Last week my Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) class ended for the year. If you are not familiar with BSF, it is an interdenominational group that offers weekly, in-depth Bible studies to men, women and children throughout the world. They have a four-fold philosophy where you first read and study the passage on your own, then you discuss it in a group, then you hear a lecture on it and finally you get explanatory notes on the passage. You are not supposed to consult reference material such as commentaries or dictionaries until you have gone through all four stages of study. It is a very organized way to study the Bible and I really like that they focus on the Bible text rather than taking a topical approach.
I have been participating in BSF for nearly 10 years and I find that my use of technology in studying the Bible has changed over the years. While I am still the only one in my discussion group that uses a phone instead of a printed Bible, I find myself using my phone in different ways now than I did at first. In the beginning, I was using my phone (actually it was a PDA way back when) for everything. I refused to carry a printed Bible. Perhaps there may have been a small desire on my part to convert the masses, I am the chief marketer for Laridian after all. But I also felt like PocketBible should do everything for me since I had loaded as many Bibles and reference books as my device could hold.
This year was different though. Maybe it was the fact that we were going through the book of Isaiah or maybe I’m not so rigid anymore, but towards the end of the year I dusted off my print Bible and started using it both in answering my lessons and in class, along with my phone. I really liked having the whole passage open for review. That is the one thing missing on my phone (although an iPad could help with that).
My secret weapon though is still my iPhone. While we can’t consult commentaries and reference material, I have a variety of translations installed on my iPhone. When the NIV leaves me wondering, I can quickly review a verse or passage in the Amplified, NLT or Message and I’m not cheating one bit. I also do that when I’m working on my lesson at home for the following week. And it is still much more convenient to look up related passages using my phone than to flip around the Bible.
The marketing side of me hopes that some day everyone in my BSF group is using their phone loaded with PocketBible at the meeting. The practical side of me realizes there may always be a place for the print and the electronic.
How about you? Are you still using your print Bible? If so, do you use the print and electronic together or for different times and purposes?
I use both a printed and electronic Bible (both on my iPhone and a PC). I’ve got a number of translations and commentaries/references in both formats, but have many more reference works in print. I’ve used PocketBible for a number of years back to my old Palm Pilot days and was a very early adopter of Quickverse on the PC.
Print and electronic (and even different electronic media) each have their strenghts and weaknesses. I use each type almost exclusively for some things (and venues), but generally tend to use both together. I would hate to do without either type. I definitely do not see it as a one or the other question.
I still find taking notes on the iPhone to be much harder than my bound copy. Even with that last hastle I’m still finding myself putting the notes in my PocketBible rather than marking up my paper copy. I just want the notes to last longer than my 10 year or so printed bible lifespan. Now if note entry could just get faster, and I’m sure it will with time then I’ll be less and less inclined to jot stuff down in the margins of my bible.
I’m like chippa. I use my electronic Bible for almost everything but I teach SS adult class with paper and when I preach I use paper. I can’t affort an electronic malfunction when in front of people. Never hear the end of it. Most of the time I use electronic when sitting in the congregation–although some young people sittting close have electronic bibles, they have less discipline and surf the web or check mail during the preaching. Unfortunately it is a distraction and disrespectful to those around, so I’m cautious and try to set a good example. Nevertheless I am ribbed being falsely accused about using my ipad to check the stock market during the message. Some interesting studies recently appeared about how college kids use laptops in classes. Researchers who serriptiously spy on classes say the average college kid goes to other sites on average 32 times per class period. Interesting tension. Pastor would have to really work hard if everyone in the congregation over 12 had an iPad!! It could happen.
I have been a fan of PB for years, and have many resources. I used it on my Dell Axim and my HP iPAQ for years before I got I got the HTC Droid Incredible over a year ago. I use iPocketBible.com to access my resources, but also use other Bible software. I will probably get another Android Phone next year, and really look forward to using PocketBible again on a daily basis.
As for print Bibles, my favorite is the ESV Study Bible. I also have it on my phone and computer. For church and for shorter classes I just use my phone, but I do carry a print bible for more in-depth classes.
I’ve used nothing but Laridian since the mid-90′s (yes, even on a Treo – gag!). Having the resources I’ve accumulated over the years literally at my fingertips is a great boon for personal and group study. The bookshelves are getting very little attention these days — just an occasional dusting. Thanks, Craig and Jeff!
I have been using my electric bible for many years. Not to the total exclusion of my print bibles but almost. My first was on a Palm pilotIII.since my Sony pda was stolen I have had to use programs and not laridian because my new device is an android pad.I have used laridian up until now.
I always use my print bible when I am alone and just want some quiet time with God in His Word. I get too distracted with links, commentaries or worse – email notifications, when I just want to read a few paragraphs, chapters or whatever.
I really like the Kindle for this kind of reading, but it is so lame for finding anything, so I usually go for paper.
