Reading the Bible on your Android device

OK, You've gotten an Android tablet or smartphone and it's got all these cool features, but how can you make use of it in daily devotions? What options are available to make reading God's Word convenient and free? Here are a few I've found and I'm glad to share them.

My preferred modern English translation for daily reading is the English Standard Version (ESV) copyrighted from Crossway Bibles.

If you have any other phone OS/translations/apps/etc. you've been using and want to share your experience, feel free to leave a comment below! Also feel free to ask me if anything below is unclear.

Web Versions
Without downloading an app you can begin reading this translation free using Good News Publisher's website and Android's stock web browser. Here's a link:

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/browse/


One nice feature from this website is the through the bible in a year devotions. I bookmark this site and use it for my daily readings:

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/through.the.bible/


It can also be helpful to make a shortcut to this website from your Android homescreen.

Dolphin Browser HD
https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser&feature=search_result

If you like the ESV Bible web interfaces above and want an environment more conducive to reading, try installing Dolphin Browser HD. This web browser application allows you to keep your screen lock from timing out before you get to the end of the page (if you're a slow reader like me) and allows you to use re-purpose the volume up/down buttons to scroll up and down the page.

ESV Bible (Crossway)
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.subsplash.esv&feature=search_result

Crossway recently came out with their own app which is freely available in the Android Market. It is the only free option I've found which includes cross references. It also downloads the whole text of the Bible to your phone so you aren't constantly relying on having an internet connection. You can also share verses you're pondering on Twitter or Facebook directly within the app. It does have some drawbacks, though.

First, it's a huge download (13 MB) so unless you have Froyo and can move it to your SD card, it'll be eating up a large chunk of your phone's onboard memory. I also had trouble downloading and installing the program (about 6 unsuccessful attempts!) and I think this was related to its size.

Second, it doesn't remap the volume buttons for scrolling (like the dolphin browser, above).

Third, while you can easily follow the cross reference links, the back button exits the app instead of returning to the previously selected passage.

Update: I've also found the Crossway ESV Bible app to force close a few times.

Hopefully in future revisions they can address some of these issues... but even so, it's already free and usable.

Amazon Kindle for Android
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.amazon.kindle&feature=search_result

If you need the Bible to be on your device but can't fit the entire 13 MB ESV Bible app from Crossway, consider downloading the Amazon Kindle App. The size of the app is only 3.5 MB and you can then download the ESV Bible for free from the kindle store within the app (you'll need to create an Amazon account if you don't already have one).

http://www.amazon.com/Bible-English-Standard-Version-ebook/dp/B001EOCFU4/ref=zg_bstf_154606011_30

The Kindle app is nice for straight reading through and will sync wirelessly with any other Kindle devices. It also has that nice volume button scrolling feature. It also allows you to resize the text and change white text over black background or vice versa (or sepia tone!).

Update: The Kindle app is also has a feature to "lock" the screen from shifting between portrait and landscape. This can be really handy if you read the bible while lying down.

The free version of the ESV for kindle, though, is not very good for jumping around in the text and does not have cross references.

Read It!
With all these free options for getting the Bible onto your Android device, chose one and get it. But don't stop there. The Bible is the Word of God and it is meant to be treasured!

Proverbs 7:1-3 (esv.to/Proverbs7.1-3)
7:1 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.

on the label "Presbyterian"

ARTHUR:  ...I am your king.
WOMAN:  I didn't know we had a king.  I thought we were an autonomous collective.

I remember a newspaper cartoon which had two dogs standing next to each other. The first said to the other, "I'm a St. Bernard". The other replied, "I think I'm a Presbyterian."

I'd like to start by saying, Presbyterians (though often loyal) are not a breed of dog. Presbyterianism is not a particular series of doctrines or beliefs either, which may be confusing as the word "Presbyterian" occurs in the titles of some denominations, which do have doctrines and beliefs. Presbyterian refers to a type of church government. Presbyterians may generally hold some beliefs in common, but this is not always the case. While I, myself, am a Presbyterian, I don't necessarily agree with other Presbyterians on all their theology. I will agree with their form of church government.

