Listening to Your Bible (And Reading It on a Computer)

I extolled the value of Bible reading during the Sunday morning service, encouraging our flock to read Scripture diligently. You can listen in at our audio page.

Someone emailed me a helpful reminder after the sermon about a Bible app that not only allows you to read, but also to LISTEN to the Bible as it is read. I should have emphasized in my sermon the great value of this method of getting into the Bible. After all, many early Christians had no other option but to listen as the Scriptures were read to them. We have the benefit of having inexpensive printed copies of the Bible available to us everywhere, and now we have the benefit of inexpensive audio copies of the Scripture as well. Besides being able to use time you otherwise cannot use to read (say, as you drive), an audio Bible is a good way to learn through the Scripture through another "learning channel." Learning through reading is complemented well by listening. You can also learn by writing it out and reading it out loud yourself.

There are many Bible apps available, but here are a few key ones:

• Bible.is is the app that I was reminded of after the sermon yesterday. It reads the Bible to you, among other things.
• Bible.com, aka "YouVersion". It seems everywhere I turn, people are using this version to read the Bible, and especially on phones. The great thing about reading on a phone is that it is easy to hold and doesn't tire out your hand and arm so much as a larger and much heavier tablet.
• OliveTree Bible Study software. This app offers lots of translations and Bible resource books, commentaries, etc. It has been a pleasant experience to use this app to read a good portion of the Old Testament with my wife Naomi in the evenings this past year.