I have not used a print bible in years. I chose to use MyBible for the Sony Clie Palm OS PDA, then for the Palm TX I used next. When I replaced the TX with a Android device I had to leave MyBible behind. The app I use now is ok, but I can only parallel one verse at a time.
I like the MyBible version that I use on my Palm tx but the Palm is getting old. I really like droid phones as a replacement for the Palm and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the droid version of MyBible. The Palm is still running and is very handy for Bible study but I too have paper at least readily available when I teach just to be safe. However the Palm has been very stable. I really enjoy the speed of lookups and the features of MyBible and look forward to running it on my future droid. God bless.
Where electronic scripture comes in for me isin two areas: 1) the speed of searching word or words, and 2) the quick look up and comparison of translations on a subject. Also, if out and about, knowing I have the Droid (and a Palm for over 12 years) means that I have the scriptures with me.
A big downsize on the smartphone (unlike the palm) is that many of the Bible translations (often free) are dependent on wireless connections. Thus I keep a Bible in my briefcase and car and elsewhere as a backup and as my primary study and speaking book. For some, that do not have unlimited internet the wireless connection is not an option.
So I hope that PocketBible or MyBible will reside on the Droid and not require wireless.
Thanks
Richard
I also echo the request that PocketBible for Android make the reference material available offline. I still use my HP WM5 PDA offline for PocketBible and occasional GPS navigation because it just works better than anything I’ve found for Android and sometimes the signal just isn’t there. 2GB of North American maps, 80MB of unabridged dictionary and 50MB of Bible / Reference material is not much with 32GB microSD cards available these days (still using a 4GB Compact Flash in my PDA). Thanks so much for your hard work and I can’t wait for even a test version on Android.
George,
Other than our initial Web-based iPhone product (http://www.iPocketBible.com) which was done back before you could put applications on the phone, we’ve never done a Bible program that required you to be online to use the program. As we describe in our Android FAQ you will not need Internet access other than to download the Bible in the first place. Hope this helps clarify this issue.
I echo some of the comments about the convenience of have one or more translations available on my Palm. Like JimmyZ, I am concerned that it will fail at some point and I still have my print Bible with me when I travel or for study. With the new Android-based readers, I am looking forward to seeing Pocket Bible for the Android device. Laridian has done an incredible job over these years making it easy for us to have our references.
To help get all e-Bibles in the BSF groups, the android app is going to be necessary. Currently it seems to be the fastest growing market. However, except for size, I still like my HTC Diamond running WM 6. The android is too net dependant and rather cumbersome when multi-tasking.
I have been using PocketBible on my pda for years (I’m on my 3rd pda now, HP ipaq 214). Always take it with me visiting other churches as well as my own. But when I am preaching, I always use my KJV printed Bible. I’ve tried using a laptop as well as my pda, but it doesn’t work for me – too much of a distraction, whether a touch-screen or pressing keys or buttons. I’m now waiting eagerly to use PB on my HTC Android phone, as its better generally than the ipaq. Only time I can’t use my pda is in prison ministry – we’re not allowed to have electronic devices with us.
It’s funny I was just looking at one of my print Bibles last night thinking ‘boy I haven’t read that in AGES’!
I used to use print Bible for all my personal reading while study was on PDA. But since iPhone I have rarely used the print Bible at all. I now use Mac, iPhone & iPad and haven’t touched a print Bible (except in giving one away to the unsaved & showing a scripture or two to them) for the best part of 2 years!
Electronically I started with Quickverse on Windows, then PocketBible on PDA & then on Windows. After this I have used PocketBible exclusively with a large library of books.
One thing for sure though – electronic has taken over for my Bible reading & study. But after writing this I find myself wanting to feel the pages of a print version again… I might right now!
Goodness, no! I haven’t looked at a print Bible in about twenty years. First I had Bible reader software on my Macintosh (a Zondervan product, I believe), circa 1988 or 1989. Then I got Laridian MyBible for Palm circa 1998. Now I have Laridian’s PocketBible for iPod touch. Since I’ve never been without a Palm or iPod on my person since 1998, I’ve never reached for a paper Bible.
I’m still using a printed Bible – the NIV 2011 isn’t available yet. The sooner it becomes available, the better.
I’ve been a huge fan of Laridian MyBible for years. It’s moved with me from my Palm Pilot to several Blackberries to my laptop and now to my Android phone. I’m deployed to Afghanistan right now. I installed the software without having a wireless signal, but I’ll have to find a signal somewhere if I’m to download Bibles, commentaries, and the like.
**THANKS SO MUCH for allowing my collection of purchased materials to travel with me from device to device. It’s expensive enough buying a new phone without having to buy all the software all over again. I’m a MyBible customer for life
…. and I haven’t carried a paper Bible for at least 5 years. Probably longer. Thanks, Laridian.
Dave, we appreciate your keeping PocketBible on your devices all these years and glad it has been a blessing to you.
Michelle