Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is Executive director of The Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. She is the author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation. Her book Heart’s Cry has been named National Day of Prayer’s signature book. You’ll find articles and daily quotes from Jennifer at the National Day of Prayer website. Her book, Live a Praying Life, has been called a flagship work on prayer.

Jennifer was widowed in 2005 after 26 years of marriage to Wayne Dean, her partner both in life and ministry. They are the parents of three grown sons. Jennifer makes her home in Marion, KY.

You are known for your extensive research and your fresh insights. Do you have a method for gleaning new concepts?

Of course, the truths are not new, but I think I sometimes am able to frame old truths in new ways. I always find that when I put the words of Jesus into their original Hebraic setting and experience the scene through the viewpoint of His real-time audience, some new little fragment of truth finds its way into my thinking. I like to let the Scripture breathe. To let it sit in my heart until its full aroma has time to emerge. There’s the hard-core research, and then there’s the marinating. Turn your imagination loose and unfurl your curiosity, and listen to the living Word.

You have a series of Bible studies in the format of Set Apart, designed to be interactive. This series of studies has video series and leader’s kits available. What is the advantage to this kind of format?

I try to produce a new Bible study with Set Apart every year. I like the interactive format because I like to pull the reader into the Scripture to experience the Word. I like to challenge the reader to interact with the thoughts and ideas and to take the time to absorb them and apply them, rather than just to read. The other thing I like about this format is that it can be done by an individual, or as a group. In the video series, I like to be able to teach the main points of the material and set the learners’ up for a productive week of personal study. I love feeling like I get to be part of your Bible study group! The kits have lots of other resources for  leading a small group in the study.

Several of your studies have theme songs that go with them, as Set Apart does. How do these songs come about?

I have developed a song-writing relationship with a talented musician named Roxanne Lingle. I write poems, we turn them into lyrics, Roxanne composes and arranges the music, and Roxanne records the songs. For Set Apart, we have the theme song in the form of a music video, which is a new addition. In the leader’s kit you have the audio track, accompaniment track, lead sheet, and the music video. The theme song becomes an important and worshipful part of the study experience.

About the Book:

(Marion, Kentucky) – In a world of self-love and materialism it’s reassuring to know that God’s Word has a better plan for living. Renowned author and speaker, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, provides insight to the life of Christ, specifically the Sermon on
the Mount, in her new book, Set Apart: A 6 Week Study of the Beatitudes.

Through careful study of the Hebrew traditions of biblical times, Dean leads participants into a deeper awareness of this early ministry sermon series by Christ.

Jennifer guides readers to a heightened understanding of each beatitude, correlating the Ten Commandments with the Sermon on the Mount to tie these Old and New Testament principles together. Dean shares how living the Set Apart Life is an exciting and life-changing spiritual journey. Participants surrendered to Christ will see a total transformation: outward actions of holiness as well as inward attitudes of joy. Believers following along in this workbook will experience the life God intends. This blessedness comes from seeking and knowing God.  Anything outside the realm of Jesus Christ results in emptiness–the ultimate opposite of blessing.

Each chapter includes interactive questions for readers to answer, emphasizing God’s desire to reproduce the character and attitudes of Jesus in each Christian’s life. Along with the Bible study book, there is a Leader Kit that includes six DVD sessions and a CD with bonus material for small-group leaders. Jennifer’s website, www.prayinglife.org, provides opportunities for previewing the Set Apart materials and extra resources for pastors and leaders.

I’ve long used The Amplified Bible as part of my in-depth study of the Scripture. The [expanded] Bible adds to what the Amplified has done so well – add clear definition to words and phrases in the Bible.

In addition, the Expanded version also adds other possible ways to translate a word or phrase, literal rendering of the original language, traditional translations, commentary, and cross-references. All of which are incorporated within the text. Footnotes are also added to show variations of the manuscripts.

In the Introduction, the reader is advised to learn to use The [expanded] Bible by just reading it. I chose to start using with my Bible study.

Another suggestion from the Introduction is to read the base text first, then go back and read through the expansions. I found this to be a worthy suggestion. I’m able to capture the storyline or thought of the Scripture writer before I gather the in-depth information.

The expanded material is useful for not just studying and gaining more understanding of the words; it also helps flesh out the background and cultural information. I was also like not having to crowd my table with various supplemental books to study God’s Word.

The various expansions are coded in such a way that makes it easy to understand: l for literal, c for commentary, n for footnote, and so on.

The base text used is a modification of the New Century Version (NCV) and is set in bold type for easy reading without being distracted by the interjections of various expansions.

I did wonder if I could just read the base text. I had become accustomed to the Amplified Bible, which doesn’t set the amplification off from the text. For the most part, I had no problem reading the bold text without being distracted by the expansions.

The sturdy hardback (also available in soft cover) is printed on quality paper that will withstand years of use. It is printed with wide margins for notes. Sub-titles are also in the margins, and in the gospels have cross-references. Those references are handy for comparing the synoptic material.

A section notably missing is a concordance. To look for specific Scripture references the reader either has to know the chapter and verse, or use another concordance.

For study purposes, I would have preferred a different translation – New King James Version or New American Standard. The NCV is too informal for my taste in studying God’s Word. Although more traditional text, such as King James Version, is imbedded in the expansions, it not quite enough to over come the loose translation of NCV.

I don’t find these flaws enough to discard The [expanded] Bible. I will continue to use it while I’m waiting for the Old Testament version and, possibly, the addition of a concordance.

The [expanded] Bible: New Testament
from Thomas Nelson
Hardcover $29.99
Softcover $19.99

The Chronological Study Bible from Thomas Nelson illuminates God’s story by placing the inspired Scripture in the context of the history of the world. God’s hand is seen, not just for those of the Judeo/Christian faiths, but for all of the humanity.

A timeline across the top of each page, cultural notes throughout, and transitional comments, along with the text being placed in historical order make this a true study Bible. In addition to in-text notes, there are over 200 pages of endnotes. Since this Bible is not arranged in the traditional order, the included index of Scripture passages is a plus I haven’t seen in other chronological Bibles.

With the sturdy hardcover and high-quality paper, this is a study Bible that will remain on my shelf for years of use.