Free Resource Friday
1Last week we highlighted John Wesley’s sermons as a great free download for The Bible Study App. This week we’re highlighting Charles Wesley’s Journal. 
Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley, helped found the Methodist denomination. He is most well known for the thousands of hymns he wrote, including some that are still well known today. Among those hymns that are still sung by Christians all over the world are “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Christ the Lord is Risen Indeed,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “And Can It Be?,” “Love Divine all Loves Excelling,” and “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” Charles Wesley also kept a journal of his experiences spreading the gospel and ministering in England.
Download this title in App or by clicking HERE.
Introducing Paideia
2May 2, 2013
Olive Tree just released Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament for The Bible Study app. According to the series foreward, the commentary series was named “Paideia”, which is Greek for “education”, to reflect:
(1) the instructional aim of the series—giving contemporary students a basic grounding in academic New Testament studies by guiding their engagement with New Testament texts;
(2) the fact that the New Testament texts as literary unities are shaped by the educational categories and ideas of their ancient writers and readers; and
(3) the pedagogical aims of the texts themselves—their central aim being not simply to impart information but to form the theological convictions and moral habits of their readers.
Although this series is intentionally aimed at “MA students in religious and theological studies programs, seminarians, and upper-divisional undergraduates” the authors do not go into so much theological detail as to leave the rest of us lost in a sea of research.
Paideia is also different in that the series is not a “verse-by-verse” commentary, but rather looks at the final form of the Biblical text in large units of thought.
As such, each commentary is broken out into three sections:
(1) introductory matters
(2) tracing the train of thought
(3) theological issues
Paideia also has several maps, photos, and charts that help make the biblical text more accessible to those without original language, biblical and extra-biblical historical backgrounds and preparation.
Here are a few Examples:
The Paideia commentaries are even more powerful with The Bible Study App. Use the split window to read your chosen Bible translation on one side of the screen while the corresponding Paideia commentary will sync with your reading in your split window. Or, use the pop-out windows to view the content separately. If you are using the Windows 7 app, this is especially helpful if you have two monitors.
Like what you see? Right now, you can get the 10 volume Paideia commentary set for 50% off the regular price through May 6th.
How To Update Your Resources
8There are periodic updates to various books and resources. Here’s how to check for updates and install them on The Bible Study App.
Android and iOS
Open your Library and tap Store and then Updates. Any resources that have an update available will then be shown. Simply tap ‘update’ and it will be downloaded.
Windows Desktop
In the left sidebar click on Purchased Books. Any resources that have an update available will have the word Update in the button. Click these to update.
Mac Desktop
In the left sidebar click on Purchased Books. Choose the resource that you’d like to update and reinstall it to complete the update.
Share what you’re reading!
1One great feature in The Bible Study App is the ability share text from the Bible, a devotional, or even a study resource. You can do this from an Android or iOS device. Here’s how:
Share feature for iOS
First select the text you want to share. In the screenshot below I’ve selected two sentences from the Streams in the Desert devotional. After selecting the text (by tapping and dragging) then tap on the ‘Share’ option.
You’ll then see four different ways you can share the selected text. If you haven’t already connected the App to your social channels you’ll be prompted to do so.
Share feature for Android
Similar to iOS tap and hold or in the example below, since I want to share a Bible verse, I can also tap the verse number and select the range I want to share. Once you have your selection, tap the ‘Share’ option.
What’s different with Android compared to iOS is that you can share the selected text through a variety of other Apps you have installed on your device.
So the next time you’re reading an ebook, devotional, or a passage that really means a lot to you, try out the share option. As always we’d love to hear what you think and what other ways would make The Bible Study App an essential tool for your spiritual growth. Feel free to share any ideas in the comment section!
Technology and the Gospel
0April 29, 2013
by Andrew
in Food for Thought
At the end of 1998 I traveled with a small group of people into a country closed to the Gospel. We each brought a few paperback Bibles and we also brought the Bible on audio cassette. We knew that in one area we would traveling to that bringing a printed Bible wouldn’t be enough because many couldn’t read. Not only that but they didn’t have access to current technology (at the time CD’s were current technology!) which is why we brought audio cassettes.
15 years later and it’s now estimated that more people have access to a smartphone than decent sanitation. What does this mean for missionaries and the advancement of the Gospel? It means that we live in a time where the Gospel can be transmitted like never before!
As the picture above demonstrates, we can now store over 1,600 Bibles on a Micro SD card that is smaller than a penny. If you’ve ever picked up a box of books, you know how significant the idea of being able to store an entire library’s worth of books on a memory card is. That one cassette box I hid in the bottom of my bag years ago could hold enough Micro SD cards to resource thousands of pastors.
We live in a unique time and it will be exciting to see how technology continues to be utilized in the spread of the Gospel!
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:14
iPad Quick Tip
2Did you know you can change the layout of the keyboard on your iPad?
Here’s how:
Place a finger from each hand in the middle of your keyboard and swipe in opposite directions.
Now you have two sections that make it easier to type with your thumbs and allow more viewable area in your document.
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