Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Twitter

Quick post today. I don't think I've posted anything about my Twitter account on here. If you want to follow The Bible in Rhyme on Twitter, I'm at http://twitter.com/bibleinrhyme.

Tweet tweet...I guess.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Bible in Rhyme is on The Index of Perversions!

I haven't posted a blog in two weeks. I've been so busy, and haven't even had time to give TBIR, my blog, or my website the time it deserves. But today was a busy day.

First, it snowed. So that was fun to share with my boys. The first snow is always pretty cool (as is the LAST snow of the year!).

Second, I had a great review from an excellent blog: http://tara sviewonbooks.blogspot.com/2009/11/bible-in-rhyme.html

Third, I found out that The Bible in Rhyme made the top of Amazing Grace Baptist Church's "Index of Perversions." (Given, the list is in alphabetical order...but I'm still claiming top spot!)

This is the church that I most recently posted on about the book burning. It's amazing...and by amazing, I mean CRAZY...that my book was destroyed along with the NIV, The Message, texts written by Billy Graham and Mother Teresa, etc., etc.

Their beef with all of these texts is that it's not the King James Version. Forget the fact that the KJV is not the original text. The thing that really blows my mind is that they're burning documents that support and encourage people to believe in God and Jesus Christ. Why? Because it's not the KJV. But by that rationale, anything that a pastor or priest says should not be used because it's not the KJV. So does their pastor just get up and read the KJV? If he gives a sermon, should he be thrown on the fire too?

When it comes to religion, we all want to fight about something. Is or isn't Jesus the actual son of God. Creationists versus those who believe evolution fits into the Biblical picture. Is Revelation about ancient Rome or future apocalypse. How long did Samson's hair have to get before he could knock down those pillars?

Lost in all of this is the message of the Holy Scriptures, which is best summed up in:

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

- Matthew 22:36-40 (King James Version...for my new friends, and because I have no qualms with the KJV, just Bible burners)

Well, gotta go print this blog post, submit it to The Index of Perversions, and then burn it. I guess I'll have to burn my computer too...

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Burn This Book!

I recently read about a really terrible idea - the Amazing Grace Baptist Church is sponsoring a burning of religious books and Christian music, including all versions of the bible except for the King James Version. (Here's an article about this event.)

Well, don't leave me out! I sent a copy to the Amazing Grace Baptist Church along with the following letter:

Dear Pastor Marc,

I heard about your book burning, and figured mine should be right there with all of the others. To destroy so much of what God has commissioned by setting people out as evangelists is contrarian to everything that the Bible says. I really think this is a foolish publicity stunt you’re doing, but if you’re going to, burn mine too.

I’m saying a prayer for you and anyone who feels that what you’re doing is a good idea.

Sincerely,

Kyle Holt
The Bible in Rhyme

I don't think my letter or any letter will change their minds. Let the burning begin!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Making Rain

I was talking to some of the sales staff at our company today, and one said, "Do you want me to help with the admin stuff? I'm happy to do it, but..."

"If you help, you're not selling," I finished. "Sales people need to go out there and make rain. The rest of the staff is here to help you harvest it, but YOU have to make rain. So no, I do not want you to handle the admin piece."

Although it was a business conversation, this is so true related to the kingdom of God. Jesus sent out 72 disciples, in pairs, to go to the towns and share the good news. They were to go out there and make rain. They were to go out and sell what could not be bought and paid for.

That's a hard gig. Not everybody receives the gift of evangelism. But those who have it, need to use it. We have a society in which it's uncool to be a Christian. It's sketchy to have faith. It's weird to believe in the Lord almighty and Jesus Christ's resurrection.

I sometimes struggle to talk about my own faith because I'm worried about what someone might think. I need to reverse that. I need to worry about what God might think if I don't share His word.

Some have the gifts of administration and can harvest the crop. But for those of you who have the gift of evangelism, the ability to connect to people, and the thrill of closing that "sale" by sharing the good news, PLEASE USE IT!

I'm committing to using my tongue, my talents, and my time to better reach those who need God and the hope He has to offer.

Let's make some rain!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Advent Conspiracy

I had not heard about Advent Conspiracy until today. I might not have known the name, but I've been a believer of it for some time now. I don't need gifts. I would rather we help those who need help.

Check out this video that was done by the multimedia guys at my church. If this doesn't get you fired up for the season of GIVING...I don't know what will.


Joy to the world! The Lord has come.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Revelation 22: 18-19

Because of The Bible in Rhyme, in the past week I have been called an apostate and miraculous.

I'm neither.

