Rock Solid Faith Study Bible Review

I was contacted by DJC Communications to review a Zondervan NIV teen bible.  Rock Solid Faith Study Bible for Teens, obviously has teens as its target audience and based on the masculine cover, it would draw the attention of young males rather than girls. I must say for starters, it is not a Catholic bible nor does it have an imprimatur stamp of approval. I verified this by checking the USCCB website to see if it's listed on their approved translation list and it is not.  This is a protestant study bible but does it mean, that it's not useful to Catholics? Absolutely not. It's an incomplete bible (i.e. Maccabees), however, if a teen has a strong foundation in their Catholic faith then they can certainly use this study bible. If they do not, then I would advise to look for a Catholic study bible. My son has a good foundation in his faith, so I have given this bible to him.  

What I most appreciated about this study bible are the features found in each chapter. For young learners or for those who are not familiar with the bible, these features aid in learning and helps with making scripture understandable.  The features include:

• Rock Solid Promises which teaches what is and what is not promised in the bible
• Rock Solid Principles which applies the bible to relationships, sex, money and more
• Rock Solid Plans which explores God's plan in daily life
• Unshaken People which provides scriptural examples of overcoming challenges 
• Unshaken God which points out God;s unyielding attributes.
• Additional features at the back of the bible include reading plans, topical indexes, a concordance to help find verses and colored maps.

I especially liked the Think section in the Rock Solid Truth because it makes the reader think about and apply what they are learning as they read the bible.  It helps bring God's truth to your daily life.  I believe it also helps the reader put into action what they are learning.  For it is not enough to just read the Word, we must live it in our words and actions.

The only aspect that I did not like, is the lightness of the text especially in the titles and numbering of each chapter.  One aspect that I question is whether teens would be drawn to this in a book format when we live in a world of technology.   I'm not a teen and for someone in my age range, I prefer to have the bible in a book format rather than reading it on a screen.  I would think the opposite is true for teens so hopefully Zondervan has an app that can be downloaded on an iphone or ipad for those who prefer technology over books.

I was given a complimentary copy of Rock Solid Faith Study Bible for Teens from DJC Communications.  No monetary compensation was given for my honest review.

Peace & Blessings,

Noreen