 1?

Person A: I think it's talking about X, and . . . (blah, blah) . . .

Person B: Yes, I see what you're saying Person A and I totally respect you. For me though it means Y, the opposite of X.

Leader: Mmmm. Thank you both. Let s move on to verse 2.

That's postmodernism in action. The text means one thing for one person and the complete opposite for another, but both interpretations are to be respected and treated as equally valid. But the apostle Paul doesn't see it like that. He thinks that there is a right and a wrong way to understand the Bible.

The book is based on the idea of a toolkit. Each chapter introduces you to a separate tool and explains how it works. Although there are illustrations from the Bible throughout, we'll sometimes spend a bit longer on a Worked example to show you how that particular tool really can help us discover something exciting and relevant that the Bible is saying. Finally, the Dig deeper! boxes give you a chance to practise using the tools for yourself. At the end we've included a brief appendix with a suggestion of how you might use the toolkit concept in your small group.

Situated in the years leading up to the overthrow of Judah by the Babylonians, Jeremiah's prophesies are set against a tense atmosphere of threat and invasion. Strongly warning of God's judgment and the nation's imminent catastrophe, Jeremiah lost credibility amongst his contemporaries as the years progressed, but the length of his book and the duration of his ministry establishes him as a major figure in the Old Testament. The fulfilment of his prophecies in later events of the Bible reassert the truth of his words and his speeches and prayers depict a God whose anger is a passionate response to the depths of love he feels for his people. Using personal anecdote, a witty and lively style, and drawing on his considerable theological knowledge, John Goldingay takes us deep into the unfolding story of the Old Testament.

'Fresh, insightful and accessible... An excellent resource.' -The Reader

If the gospel cannot be understood by everyone, then it is not good news. From the very first days of the church at Pentecost, the good news of Jesus was translated into the languages of ordinary people through the power of the Holy Spirit, spreading like wildfire to the ends of the earth.

This newly typeset edition of Tom Wright's hugely popular English Bible translation features light revisions throughout the text, along with brief introductions to each biblical book, a range of informative maps and a substantial glossary of key words.

Fresh, dynamic and absorbing, Tom Wright's New Testament for Everyone can be read like a novel, studied in sections or used as a daily resource for reflection and devotion.

'Gaze on him . . . Consider him . . . Contemplate him . . . As you desire to imitate him.'

This advice from St Clare of Assisi is the key to unlocking the door to the heart of Jesus' teaching. Her words provide a pattern of meditation that brings alive the Gospel reading for every Sunday of the Revised Common Lectionary.

'At every point the author persuades the reader that the Gospel readings really are relevant to our contemporary lives . . . she offers many images that will help congregations and preachers alike . . . For its sheer poetry and imagination, Judith Dimond's Gazing on the Gospels . . . is well worth buying'. Robin Gill, in Outlook

The NLT anglicised hardback bible is ideal for both new and mature Christians looking for a contemporary translation that is an authoritative version of scripture.

The New Living Translation was translated by over 90 leading biblical scholars, this edition features British text and has been completely reset for today's generation.

Other features of this NLT bible include:
8.15-point text
12mm margins
Two column layout
Printed laminated gloss binding
White paper
Ribbon bookmarks

Suitable for both private and public use, the NLT hardback bible makes a beautiful gift for baptisms, confirmations and birthdays.

'I have long regarded the NRSV as the gold standard of English Bible translation. . . This edition's care over word choices and language makes it very appropriate for reading aloud and for personal Bible reading or use in Bible study groups.'
Steve Walton, Professor of New Testament, Trinity College, Bristol

Acclaimed by both biblical scholars and general readers as the most reliable English Bible available, the New Revised Standard Version follows in the great tradition of the King James Version in being true to the original meaning of the text while conveying it in a dignified style that speaks powerfully to today's readers.

Now with British spelling, grammar and punctuation, and with over 20,000 updates and enhancements
to the text, this is the first comprehensive revision of the NRSV since it was published in 1989.