Definitions, please?

ARTHUR: ....Who lives in that castle?
WOMAN: No one live there.
ARTHUR: Then who is your lord?
WOMAN: We don't have a lord.
ARTHUR: What?

So, what is a Presbyterian form of church government? First, the word "Presbyterian" is from the Greek word "πρεσβύτερος" which means elder. As I'll show later, the whole of Presbyterian government is based on elders.

The United States Government was formed by many Presbyterians, from it I'll pull some examples. In the US, there are city governments, county governments, state governments, and the federal government. Each level has representatives from the people over which they preside. The mayor of a city has to be a citizen of that same city. A US Senator must come from the state which elected him. These are representatives. Representatives from several cities form a county government. Representatives from a number of counties form a state government. Representatives from all the states form the federal government.

When we think of a Presbyterian denomination, we'll see the same pattern. At the basic level, there are individual local churches (or local bodies, as in "the body of Christ", I'll use the terms synonymously throughout this post). The decisions which affect each of these local churches are made primarily by a group of ruling elders which are also members of this same church (called the session) and thus each has it in his interest to keep this local body in good health. A group of local churches together form a presbytery. A presbytery is a group of elders - representatives from the sessions of each of the local churches which make up the presbytery. Representatives from several presbyteries form a synod. If a denomination is large enough to require it, representatives from several synods make up a general assembly.

Here's a short diagram of what I've covered so far:

a city is comprised of citizens.
city -> county -> state -> nation (federal)

a local church is comprised of believers.
local church (session) -> presbytery -> synod -> general assembly.

Why?

DENNIS: I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
ARTHUR: Yes.
DENNIS: But all the decision of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting.
ARTHUR: Yes, I see.
DENNIS: By a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs,--
ARTHUR: Be quiet!
DENNIS: --but by a two-thirds majority in the case of more--
ARTHUR: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
WOMAN: Order, eh -- who does he think he is?
ARTHUR: I am your king!
WOMAN: Well, I didn't vote for you.

Why do Presbyterians choose to govern themselves the way they do? What is their reason? What is the advantage? Why aren't they governed by a hierarchy of bishops (episcopacy)? Why doesn't each local body govern itself completely (congregationalist)?

A basic premise is that there is strength and wisdom in seeking many counselors. This is a biblical idea:

Proverbs 11:
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Presbyterians hold that oversight is good for a church. If a church is only held accountable by it's pastor, what happens if he were to lead them astray in some way? Would they follow him? How far? A larger body to which a local church can appeal decisions and seek counsel is helpful in keeping that local church healthy. This is why Presbyterians avoid placing too much power in a small number of people in the local church; why they are not congregationalists.

In addition to taking precautions against too much power in the local body, Presbyterians do not want to place too much power outside of it. Just as a local pastor or a small group of elders without accountability could lead the local body astray, a ruling hierarchy without accountability could do the same. The presbyteries and synods are composed of elders from each local body, thus they are responsible and accountable to them. They also have equal voting power to prevent placing too much power in any single person or small group within each presbytery.

Ultimately, each elder is also accountable to God, and must be above reproach. These are things which Paul told Titus:

Titus 1:
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, [3] and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, [4] as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Notice that the term "overseer" or "bishop" is used synonymously with "elder". The elders are instructed to hold firm to the trustworthy word and called to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine. When a local church selects an elder, they are to use Paul's criteria to select upright men.

Applying the Label

I am a Presbyterian. I submit to the authority of the elders of my church as they instruct me according to God's Word. I appreciate the accountability they receive from the elders of my denomination. I intend to hold my elder accountable to their post regarding the local church and the church at large. I'm thankful to God for these ways in which He maintains, builds, and defends His church.

Quotes of Monty Python and the Holy Grail can be found at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mphg/mphg.htm