...Because it's all happening in Minneapolis. Tonight is the opening session of the 2006 Desiring God National Conference. This year's theme is The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World. Once again, Tim "Lightning Fingers" Challies is live blogging the conference, so be sure to follow along at Challies.com for nearly live coverage.

Yes, I know you all read Challies before coming here, so you already know this. So humor me. Tim Challies, the World's Most Famous Christian Blogger®, has purchased discerningreader.com, and launched the new site today. Read all about it.
I'm going to claim bragging rights as the first to link to Discerning Reader. Using inside information, I had my link typed and my finger on the "publish" button. The minute the Discerning Reader appeared on the page, I published my blogroll.

Yes, folks, we are cutting edge.

Here and here is where the action is this week. Tim Challies and Doug McHone, the two dashing young men in the photo, are live-blogging the 2006 Shepherd's Conference at Grace Community Church, home of John MacArthur and Phil Johnson. Although I am incredibly jealous, I am happy for both of them and encourage you to follow the conference on both of their blogs. CD's and mp3 downloads of the seminars will be available after the conference, and I highly recommend taking advantage of those resources.

Today, I am going to go out on a limb and recommend a book that I have not read, and in fact will not be available until sometime in March. The Archeological Study Bible will be, as far as I know, the only Study Bible of its kind. It will not contain theological commentary, but will instead feature historical and archeological information.

I am not thrilled with the publisher's choice of translation (NIV), but I am excited to see the accompanying articles and pictures. It should be a very useful tool for the average reader who wants to better understand the historical context of Scripture. I know I'll be getting one.

One of the contributors, and the initial reason for my interest, is Todd Bolen of The Master's College. His work was featured in this article earlier this month. You can read what Todd has to say about The Archeological Study Bible here.

Related links:
Archeological Study Bible
Bible Places
Life in the Holy Land
Todd's Thoughts

I would like to draw your attention to a new link in the sidebar, Life in the Holy Land. Todd Bolen is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s College, Israel Bible Extension (IBEX), in the Judean Hills of Israel. He blogs at Todd’s Thoughts. Life in the Holy Land is an extensive collection of photographs, drawings, and maps of the biblical lands from the 19th and 20th centuries. I’ll let Todd tell you about it: