Bible Gateway interviewed Erika Andujar, Director of Publishing for Bible Media Group/OneHope. She shared the inspiration behind The NIV Telos Bible, now available from Zondervan.
What inspired OneHope to create The NIV Telos Bible?
Erika Andujar: For more than 10 years, OneHope has been researching and building a community of youth pastors, next generation ministry leaders, and theologians to address the condition and challenges spiritually facing North America. We live in a post-truth age when the claims and teachings of the Word have been deconstructed, relativized, and challenged in ways that it never has been before. We created The Telos Bible to help students search the scriptures to find the life-giving truths they so desperately need.
Why do you think it’s important to target high school and college students with this type of Bible?
Erika Andujar: Recent research around Scripture engagement shows a steady decrease in biblical literacy and engagement among the next generation. Only one in four Christian teens read the Bible on their own at least once a week or more. However, the research also revealed that the number one indicator of spiritual vibrancy in students was daily biblical engagement. With The Telos Bible, we’re giving the Church a tool that can help the next generation rediscover the importance of God’s Word for their lives.
What is the goal of The Telos Bible?
Erika Andujar: We wanted all of the content to function as a friendly guide, bridging the gap between students and God’s big story. The Bible is an incredible library of ancient books that can be very intimidating to new readers. Our world is not the same as the ancient world. It is important to help readers better grasp the historical, literary, and theological context of each biblical book. Many of the materials students will encounter in this Bible are designed to do just that.
But the Bible is also so much more than an ancient library. When we read the Bible, we are receiving God’s Word for all of us. Because of this, we have also included several articles or short sidebar pieces throughout The Telos Bible that will help students as they seek to hear the voice of God and respond in their own lives.
Why Telos?
Erika Andujar: In Greek, the noun telos refers to an ultimate goal, object, or aim. It’s a word that speaks about the purpose for which something exists. We believe that the Bible delivers the most compelling and true telos for our lives, and we want young people to experience that for themselves. The noun telos also sometimes appears in the New Testament as an adjective, teleios, which means “mature,” “complete,” or “perfect.” God has given us His Word to help us grow towards the maturity and perfection of being like Jesus.
As a Scripture-engagement ministry, our heart’s desire is the same as Paul’s in Colossians 1:28: “He [Jesus] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature (teleios) in Christ.”
What makes The Telos Bible unique?
Erika Andujar: This isn’t just another study Bible for students. This is a study Bible for students that was made along with students every step of the way. Students from around the nation had an active role and voice in everything from the style and design of the cover to the exploration of hot topics such as mental health and sexual identity. Christian psychologists, spiritual formation experts, and next-gen leaders joined together to make The Telos Bible as accessible and relatable as possible for its readers.
What do you think is the most important thing that the next generation can learn from The Telos Bible?
Erika Andujar: Although it was written thousands of years ago, God’s Word is still relevant to us and the world we live in. It’s both our roadmap and our compass, showing us the scope of God’s Big Story while also equipping us for the role we must play in it. The resources within The Telos Bible will help break barriers and allow students to feel and accept God’s invitation to be transformed by the power of His Word.
Take a look inside The NIV Telos Bible
Click the image to view a pdf sampler
Is there anything else you’d like to share about The Telos Bible, or the missions of OneHope or Feed?
Erika Andujar: In Acts 8:26-40, the apostle Philip is led by the Holy Spirit to an Ethiopian eunuch traveling along the road. Philip hears the Ethiopian reading from the scroll of Isaiah, and he asks, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Ethiopian responds, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” Philip then climbs into the chariot next to the Ethiopian and begins to help him understand what the Scripture teaches.
Young people today relate to the Bible like the Ethiopian did. They know it’s supposed to be important, but they feel lost and confused when they try to read and understand it on their own. Our mission is to encourage and empower more leaders in the Church to be like Philip. We want them to come alongside the next generation to help them discover the beauty and truth of God’s Word. We pray that The Telos Bible might be a tool that can help us achieve this goal.
The post A Conversation with OneHope About the New NIV Telos Bible appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
