Biblegateway.com - Why every pastor should demonstrate it to their congregation

All pastors should put a blurb about Biblegateway.com in the bulletin or show their congregations on the screen how to use it.  It is a basic 21st century discipleship tool. 

• There should be no excuse why worship leaders cannot find Scripture verses that go with the song they are singing any longer.  They can use Biblegateway. 
• PowerPoint slides should never have typing errors in the Scripture verses.  Just cut and paste from Biblegateway.com
• Bible Study leaders need not use only one version in their preparation.  They can easily paste two versions in a table so that people can compare them.

I have taught my Biblical Literature II and Program and Curriculum Development students how to use Biblegateway.com this week.   

See also my post: The Best Bible Study Tools on the Web

What everyone needs to know about Biblegateway.com. 

1. It is free.  No registration.  No login.  Free.   
2. Go to http://www.biblegateway.com/
3. You can search for a word or a passage on the home page.  In other words, if you put in salvation, it will know to look for that keyword.  If you put in 1 Corinthians 13, it will take you to that chapter of the Bible.  It is smart.   
4. You can also change which version you are searching.  You can also look up a passage in five versions at a time on the Passage Lookup page.  I recommend TNIV, ESV, NLT, The Message (paraphrase), and NIRV (for kids).  See more about Bible Versions at my post The Best Bible Study Tools on the Web.   
5. You can also go to Keyword Search and look up how often words occur.  Yes, this is a basic concordance.   
6. You can also listen to chapters that are read aloud online.  Look up a verse in the TNIV and then click “Listen to this passage” or the icon.  You can listen to it in RealPlayer.  I tell my students to listen to one chapter while getting dressed in the morning.  (Sorry you can’t download it or listen to more than a chapter at a time).   There are a number of audio versions available on the Audio Bible page. 
7. You can change your default bible in Preferences on the home page. 

I have pasted below my handout in class which has page views. 

Download Biblegateway.doc 

Comments

[brad andrews]

also, you can add the Bible Gateway toolbar to your browser. i have found it invaluable...here's the link:

http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/?p=49

[Brian]

Thanks for the great write-up, Andy!