Bible Gateway – Bible Gateway is a website that offers every translation of the Bible for free. You can pull up Bible verses, search Bible verses by typing in key words, and use study tools to help you along. You can access Bible Gateway on the internet, or download the Bible Gateway app on your phone. The website is:
How to Read the Bible for All its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart – If you are interested in learning rules for studying the Bible taught to aspiring pastors in seminaries, this book will be helpful tool for you. It gives general rules for studying the Bible, as well as guidelines for studying the different types of writings you come across in scripture.
Modern translations of the Bible are sometimes diminished by Christians as being inferior to the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, but that is not so. Modern translations of the Bible are translated from the original Greek and Hebrew biblical texts the same as the KJV, and some modern translations are actually preferred by Bible scholars. Below are 4 recommended modern translations of the Bible.
New International Version (NIV)
New King James Version (NKJV)
New Living Translation (NLT) *** This translation is celebrated for its use of simple everyday language.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) *** This translation is one of the most respected by Bible scholars.
This ministry does not recommend any particular denomination to practice your faith in. There isn’t a perfect denomination, and if there was, there is no guarantee you will find a pastor who holds to that denomination’s teachings if you visited one of their churches. Every church is unique, and the only way to find out whether a church is good or bad is to visit it and find out for yourself. With that being said, this ministry warns against two types of churches to be on guard against. They are:
The Self-Righteous Church – The Bible teaches that we are saved by faith, and that salvation is a gift from a loving God. Not all churches teach that. In searching for a church, you may encounter churches that teach you are saved by your works. Few churches will come right out and say this, because they have to use biblical terms like “grace” and “faith” to validate their claim that they teach what is in the Bible, but if you get the feeling like a church is telling you that you are saved by what you do, it is because that is what they are telling you. It doesn’t matter if a church calls themselves a “fundamentalist church.” It doesn’t matter if a church has the word “Bible” in their name. If a church tells you that you are saved by what you do, stay away from them.
The Progressive Church – This type of church is the lesser of two evils, but it something to be on guard against. Some churches try to rewrite the Bible to make it fit modern ideas. The worst offenders say there isn’t a literal Hell or deny the exclusive claims of Jesus. Lesser offenders endorse gay marriage or incorporate politically correct ideas that have nothing to do with the Bible into their congregational life. I would advise you to stay away from the worst offenders, and make a thoughtful choice about the lesser offenders. I’ve been to two churches that might be considered mildly progressive, and I can say from experience that not all progressive churches are that bad. In many progressive churches, the sermons are 99.9% solid biblical teachings with a progressive comment thrown in here and there. If you can tolerate that, settling for a mildly progressive church might not be a bad idea. However, if a church completely disregards the Bible on serious matters, avoid that church.
Christian radio is a wonderful resource for building your faith. Christian radio plays music with faith-filled themes that will lift your spirits, and engage in traditional ministry practices such as teaching and prayer support. Below are two major Christian radio stations with apps you can download on your phone.
K-Love
Air1
Celebrate Recovery – Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12-step program for Christians looking to break addictions and get over hang-ups. It has a proven track record of success, and has groups all across America. You can find a Celebrate Recovery group on their website:
Anonymous Support Groups – A lesser known fact is that anonymous support groups such as Alcoholic Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA), and other anonymous support groups are actually based on the Bible. If Celebrate Recovery doesn’t interest you for one reason or another, you can get the same biblical help from one of the many anonymous support groups out there. Below are the websites for AA, NA, and SAA.
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