But the "apostate" label really bothered me, because that's not a word I think you throw around lightly. Why was this title was thrown my way? Because of Revelation 22:18-19.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
-Revelation 22:18-19

Many believe that this applies to the entire Bible. At the time John wrote the book of Revelation, the Bible was not assembled as we know it today. He was only talking about the book he had written. But even so, if someone changed the words around in any book with the intent to change the meaning, I too would be upset.

But here's the catch. In order for us to read any book of the Bible, the translator has to change the words around. There are words in the ancient Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew that don't perfectly translate into English, Italian, French, Swahili, Mandarin, Tamil, Portuguese, etc., etc., etc.

If we want to read the words EXACTLY as John or any other biblical author wrote them, we have to do so in the ancient dialect in which they were written. Very few of us can do that. I know I can't.

Therefore, if we are to read an English-language Bible at all, we are immediately in violation of John's warning. What a pickle, huh?

So I'd like to toast other "apostates" who have given us the ability to read the ancient texts, the word of God, the sayings of Jesus, and the letters of the apostles. I'm not even close to their league, but if I'm being called an apostate, then maybe I'm getting closer!

  • To every translator who poured his soul into converting the Greek and Aramaic into Latin so that the Catholic Church could spread the word.

  • To Martin Luther for translating the Bible into German so that the common man could read it.

  • King James and William Tyndale for their efforts to create an English translation of the Bible.

  • To Kenneth Taylor for The Living Bible and Eugene Peterson for The Message - two beautiful paraphrases that help millions better understand what the Bible says.

  • And to the O.A. (the Original Apostate) - Jesus Christ, who was shunned by the leaders of Judaism for making the law "too easy".

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
-Mark 12: 29-31

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The Bible...in Rap?

So The Bible in Rhyme was posted on a few blogs and tweets yesterday which was pretty cool. Except they all seemed to be relating back to a post about how The Bible in Rhyme was doggerel garbage. Ouch.


It hurt my feelings for about 10 minutes, and then I realized, "Wait...this is the goal! To get people talking about, thinking about, and opening their Bibles!"

So I read Mr. Gibson's post again, and I enjoyed it much more. It got me thinking about the possibility of a rap version...again. This is not the first time. In fact, I had two people in different areas of the publishing industry recommend that I change the title of the book to "The Bible in Rap" before publication. Of course, I did not. But they thought it would make for quite the publicity.

I didn't want it to be The Bible in Rap. Mainly because I can't rap. But also because even though there is Christian rap, the genre is generally regarded as violent and misogynistic. Now that I think about it, the Bible can actually come across that way too.

But let's pretend somebody does come out with a rap version of the Bible. So what? If it reaches people where they are, gets them interested enough to open up the real Bible, and learn what the holy scriptures say, how is that a bad thing?

Jesus went to Samaria and converted the sworn enemies of the Jews. He healed and comforted the Romans who ruled over and oppressed them. Why on earth would we not want ANYTHING that reaches those who need it most? Just because they don't look like us, don't talk like us, and don't listen to the same music as us, should we excommunicate them? If we do so, aren't we really excommunicating ourselves from what Jesus called us to do?

Whether we rhyme, rap, rock, yodel, dance, sign, sing, sneeze, cough, or lip sync something that helps bring people to a place of hope and faith doesn't matter. What matters is that we pour out our hearts to help expand the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Somebody else can take rap. I call dibs on The Bible in Yodel.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Three Versions of Psalm 23

I was at a funeral today for a woman who truly lived a full and wonderful life. During the funeral, as it seems in all funerals, Psalm 23 was read. And the power of it hit me more than usual (which I guess is why it is always read at funerals). It made me think about how Psalm 23 reads in The Bible, in The Bible in Rhyme, and in one of my favorite books ever, Stephen King's The Stand. So here are three versions of Psalm 23.


The Lord is my shepherd, and I want for naught.
He leads me beside quiet waters in thought.
He leads me in ways in which my soul’s restored.
He shows me the righteous way. He is my Lord.
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
and I fear no evil, as God’s in each breath.
I am protected by His staff and rod,
for He is my savior as He is my God.
My table is set in the presence of foes.
I’m anointed by God. My cup overflows.
Goodness and love follow me where I roam.
Forever I’ll dwell in the Lord’s holy home.


