In a recent article, I warned against relying too heavily on resources as you abide with God in His Word. This came about from some specific conversations I’ve had with people about the positives and negatives of Study Bibles, or really any other book or resource that has been written to help us understand Scripture. The main issue is that Scripture by itself is authoritative and contains everything we need for life and godliness. This is absolutely true, so take everything I am about to write with that as the background for what to use to help you study God’s Word.
Praise God for the faithful men and women who have studied God’s Word before us. We have so many tools and resources to help us know God more accurately, intimately, and fully. To echo my sentiment from the previously mentioned article, first and foremost, we are not alone, we have help, or rather a helper, the Holy Spirit. He is without a shadow of a doubt the absolute foundation of everything we have and are in Christ Jesus (John 14:15-31). A distant second would be the byproduct that we get to benefit from, which is the Holy Spirit working in and through others!
It might seem overwhelming to discern what are solid resources and who are trusted voices, but a helpful discerning factor is how God’s Word is handled and applied — is it done in a flippant way or intentionally and carefully to mean what the original author meant to the original audience and do the timeless biblical principles mean then what they’re being said to mean now? Secondly, what is the background of the source — do they hold to time-tested and traditional views of God’s character, his Word, and interpretation of the Bible? Third, does this organization or author have a history of scandal, moral failure, or any sort of embattled relationships with others within the Christian community, and why? There may be instances where a theological disagreement is marked by Christian love and actually beneficial, so avoiding conflict is not necessarily the driving force here. Understanding the basis of the dispute may help you understand the position and character of the author or organization or the theological perspective being addressed.
When it comes to searching out these resources, it is important to remember: the goal isn’t just to have more information, but rather to continually be transformed by God’s Word and his work in you, and that can be aided by truths that have shaped others or been explained in a way that is uniquely timely and applicable today or at another time in history.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
It is with this understanding that I present the following. This is not an exhaustive list of tools to help you study God’s Word, but it is definitely a starting point for building rhythms and gathering resources to help you grow.
Podcasts/Videos:
Veritas Equipping Podcast (also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts)
Beyond the Message (also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts)
Solid Joys
Ask Pastor John
Look at the Book
Gospel in Life
The Bible Recap
Bible Talk
The Biggest Story YouTube Channel
The Bible Project Read Scripture Videos - Old Testament and New Testament
Websites:
Desiring God
Ligonier
Grace to You
Blue Letter Bible
Got Questions
Books:
Knowing God's Truth
Tracing God's Story
Understanding God's Word
Reading the Bible Better
Before You Open Your Bible
How to Read the BIble For All Its Worth
The Bible Recap
Praying The Bible
Inductive Bible Study
Concise Theology
Systematic Theology
Daily Doctrine
Scripture Journals
God’s Word For You Series
The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible Series
The God Who Is There – Finding Your Place in God’s Story
One-to-One Bible Reading
The Biggest Story Family Devotional
The Jesus Storybook Bible / The Biggest Story Bible Storybook (Every Christian, no matter the age, would truly benefit from reading a good children’s Bible!)
Software/Apps:
Logos
The Bible Memory App
Here is the main thing: we should never stop learning about our incredible God! We get to stand on the shoulders of the theological giants who have gone before us, so let's get to work! If you have any suggestions on things to add to this list, please send them our way so we can all continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.