“Click in remembrance of me…”

As I was teaching Adult & Youth Sunday School yesterday, I mentioned that I use the Mission St. Clare iPhone app for the Daily Office.  Immediately everybody pulled out their iPhones to investigate. I almost felt like I was standing on a dusty street in the Old West, staring down another gunslinger, and said “Draw!”

I received some more questions about places one can pray or learn about Christianity online.  So here is Jimmy Abbott’s top five list for apps, blogs, and other digital resources for the 21st century disciple.

1. As I said before, I use the Mission St. Clare iPhone app for the Daily Office. This app helps me to pray and read the Bible wherever I am – and isn’t that part of Christian life anyway? (Note: The Daily Office is a schedule of psalms and Old Testament, New Testament, and gospel readings for every day. In case you’re interested, today is Monday of Proper 28, Year One. The readings are 1 Maccabees 3:1-24, Revelation 20:7-15, and Matthew 17:1-13. The Psalm the morning is 89:1-18 and 89:19-52 in the evening.)

2. The Episcopal Diocese of Texas has its own smartphone web app.  Here’s the link to the Diocesan communications website. It gives you a rundown of all the Diocesan news.

3. I’m also on Twitter. You can follow me @Jimmy_Abbott or you can follow St. Alban’s @stalbanswaco.  I follow Bishop Andy Doyle @TexasBishop, the Diocese of Texas @TexasDiocese, and a Lectionary Bible Study @RCLBibleStudy, to name a few.

4. As far as blogs go, check out the blogroll on the right side of your screen. Those are some of my favorites. But I’ve fallen in love with this new website, the New Testament Gateway. It contains a treasure trove of resources covering all manner of topics associated with the New Testament.

5. The same guy who created the NT Gateway website, Mark Goodacre, also has a very cool podcast.  Each podcast covers a different topic in New Testament studies. Episodes are between 8 and 15 minutes in length. You can find them on this website or on iTunes.  Mark Goodacre is a professor in New Testament at Duke University.

I hope these resources help you in your prayers, study, and Christian life.