Contact: Joni Sullivan Baker, 513-319-3231

CINCINNATI, July 31, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Standard Publishing proudly announces its 60th edition of the nation's top-selling annual Bible commentary, the Standard Lesson Commentary®.

Designed to enhance every Christian's understanding of Scripture, the Standard Lesson Commentary is used and trusted by thousands of churches to guide weekly discussions for an entire year of studying God's Word.

"The commentary does more than highlight trending topics of the day," explains Senior Editor Jonathan Underwood. "Our readers and students have come to rely on its 52 weeks of lessons to paint a bigger picture of God's Word."

Each of the yearly editions released since the 1950's have followed the ISSL/Uniform Series, which creates a 6-year study plan for the entire Bible.

"Students and leaders find they are better equipped to navigate issues of daily life and develop a closer relationship with God when they understand the entire truth of God as told throughout Scripture," adds Underwood. "The method we've perfected over the last 60 years provides a foundation on which all other discussions and learning can take place."

While exact estimates are impossible, the company knows millions of adults have studied the Bible using this consistent best seller.

"We credit the success of the Standard Lesson Commentary to the reliably solid material, which includes verse-by-verse exposition of Scripture, discussion questions, and adult-appropriate learning activities," says Stephanie Woeste, Vice President of Marketing.

"This has kept the commentary solidly in the top sales spot for the last 20 years," says Woeste. "We have also responded to the way today's readers consume information by developing electronic versions and, recently, eBook editions for both the KJV and NIV commentaries."

The Standard Lesson Commentary line now includes 12 editions from hardback and paperback to digital and audio versions. Plus, the Standard Lesson Resources have been added to support teachers with additional presentations, printable handouts, and visuals that correlate with each week's lesson.

"Our team is dedicated to producing meaningful Bible lessons for adults for each Sunday of the year, and we spend a lot of time thinking about and praying for those who will study from the commentary," Underwood said.

"'Because of the timelessness and quality of the material, we're confident that this first 60 years is only the beginning for the Standard Lesson Commentary," Woeste concluded.

For more than 140 years, Standard Publishing has been raising the standard for true-to-the-Bible resources that educate, encourage and enrich. The company is based in Cincinnati, Ohio where it was founded in 1866. For more information, visit www.standardpub.com.