LifeWay Christian Resources is taking its Sunday School and small group Bible study curriculum where it's never been before: online.
myBibleStudy.com, LifeWay's new Internet-based adult Bible study resource, offers small group leaders access to a library of hundreds of Bible study lessons including current published lessons. In addition to the option of stock or customized lesson plans, daily devotional content is provided for email distribution or via a small group's Web page to group members. Leaders can also manage their group's contact information including names, email addresses, birthdays, and telephone numbers. Leaders can also send emails to individuals or the entire class with the click of a mouse button.
"While the needs of many churches continue to be met through the traditional printed Bible study curriculum that LifeWay offers, there are individual, and often Web-savvy, Bible study leaders who are looking for more than a printed quarterly — myBiblestudy.com is their answer," said Craig Kendall, manager for myBibleStudy.com. "These are the type of folks who check at least one email account every day, get their news minute by minute or daily on the computer, and find the Internet is as much a part of their lives as newspapers or the television."
Though LifeWay is not the first to offer online curriculum for small groups and Sunday School classes, Kendall believes myBibleStudy.com is the first to offer such a unique fusion of affordable study plan and organizational management tools as well as easy-to-customize lessons.
Kendall said the site received good feedback from initial users, and there are plans for developing a set of Internet-based connect tools based on their suggestions. Some of the ideas include an online class calendar that automatically stays up-to-date with group and church calendars; a prayer request tool that can be used to add and update prayer needs; a connect manager that allows groups to maintain a list of group prospects and track their contacts/follow-up efforts, and a life event manager for leaders to help track and remember the important events in the lives of their group members and guests.
"Our desire is to help teachers prepare and deliver more culturally relevant and timely Sunday School lessons and individuals become more active in Bible study daily lesson related devotions on the Internet during the week," said Ted Warren, executive vice president and chief operating officer at LifeWay. "Whether at home or on the road, we believe this will help people apply what the Bible teaches to their daily life and bring about spiritual transformation."
The service costs $17 a month and LifeWay offers discounts for quarterly or annual subscriptions. To receive additional information, visit www.myBibleStudy.com or call toll free at (866) 627-8553.
2005: The Year of the Bible
Through the Bible in One Year
Because messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis June 15-16 voted overwhelmingly to declare 2005 as "The Year of the Bible," Broadman & Holman have published a special edition of their new translation of the Bible called Every Day with Jesus specifically geared toward reading the complete Scriptures in one calendar year.
For complete information, visit https://www.holmancsb.org or www.EveryDaywithJesusBible.com. To order, call 1-800-233-1123, order online at www.lifewaystores.com, or visit a LifeWay Christian Store.
