Useful apps for smartphones

First published 9th June 2016
Modern technology means that there are new ways of deepening our relationship with God. We've put together a number of Christian resources now available for Android and iPhones which we hope people will find useful in their daily walk.

We'll be updating this list as we discover more apps - if you have found one which you'd like to recommend, please let Ben Evans, Communications Officer know at

ben.evans@bristoldiocese.org.


iTruth

iTruth is a resource for those who want to find out more about following Jesus.

Short films explore what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st Century. The videos take you on a journey of faith through three stages: 'Discover Jesus', 'Follow Jesus' and 'Share Jesus'.

There are also music videos, life-stories and the Bible.

Table Talk

Table Talk is a conversational game which creates space to explore the big (and not-so-big) questions of life, articulate your thoughts and engage with the opinions of others.

Every box contains details of six big themes. For each of the themes, there is an introduction card and 16 specific questions.

A group of six to eight people gather at a table and choose a theme. The introduction card is read, the question cards are placed on the table and a card is picked and posed to the group. Once the group feels it has exhausted the question, another card is picked.

There are also music videos, life-stories and the Bible.

Presence App

Using music, film, poetry and photography, the Presence App, produced by Christian DJ Andy Hunterprovides a collection of chapters to enable you to create space in your life for a relaxing, mindful inspiration to lead you into reflection and prayer.

Each chapter lasting 10-30 mins

Turn the Page

The premise behind Turn The Page is that most people think there must be more to life than this but dont know what the more might look like nor where to find it.

So the app delivers two 60 second stories a week (one on Monday and one on Friday) in audio and script formats, to provoke the listener/reader to think more deeply about issues of life and faith. From the app the user can click through to the website that contains lots more information about what is a Christian, testimonies of those who have come to faith, as well as how to find a church or local Alpha/Christianity Explored course.

Guardians of Ancorra

Guardians of Ancora is a digital game that puts you in a virtual world where where Bible stories can come to life.

Aimed at eight to 11-year-olds, the game lets you play your way through exciting Bible Quests. With a new quest each month, the stories of the Bible are brought to life in new and exciting ways.

You can also test your knowledge by taking quizzes on the quests you've completed or enter the 'Story of the Saga' library to find out even more about the lost stories of the saga the Bible stories which the quests are based on.

The Bible in One Year

Nicky and Pippa first introduced the Bible in One Year commentary in 2011 as a daily email for HTB congregation members. It has since grown into an app with a worldwide following.

 


Church House Publishing has developed some excellent, helpful and award winning Apps:

 

Time to Pray

Time to Pray:

provides a pattern of prayer and daily Bible reading that is simple yet profound.

Straightforward and flexible, Time to Pray draws you into a centuries-old tradition of prayer that continues to be shared across the world today.

The app presents everything you need for Prayer During the Day, with variations according to the day of the week and the season of the Church's year.You can use Prayer During the Day on its own, as your sole act of prayer and praise, or you can use it alongside Night Prayer in a pattern of prayer at the beginning and end of the day.

Daily Prayer

Daily Prayer

is the official app to help you follow Morning, Evening and Night Prayer, wherever you are.

For every day of the year, it presents the three services in full and include Bible readings (NRSV translation),psalms, canticles and seasonal variations.

Sunday Worship

The Sunday Worship app offers an economical, quickand simple way to prepare for Sunday services.

Whetheryou are leading worship, offering intercessions, giving the Bible reading, running a children's church,or just want to read and reflect on the week's readings,Sunday Worship allows you to view the next Sunday's Bible readings, Collect and post Communion prayers from Common Worship in full, browse by date and scroll ahead to future Sundays.

Reflections for Prayer and Reflections on the Psalms

Make Bible study and reflection part of your everyday routine with the Reflections for Daily Prayer app which provides daily Bible reflections based on the Common Worship Lectionary readings Reflections on the Psalms provides insightful commentary on each of the Bible's 150 Psalms from leading writers, including the Archbishop of York John Sentamu, John Pritchard, Paula Gooder and many more.

Lectionary

Integrate the Church of England's pattern of daily Bible readings seamlessly into your life withthe official Common Worship Lectionary app.

For each day of the church year, it presents the Common Worship Lectionary readings in full, plus links to the Bible passages themselves (NRSV translation).The app also allows you to view Collects and Post-Communions (not found in the print edition), mark and annotate records - ideal for service planning and view the week's lectionary in a single page.

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