SBC.net to provide online devotionals, new features
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Evangelical Christians in search of online devotions and prayer support are being directed to SBC.net, the single source for all things Southern Baptist and the official web portal of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to Chris Chapman, director of Internet Services for the SBC Executive Committee.
Chapman recently announced the addition of several new features on SBC.net that he believes will enhance their slogan of "One people, one purpose, one click."
"At SBC.net we provide links to SBC information resources and have recently created a comprehensive search capability so visitors can find and retrieve information from the official websites of all SBC entities and auxiliary organization at one location," Chapman said.
A popular new feature is the Bible Pathway Devotionals Chapman noted. The daily online devotionals were added to the site at the numerous requests of visitors to InAllThingsPray.net.
The Bible Pathway Devotionals include a short daily devotional that is designed to take readers through the entire Bible in 365 days, Chapman said. The devotions can be read in about 15 minutes.
In addition to the devotional, the site includes a journal for making personal notes about the day's reading; a BibleSearch, providing various translations for searches; and, ScriptureGrams that Internet users can email to friends and family.
Chapman said the Bible Pathway Devotionals feature also provides a tracking function so a reader can study the Bible at an individualized pace.
"If you miss a day or days for any reason, this tracking function allows you to pick up exactly where you last read," Chapman said.
InAllThingsPray.net allows readers to post prayer requests, pray for prayer requests of others, send encouragement e-postcards and read daily urgent requests from Southern Baptist missionaries.
Chapman said more people than ever before are logging onto SBC.net, nearly 2 million in the past 12 months. Since January, the Internet site has averaged more than 200,000 visitors a month.
In an effort to accommodate the growing number of users, Chapman said SBC.net is being redesigned for easier access to information about the SBC. Soon, visitors will be able to find more content with less effort, he said.
"The new design of SBC.net will attract Southern Baptists and non-Southern Baptists alike, who seek information about all aspects of the Southern Baptist Convention, who we are and what we believe," he added.
Additional improvements and added features are planned, Chapman noted.
Southern Baptists also will have the luxury of watching the annual meeting of the SBC in St. Louis from the comfort of their computer screen. It marks the fourth year that the SBC has provided a live web cast of the meeting.
