2011 was quite the year here at the Blue Letter Bible.
We added a lot of new content to the BLB website, including (but not limited to) commentaries, devotionals, and image galleries.
We also labored hard, by the good grace of God, to serve you beyond the BLB website. This year, we did this through two big initiatives:
Social Media in 2011
The world we live in today is not only more technologically savvy than the generation prior, but it is also more technologically connected. With what they are calling “Web 2.0”, the Internet is no longer just a place for information and business; it is also a tool for media, networking, and relationships. Riding in on this new wave of technology is social media. As a ministry of people who love God’s word and desire to serve you in your own love for God’s word, we started leveraging a few social networks to better connect you with our free resources and tools. This year, we ramped up our usage of Facebook and Twitter, and we launched this blog you’re reading now.
The Blog gets updated every weekday in order for us to share free content, introduce new resources, and provide other articles to serve you in your studies. Here is what a few of you have said about the blog over the last year:
“It truly is a blessing this Blue Letter Blog! I did not discover it at its inception. Read starting here and see the progression of its blessing. As I read starting with the beginning entry I felt my faith grow even stronger. The pointers to Scripture so sweet. Thank you Blue Letter Bible Blog authors for your work as a vehicle to share amongst the nations.”
—Pat G.
“Merry Christmas, everyone. I am blessed to be part of this online community. I feel like I have another family in these pages. I, too, use these pages to study God’s Word. I think one of the greatest ways God has been working in me to change me is through Day by Day Grace. And I learn so much from my “family” on these pages (all of your posts enlighten me, too, and cause me to think). Thank you, Blue Letter Bible writers, for this amazing ministry. I look forward to more in 2012.”
—Debi C.
“I’m happy to see the BLB squad ought to minister in more and more ways to those hungry for studying the Word of God.
I tweeted, ‘Check out the new @blueletterbible blog! http://blb.sc/00009X‘
Thank you for all the great tools to study the Bible. God Bless.”
—Lewis C.
“Thank you for sharing such a powerful message of truth. It is more important than ever that we fill our hearts with the Word of God and Know Jesus more & more intimately.”
—Pat D.
Thank you for the kind words! We praise God for the fruits of this ministry. We hope and pray that the blog continues to bless you in the next year to come!
In addition to the new blogging initiative, we have continued to post updates and resources on our Facebook and Twitter profiles. We started 2011 with around 50,000 Facebook users following our page. The interaction there has grown over the year, and as many of you continued to share BLB resources with your Facebook friends, that number eventually grew to 70,500 (today). On Twitter, we began the year with around 4000 followers, and with increased usage and the growing popularity of our free Bible study tools, that number has more than doubled.
Is there anything to look forward to in 2012 for the social media realm? Yes! Through the blog, we will be adding new updates and teaching series in 2012. You can also look out for a more user-friendly Facebook experience and a BLB page on Google+. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months!
Mobile Apps
Another initiative we worked hard to develop this year was in mobile apps. So far, we have only been able to develop apps for Apple iOS devices (iPod touch, iPhone, iPad). The app is available for FREE in the App Store. Many of the study tools available on the website are accessible through this app (including lexicon, concordance, devotionals, commentaries, and more). A favorite function for many users is the parallel viewing function which allows users to choose two Bible translations for parallel reading and version comparison.
The popular BLB app is available for FREE and offers a parallel reading view (for comparing translations), along with many other features from the BLB site.
What if you don’t have an Apple device? Have you been asking for a droid app? We’ve heard you loud and clear! We hope to begin developing more apps in 2012 to better serve our mobile users. Please pray for the provision of funds, resources, and time so that we can do this effectively. In the meantime, all mobile users can access our mobile site at http://m.blb.org.
Please consider supporting the BLB
We covet your prayers and kindly ask that you would consider supporting our ministry. Please visit the Blue Letter Bible website for more information.