On my computer, I use a program called Accordance. To be honest, it’s probably a little much for me. That is, Accordance is used by lots of Bible scholars and researches; I don’t scratch the surface of the things it’s good for. Still, I’ve really come to like the tools I have at hand. If I had an unlimited source of funds, there are lots and lots of modules that I could add, but I’m happy enough with what I have.
My main working setup has five versions of the Bible open on the screen, in this order: the New International Version, Dios Habla Hoy (Spanish modern version), the KIng James Version w/ Strong’s numbers, the Reina-Valera 1960 Version (most used Spanish version), and the English Standard Version. Under these panes, I have the notes from the NIV study Bible, cross references from the ESV, and the notes from the DHH study Bible. To be honest, this set-up goes back to my days as a “local preacher”; I often close several of these after opening. I also have a separate file that I open when preparing my radio program which only has the DHH open.
The power of these programs, of course, are the links. I can triple click a word in the NIV and it will bring up that word in the NIV Bible Dictionary. Or I can select a place name and have the Map module open with that place on the screen. Triple clicking in the KJV shows the word’s Strong’s concordance number, with the original word and a lexical definition of that word. All of the text references in the notes I have at the bottom of the page are clickable, letting me quickly jump to related passages.
And no, I’m not trying to sell Accordance. Lots of Bible programs can do the same things, I’m sure, including Internet-only sources. I just want to let you know what I use.
Tim, this post is a great example of my last comment on your last post
(not putting you down for using what is available) we use the hard work of others to lessen our own. That was the thinking behind my question “are preachers and buildings even needed anymore”?
We have a little box sitting on a desk that does everything except serve communion and collect the money. And if the truth be known most preachers get their complete sermons off the web. using other people’s research (and sweat) is not uncommon. What ever happened to “earn your bread. by the sweat of your brow”? Going back to your last post, Yes bibles are needed now, but only a few, just enough for those who do the research. Tim, I a layman/Laymond :) can write a decent sermon in about 30 min. with all the aids available
Laymond,
Getting back to your question in the last post, my guess is that “decent sermons” are part of what is killing the church. Not what you would preach, but what any man would offer just to get by. If a man isn’t living and breathing the Word of God during the week, he has nothing to offer, even if he downloads a “great” sermon from the Internet.
Unless you’re doing your own study and research, which any Laymond can do (I’ll use your pun), reading someone else’s stuff will never penetrate your heart. You can get it in your head, but it won’t reach the inside.
Thanks for being one who cares!
Grace and peace,
Tim
Right you are Timothy, Most preachers can preach a decent sermon, but can they answer questions afterward ? or will they need to go to the internet for those as well?
Software can be very helpful. Accordance is, in my view, among the best. I appreciate the concerns of letting others do our digging and studying… nothing will actually replace that. But we all need, as Ringo reminded us, a “little help from our friends.”
Bobby,
I think the big thing to remember is these are TOOLS. We should not expect them to do the work for us. They aid our study, they don’t replace it. If we try to use them as a substitute for searching God’s Word, we’ll fall on our face.
I just use MacSword. It’s a little bare-bones, but it’s free and let’s me keep multiple translations with Greek and Hebrew lexicons on my MacBook.
When I can afford the Mercedes Benz :-) of the computer world called a “Mac”, then I would love to get the Accordance software.
-Rex