Features:
British text
Clear readable 9 pt typeface
Double-column layout
Flexi binding
Illustrated silver endpapers featuring 'Presented to:'
Silver ribbon marker
Silver head and tail bands
Removable white bellyband
Lovely soft-tone cover material with debossed design
Printed on paper from sustainable sources

'The new British version of the NRSVue. . . reflects the latest scholarship while being sensitive to cultural changes on issues such as gender, race and disability. It also echoes a more distinctly English tradition which will be welcome to many who are the cultural descendants of those who still treasure the King James Version.'
Angela Tilby, Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

'Thirty years of advances in textual analysis make it more accurate than any other translation, and now its sensitive rendering into elegant and inclusive British English ensures a smoother and more rewarding reading experience for millions of English speakers, both in the UK and around the world. All of which means the NRSVue now stands at the pinnacle of English Bible translations.'
Emma Ineson, Bishop of Kensington, London

'The finest English Bible we have today.'
Richard J. Foster, theologian and writer

'I have long regarded the NRSV as the gold standard of English Bible translation. . . This edition's care over word choices and language makes it very appropriate for reading aloud and for personal Bible reading or use in Bible study groups.'
Steve Walton, Professor of New Testament, Trinity College, Bristol

Acclaimed by both biblical scholars and general readers as the most reliable English Bible available, the New Revised Standard Version follows in the great tradition of the King James Version in being true to the original meaning of the text while conveying it in a dignified style that speaks powerfully to today's readers.

Now with British spelling, grammar and punctuation, and with over 20,000 updates and enhancements to the text, this is the first comprehensive revision of the NRSV since it was published in 1989.

Features:
British text
Clear readable 9 pt typeface
Double-column layout
Hardback binding
Illustrated navy endpapers featuring 'Presented to:'
Navy ribbon marker
Navy head and tail bands
Printed on paper from sustainable sources

'The new British version of the NRSVue. . . reflects the latest scholarship while being sensitive to cultural changes on issues such as gender, race and disability. It also echoes a more distinctly English tradition which will be welcome to many who are the cultural descendants of those who still treasure the King James Version.'
Angela Tilby, Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

'Thirty years of advances in textual analysis make it more accurate than any other translation, and now its sensitive rendering into elegant and inclusive British English ensures a smoother and more rewarding reading experience for millions of English speakers, both in the UK and around the world. All of which means the NRSVue now stands at the pinnacle of English Bible translations.'
Emma Ineson, Bishop of Kensington, London

'The finest English Bible we have today.'
Richard J. Foster, theologian and writer

'Gaze on him . . . Consider him . . . Contemplate him . . . As you desire to imitate him.' This advice from St Clare of Assisi is the key to unlocking the door to the heart of Jesus' teaching. Her words provide a pattern of meditation that brings alive the Gospel reading for every Sunday of the Revised Common Lectionary. 'At every point the author persuades the reader that the Gospel readings really are relevant to our contemporary lives . . . she offers many images that will help congregations and preachers alike . . . For its sheer poetry and imagination, Judith Dimond's Gazing on the Gospels . . . is well worth buying'. Robin Gill, in Outlook

The New Living Translation is an authoritative version of scripture, rendered faithfully into today's English by an international team of over 90 leading biblical scholars.

The translation conveys the message of the original texts in clear, contemporary language. Its guiding principle is to render words and phrases as simply and literally as possible when that approach yields an accurate, consistent and natural English text, thus preserving literary devices, metaphors and word choices that give structure and provide meaningful connections between different passages.

The result is a translation that is both exegetically accurate and idiomatically powerful, making it eminently suitable for both private and public use.

Features:
- 8.15 point More Pro font
- Two-column layout with 12mm margins
- Printed laminated gloss binding
- Lay-flat binding
- Soft tone, debossed cover
- White paper with printed endpapers and ribbon

Evangelical Bible study groups are the most prolific type of small group in American society, with more than 30 million Protestants gathering every week for this distinct purpose, meeting in homes, churches, coffee shops, restaurants, and other public and private venues across the country. What happens in these groups? How do they help shape the contours of American Evangelical life? While more public forms of political activism have captured popular and scholarly imaginations, it is in group Bible study that Evangelicals reflect on the details of their faith. Here they become self-conscious religious subjects, sharing the intimate details of life, interrogating beliefs and practices, and articulating their version of Christian identity and culture.
In Words upon the Word, James S. Bielo draws on over nineteen months of ethnographic work with five congregations to better understand why group Bible study matters so much to Evangelicals and for Evangelical culture. Through a close analysis of participants' discourse, Bielo examines the defining themes of group life—from textual interpretation to spiritual intimacy and the rehearsal of witnessing. Bielo's approach allows these Evangelical groups to speak for themselves, illustrating Bible study's uniqueness in Evangelical life as a site of open and critical dialogue. Ultimately, Bielo's ethnography sheds much needed light on the power of group Bible study for the ever-evolving shape of American Evangelicalism.

The volume offers a new critical reflection on the use of the Bible in contemporary cultural and political debates in the Nordic countries. In Nordic Lutheran societies, the Bible has been perceived as a basis of religion and social cohesion. Whereas such religious and confessional factors are well-researched vis-à-vis the historical genesis of the Nordic welfare states, the focus here is on public use of the Bible in debates of today.

Keine ausführliche Beschreibung für "Das Matthäus-Evangelium im Mittelägyptischen Dialekt des Koptischen (Codex Scheide)" verfügbar.

The volume offers a new critical reflection on the use of the Bible in contemporary cultural and political debates in the Nordic countries. In Nordic Lutheran societies, the Bible has been perceived as a basis of religion and social cohesion. Whereas such religious and confessional factors are well-researched vis-à-vis the historical genesis of the Nordic welfare states, the focus here is on public use of the Bible in debates of today.

This book examines the translations of selected miracle stories from the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint (LXX) and the Greek New Testament into selected Ghanaian mother-tongues, considering possible shifts of meaning that occur in translating. 1Kings 18:25–38, Mark 9:14–29 and Luke 7:11–17 are used as case studies.

The author draws out semiotic-hermeneutical nuances of these texts as they are understood in the Ghanaian context and addresses questions in the field of Biblical studies concerning the relevance of intercultural hermeneutics for current trends in Ghanaian Christianity. Particularly important is the high premium placed on ‘miracles’ in present-day Ghanaian spirituality, making a careful analysis of these stories particularly relevant for the Ghanaian audience.

The study also explores several factors that influence the translation process and have a bearing on the reception and use of the text. It follows the growing calls for a shift in African Biblical hermeneutics from the theological heritage of Europe and America to the emerging theological trajectories of Africa. This post-colonial shift re-examines the translated text, moving from what the text might have meant to what the text might mean in Africa.

This study explores the reception history of the Lord's Prayer in the Ghanaian context. After presenting the current state of research in the Lord's Prayer from an exegetical perspective, this book discusses a wide field of hermeneutical approaches, such as inculturation biblical hermeneutics, mother-tongue biblical hermeneutics, African feminist biblical hermeneutics, liberation biblical hermeneutics and post-colonial biblical hermeneutics. Taking the discussions of these approaches together, it was realised that the general hermeneutical setting in Ghana (and Africa as whole) is reader-centred, i.e. the readers play an active role in the hermeneutical process and the results of the hermeneutical process are aimed at the readers’ contexts and the transformation of those contexts.

A critical edition of the Samaritan Pentateuch is one of the most urgent desiderata of Hebrew Bible research. The present volume on Leviticus is the first out of a series of five meant to fill this gap. It provides a diplomatic edition of the five books of the Samaritan Torah, based on the oldest preserved Samaritan manuscripts.
Throughout the entire work, the Samaritan Hebrew text as gathered from 30 different manuscripts is compared with further Samaritan witnesses (esp. the Samaritan Targum, the Samaritan Arabic translation, and the oral Samaritan reading tradition) as well as with non-Samaritan witnesses of the Pentateuch, especially the Masoretic text, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Septuagint, creating an indispensable resource and tool not only for those working with the Samaritan Pentateuch, but for any scholar interested in textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible in general, and particularly the Pentateuch.

Bisherige Betrachtungen einer jüdischen Rezeptionsgeschichte Jonas beschränken sich auf die Deskription vermeintlich wichtigster oder bekanntester Rezeptionsquellen. AUS DEM LEBEN DES BUCHES JONA untersucht die frühjüdischen und rabbinischen Rezeptionen des biblischen Propheten Jona auf ihre überlieferungsdynamischen Aushandlungsprozesse und ermittelt, woraufhin und mit welcher traditionsdynamischen Konsequenz im Wandel soziokultureller Kontexte rezipiert wurde. Die Rezeptionsgeschichte wird dabei, in Abgrenzung zur Auslegungs- und Wirkungsgeschichte, als Arbeitsfeld und nicht als Gegenstand der Forschung verstanden. Einer eigens entwickelten Methodik folgend werden Rezeptionen Jonas diskursanalytisch kontextualisiert und entlang einheitlicher Analysekategorien vergleichend untersucht. Dabei fließen sowohl historisch-kritische Denkansätze des New Historicism, als auch eine hermeneutische Skepsis hinsichtlich der Re-Konstruktion von Geschichte sowie methodologische Grundlagen der Vergleichenden Literaturwissenschaft und Religionswissenschaft, insbesondere in Auseinandersetzung mit Intertextualitätstheorien, in die Arbeit ein. Das Ergebnis ist ein detailreicher Bildausschnitt eines innerjüdischen Rezeptionsdiskurses.

