About rfrmd.com

Earlier March 2026 foundations

These were the larger structural steps that shaped the panel-based reader line before the newer release feed entries above. The Bible Reader became the always-on hub, pages moved into the shared shell, and the Library, daily reading, prayer, and help surfaces began converging into one consistent app experience.

• Panel host system: All site pages now load inside the reader. No more full-page navigation away from Scripture.
• Split view: Read in one pane while viewing articles, daily readings, or notes in the other. Drag the divider to resize.
• Command bar: Compact toolbar with quick access to every page, Bible navigation, search, notes, and settings from one place.
• Flyout tabs: Bible, Notes, and Site tabs slide out from the left edge. Tap the menu icon or swipe to open.
• Library in panel: Browse and search the full article library without leaving the reader. Search results show article-level navigation with prev/next arrows.
• Print view: Open any library article in a clean, print-friendly window from the article nav bar.
• How-to guide: A complete rewrite of the site guide for the v4 panel system, accessible from the help popup, the Site tab, and the library.
• Refreshed branding: Updated logo, favicon, and theme colors for a cleaner, more distinct identity.
• iOS PWA support: Improved safe-area handling for iPhone home screen installs, including notch and dynamic island clearance.
• New book notes: Book notes on Bavinck's The Wonderful Works of God added to the library.
• BSB and WEB translations: The Berean Standard Bible and World English Bible are now available as offline translations alongside KJV and ASV. Both are public domain, sourced from the Free Use Bible API.
• Verse highlighting: Tap any verse number, then tap Highlight to mark a verse or range of verses with a persistent yellow wash. Highlights are saved per chapter and reapplied automatically. Tap a highlighted verse and press Unhighlight to remove.

March 14, 2026 (v3.9.0)

• Notes sharing: Share your Bible study notes with others using short word codes. Choose an expiry (1 hour, 24 hours, 7 days) or permanent (admin only). Recipients enter the code to receive your notes instantly.
• Content moderation: All shared notes pass through an automated moderation system. Notes containing explicit language, hate speech, threats, or other inappropriate content are rejected. Repeated violations result in escalating restrictions.
• ESV registration: Access to the ESV translation now requires a simple one-time registration with your email and a passphrase. Your email is stored as a one-way hash and your API key is encrypted with a key derived from your passphrase. The site operator cannot read either.
• Terms of Service: A new Terms of Service page covering site purpose, notes sharing guidelines, content moderation, ESV registration, scripture copyright, privacy, disclaimers, and liability. Accessible from the footer of every page.
• Scripture copyright notices: Added KJV Crown Copyright notice for UK users and ASV public domain confirmation to the Content Integrity Notice.
• Help page expanded: Updated the How to Use guide with full documentation for notes sharing, ESV registration, and corrected privacy information.
• Service worker v67: Cache refresh for all users. Site config and new pages (Terms of Service, Reformed Biblical Compendium) added to the precache list for better offline support.
• Full article library: All articles are now available from the Library page.

March 13, 2026 (v3.8.0)

• Collapsible page banner: Every page now has a collapse arrow at the bottom-right of the banner. Tap it to shrink the banner and free up screen space. The page title moves into the header bar so you always know where you are. Expand again via the arrow or by tapping the title in the header.
• Collapsed reader toolbar: When the Bible Reader banner is collapsed, Bookmark, Search, Translation, and Notes buttons stay usable in the collapsed bar. Tapping a tool opens its panel beneath without expanding the banner.
• Compact labels: On smaller screens, tool button labels shorten (B-Mrk, Srch, Trans, Notes) so everything fits cleanly.
• Tablet and responsive layout: Improved support for iPad and tablets. Navigation collapses to a hamburger menu on screens up to 960px wide. Narrow screens auto-switch to compact Bible book view.
• Dark mode polish: Better contrast for hero banners, accordions, and active buttons in dark mode.
• Unified help: Updated help content, features, and documentation.
• Daily Reader renamed: The M'Cheyne Daily Bible Reader page is now simply "Daily Reader" for clarity. The M'Cheyne attribution and historical note remain in the page body.
• Chapter scroll position: Selecting a chapter scrolls to the toolbar instead of the very top of the page, keeping your controls in view.

