Dear Pastor Andy: What Bible Would You Recommend For Ministry?

Question:

I am about to be ordained, and my church has asked me what Bible I'd like as a gift. I plan to go into hospital chaplaincy right after Divinity School, so

I want it to be a widely-accepted version that's easy to hear (NRSV, NIV, NASB).
I'd like cross-referencing, and ideally, parallel-passage notes for the Gospels.
I do not want study notes or a large concordance within it to carry around (too bulky).
I also would like a full-sized version because I will do some preaching and would like to read it from the pulpit.
finally, I'm looking for something in basic, black leather.

No NRSV I've found online has all these features. Although I did find a wonderful NIV that fits all these perfectly, Published by Holman, but is out of print now and unavailable.

If you have a working-ministry Bible you really like, I would very much welcome your recommendation. Thank you!

My Reply:

First, congratulations on your graduation from seminary!
OK, so now let's see about this list:

Widely-Accepted Versions:

NRSV, NLT, and the NIV

Good cross-referencing/parallel passage notes (footnotes too?):
NASB, RSV, NRSV, NLT, NIV, TNIV

No concordance within: Just don't get a "Study Bible"

Full-sized version:
Most should come in a full-size.

Summary:

I find that the NLT has really good footnotes / cross references, and also is great for reading aloud, but because the language is set for such, it's not a good Bible for word studies. But I have seen some in black leather.
The TNIV is good in that it's closer to the original Greek, yet not all their bibles have all that many footnotes. And although it does come in leather, it is not widely as accepted as was hoped or expected.
The NRSV often has good notes, and is actually what I choose to use with word studies (other than the Greek itself), but as you mentioned, you can't find it in black leather. It's also not the friendliest in speech for reading out loud.

Hope I helped some.

---Pastor Andy