So you want to grow...

Several people have recently asked me to recommend websites and other free resources that can assist them in growing and going deeper in God's word.  Like most ministers, I use Bible software for my personal study.  However, such software can be very expensive, and while a great investment for full time ministers who use it for hours each day, it is really not practical or needed for most Christians.  With that said, here are some resources that you might find useful.

Paid Software:

1. Bible Navigator-  For under $20 you get a very good Bible software program.  The problem is that you will have to buy many of the translations, commentaries, and other resources that you want.  Basically they sell you the program and then you get to build your own personal library by purchasing books and Bible translations.  This is great because you don't have to pay for a bunch of stuff you won't use, and  you can buy additional resources over time.  Before I started using MAC's this was the program I had on my windows computer.  This program will only work on the window's platform. 
2. Accordance- If you own a MAC this is for you.  Personally this is the program I am currently using.  They have many different pricing levels ranging from $99 to $600 for your primary package.  Of course the more you pay the more you get in the way of commentaries, Bible translations, and other resources.  Like most other software programs you can add additional resources to build your custom library over time.  They also have a FREE trial version, if you would like to test drive it before you buy.  
3. Logos- Logos has primarily been for windows users although they are currently developing a version for MAC as well.  Personally I have never used Logos as my primary study platform because the MAC version that I tried was not that good.  However, for windows users this seems to be the preferred software.  It starts at around $149 and goes up to $4,200 depending on how much you want in your package.  There are many great features about this product, however it is one of the most expensive programs of it's kind on the market today.
4. There are several other programs like Bible Works, Esword, and Quick Verse that are reportedly very good programs as well, however I have not personally used them enough to recommend them.

      This is the bottom line, if you are going to purchase one of these programs, do your research, and make sure you are getting something that you need, and can use. Look at each product realistically and evaluate it based on your needs.  If possible test drive the software or find someone who owns it already and see if they will sit down with you and show you how it works.
      The better option might be to use online resources that are FREE.  Below is a list of available FREE resources that you can find on the web.  These sites will do most of what the programs mentioned above will, the downside is you may have to visit multiple sites to find what you are looking for.  With the programs above all the info is at the tips of your fingers.  

FREE Resources:

1. Biblestudytools.com- This is probably as close to an all in one FREE Bible study resource that will be very similar to what you can get with a paid program.  This site makes money with the advertisements that you have to look at while you are doing your research.  But this is a very complete resource, you can view many translations of the Bible, see cross references, make personal notes, highlight, print, email, even post stuff on Facebook or twitter.  The downside is they use older commentaries that are public domain, and of course you can only choose from the 7-10 choices they give you.  However for the price of FREE you can't complain to much.  I have used this site some and enjoy it, but for someone who spends hours each day researching scriptures it is just to slow and bulky for me personally.  However for the lay member who desires to double check something the pastor said, or prepare a bit extra for next weeks Bible study, or make personal notes they can use in the future about different scriptures this site is really good.   
2. Biblegateway.com- This is a free service for reading and researching Scripture online--all in the language or translation of your choice! They provide advanced tools you can use to search the Bible by keywords or verse, as well as other tools to enhance your study of the Bible.
3. Biblos.com- This site has so much information on it.  The downside is you can easily be overwhelmed when visiting the site.  Once you learn how to navigate through it to find the information you are looking for this site will become an amazing resource.  You will find, time lines, commentaries, outlines, interlinear translations, pictures, and much more on this site.
4. Blueletterbible.org- Here is how they describe themselves.  "Our mission is to facilitate in-depth study of God's Word through an on-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith."  What I like most about this site is it's simplicity.  When you search a scripture for example, these six little buttons come up next to the scripture you searched.  From there you can easily access commentaries, and much more about the passage.
5. Bible.com- is a site that encompasses various translations, languages, scriptures, studies, and dynamic Biblical based content. Our online Christian Community offers visitors a place to gather, learn, interact, and share the Bible’s teachings. Website users can access a host of tools, news, articles, and products pertaining to the Bible - presented in an interesting, captivating and engaging way. Our Site covers such areas as kids, family, culture, and more based upon Biblical principles.

These websites can also be found on www.cowboyfellowship.org, and www.pastorpete.org in the additional links section.  If you have questions please let myself or any of our staff know and we will be glad to help you find the best solution for you to be able to mature, and grow as you study God's word.