Almost 80% of US residents have access to the internet in some form. To say that the internet is everywhere is a truism. While there is much negative about the internet (from pedophiles and porn sites to time sinks like Facebook) there is also much that is positive. The internet is like a large city where you can find drug dealers, bars and strip clubs, but also fine museums and excellent hospitals. There is plenty of good on the ‘net. In fact, the internet will help you become a better Bible student. Here are some suggestions.
1. Local Church Connections to the Internet for Better Bible Study
Almost every congregation has a website. Some are better than others. But a well-designed website does more than offer directions to the building. It allows visitors to know what to expect when they visit and allows them to check out the church from the safety of their own home.
Better church websites also provide a constant source of current information. Meetings times, youth activities and upcoming events are posted and well maintained. You are never more than a click or two away from the current schedules.
2. Internet Sites Offer Teaching and Training for Better Bible Study
In the past, Bible students would wait for paper editions of various publications to arrive and then begin a frenzy of reading and studying. Today, those same publications are online and easy to access. The best part is that you can search across millions of websites to find information on very specific topics. For example, one search engine offers over 6 million different pages for the search phrase “crucifixion of Jesus.”
Obviously, some sites are better than others and studious discretion is required. I find Wayne Jackson’s christiancourier.com to be an excellent site with a large number of posts on almost any topic you can think of. Another is apologeticspress.org. This site offers a wide range of articles on topics related to the existence of God, evolution and the nexus of science and faith. This site, preachersstudyblog.com is now in its 7th year with hundreds of articles. One other site is brotherhoodnews.com. Randy Matheny and his writers bring articles of interest from across the globe. Stories of church activities and news of congregational events are presented. It’s a great encouragement to see what the churches of Christ are doing across the globe.
3 Internet Sites Offer Biblical Background for Better Bible Study
Have you ever wondered about the size of Jericho’s wall? Maybe you are curious about Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon. The internet offers plenty of historical and archaeological research for your consideration.
Some of this information is written by Christians although much is written by Jews, Muslims and even atheists. Look for scholarly research written by people with the knowledge and experience that makes them trustworthy.
Internet Sites Offer Bible Translations for Better Bible Study
Physical Bibles can be expensive. But almost every translation is available on the internet. Comparing different translations can be helpful. Two sites come to mind that are available from any computer. Visit biblegateway.com or for even better tools, go to unbound.biola.edu where you can even create a personal notebook to record your studies and thoughts.
With all of these sites, even mine, remember to use wisdom and discretion. Only the Bible is inspired. While most try to present the truth, at least in their way of thinking, some do have an axe to grind. Be careful and never entrust your soul to mankind. The Bible alone must be the core of your studies.
Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.
