Are You Getting the Most From Your Bible App?
Chances are, you’ve used the YouVersion app (also known as the Bible app) before to look up Bible passages, but are you using it to its full potential? Let’s explore some of the features of the app to help you get the most out of your study time.
Daily Refresh Section
Each day, there is a new Verse of the Day, Guided Scripture, and Guided Prayer on your home page. The verse of the day section gives you the option (just click the three dots in the right corner) to read the full chapter the verse is found in, create an image, see verses from past days, compare Bible versions, and even rearrange the layout of your home page. You can heart, comment on, or share the verse of the day by using the icons at the bottom of the verse image. The guided scripture is video-based and led by a different person each day. It gives a range of minutes that section is likely to take you, which is really helpful if you’re trying to fit some Bible time in between commitments. The guided prayer section is a text based carousel of scripture and prayer prompts.
Bible Plans on YouVersion
YouVersion is a great resource for Bible study plans- there are over 10,000 options! You can find one year and chronological plans, challenges, plans based on specific topics or questions, and plans designed for every age. There are plans from as short as 3 days all the way up to a year long, and you can invite friends to join you! You can get notifications to remind you to stick with your plan and keep track of your daily streak.
There are even Bible plans written by some of your favorite Christian FM artists, such as Casting Crowns, We Are Messengers, CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Aaron Shust, Colton Dixon, and more!
Community Tab
At the top of your home page is a Community tab, where you can find people you know and invite them to be your friend. Once you are connected as friends, you can see each other’s activity on the app. It’s a great way to deepen your friendships by starting conversations about Bible studies or specific verses you see your friends reading. Don’t worry, though. If you’d rather not have your activity in the feed, you can choose the “Private” setting when you start a plan.
Prayer List Feature on Profile
An especially helpful feature of the YouVersion app is called Prayer List, and you can find it by clicking on your profile picture in the top right corner of your home screen. The Prayer List button will take you to a preloaded prayer- on mine right now is “A Prayer for Our World.” Click the title and it expands to a written prayer for you to use in your prayer time. There is a Pray button to indicate you prayed about that topic. If you swipe left, you’ll find an Add Prayer screen, where you can begin adding your own prayer requests. You can start with one of the prompts they have provided, like “I’m thankful for…” “My relationship with…” “My struggle with…” or you can create your own. You can share your prayer requests with others or keep them private. You can write updates on each request, so it can really become a record of how God’s working in your life.
Badges on Profile
I’ve got good news for people who are reward-motivated! As you use the YouVersion app in different ways, you can earn badges. There are badges for plan completion, saving verses, reading the whole Bible and more!
If you’ve never used the app before, why don’t you try it out and see if these features help you get more from your study time? If you have used it or are currently using it, what are your favorite features? Happy reading!
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