March 8, 2026

• Reformed Biblical Compendium: A new Library article covering all 66 books of the Bible with chapter-by-chapter outlines, based on the work of Matthew Poole and the Westminster era. Includes an index organized by the same categories as the Bible picker.
• Support This Site: After being asked how can all this be free I created a new section on the About page explaining how the site is funded and offering a way to contribute if you feel led.
• Feedback and bug reports: You can now report bugs or request features through the site's feedback page. The link is also available in the help popup (the ? button) on every page.
• Spacing and layout: Tightened whitespace across all pages: hero sections, content areas, navigation bars, and the Psalm prayer guide book card. The Bible Reader bottom navigation now matches the top layout.
• Site logo: New rfrmd.com logo with rounded rectangle border in Reformation orange.
• 20 Verses on Giving Thanks: Updated the introduction explaining the need for biblical thankfulness as a daily posture, not just a holiday.
• Quick Lookup Bar: A fixed strip at the bottom of the Bible Reader that shows your last 5 chapter lookups as tappable pills. Great for following along with a sermon that references multiple passages. Pin chapters so they stay put, and tap them to jump back instantly.
• Chapter Notes: Tap any verse number in the Bible Reader to attach a note to that verse. A chapter notepad lets you write freeform notes for the whole chapter. Notes are saved on your device and work across all three translations.
• My Notes browser: A new "My Notes" button on the book picker page opens a collapsible outline of all your notes, organized by Bible section (Law, History, Poetry, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles). Tap any entry to jump straight to that chapter.
• Quick Ref toggle: A "Quick Ref" button on the picker toolbar lets you show or hide the bottom lookup bar. Your preference is saved.
• Pin from chapter nav: A pushpin icon next to the Prev button lets you pin the chapter you are reading to the quick lookup bar with one tap. When already pinned, the icon changes to an "x" to unpin.
• Notes export/import: Download all your Bible notes as a portable JSON file and import them on another device. Importing merges with existing notes so nothing is lost.

March 7, 2026

• Reading streaks: The Daily Reader now tracks your reading progress. Tap "Mark as read" after finishing a chapter, and your streak counter appears in the section header. Complete both readings in a group each day to keep your streak going.
• Compact Bible book picker: The Bible Reader has a new color-coded compact view showing all 66 books at a glance, organized by biblical category. Toggle between the standard card view and the compact grid with the button in the top corner.
• Navigation reorder: The menu now leads with Bible tools (Daily Reading, Prayer Guide, Bible) followed by Library, Theo Links, Quick Links, and About.
• Default page: In the reader's Site tab, you can choose which page opens when you visit rfrmd.com.
• Release notes popup: A brief summary of new features now appears once after each update. You can turn this on or off from the reader's Site tab.
• Poetic Psalms: Psalms now display one verse per line in ASV and KJV, matching the natural rhythm of Hebrew poetry. You can toggle this from the reader's Site tab.

March 5, 2026

• Library search: You can now search across all articles by title, description, and full body text. Matching articles show a context snippet so you can see where your term appears. Click through and the match is highlighted in the article itself.
• Favorites: Tap the star on any Library card to pin it to a Favorites section at the top of the page. Your favorites are saved on your device.
• Bible search: The Bible Reader now has a search bar that lets you search the entire ASV or KJV text. Results show the verse reference and a preview, and clicking one takes you straight to that chapter.
• Search help: A small "?" button next to the Library search bar explains how search, favorites, and highlighting work. It also has a reset button to clear everything at once.
• New tagline: "To the glory of God, and the good of His people."

March 4, 2026

• Book Notes section: Added a new Library category with notes on books by Perkins, Horton, Everhard, and Burroughs.
• Book notes template: A standard layout for all future book notes pages.
• Design cleanup: Removed all em dashes and en dashes site-wide and restructured sentences for clarity.

March 3, 2026

• Offline Bible translations: The Bible Reader, M'Cheyne Daily Reader, and Psalm Prayer Guide all support ASV and KJV translations that work completely offline. The full text of both translations is stored on your device after first visit.
• Section headings and paragraphs: ASV and KJV readings now display section headings (like "Bread from Heaven" or "The Sermon on the Mount") and paragraph breaks, matching the structure of the ESV.
• Security: The ESV API key is now encrypted on all pages.

Earlier

• Site launched with the Library, M'Cheyne Daily Reader, Psalm Prayer Guide, Bible Reader, and all core theology articles.
• Progressive Web App (PWA) support: install on your phone, use offline.

rfrmd.com is built as a Progressive Web App (PWA), which means you can install it on your phone or tablet and use it without an internet connection. After your first visit, the site caches its pages, stylesheets, and Bible data locally on your device.

KJV, ASV, BSB, and WEB are fully available offline. The complete text of all four translations is stored on your device after the initial page load, so you can read any book, chapter, or verse without a connection.

ESV requires an internet connection for the initial load because it is fetched live from the ESV API. However, the Daily Reader and Psalm Prayer Guide automatically cache a couple days of upcoming ESV readings in the background when you are online, so if you lose your connection, those readings will still be available. If the ESV cannot be reached, the site will fall back to the KJV automatically.

