Here are some RESOURCES I have found helpful, and I think you might, too. There are many good resources out there. You may already know of these and others and can find more by researching online.
Want to look up a Scripture passage online in various versions? You can do it at BIBLE GATEWAY. You can also find verses by entering keywords, look up topics, listen to dramatized passages of the Bible, read daily devotionals from various sources, and more. Although there is a “Log In” button, I have never needed to log in for the functions I have used.
Do you wish someone would review movies, videos, music, and TV shows available today, from a Christian viewpoint, to help you decide if they are good choices for your family members? Someone does. The PLUGGED IN ministry is part of the Focus on the Family organization. If you didn’t know about it, check it out.
VISION VIDEO has a large assortment of DVDs for the Christian family. Choices include Christian fiction movies, Biblical dramas, modern-day true stories, biographical stories, Israel documentaries, science and creation documentaries, stories of war heroes, stories of heroes of the faith for adults and children, classics, Christmas movies, and some family-friendly movies and TV series. Another pleasant surprise is a collection of $5 specials.
Answers in Genesis is a ministry designed to help Christians defend their faith. You will find extensive articles in their archives that answer many questions relating to creation and the reliability of the Bible. There are books and CDs and DVDs for the Christian family available for purchase. Some will appeal to our more scholarly sides and some to our more common-sense sides. Some DVDs I thoroughly enjoyed are Evolution—Not a Chance, Noah’s Flood—Washing Away Millions of Years, and God of Wonders. ANSWERS IN GENESIS has established a 75,000-foot Creation Museum and a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark and its inhabitants called The Ark Encounter, in separate locations in Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, Ohio.
America needs to know that it really does have a godly heritage that allowed us to become a great nation. In order to rebuild that foundation, a man by the name of David Barton founded an organization called Wallbuilders. David Barton is amazingly knowledgeable on the subject of American History, and Wallbuilders is a great source of information. If you have any doubt that America was built on a Christian foundation, order a reprinted copy of The New-England Primer. It’s a pocket-sized book that was originally republished in 1777 and was used to teach reading in America’s first public schools. To order it on the Wallbuilders website, go to the “Store” page and click on Children’s Resources or Educational Resources.
Do you sometimes wonder how various issues and questions of the day and beliefs that are outside fundamental Christianity relate to the truths of the Bible? You may find many answers to your questions at alwaysbeready.com. I Peter 3:15 (NIV) tells us: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
Sometimes I am reading along in the Bible, and a question that might be better answered by a Bible scholar nags at me. For instance, while reading about King Saul in I Samuel 28 I may wonder if the witch of Endor really was able to bring up the deceased prophet Samuel. So I might enter a question in my search engine: “Did the witch of Endor really bring up Samuel from the dead?” Often a website called GotQuestions.org will come up. Every time I have consulted their website, their answers seem very logical and very complete and seem to be backed up by an abundance of biblical knowledge. I think you, too, may find this website very helpful if you consult it for questions that pop up in your mind as you study the Bible.
IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT YOUR “BRICK AND MORTAR” CHRISTIAN BOOK AND GIFT STORES, if you have any near you. Being able to look over a book in person is a great option. However, IN SOME CASES IT MAY BE VERY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO ORDER FROM A CHRISTIAN BOOK AND GIFT COMPANY that sells by catalog and/or on the internet. ONE SUCH COMPANY IS CHRISTIANBOOK It’s located in Peabody, Massachusetts. They offer discounts and special deals. Catalogs include Fiction, Gifts, Church Supply, Bibles, Faith-Friendly Films, Music, and Academic, Home School, and Pastor Resources. The Homeschool resources provide a valuable alternative to what is being taught in public schools. For instance, you could help combat evolutionary teaching with the Guide to Creation or counteract revisionist history with A Patriot’s History of the United States. If any of your family members have missed out on learning cursive writing, you could even order beginning and advance cursive books by Shaw Family Media. If you want to order something that seems a little costly, perhaps you could share the cost with other Christian families. Call 1-800-CHRISTIAN (that’s 1-800-247-4784) to get a catalog by phone, or VISIT THE CHRISTIAN BOOK WEBSITE BY CLICKING HERE.