Resources for Faith

Whether you're new to faith or just would like some new insights, here are some great free resources from across the web. I will be updating this page regularly with new resources, so check back soon. If you know of a good resource that is missing from this list. 


Online Bibles

Bible Gatewayhttps://www.biblegateway.com/
This site has a great number of Bible translations, including the Common English Bible (CEB) which is what our church uses on Sunday. The thing Bible Gateway is best for is showing multiple bible translations side by side. So if your looking to read a bible passage or want to compare translations, this is the site for you. There is also an app available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Kindle Fire, which can be found here.

Oremus Bible Browser - http://bible.oremus.org/
If your looking for a no-frills Bible reading website, Oremus is it. It only has the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and King James Version (KJV) available, and the interface is simple. The good thing though about it's minimalistic design is that it's fast. If you have a slow connection or want to look something up on your mobile device quickly, Oremus is a great choice.

The Bible App by YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/app/
This app is a great tool made so you can carry the Bible in your pocket. It is available on nearly every kind of mobile device and is translated into many languages. You can even download some of the Bibles for offline use and best of all its completely free!

 

Bible Study tools for digging deeper

Blue Letter Bible - http://www.blueletterbible.org/
This is an excellent resource for studying scripture in its original languages. It has Strong's Concordance built in for both the King James Version (KJV) and New American Standard Bible (NASB) translations, as well as an interlinear mode, cross-references, commentaries, and bible dictionaries. There is also an iPhone app available here.

Scripture4All  - http://www.scripture4all.org/
If your looking to read scripture in its original languages, Scripture4All is a free site that can do just that. It provides access to the entire bible in PDF format for online or downloadable reading. It's not a very polished site and can be tricky to navigate so here are direct links to the Hebrew(OT) and Greek(NT)

The Five Gospels Parallels - http://sites.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/
This is a website that I found while in seminary, and it has been a great tool when studying the Gospels. It allows you to quickly find and read side-by-side different versions of passages found in each Gospel. For good measure, it also has the writings of Paul and the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas, if you're interested. This website uses the Revised Standard Version.

 

United Methodist Resources

Book of Discipline - http://bit.ly/BookofDiscipline
The Book of Discipline is the official governing document of the United Methodist Church. Every four years at General Conference, United Methodists from all over the world gather for the purpose of revising this document. If you have a question about official United Methodists practices or belief's, this is the place to find it. 

"What We Believe" - http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe
If you don't feel like pouring through the pages of the Book of Discipline, this page is a excellent quick resource for what Methodist's believe. It contains our basic affirmations of faith, our social principles, our mission statement, and a handy FAQ section for those things you never thought to ask. Take a look; it's interesting stuff. 

Spiritual Gifts Assessment - http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/spiritual-gifts-online-assessment
The Spiritual Gifts Assessment helps you identify your gifts as Christian disciples and find meaningful ways to use them in connection the community of faith. Please be aware that this online assessment is designed to introduce you to the gifts of the Spirit. To more deeply understand your spiritual giftedness, we recommend that you explore your gifts in a group setting, such as your local church. Enjoy!