Are you wanting to go deeper in your personal study of God's Word, but aren't sure where to begin? Here are some great starting points for independent study of Scripture!
RIGHT NOW MEDIA
We are excited to to announce our partnership with Right Now Media and their vast library of digital Bible study and small group material! This is an absolute treasure trove of material to enhance our ministry on all sides, and the best part? It's available to ALL of our people, right now! If you have not received an email invitation, please let Rebecca in the Admin Building know right away and we will get you started! Click here to learn more!
YOUVERSION
YouVersion—formally called Bible.com—is a Bible reading website that has blossomed into a full-blown study hub. While the main function is to allow you quick access to Scripture in many different translations, it really shines when you look into the reading plans. This section has devotionals and Bible reading plans that are tailored to virtually anyone. They have plans for students, plans for new Christians, plans for veteran Christians that want to get back into the swing of things, and a ton of individual book studies.
The best part? YouVersion isn't just a great website, but it's also a great app for your smartphone. In fact, the savvy user can create live events that can be shared with anyone nearby. This is great for small groups who want to go through the same parts of Scripture together! already employs this function during youth group, and it is incredibly easy to use!
ESV Study Bible Online
If you enjoy using the English Standard Version of the Bible, then you're probably already aware of ESV Online. Without an account, it's a very simple Bible reader. However, with an account you also get access to all of the ESV Study Bible notes, including full-color charts and maps.
STUDYLIGHT
StudyLight is a powerful resource that is home to almost 100 commentaries ranging from basic Bible study aids to scholar-level works. If you're considering purchasing a commentary, make sure you check this site first: chances are it's available to read for free!
BLUE LETTER BIBLE
While it isn't laid out in the most logical way, Blue Letter Bible is unique in that it can help someone who has no original language skills get a minor grasp on the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. It also offers commentaries and devotionals along those same lines.
GREAT TREASURES
Truly a one-size-fits-all Bible study site, Great Treasures offers Bible study tools for three tiers: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The beginner level offers a robust set of versions to read from laid out side-by-side. This is designed for someone who has no original language skills, but would like to easily compare how different versions deal with different texts. The intermediate level offers word studies in the original languages for those who might not have original language skills but want to better understand the relationship between the original texts and today's translations. Advanced is for those who have a full grasp of the original languages and want to do their own translation work.