Keeping Your Bible Study Going While Staying at Home
There are many ways to keep your Bible Study members in touch when everyone needs to stay home. Look over the following ideas and see what might work for your group.
Teachers can give their lectures online for class members to listen to. Some software options are:
Facebook Live—group members can watch “live” while you broadcast your lecture, or watch later after the lecture is over, when it’s convenient for them.
YouTube—pre-record and upload lecture; everyone can listen at a particular time together if you set the lecture to “premiere” at a certain time, or they can listen individually at any time later.
Zoom—Up to 100 people can join the Zoom meeting. While the teacher is giving the lecture, the audio for all other attendees can be muted.
Discussion Groups
Groups can meet online using video conferencing software, such as Zoom or Google Hangouts. These options work best with groups of up to 8. If your normal in-person discussion groups are up to 15 people, you might want to split them in half for video conferencing discussion groups.
Conference telephone calls are another option.
After you choose a platform, set it up and make sure it works. Ask 2 or 3 friends to act as group members to test it. Send them the information they need to access the Bible study, and make sure the process is clear and easy to follow.
You may be wondering how Joy of Living is doing and if we are still open. The answers are, “great” and “yes!”
To ensure everyone’s safety, for about six weeks nearly everyone sheltered in place at home. I chose to come to the office along with my dear husband, Chuck. He volunteered to come with me to do all the shipping. I could not have done it without him.
Mind you, Chuck had to learn the job, including the computer program we use to do our shipping, but he did it. Thankfully this is our slower season and we were not overwhelmed.
About a week ago, as restrictions were lifted, our newest employee, Coco, began coming in with us on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays Brenda and Frank began covering everything. With just a few in the office it makes social-distancing easier.
We are generally working a shorter work-day. This allows everyone to take care of their personal business. As you know, there is no longer such a thing as a quick trip to the grocery store or any other place.
We are in the office by 8am Pacific Time and stay until about 2pm Pacific Time. If you call and there is no answer, please leave a message, we will call you on the next business day. Orders are still shipping either on the same day or the next business day. If you have any questions, please email us, or give us a call at (800) 999-2703.
Feeling Ineffectual?
What an unusual time we live in!
I think the entire pandemic—the number of people who are ill, the number who have died, the shelter-in place order, the lack of supplies, the loss of jobs and income—has been a shock to most all of us. It came about quickly, powerfully, and certainly, unexpectedly.
Then to make it more unusual, those of us who are used to being out there when a crisis happens, helping, lending a hand, doing something tangible, are now told to stay at home and social distance. We aren’t allowed to visit the sick, attend Bible study, take food to those in need. Our hands feel tied, and in a way we feel powerless, but we most certainly are not!
James 5:16b says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Our prayers count, our prayers make a difference. When you read this, you may feel like you are not righteous, and therefore you think your prayers don’t make much of a difference, but if you have truly put your faith in Jesus Christ, He has given you His righteousness. Romans 3:22 tells us, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
So, the question is, “Have you believed?” (If you have not yet believed, see the article "Do You Know You Have Eternal Life".) If you have, Second Corinthians 5:21 states, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” So, you see, your prayers matter! Your prayers make a difference!
Most of us think of ourselves as ordinary, and don’t expect God to do ‘big things’ because of our prayers. But, the men and women of the Bible were ordinary. James 5:17-18 reminds us, “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” Our prayers make a difference!
I’ve heard believers say, “I pray but nothing happens.” God’s answers don’t always come immediately; we have to wait on God’s timing. And, just because you don’t see what you expected as an answer, doesn’t mean that God didn’t answer. Perhaps you just don’t know HOW He answered. Instead of doubting God, let us just obey Him... Over and over He tells us to pray, so let’s pray.
There are so many scripture passages about prayer. Here are just a few to think about:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior… (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. (1 Peter 4:7)
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
Every evening at 6pm Pacific Time the alarm on my phone goes off. Everyone stops what we are doing and we pray. When it rings, even my younger grandchildren will say, “It’s time to pray.”
I invite you to join our family, to set your alarm, stop what you are doing when it rings, and pray. Pray for revival, for our leaders, for Israel, for those who are suffering, for a cure and a vaccine for Covid-19, and for whatever the Lord lays on your heart. Remember, your prayers matter. They make a difference!
Do you Know You Have
Eternal Life?
Your condition…
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
But your iniquities (sins) have separated you from your God. (Isaiah 59:2)
For the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
There is help…
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)
The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
What do I do?…
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out. (Acts 3:19)
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)
You CAN know…
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:12-13)
If you would like to make the decision today to repent and trust Christ as your Savior, either for the first time or as a re-commitment of your life, you may want to pray a prayer similar to this one:
Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. Please forgive my sins. Thank You for dying on the cross for me, and for coming alive again. I accept Your gifts of forgiveness and eternal life. I place my life in Your hands. I want to be Yours forever. Thank you for loving me so much. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
If you have any questions we suggest you ask your teaching leader or pastor. If you have no one to ask, feel free to contact us at Joy of Living.
Hearing from You
We always love hearing from you. When you call, text, email, or write we pass the good news from you around the office. It is exciting to hear what God is doing in and through you and Joy of Living. And we love your photos, too!
We even have photos we were going to share in this newsletter, but times being what they are, we have a special request of you.
Would you let us know how you and your group are dealing with the shelter-in-place and the social-distancing orders?
We’ve shared ways to keep your classes going, but tell us what you’ve been doing already. We will share some of your feedback in an upcoming newsletter. What you have to say may encourage others.
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Joy of Living Bible Studies is an evangelical, interdenominational, non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the study and teaching of the Bible, God's Word. All money not used for printing and office costs goes toward developing new Bible study courses. All contributions are tax deductible. The Joy of Living Newsletter is published quarterly in December, March, June and September.
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