Google Translate: Breakin' Down the Language Barrier for the Glory of God!

If you have ever been confronted with attempting to share the Gospel message with someone who speaks a different language, you know how frustrating it can be. It's tough enough to communicate a true, Biblical message...but a language barrier can make it all but impossible. Sure, we can all spend years learning another language, but for most of us, this is not practical. Praise God for those who do, but for those of us who are still monolingual, shall we remain unable to share the glorious Gospel with those of a different tongue? Is there a way for us to use the flood of constantly developing technology to cross language barriers for the glory of Christ?

In steps Google, with a new update of Google Translate for Android. The most recent update includes an alpha of "Conversation Mode" which enables you to speak a sentence in your language, and it will speak the sentence back in the language of your choice (at the moment the alpha only works with English and Spanish, with more to come soon).

Check out this video from Google for an idea of what's ahead:



This is already an amazing tool, with incredible future evangelistic potential. Go ahead and give it a try...download it from the Android market, for the glory of God!

Way of the Master begins daily live ustream webcast.

Today at 2:30pm eastern Way of the Master begins a daily 30 Minute television show called "On the Box", which according to the shows description will consist of

"Ray and the team [talking] about open-air preaching, apologetics, and a host of other evangelism-related topics; and [they] will answer questions from you, the listening audience."

It's interesting that with new technology, we can discuss old methods for preaching the Gospel. The same open air method of preaching the Gospel that has been used by Jesus Christ, the Apostles, Martin Luther, George Whitefield, and Charles Spurgeon is now being taught using methods they could only dream of.

You really have to give credit to Way of the Master. They are the only ones that are really pushing solid theology creatively in the video production arena. At least in terms of broadcasts. Can someone thing of any other television program that routinely quotes from men such as Spurgeon and Edwards?

The Way of the Master ministry has had a huge influence on my life, and although I know that not everyone who reads this blog is a fan, I hope everyone will take some time and watch an episode or two and see just how Open Air Preaching, when done properly to the Glory of God can really make a difference in the submission of the nations to the King.

It will be interesting to see how this small en devour will encourage other Christian ministries to live stream programs on a regular basis.

You can watch the show here: "http://www.ustream.tv/channel/on-the-box"

Kirk Cameron a Trending Topic on Twitter!

The beloved Growing Pain, and co-founder of Way of the Master, got a bit of tweeting fame tonight after appearing on CNN to explain the mysterious dead birds. He made it to the Twitter Trending Topic hall of fame. Though most of the tweets were blasphemous and mocking of him, we should still rejoice when those who are preachers of the Gospel are given platforms to preach the Gospel.

Catch the screen grab below for proof.

Does SolaGadgeta encourage covetousness?

This weekend, when I tweeted about the exciting tech that will be on display at CES next week, my friend jokingly told him that I was causing him to covet. The intention was not there, nor is it ever the intention of SolaGadgeta to cause people to covet. Instead we want SolaGadgeta to be a place where Christians can rejoice!

Don't look at all the tech we show and review with an "I gotta have it" mentality, but a heart that is grateful to the Lord. The point of this blog is not to show all the material things a Christian needs to get, or should desire but instead it is to show the glorious grace of God in allowing man to use technology for his Glory. This blog is created to show how God is using new technology to advance his Gospel throughout the nations!

If this blog is ever used to create covetous hearts, as opposed to gracious hearts may God destroy it.

A collection of truly horrific papist and "Christian" apps.

I know a lot of times we post some apps that are great for Christianity, yet I thought it would be good from time to time to post some blasphemous Papist apps and other terrible ideas for Christian apps.

Title: Jesus Widget

Price: Free

Platform : Android

From the Developer: This widget has collection of Jesus Christ images and Bible quotes. It changes every day. This is useful for those who wants to have prayer while on move.

Just spend one minute looking at Jesus. This will sooth your soul.

My Comment: If the soothing of your soul comes from a picture of Jesus, and not the Word of God. I believe you might have some idolatry/graven image sins you might need to repent of.

Title: Prayers to Saints

Platform : Android

From the Developer: Here is a collection of few prayers to Catholic Saints. May the Lord Almighty answer all your prayers through the intercession of the Blessed Saints.

My Comment: Let's just be honest have you ever seen a truly original and creative Catholic graphic designer. Look at this mess, the text is unreadable against the paintings of saints. But that's not the worse of it. "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," Dead saints and virgins don't hear your prayers and even if they did, why would you want them too? We have Christ, praying without ceasing for us as he did in the garden to the point of blood, and as he continues to do now seated on this throne of Glory.

If you come across some truly awful apps, then please comment below and send us a link. We will feature them in our next collection.

And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone that did all the requirements to win a Droid. However, there can only be one winner and for this contest the winner is @Forehand, you can follow him on twitter and speak to him with your jealously.

To all that entered, thanks! I hope to have more contests in the future and as the blog grows in readership, maybe some actual new stuff!

Chrome App Preview: Biblia

I have to say, I am not all that happy with the Chrome App store, there are many good things about it but for the most part you have to admit, it's just a fancy way to bookmark websites.

For example, the YouVersion and Crossway ESV Chrome apps do nothing but link to their normal web pages. Yes, I understand that their normal web pages are fancy, contain tons of HTML5 and geeked out in Java, but it just doesn't seem like it should be in an app store.

Imagine downloading an app on your iPhone that was nothing more then a bookmark to take you to a developers normal website.

Well that's what most of these Chrome Store Apps are turning out to be. Nothing more then bookmarks.

Perhaps it's Google's way of pushing the capabilities of websites further. Sort of like they did when they released the Nexus One. By putting into the market place a powerful phone, all the other companies will do the same. Well we know that worked. Will web apps push the internet into new territory?

Personally, and to my shame, I do not own Logos software so this is not a review of the app, so I am only going to preview the app using the options available to the common person without an account.

It's nothing more then a book mark to Biblia.com...but what a bookmark it is.

(A quick editors note, I do not have a fancy logos accont. So my review is limited to only what Biblia/Logos allows users to use for free.)

Biblia allows you to log-in to your Logo's account and access your entire library straight from your web browser. It's simple to navigate consisting of just three columns; navigation, bible text, and commentary. Everything you need to do exhaustive biblical study is right there.

The best part is I tested this from my 10in Toshiba net book which only has a display of 1024x600 and it didn't feel as if I was limited in space like other online web apps. Which is great because after all, the entire purpose of web apps is to add function to your net book.

Available for free is the 1881 Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament, the ESV Bible and several other translations. Once you register for a free account, you get 31 other resources including Charles Spurgeon's Evening and Morning, some more Westcott-Hort Greek resources and a whole bunch of other stuff.

My only gripe is that it was difficult to navigate through the scriptures,while synced with the commentaries. In fact there is no synchronization at all. If I am reading the Psalm 23 and want a commentary of verse 2 I can't just click on the verse and see available commentaries or other resources that discuss that verse. I am forced to go one at a time through my collection and search it out. This should change. In fact, it has to because it is much easier to find resources on a Bible verse with just a simple Google search. One of the great things about Logos is the ability to quickly view the commentaries available on a verse with a single click. Yet, even in the most simplest of forms, it's nowhere to be found in Biblia.

With that gripe aside, Biblia is still something for the Church to rejoice over. I have always stated that we need to get the original Greek and Hebrew texts into the hands of the common man. Not just the caste system of seminary graduates.

You can download the Chrome Biblia Bookmark App here.

Or just simply point your browser to http://www.Biblia.com