This Handbook is  first of all a stand-alone resource book that will be very helpful for many. When I prepare a lesson or sermon from a book of the Bible, I like to gather together some basic background information to get into the first-century mood of things. Historical background is very important; cultural background sets some limits on the subject, and some basic word studies will put me in the know to better understand the passage under consideration.

With this in mind, considerable time was spent to put into this Handbook some of the basic building blocks needed when attempting to more fully understand what God is saying through the passage being studied. I am often opening this Handbook for my own preparation. Simply, it will save considerable time and give me a running start on preparation.

The back cover of the Handbook has the following paragraph:

* An illustrated, practical resource that will be used with enjoyment

* A key to open up the historical and cultural background of Bible times

* A treasury of 1150 word studies and comments to whet the appetite for in-depth Bible study

* An author who lived and served many years in the lands of the Bible to lead into a fuller understanding of biblical culture, background and geography

This new Handbook has just been printed and is in stock both in the USA and in Australia. We note that it is being used currently in various ways, among which we will mention as a:

1. Textbook for Bible colleges and church institutes

2. Supplementary reference book for a related college course

3. Helpful resource book for pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers and Christians keen to study

4. Textbook for companion tools of Workbook and 30 hours of DVD that form an integrated Bible course

5. This New Testament  course is being used by couples for home study, homeschoolers and other uses.