Any of us who belongs to a christian church undoubtedly recognizes the value of not only knowing the passages in the bible, but understanding them. Context is very important if one is to correctly interpret scripture and this means reading the bible, studying the bible and learning the meaning of bible scripture.

One of my friends who isn’t overly mobile and therefore spends a lot of time in her apartment, brought a very interesting option to my attention. For people who can’t necessarily get away read and discuss the Word of God with others (some of us may have disabilities, lack easy access to transportation or perhaps have family obligations that prevent us from getting out as frequently as we might like), she suggested the possibility of online bible study. I use my computer frequently for e-mailing my daughter and storing my digital photos, but I’d never considered it as a way to participate in free bible study. What an idea!

I had my friend send me the web site I should be going to. She suggested first looking over www.ucg.org since this belongs to a christian church which is a supporter of online bible study. I looked at the list of lessons that were available and immediately found several that I was interested in trying. One asked very simply: What Is The Church? Another asked whether there was any hope for human survival. There was also a lesson that dealt with one of the most common questions in the christian church, namely why it is that God allows suffering. After spending several hours deeply engaged in this free bible study, I can away enlightened and hungering for more. I’ve always appreciated bible scripture for what it is. I think the Word of God is beautiful and inspirational, but I hadn’t always been able to interpret it fully, or to apply the lessons it contains to my everyday life. Having access to online bible study changed that for me.

My husband is frequently away on extended business trips and his absence not only makes family life challenging at times, but it also makes it difficult for him to attend church services regularly. This causes him some distress and he’s looked for answers in bible scripture, but he is the sole provider for our family so simply quitting in order to be closer to home isn’t an option. I had the idea that this online bible study option might be something my husband could use to help him feel connected to the church even when he was away. He gave it a try on his last trip and he loved it. He completed a lesson about the christian church as a way of life and that reached him on many levels. When he got back, we talked about bible scripture and how our love of God made us a family, regardless of distance. The free bible study courses really made a difference for us both.