Request: Accordance Step-by-Step Workflow from Dr. J and other "Power Users"

[Bodie Quirk]

Ok, after owning and adding to my Accordance world for years now, I would really like to use it better. I know "how to use the software", but I would love some advice on a solid Accordance workflow. Power users...where do you start? Do you have a similar order you go through in your process?

 

Let's say I was going to preach on Ephesians 5:25-30 where Paul talks about husbands, wives, Christ and his church. What is the first thing you do? Compare versions? Study the original texts? I have some Greek and Hebrew modules, but I don't know the languages.

 

I would sure love people to tell me "this is what I do first, here are the essential modules I use, and here is why" kind of advice. For some reason I still feel that even though I know how to use Accordance, I really don't thrive in it yet.

 

Love some suggestions and workflows!!

 

Thanks!!

[clankford]

I am not sure that I would consider myself a full blown power user of Accordance, but here is my own workflow for sermons...

 

I open three texts, two English and one original language. I use NAS95S & ESVS in English, and in the case of Ephesians, I would also open GNT-T.

 

I keep the Instant Details window open at the bottom of my screen at all times, this helps me with both GNT-T & BHS-W4 (or whatever tagged text you are working with). I am competent in Greek & Hebrew from seminary, but there are many words which I still do not remember or have immediate recall about, so the instant details window helps me to remember all of the case/gender and so on.

 

You didn't ask a hermeneutic question, so suffice it to say I begin with reading the text in both English & Greek, and I make notes in my User Notes. I only recently started using the User Notes, but I have found them a lot more helpful than I thought I would. I keep the User Notes window in the background of my main texts on a different tab. If I have something significantly important to note in a structural outline, I use a separate window to open the GNT-T, so I can diagram or do more significant Greek exploration.

 

Part of the natural process (for me) will be doing whatever word study stuff I can at this level, so I will use BDAG as my lexicon of choice. This usually helps me a great deal in seeing the semantic range of the word. I always keep BDAG in a side window to the right of my three texts. I want the lexicon open at all times. When I am working in both the OT & NT, I like having both BDAG and BDB open, and sometimes I will use HALOT in the OT, although I find the electronic version of HALOT to be difficult to follow at times (I prefer my print version).

 

From there, it simply depends on what you have invested in Accordance. I use several different commentaries, especially NIGTC, WBC, and if it exists, PNTC. There are many good dictionaries and in-depth study tools I would use if I needed them. For something out of Ephesians, I might want to use something from the map or photo tools for background and historical context (Paul, Pricilla/Aquilla, John, Timothy, etc.). All that stuff depends on what you are trying to do (series or some sort of stand-alone). I always preach verse-by-verse through books, so I use a great deal of those kinds of resources.

 

I have all my tools of this type set up in the search window, so I can call up all the photo tools, all the IVP stuff, all the Journals, or all of Anchor Bible Dictionary. These massive search tools are one of the greatest tools I am able to use on Accordance. They open up a much greater breadth of information to me, since I would never think of looking in separate articles for all that information, and Accordance takes me right where I need to read.

 

I keep all of these types of windows in my central pane, simply organized on different tabs. I don't know if it will let me do this, but I'll attach a screen shot here and you can "see" what I just explained. I am preaching through Revelation right now, so that is the information in my current window. Hope that helps. It was a little long, but it should capture the gist of my own workflow...