Class is in session
When I was growing up in Oregon, school started every year sometime after Labor Day (in September). But now that I live in Arizona, my school district starts classes in late July. Does that seem early to you?
It’s called the “modified year-round plan”. The goal is for students to get shorter, but more frequent, breaks throughout the year so they don’t have such a long time off over the summer and fall out of the learning mindset.
I think Arizona has a really good idea here. When we stop learning, we start forgetting. Continued practice is what allows us to progress.
The same principle holds true in your spiritual life as well. When you dig in to God’s word, your spiritual health grows. But when you lean back from it and coast, then growth stops and decay sets in.
So are you coasting or leaning in?
If you’re leaning in and pursuing God, that’s great. I don’t have much to do for you except encourage you and say “Well done!”
But if you’re in a coasting phase, it’s time to do something about that.
Today I’m opening up the fall semester 2021 for Study Groups.
Study groups are the perfect opportunity for you to shake off the coasting and start leaning in to spiritual growth. Not only that, you’ll learn something, have fun and build your confidence as a Bible Student as you go.
What are Study Groups? They are online Bible Studies that allow you to practice studying your Bible using the Six Easy Steps method.
What if you don’t feel ready? Not to worry, each study is fully guided. You’ll get step-by-step instructions through the entire study PLUS you’ll get my study notes so you can get an inside peek at how I studied the same passage.
How much time will it take? That’s really up to you! All of the studies follow a weekly cycle. You can spend as much or as little time as you need on each assignment. But when the week is over, you move on. Most people should be able to get great results from an hour or two per week.
What can you study? I have 2 outstanding studies for you:
- A Guided Study of 1 Timothy. It is another of Paul’s letters to a ministry colleague and very similar to the study of Titus in Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps. The book itself is 6 chapters, so the study will be paced out over 9 weeks. If you’re uncertain about which one to do, this is the one I recommend first.
- A Guided Study of Ruth. This is a brand new study that I’ve just released. Ruth is very different from Titus and 1 Timothy. It takes the form of a story rather than an instructional letter. This study will give you new tools and insights for dealing with the kind of material you’ll find in the Old Testament. The book is 4 chapters, so the study will be paced over 7 weeks. This is a great option for going deeper if you’ve already done the 1 Timothy study.
The links go to a sign up page. Your name, your email and a check in the box is all it takes to have the study of your choice start showing up in your inbox today!
You have 2 options for how to do each study. You can choose the method that you think will work best for you.
Today I want to tell you about the Email version of the studies. Tomorrow I’ll send another note with full details about the Online Video Course version.
Email Study Groups are guided through a series of emails. Each week of the study I’ve got specific teaching to share and assignments to give. You’ll get the study material in your inbox several days per week.
To get things rolling, I’ll send you a series of emails designed to help you get organized and set up the materials you’ll need to successfully complete the study. This includes an overview of helpful resources and how to get your study manuscript ready to go and a custom-made study guide to walk your through week by week.
Once we get into the study, I’ll send you a couple emails per week. One email will give you your instructions for the week. I might even drop some hints about how to think about the work that you’ll be doing. At the end of the week. I’ll share my study results and offer some discussion of what I found most interesting in the study itself.
Here are the links (again) to get started.
The email studies never cost anything (except your time). They are the easiest way to get started and start leaning into God’s Word. If you want to start leaning in, sign up now.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the Online Video Study. For some, this is the perfect way to experience God’s word. You can sign up for one, or even for both and get double benefit.
Class is in session. This is your opportunity to lean into being a Bible Student and start growing spiritually,
Until tomorrow…
Dennis