This book sets out to provide a matrix for surveying the literary treatment of biblical tropes. It supplies an overview of the literary reception of the Bible from the earliest times right through to contemporary writers such as Jeanette Winterson and Colm Tóibín, traces the literary reception and treatment of the Book of Job; the figure of Uriah in the narrative of David and Bathsheba; the figure of Lilith; and Angels of Death and of Mercy. These are all handled as specimen histories. This is followed by an examination of the output of several specific early and later Twentieth-Century rewriters of the Bible. In the last chapters, three sets of other writers under particular headings ("the Great Disrupters" etc.) are grouped together with a view to finding common characteristics as well as unique features in their approach to biblical tropes and provide conclusions and suggestions for further research.

Die deutschsprachige Evangelienharmonie des Fabel- und Kirchenliederdichters Erasmus Alber (um 1500-1553) ist in einer Handschrift überliefert, die seit dem zweiten Weltkrieg als verschollen galt. Inzwischen wurde die Handschrift wiedergefunden, so dass die Harmonie im vorliegenden Band präsentiert werden kann. Im Hintergrund der akribischen Anlage der Edition steht die Kenntnis zahlreicher Harmonien des Mittelalters und der Reformationszeit, mit denen Albers Œuvre verglichen wird, um es in die Gesamttradition einzuordnen. Für die Standortbestimmung ist die individuelle Harmonisierungstechnik relevant, die im edierten Text durch den Ausweis sämtlicher Bibelstellen transparent wird und detailliert Auskunft gibt über die harmonistische Struktur sowie über die Distanzierung von älteren mittelalterlichen Werken. Alber folgt den seit dem Spätmittelalter praktizierten Verfahrensweisen. Das Resultat ist, dass die vier Evangelien weniger widerspruchslos miteinander verschmolzen sind. Damit geht ein spezifischer Aufriss des Lebens Jesu einher, der dank des ausführlichen Inhaltsverzeichnisses im Buch rasch erfasst werden kann. Sprachlich orientiert sich der Lutherschüler an Luthers Übersetzung des Neuen Testaments.

Evangelical Bible study groups are the most prolific type of small group in American society, with more than 30 million Protestants gathering every week for this distinct purpose, meeting in homes, churches, coffee shops, restaurants, and other public and private venues across the country. What happens in these groups? How do they help shape the contours of American Evangelical life? While more public forms of political activism have captured popular and scholarly imaginations, it is in group Bible study that Evangelicals reflect on the details of their faith. Here they become self-conscious religious subjects, sharing the intimate details of life, interrogating beliefs and practices, and articulating their version of Christian identity and culture.
In Words upon the Word, James S. Bielo draws on over nineteen months of ethnographic work with five congregations to better understand why group Bible study matters so much to Evangelicals and for Evangelical culture. Through a close analysis of participants' discourse, Bielo examines the defining themes of group life—from textual interpretation to spiritual intimacy and the rehearsal of witnessing. Bielo's approach allows these Evangelical groups to speak for themselves, illustrating Bible study's uniqueness in Evangelical life as a site of open and critical dialogue. Ultimately, Bielo's ethnography sheds much needed light on the power of group Bible study for the ever-evolving shape of American Evangelicalism.

An enhanced revision of the New Testament in common contemporary English, drawing from many of the best modern versions and building on the insights of great Greek scholars, translators, interpreters, and commentators of the past in audaciously correcting the many mistranslations in the most popular versions in use today. These insights have not been utilized by the translators of versions done by committees, but some done by individuals, such as Tyndale, Way, Williams, Wuest, Verkuyl, Phillips, and Taylor, have been more insightful. The revisor has built upon 68 years of Bible study and teaching from the Greek. It is called The Resurrection New Testament because eight important resurrection passages needed clarification, and many (about 200) other obscure passages needed to be resurrected from obscure mistranslation. There are full explanatory footnotes and lexical studies. A unique bonus is included, The Four-in-One Story of the Lord Jesus: an Interwoven Gospel Narrative. This was inspired by Johnston Cheney’s Life of Christ in Stereo, which was a great improvement over the various harmonies, especially chronologically. Jonathan Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, has written the foreword, strongly commending this version, as has Dr. James Borland, professor of NT and theology at Liberty University.

This research monograph is an historical study of the Baptist Bible Fellowship and its connections with segregation during the 1950s. It includes an examination of some of its key founders and their views of segregation and observes some of the crucial figures who fought for racial equality and integration within this organization. Though many of the founders of this Baptist denomination were segregationists (which could be considered racist in and of itself) some of these individuals held blatant racist views of white supremacy. What is intriguing is that many of these founders met with violent and scandalous fates . In this work the author observes the racial views of some founding members and how these institutional opinions have influenced and changed (or not) this autonomous organization over the years. No standard published history of the Baptist Bible Fellowship (BBF) currently exists which would makes this work an important contribution to modern American history, the history of racism in the United States, and modern religious movements in the post war world in general. A Study on Racism within the Baptist Bible Fellowship This section will include an introduction to this study including the author’s intentions and a basic contextual background of the 1950s introducing the cultural climate. This background includes a brief analysis of the ‘communist paranoia’ which fueled the BBF founders’ views of racial segregation and served as one of the factors behind their refusal to comply with the civil rights movement. This section will also suggest a definition for both racism and segregation and engage the question, “Are the terms ‘ segregation’ and ‘racism’ synonymous?” II. The Founders of the BBF This second chapter deals with the divisive issues which led to the foundation of the Baptist Bible Fellowship out of J. Frank Norris and his World Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship (WFBMF). This chapter will introduce key figures and personalities associated with the early BBF. The final part of this section will reprint a ‘segregation resolution’ decided upon in a BBF meeting on 28 November 1957 at Castleberry Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, TX where this resolution was passed and agreed upon by over 1,000 churches in the BBF to support racial segregation. III. The First Generation and Segregation This section will delve into the personal lives and racial views of some early BBF associated figures such as J. Frank Norris, G. B. Vick, Noel Smith, Homer G. Ritchie, and George E. Hodges ( the former having been tragically murdered by his mistress in the church parking lot). The main purpose of this chapter will be to examine these individuals and their views of racial segregation. This examination will identify some of the common elements and Bible stories that these figures employed in order to justify their views of racial oppression. Most of these pastors held that racial integration was the tool of the ‘Satanic’ communist party to produce the one world government hinted at in the Tower of Babel story in Genesis that would eventually usher in the apocalypse as described in the book of Revelation. IV. Radicals and Reformers This chapter seeks to identify and research the lives of two pastors on opposite ends of the spectrum- one of these individuals was J. H. ‘Dick’ Melton (1922 -1995) who held and taught racist ideologies at a BBF institution (Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO) and the other opposing figure was an integrationist named Truman E. Dollar (1938?- 1996) who was influential in the BBF until he was exposed by his own son for participating in a sexually explicit conversation with a married woman which resulted in Dollar’s tragic suicide. Melton drew upon the segregationist ideas which the BBF founders had misinterpreted out of the Bible (especially the ‘Hamitic Curse’) and used these beliefs to justify the supremacy of the white race; whereas, Dollar sought to racially integrate his church (Temple Baptist Church) which happened to be the pastorate of the founder of the BBF G. B. Vick. During his lifetime, Vick (the founder of the BBF) had refused to baptize and offer membership to black people- a rule which was enforced until the 1980s when Dollar worked to integrate this institution. V. The Impact of the History This section examines the recent history of the ‘Brothers of Cyrene’- a group of black pastors which was established in 2007 to function within the BBF. It appears that the very premise of this organization is to continue planting racially segregated churches. This segregation seems to be the main goal of the ‘Nehemiah project’ an idea which attempts to plant black churches out of predominantly white congregations. This program calls on black members within already established BBFI churches to form their own separate church so that they are able to minister to people of their own race- again the questions arises over segregation just at the moment (2012)that the Southern Baptist Convention will for the first time be headed by an Afro-American.