When ChristianWeek asked me to write a feature article about web resources for Christians, I was a bit overwhelmed by the assignment. It's a bit like trying to compile a list of the best books or the best music. There are so many different types of sites to consider.
Where to begin?
The job would be easier if someone published a directory or master list (pun intended) of Christian websites. Fortunately, there is a site like this. In fact, there are several sites that fit this description. They're called "portals"—websites that exist simply to provide directories of information and links to other sites.
Christianity.ca is a good starting point. This site is a ministry initiative of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), the national association of Evangelicals in Canada. Launched in 2003, the site aims to provide a virtual gathering place for the Canadian Christian community. Like its American cousin, ChristianityToday.com, the Canadian site offers reprints of recent magazine articles from a variety of sources, and offers links to related Christian websites.
(As an aside, EvangelicalFellowship.ca is a good starting point if you're interested in the denominations that belong to the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.)
CanadianChristianity.com is a portal maintained by the Christian Info Society. The site features a directory of Canadian churches and ministries as well as listings for Christian book and music stores. Editorial content includes news, film and music reviews.
CrossSearch.com by Gospel Communications is a U.S. portal that sorts Christian websites by topic. Categories include everything from Bible study and reference tools to information about online communities and discussion forums.
Crosswalk.com is a similar site that lists websites in four primary content areas: faith, family, fun and community. The directory includes links to many specific topics of interest to Christians including Bible study, devotionals, marriage, parenting and music.
Communities
Some websites function as communities or networks for many individual Christians who have something in common. Resonate.ca, for example, is a network and virtual gathering place for "missionally minded" Christians across Canada.
MOPS.org is the web home of Mothers of Preschoolers International, an organization that provides tools and tips for mothers of preschool children. The group began as a local Bible study for young mothers and has spread worldwide.
LifeTime.org is a site for Christians who struggle with depression. It provides support and advice as well as information about counselling. The tone of the site is encouraging and hopeful. The site focuses on learning to see yourself as God sees you so you can live as God intended.
Blogs
Websites that feature diary-style writing by individuals are called blogs—short for "web log." The writers are called bloggers.
To find good Christian blogs you can browse the Christian blog directory at Hwy777.com or search for "Christian bloggers" on Google or Technorati.com. Many popular blogs, like Challies.com and JordonCooper.com, have "blogrolls" that point to other blogs they recommend.
If you would like to publish your own blog, check out the simple publishing systems offered by Blogger.com or TypePad.com. If you're looking for more powerful systems for online publishing, OpenSourceCMS.com is a great place to get started.
Reference and study
One of the most useful reference tools on the web is Wikipedia.org—the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. (Note that Wikipedia has nothing to do with the neo-pagan religion Wicca. You can look it up!)
Wikipedia provides detailed information about most Christian topics, with a remarkably balanced editorial point of view. If you're looking for a concise explanation of a complicated topic like dispensationalism or supersessionism—or just a brief history of Baptists in Canada—Wikipedia is a good place to start. The site also provides good links for further reading at the end of most articles.
Have you ever wanted to find a specific Bible passage but you can't remember the chapter and verse? BibleGateway.com can help. This free site provides advanced search tools that make it easy to find and compare Bible passages based on keywords, phrases or scripture reference. It's like Google for your Bible!
The site also comes in handy when you don't have a Bible nearby. Bible Gateway makes the full Bible text available in multiple languages and translations. It's interesting to look up familiar passages of scripture and compare the classic King James version to The Message or the NASB or the NIV.
Bible Gateway also offers two Bible commentaries and several audio versions of the Bible, all for free.
Bible.Lifeway.com is another site that offers Bible study and reference resources including searchable versions of the Bible in several translations. It also features Bible commentaries and dictionaries as well as two daily devotional works: Morning and Evening devotions and My Utmost for His Highest.
Ministry tools
Many tools that used to be sold as software are now available as web-based services that require no installation and cost little or no money. Consider BaseCamp—a project planning tool that can be used to keep any ministry team on track. Features include shared "to do" lists, date and event tracking and simple file sharing. Get all your team members on the same page at BaseCampHQ.com.
Another good example is PlanningCenterOnline.com-an online planner that helps to organize the planning of worship services. It's easy to use and requires no downloads or special technologies. All you need is a web browser and an Internet connection.
Podcasts
Many churches offer digital recordings of their services or sermons via the web. Podcasting is a system that makes it possible to subscribe to these recordings. When you click a button to get the latest release you're also signing up to get future releases from the same source.
Apple's iTunes software (available from itunes.com) is the most popular source for podcast recordings. You can search the iTunes Store for "church" or "Christian" to find and subscribe to free podcasts from The Meeting House, Grandview Church in Kitchener, Mars Hill Bible Church, North Point Church in Atlanta and many more.
Shopping
CanadianChristianity.com has a list of local Canadian retailers who carry Christian books and music. Many of Canada's retailers have a presence on the web, including Blessings.com and MitchellFamilyBooks.com, and you can shop for Sunday school curricula at DavidCCook.ca. Many Christian books and CDs are also available from Amazon.ca.
Don't forget Google
Finally, this may seem obvious, but if Google is the best way to search the web, it's also the best way to search for Christian resources on the web. The key to using Google effectively is to use quotes and plus signs to make your search specific.
For example, if you're looking for information about the Book of Common Prayer, you should type "Book of Common Prayer" or +book +common +prayer to get the best results. (There's an online version of the BCP at PrayerBook.ca.)
This article just scratches the surface of Christian resources on the web. What are your favourite sites? Send your ideas to sandy@mcme.com.
