IgniteBibleforTeens4stars

By New King James Version
Thomas Nelson Press, $24.99, 1445 pages

Even the cover of Ignite: The Bible for Teens has teen appeal: a simple orange flame, the boldness of the all-cap word “IGNITE,” a rough-hewn surface. Inside, the orange flame repeats throughout, a reminder of both the Holy Spirit and of the power of God’s Word to fuel our faith. With a New King James translation, Ignite boasts teen-friendly formatting, with the names of the books of the Bible printed in bright orange in the outside margins and four engaging subsections at the beginning of each new book: “Read It,” “Get It,” “Live It,” and “Find It.”

Jeremiah 20:9b: “His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”

The book summaries are succinct and relatable to twenty-first century life; consider, for example, the “Read It” summary at the beginning of the book of Hosea: “The book of Hosea tells the story of the prophet Hosea and his unusual family. Hosea’s home situation was an example of how the people of Israel were treating God. Hosea told the people that God would not tolerate their unfair, unjust, and wicked lifestyle.” The subsections “White Hot Topics,” “Flashpoints,” “Soul Fuel,” and “Sparks” draw specific verses into the spotlight with funky graphics, encouraging teens to consider how Scripture speaks into their lives. Without gender-specific content or images, Ignite should appeal to all teens interested in exploring the Word of God.

Reviewed by Jennie A. Harrop

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