From: Jesus Is the Bridge
Site URL: Independent Baptist Websites
In my experience, which includes extensive research in Fundamental websites, this is easily the most thorough directory of Independent Baptist institutions on the Web. This is particularly true of churches. While I've seen other sites purporting to have extensive lists of Independent Baptist church websites, no other one comes close. The site is the main resource used in Jesus Is the Bridge for Prayers for Fundamental Churches pages.
Besides churches, the site has listings of websites for Independent Baptist missionaries, schools (colleges only), missionaries, and camps. These listings are less thorough than the one for churches.
The thoroughness of the site is its main strength, but also one of its problems. Like so many sites, including this one, the site is run and maintained by a single individual. Broken links are common in many of the pages, despite every attempt by the webmaster to diligently correct them. Beyond that, it would be helpful to have a navigation bar on the main geographical division pages. particularly for churches, to make it easier to switch from one region to another, say from the Northeast to the Southeast.
For missionaries, particularly, it would be useful to include sending agencies, such as BIMI, along with sites for individual missionaries. This would expand the number of missionaries which can be contacted, and prayed for.
The bottom line: This is, in my opinion, the premier resource for researching Independent Baptist churches on the Web.
From: Jesus Is the Bridge
Overview: The Cyber Hymnal This site has lyrics, hymn writer bios and photos, hymn stories, and midi files for over 6,200 songs. Most songs are in the public domain, along with the supporting materials, and freely available for download and re-use (with proper attribution).
Pros: The site's real strength is that it is so comprehensive. No matter what style of traditional Christian music you like, if it was ever in a hymnal or church worship service, you'll probably find it here. Besides being able to find the lyrics, you can usually find info about the people who wrote the words and music, and the tune for a hymn you may have forgotten, or never heard. If you need a musical score, you can even download third-party software that will generate one from a midi file.
Cons: The site's greatest strength is also one of its greatest weaknesses. There is such a mass of information available that it's hard to find specific songs, or certain styles. Navigation is difficult; there is no menu to take you back from a file to the main site, and using the Back button doesn't take you back to where you were. The interface is text only (except for some forward and back buttons within collections). A link bar would be very useful. Although there are Topic divisions, it would be extremely useful to have divisions by music style (eg., formal versus gospel).
Conclusion: Despite flaws in the dated interface, the site is an invaluable aid to church musicians, pastors, singers, and Christian webmasters.