The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

From Stephen King's The Stand:
(This is a quote from the character Tom Cullen, who is
mentally handicapped)

The lord is my shepherd
I shall not want for nothing.
He makes me lie down in the green pastures.
He greases up my head with oil.
He gives me kung-fu in the face of my enemies.
Amen

If you haven't read The Stand, you should. If you have, then you know that Tom Cullen is probably the most likable character ever (M-O-O-N...that spells Tom Cullen). And when I read his version of the 23rd Psalm, I can't help but feel that King got closer to the real fervor of that prayer than even the original.

In the Cullen prayer, there's nothing but fear of the unknown and faith that God will see him through. And that in the end, there's nothing to fear at all, because that kung fu is going to come out of nowhere and save him. That's faith. That's the kind of faith I want to have! I can rally behind that.

Go ahead, Lord, grease up my head with oil. And give me the simple faith to know that You are my shepherd and that Your kung fu is unstoppable!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Keeping Score

Since The Bible in Rhyme was published, it's been really interesting as we try to keep score on how it's doing. We've kept track of downloads, sales, site visits, blog views, Amazon rank, Barnesandnoble.com rank, etc.

But I was reminded of John Ortburg's book It All Goes Back in the Box. He makes a great point that all the ways that we keep score - money, houses, cars, status...and yes, Amazon Rankings - don't count in God's eyes. He wants to see how we have worked for the betterment of those around us, and for our communities as a whole.

My hope with The Bible in Rhyme is that it will open up the scriptures to someone who needed it, who would not have otherwise read the Bible, and to people who were looking for another way to worship God.

I won't stop looking at my Amazon ranking. I won't stop keeping track of how many books I have sold or given away. I can't. Because no matter what, that IS a way that we keep score, and a game with no score is no fun. But I am going to commit myself to look at the score in a different way. I need to remember that it's not how fast the score can be run up. It's how many people can I reach with God's word.

We are not to put our lamp under a bowl and hide it. We are to shine it to the world. And when we do, we are supposed to remember how to keep score the right way. If I falter, I hope God helps me remember why it is that I'm doing this...for God's glorification, not my own.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Officially Launched

So October 6th marked the "Official" launch day for The Bible In Rhyme. It was pretty uneventful, actually, as the book has already been on Amazon for almost a month. And we have a PR campaign that is scheduled (how cool is that?!), but it just needs to get going.

What's also exciting is that my brother's website is up, www.bryceholt.com, and his book also hit Amazon & BN.com. Hooray! What a great day!

As an aside, I've been doing a lot of book signing lately, and I try to put in a passage that I think can resonate with someone. I've got 2 in particular that I really like. I figured I'd share them.

Isaiah 9:1 - 9:7
The gloom shall be lifted. Believers shall see.
In the future God’s glory comes from Galilee.
For those who have lived in the shadow of death,
the yoke shall be lifted. I shout with each breath,
unto the world a child is born!
A son shall be given. Great titles adorn:
Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace.
His greatness increases. His love shall not cease.
On David’s throne he shall reign and uphold
a righteousness that is both honest and bold,
and justice that no man upon Earth may sever.
And so he shall reign forever and ever.

Matthew 9:9 - 9:13
Jesus left and as he passed a tax booth,
he told the man there, “I tell you the truth,
follow me and you’ll gain much more than here.”
And so Matthew gave up his taxing career.
Then Matthew asked Jesus to come in and eat
with him so his friends could come there and meet
the Messiah. But when all the Pharisees saw,
they said, “Jesus scoffs and curses the law.
Look at this man who dines amongst sin.”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “Doctors treat men
who are sick, not the healthy. So let me be clear.
I want mercy, not sacrifice. That’s why I’m here.”

I'm so excited for what's to come - and I hope these passages speak to you like they do to me.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

What a response!

I'm amazed. About 24 hours ago we posted the link so that people can download The Bible in Rhyme, and I've already had more than 75 downloads! I've had people download it from across the U.S., South America, and Asia already.

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments. You guys are amazing! It's awesome to see the spiritual power that this is causing just by making it available. I hope that people feel God speaking to them in new and powerful ways as they read it.

Today I took the list and prayed for each person individually that God would speak to them in a new way that touches their heart.

God bless you all!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Download The Bible in Rhyme

I just posted a link on www.thebibleinrhyme.com so that anyone can register to be emailed the download link for the PDF files. Go to www.thebibleinrhyme.com or go here to register and download The Bible in Rhyme.

Looking forward to seeing what you guys think!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

The Bible In Rhyme Update

I apologize for my delay, but I am nearing the finish of all the development of the Bible in Rhyme. Please email me at kyle.holt@poweredbyu.com if you want a copy of it emailed to you. I want all to who love the Lord to have access to it. Email me if you're interested at all!!!