Resources

This page houses a number of resources to help the average surfer. Please find below links to denominational hqs online as well as Bible study apps/programs that are FREE and are great resources for the beginner and seasoned Christian alike.

Nationally recognized organizations, churches
1. In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley
  1. Here’s the link: https://www.intouch.org/ . This site/church is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and what’s great about this resource is that there are so many ways to get involved. There are podcasts (both video and radio), there are newsletter you can subscribe to, there is a magazine and letter they’ll mail out to you if you wish and there are many, many resources on this website alone. Do check it out just to get an idea of what you might want to look for in a church’s web offerings.
  2. Dr. Stanley has been preaching there in this church for three decades and more. His style is easy – he is not a ‘fire and brimstone’ preacher. He is not loud and wild like some other preachers. He’s relatable to old and young alike.
2. Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll
  1. Much like the resource above, Swindoll’s site has podcasts (radio mostly) and there is a store where you can buy some of Pastor Chuck’s many books. He is a good author and preacher and his style is also gentle, and, humorous. He is not a bore. Here’s their link: https://www.insight.org/
  2. Insight for Living has been on the air for forty some-odd years. They are in hundreds of countries worldwide and Chuck preaches the truth with great care.
3. Daniel Fusco Ministries
  1. I include here DFM because this used to be my church when I lived in Washington many years ago and I really liked it a lot. Pastor Fusco is lively, vibrant, and passionate. He will appeal to the younger set. They have lots of sermons online (video and audio) in the ‘Media>Message Library’ link.
  2. There’s not a lot on the front page: https://crossroadschurch.net/ but their message library is really large. DFM is at: https://danielfusco.com/ and there you can see a few of the things they are starting with their web presence. When you explore the page you’ll find a lot of stuff under the ‘Media’ link: sermons archive, radio message archives, etc.
  3. Pastor Fusco is a hip, fun, and serious preacher. His style is lively, witty and honest. He says what needs to be said.
4. Kenneth Copeland Ministries
  1. http://www.kcm.org/ KCM is a long-standing ministry. I haven’t kept up on their web offerings, but, their Texas flavor is appealing to many southerners at heart. And, they seem genuinely careful with the responsibility they’ve been blessed with.
FREE Bible study resources
1. eSword
  1. https://www.e-sword.net/index.html eSword is a well-established FREE Bible resource. It has been around since about the year 2000 and has many free books available to integrate into the app. There are dozens of Bibles, Commentaries, and Bible Dictionaries to give breadth to your daily study.
  2. It’s interface (look) is a bit dated but you can’t beat the amount of FREE books you can get.
  3. In addition to the FREE resources, there are ‘premium’ books that you can purchase for a reasonable cost. This is a great way to build your Bible study library!
2. Olive Tree Bible software
  1. https://www.olivetree.com/pc/?source=topnav Their Bible software works on mobile (iPad/iPhone and Android) as well as desktop (PC and Mac).
  2. It’s interface is much more agreeable than the outdated eSword and so might be more appealing to users.
  3. It, too, has a lot of FREE books that can be integrated into the program. It’s strength lies in the ease of adding notes directly into each Bible at specific verses. So, you can keep track of your notes inline.
  4. The library has many offerings by R.C. Sproul on Christian living.
  5. OTB software also boasts the option to purchase additional books through its program and website. I dare say, there are many more offerings here than in eSword.
3. LOGOS
  1. https://www.logos.com/basic This is by far – the best of the FREE Bible study resources. There is a good smattering of free books that come with the initial download and its real power can only be understood by taking the training videos and spending a couple of hours to watching all of them. This program can really rock it!
  2. There is an option to upgrade to a standard version (or even higher) but the cost is quite pricey. Best to use the FREE version for a few months to see if you need more functionality. I, myself, plan to upgrade to LOGOS 8.
  3. As I said, this is BY FAR the best tool, however, it takes a bit longer to get the hang of using it. It’s like the difference between using Microsoft Paint and Adobe Photoshop – there just isn’t any comparison in regards to the amount of things you can do with it.
  4. The free version here also has a store where you can purchase books to integrate into the apps library. The more books and resources you have under the hood, the more benefits LOGOS can deliver for you.
4. Bible Gateway
  1. https://www.biblegateway.com/ This free resource is web-based and offers the best amount of FREE Bibles (online) and a then they have (for free) a small collection of commentaries and dictionaries you can use in your study.
  2. They offer a paid subscription service which will open you to receiving access to more books. To the initiate, you will see these additional resources listed in the right sidebar, but you will not be able to access them without paying the $3.99 monthly subscription fee. The FREE resources have yellow rectangles to the right of the title of the book and it says, FREE in the rectangle. At last count there are only 10 free resources, excluding Bible translations.
  3. This would be a great starter for someone who does not wish to install a new program on their computer. This is a web-based resource and I used the free version for a long time. This was my first study resource and I used it for years before I found the others listed above.

I wish to make a note here. I use all four resources in my Bible study. Why? Because each resource/tool has a great collection of FREE books to assist in my Bible study. And, they don’t all have the same books for free. So, with using all four I have over 50 books and Bibles at my disposal to help me with getting at the truth.

Update: I have since purchased LOGOS 8 Standard as it is the best software out there (IMHO) and LOGOS has been around a long time (over a decade) so they’ve had a lot of time to build a feature set that is incredible. They also have a great library of books to purchase with more being added every week. The functionality of this software is just amazing. I am learning new stuff all the time. Just so you know, I am NOT receiving any kickbacks or freebies from LOGOS or any other software company. I just really think this Bible Study software is really cool and I wanted to share them with you.

2Tim2:15 – “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Denominational presences on the web
1. Southern Baptist
  1. http://www.sbc.net/
2. Methodist
  1. http://www.umc.org/
3. Catholic
  1. http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html
4. Apostolic
  1. http://www.apostolicchristian.org/
5. Assemblies of God
  1. https://ag.org/
6. Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  1. https://www.adventist.org/en/
7. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
  1. https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng
8. Episcopal Church
  1. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/
9. Youth With A Mission
  1. https://www.ywam.org/

I encourage you to explore these and more online. It really helps a lot to find a place that you feel comfortable being a part of. Be sure to read about the beliefs and their mission statements and see if they are a good ‘fit’ for you. And, remember to find a place that offers Bible study. You can’t get close to God without investigating the Bible, which is the Word of God.

God bless you richly, and may your days be wonder-filled!

Eric

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