Stepping into Dr. Nathan Crockett’s office at the beginning of the semester, one might guess that Crockett had just moved in and not fully unpacked.

Many boxes are stacked inside the office, but these boxes aren’t personal items. They’re filled with Bibles that will be given to students.

Dr. Crockett, a professor of New Testament Messages and Hermeneutics, offers a study Bible to any student who takes one of his classes.

This practice began as he encouraged his students to get a study Bible, either buying one themselves or asking their parents for one for Christmas, but he came to realize that some families could not afford the expense.

“Those earlier years, if a student came to me and said ‘I really would like one, but I can’t afford it,’ [my wife and I] would just try to buy them one,” Crockett said.

According to Crockett, the Lord has financially blessed their dog breeding business, Crockett Doodles, giving them a larger income.

Because of their increased resources, the Crocketts are now able to make more Bibles available to those who need them.

“The Lord doesn’t give us stuff just to hoard it,” Crockett said. “He gives us gifts or opportunities to try to invest in others.”

These Bibles have already had impact. While writing an apologetics paper for Bible Doctrines, junior cross-cultural service major Joseph Driedger called his unsaved mother, who wanted to read a copy of the paper.

Later, she expressed interest in receiving a Bible for Christmas.

Driedger told Crockett his mother’s desire during a meal, and Crockett provided a study Bible and a reader’s gospel for her.

“I’ve never seen her read the Bible before and she read those,” Driedger said.

Driedger’s study Bible, a Holman Christian Standard Bible, is now his favorite.

Junior Christian ministries major Jonathan Bryden received a Literary Study Bible which, rather than giving detailed study notes like a study Bible, introduces each book of the Bible under its literary genre and explains how to study it in light of its genre.

“If I’m sitting down for 30 minutes or an hour and just want to read the Bible, it’s smooth sailing,” Bryden said.

Dr. Crockett gives away a variety of different study Bibles, including the Holman Christian Standard Bible and the ESV Study Bible.

His students in New Testament Messages receive the KJV Foundation Study Bible.

He also has reader’s versions (Bibles without chapter or verse divisions and larger text) of the Psalms and the Gospels.

A filing cabinet filled with Bibles is located in Dean Hall so that students can look through and decide which Bible they would like to take.

The Bibles are available at the desk of Crockett’s administrative assistant, Beverly Beadles. Students can pick up their Bibles even when Crockett is not in his office.

“[It’s] kind of like going to a bookstore, but it’s free,” Crockett said.

Crockett hopes that these study Bibles will be a blessing to his students.

He wants them to act as a doorway to other Bible study resources.

“It’s dipping their toes into the world of more in-depth Bible study,” Crockett said.