A common question I get is about the study plan, especially since we are studying parts of a Bible book in this year’s plan. A great deal of thought went in to determining what Bible books are studied and when.
As we looked to the future of Explore the Bible, we reviewed everything including how we selected what we studied and when. The approach we had used has served us well in the past, but there were some additional factors we needed to consider. One of our goals was to develop a balanced study plan that took into account age-development needs (required since we expanded our resources to include preschoolers, children, and students), genres of Bible books, and going deeper into each Bible book.
With these issues in the background, we extended the future study plan by a year (the previous plan was 8 years, the current plan is 9 years with three 3-year blocks), giving us the opportunity to study selected Bible books in more than one quarter. As we refined the plan, we sought to create a balanced plan with each kind of Bible book genre being represented in each 3-year block. For example, Psalms, Job, and Proverbs (all poetry) were placed in different 3-year blocks. To accomplish this, some Bible books were placed in two different 3-year blocks (Genesis and Acts for example). We took a holistic view at this point, realizing that after 9 years all the Bible books would be covered. We also placed multiple-quarter studies of the Gospels in different years so that in 7 of the 9 years we would study some part of the life of Christ.
We will study the second half of Acts in the Winter of 2017-2018.
Here’s a link to a post explaining the process…http://blog.lifeway.com/explorethebible/blog/7-steps-used-for-developing-our-study-plan-2/
Link to the 9-year plan: http://blog.lifeway.com/explorethebible/downloads/study-plan-2014-2023/
At first, I had been disappointed in studying only half books, to be honest, but I’ve come to see your point almost entirely. Continuing Matthew. I originally thought, might have been a better entry into Easter, although I will say that the lesson Resurrected looks great! And the dating would have been problematic
I have to say that I was very disappointed that you did not cover more of a crucial part of Revelation, the Tribulation. I know that’s a section that keeps most people who don’t like or fear studying Revelation from studying it more. But I have personally renewed my commitment to witness with hopes and prayers of helping many know the importance of receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior so they don’t have to be there!
However, having Dr. David Jeremiah as General Editor of the Hebrews study was pure genius! He and his writers did Hebrews in a way that gave me (and my Ladies’ Bible Study) a much deeper understanding of some often misunderstood areas of that book! What an affirmation of the assurance of our salvation as we delved into the High Priesthood of Jesus! That was awesome. We came away with a much deeper appreciation for Hebrews!
Daniel, of course, readily led into Revelation, and I really did like the way you went into Genesis after Revelation. I hadn’t thought of the two books as bookends of the Bible, but that idea was wonderfully presented and backed up! God will complete what He began in Genesis in the Last Times as presented in Revelation. Thanks! And prior to that, the Hebrews study of Jesus’ Priesthood led beautifully into His Kingship! Matthew has clarified Jesus as Messiah and King, not just of Israel, but of all who are willing to receive Him as Lord and Savior. I like how chapter 12 of Matthew affirmed that His Kingdom is not of this world and the parables of chapter 13 identified what His Kingdom would be like. Now in Acts we see how He actually began that Kingdom on earth through the Church. Well done, Lifeway! Thanks for helping me see how God has made all of the parts of the Bible fit together! We serve an awesome God! Thank you, Abba, for Your magnificent Word, Your love letter to us!
So there is a lot to be said for studying books in their entirely, but you’ve done a masterful job! Again thanks, Lifeway!
Praise God. What a blessing! Thank you for being a part of our collective ministry!
Be blessed.
In Christ,
Jesse