Jan-Dec 2020
Apr-Dec '18
UnShackled
for Life
Freedom to Go 'n Grow Together in Christ
Online Christian Resources
There are plenty of valuable Christian resources available online; far too many to provide a comprehensive list. I will try to break these resources down into categories, but some defy easy categorization. While any resource available on the internet is therefore available on your Smart Phone via your browser, many of these resources also have free apps available for your phone and those will be noted.
Please send in your own contributions, as I am going to miss plenty of great resources. I am going to begin with only those resources that I am personally familiar with and my notes will reflect that. So be sure to send in you own experiences - positive and negative - so I can include them.
Smart Phone Apps
Most of the resources listed are available as an app for your Smart Phone and are so identified. In addition, there are many evangelism tools available as apps. These can be used to present the gospel message or to assist you in doing so. We have a page on Smart Phone apps for Evangelism.
The Bible
The primary resource for all Christians is the Bible. Many / most Christian resources site include access to the Bible. Here are a few that focus on access to the Bible (but include much more), along with my editorial comments. Click on the name to go to the website.
Bible Gateway: This has been my go to site for reading the Bible online. There is also an app available for your Smart Phone. If you set up an account (it is free), you can take and store notes online. I love this because my notes are available wherever I go, assuming I didn't forget to bring my phone. I prefer taking notes on my computer for ease of typing. But I don't have to worry about retiring a Bible and either losing my notes or having to transfer them to a new Bible. There is a catch. Your notes are tied to the translation you are using (there are about 60 English translations available, along with many other languages), so when you view a different translation, you do not see your notes. Some commentaries are also available - more if you want to pay a monthly fee. So far, I find the free version more than adequate. Another minor feature that I really love is the ability to bring up all 60 or so translations at once if you are looking at a single verse.
Bible Hub: Currently, I use Bible Hub for one great feature. It has many more features and capabilities, but I have yet to take advantage of them. The feature? If you select "Sermons" from the main menu, and specify a verse, it will list a whole bunch of not just sermons, but comments or commentaries that cover that verse. Most are older since they are free, but I've gotten great insights for my Bible study by browsing through whatever comes up - and lots of stuff always comes up! Bible Hub does not offer as many translations as Bible Gateway, but it includes more than you are ever likely to use. Smart Phone app available.
Bible Study Tools: I used this a lot when taking a preaching course, but I switched over to Bible Gateway because I preferred the interface. Bible Study Tools has very similar features, so it might be worth checking out. It has a Smart Phone app, but that app includes ads which I find very annoying.
Blue Letter Bible: I have heard a number of people swear by this. It is full of features, but I have not been tempted to switch from Bible Gateway. If you haven't already committed to any specific tool, why not see if this is for you? And let me know what you think! Smart Phone app is available.
Videos
Right Now Media: I am a huge fan. I use this for Bible study, as there are multiple video series available on every book of the Bible. There are also videos oriented towards kids, topical studies and much, much more. I was initially "signed up" through church, but you can get access by clicking on the "Get Access" button on the main page (upper right). Just try it out, as I can't say enough good words about this site. However, there are a couple minor quibbles. First, when watching a video, it will not remember where you are if you close before finishing the video - note where you left off. A Smart Phone app is available, but you really need an internet connection, and even then the videos occasionally run in fits and starts.
YouTube: There is a lot of good stuff out on YouTube, if you know what to look for. I generally only go there when something specific is recommended to me. Need some help finding good stuff on YouTube? For starters, try this: To Feed Your Spiritual Life, Binge on These 5 YouTube Channels. Again, a Smart Phone app is available, but the notes above apply. They probably apply for any app that has to download videos live.
Prager University: Prager U creates 5 minute videos on everything under the sun. They are very well done. These are not Bible study videos, but there are videos on lots of topics that are of interest to Christians. We have a Prager U page that includes a number of such videos - scroll to the bottom for a series of 10 videos on the Ten Commandments. But we are only scratching the surface.