Introducing: Ministry Matters
Access it here: Ministry Matters
The iPreach database has been revamped, respun, and renamed: Ministry Matters. Launched by the United Methodist Publishing House, Ministry Matters describes itself as a “magazine, a reference library, and a social network.” This is a welcome shift from the clunky, early-90’s-era iPreach database.
A view of the Library in Ministry Matters
What’s inside?
One of the biggest perks of Ministry Matters for Duke users is its collection of online Biblical reference works, lectionary tools, and commentaries. You’ll find a full list of resources under the “Library” tab. Click on the (+) or (-) to view the list of works included in our subscription. The ones with the “Purchased” label are fully accessible to Duke users.
Biblical Reference: New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation, to name a few…
Commentaries: New Interpreter’s Bible, Abingdon OT and NT commentaries, to name a few…
Bible Translations: CEB, KJV, RSV, NIV, NRSV, OTH, NTG. You have the lots of selection here with full-text versions of these Bible translations.
In addition to more scholarly works, this database is flush with valuable resources to help with preparing sermons, preaching, teaching, and ministry in the church. You’ll find lists of these resources under: Lectionary Resources, Sermon Collections and Illustrations, Preaching Reference, Worship Services, and on down the line. In the other tabs on this site (Preach, Teach, Worship, Reach, Lead), Ministry Matters pulls together loads of video, audio, and blog content. Click on the “Home” tab (house icon) to cross-search all of the tabs based on your search terms.
NOTE: To access Duke’s subscription library content, you will need to log in using your netid and password.
Advanced Hacks
It can be useful to save/bookmark pages that you find in Ministry Matters and to do so, you’ll need to create a Ministry Matters account. Once you’ve done so, you can use the “Add to Bin” feature on any page within the MM interface. You can then access your “Bins” by clicking the “My Bins” tab at the top of the page. Think of it as your very own spiritual shopping cart. Check out the “Sunday Bin” for pre-loaded sermon starters and worship ideas selected by Ministry Matters editors.
Adding a page to your “Bin”
The “social network” aspect of this site is facilitated by options within the site to add comments, share bins, and spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, or a number of other share options. For more information about using and citing resources in Ministry Matters, see their FAQ page.
Have questions or comments about Ministry Matters? Ask a librarian!
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