To install the site as an app on your device:

Once installed, the site opens like a native app with no browser toolbar. All articles, Bible tools, and offline translations will be available from your home screen.

I built rfrmd.com with one purpose: to put a simple, useful tool into the hands of anyone who wants to draw closer to God through daily time in His word. Whether you are reading through the Scriptures with your family at the dinner table, praying through the Psalms on your morning commute, or studying a passage on your lunch break, this site exists to help make that easier. It is for you, for your household, and for anyone the Lord might lead here.

The site is rooted in the Reformed tradition and the theology of the Westminster Standards, but it is not built for theologians alone. It is built for ordinary believers who want to grow in their dependence on God, their love for Him, and their understanding of the gospel of grace. If these tools help even one person open their Bible more often, the whole effort has been worthwhile.

rfrmd.com is a personal labor of love, not a business. There are no ads, no subscriptions, and no paywalls. Every article, tool, and Bible resource on this site is free and always will be. You can read about the site's approach to privacy below.

That said, there are real costs involved in keeping it running: hosting, domain registration, development tools and time, and possible future expanded ESV API access or additional Bible translations. I pay for all of this out of pocket because I believe the work is worth doing.

If this site has been useful to you, and if you feel led to help offset some of those costs, you are welcome to contribute any amount you wish. There is no expectation, no suggested minimum, and no obligation whatsoever. A kind note is just as encouraging as anything else.

Soli Deo Gloria

Your privacy matters. This site is built to respect it, and it is best to understand the site's different features plainly.

rfrmd.com uses GoatCounter, a lightweight, open-source analytics tool, to count page visits. GoatCounter was chosen specifically because of its privacy-first design:

What is collected: which pages are visited, approximate country (derived from IP, then discarded), browser type, screen size, and referral source. All of this is aggregate data; there is no way to identify or trace an individual visitor.

What is not collected through analytics: no cookies are set, no fingerprinting is used, no analytics profile is built for individual visitors, no data is shared with third parties for advertising, and no visitor is tracked across sessions or across sites. IP addresses are used only momentarily to estimate location and are never stored.

There is no cookie banner on this site because there are no cookies to consent to. The analytics exist solely to help me understand which tools and articles are useful so I can focus my time well. Nothing more.

Notes and local storage: If you use notes only locally and do not sync or share them, they stay only on your device. Your browser stores them in local storage along with preferences and reading progress.

Notes sync and sharing: If you choose to sync notes, a server copy is stored so your notes can follow you across devices. If you choose to share notes, the notes you share are stored on the server so they can be delivered by code. Export and import remain the non-server option if you want to move notes yourself between devices.

Personal, not promised-private: Notes on this site are personal study notes, but they are not promised to be end-to-end encrypted, confidential, or inaccessible to the site operator. Synced or shared notes may be reviewed only as reasonably needed for Terms of Service enforcement, abuse prevention, feature administration, or support you request.

If you have questions about this, you are welcome to reach out.

By using rfrmd.com, you agree to the site's Terms of Service, which cover the intended purpose of the site, notes sharing guidelines, content moderation, ESV registration, scripture copyright information, privacy, disclaimers, and liability.

"What is the chief end of man?" "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." That answer from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q. 1) has anchored my life, and it is the reason this site exists. I built rfrmd.com because I wanted a place where the truths of the Reformation could be shared simply, from a phone or a tablet, with anyone the Lord might draw to them. Every page here is an attempt to point back to the word of God, not away from it.

I am not a seminary professor or a pastor/teaching elder. I am an ordained ruling elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who loves the Lord, loves His church, and wants to be useful. My theological convictions are rooted in the Westminster Standards, and I hold to the doctrines of grace because I believe they are what the Bible teaches and because they give all the glory for salvation to God alone, where it belongs.

If anything here helps you open your Bible, find a faithful church, or see the beauty of the gospel a little more clearly, then this site has done what I hoped it would do. And if you disagree with something I have written, I would simply ask what the Bereans would ask: search the Scriptures and see whether these things are so (Acts 17:11).

In the interest of honesty, I want you to know that AI tools were used in the drafting of portions of the content on this site. You can read more about what that means and why I am telling you in A Note on How This Site Was Written.

~ john

Soli Deo Gloria

I am just a fellow living in Texas, happy to have a wonderful wife, family, and job. A believer in God, in a confessionally reformed, Westminster Confession of Faith sort of way. Resting solely in the completed work of the Son through faith. I happen to like reading, writing, photography and most things space.

If you wanted to reach me you could do so by direct message via the X.com platform @rfrmdguy, or by email at j​o​h​n​@​r​f​r​m​d​.​c​o​m.

If you run into a bug or have a feature request, you can submit it here.