The Sword

 

Did you know? Uplift Media has helped launch a prototype application called The Sword. Plans are in the works to potentially take the product all the way through iOS development and into your Google & Apple store gateways but there are quite a few roadblocks and unknown factors to give a solid date or promise. If you happen to know anything about development and taking applications to market, please contact Uplift Media. Additionally we are open to investor inquiries if you want to support these efforts. 

However, until or unless those types of pathways become navigable we are ready to release what has been created with a helpful FAQ section and instructions on the TWO ways this resource can currently be used on your mobile device. Much of what has been created and modified was based on original beta testing and feedback from the community so we do invite that level of communication to continue.

FAQ's

1. What is the general idea of The Sword? To make available a resource that allows its users the ability to quickly fight temptation using the example Jesus gives us in the Book of Matthew. Once in the app, the home page will display a button called "About This App". Clicking on this will connect you with an "in-app explanation":


A traditional sword is carried on the belt of a warrior so that ease of access is achieved when attack occurs. Similarly this tool is designed to be on your mobile device which most users will carry on their person much in the same manner.

2. Who is the target audience for The Sword?  While the answer seemed obvious to those of us creating the resource, this was asked multiple times by our beta testers so the commonality urges an explanation. We would expect most users to be Christians since The Sword is a Biblical nickname of sorts for Scripture. That being said, we do not want to miss an opportunity for the non-Christian user to stumble upon the app and potentially bring them into the knowledge of Christ. So based on that feedback a button was installed to the bottom left of the page below called "Are you qualified?"


The hope is non-Christians will follow this path and land on the page explaining that Christians are qualified with both written and video instructions on how to take inventory and steps toward making that a reality. While this app is not specifically designed to evangelize to the lost, we did want to acknowledge the non-Christian user and provide a way to challenge their thinking.

3. How does the App work? Once in The Sword Menu users will see a list of common temptations. Clicking on these topics will navigate users to a Bible passage that can be read, meditated on, and even stated out loud to combat the temptation. Each topic has three total passages correlating to the specific topic. Users have the option to move on to the next verse or return to The Sword menu.


Three verses is certainly not comprehensive so as The Sword menu states, it is advised to dig even deeper into the Word for more practice with Scripture and combatting the lies of our enemy. Ultimately we want to create habits that lead users to their Bibles, rather than provide something that replaces it.

4. What other features does the App contain? Our enemy does not always use temptation to attack which is why other aspects of Biblical armor exist. So while this resource focuses on The Sword we do have a menu page called The Shield as well as a page called Reminders. The Shield has a list of common issues that we are often faced with but do not really qualify as a temptation. Following these links also takes you to verses that will encourage users that are dealing with that specific problem. Just like The Sword each category has three verses connected to it with options to return to The Shield menu at any time. 

The Reminders Menu is a bit different. This launching page contains six sentence starters with an ellipses to imply following the link will complete the sentence. For instance "I can..." will lead you to another menu where options of completing the sentence will include things like "declare liberty to the captives". Clicking the arrow next to this sentence completion takes you to the specific passage of Scripture that is being referenced. All of these are meant to help "Remind" users of their identity in Christ and just how valuable we are as children of God.



5. What if I have issues with navigation? Many fixes have already occurred but there are still times where this app takes you to an unintended area. Please report anytime this happens so that we can finalize the correction of all bugs. However, if you find yourself lost and need to get reacclimated just about every page has a HOME icon like the one below. Clicking this icon takes you back to the initial launch page.


6. What if I have trouble understanding some of the Scriptures listed? This has been another common topic of initial feedback with many suggesting the app include a feature that explains Scripture to those that might otherwise get frustrated. With somewhere near 200 verses currently loaded into the app, including explanations of each would more than double the size and require a similar ratio of man hours as well. So while this could be a future feature in later releases, the current work-around is a Resources page that provides links to Bible Commentaries as well as: Online Bibles, Daily Devotional Apps, Scripture Memorization Apps, Other Christian Media, and Uplift Media




7. What are the two ways that I can currently use this application? The first way is to use the embedded app below. Scroll down and then use your fingers to enlarge the app to fit the full screen of your device as held in a vertical manner. From there you should be able to navigate as intended. The downside to this method is having to come here each time you want to use it rather than just clicking on an icon on your mobile phone home screen. And while even that functionality is not available, a close 2nd option does exist. First you need to download the Google Slides App by clicking HERE. Once that is downloaded click THIS LINK and it will marry The Sword to your Google Slides application. To launch, you will have to hit the triangular "play button" and then select "Present on this device" and it should launch from there. This method requires a bit more front end effort but is much easier when it comes to daily use.

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8. Where do I submit additional questions and commentary regarding my feedback? We invite you to comment directly on this page or use any of our socials like Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube.


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