It's September...and BSF is Coming!

Fall is one of my very favorite times of the year. One of the primary reasons is because that means Bible Study Fellowship will be starting up again...the second week in September.

I started in Bible Study Fellowship...otherwise known as BSF back in January 1998. I went at the invitation of Nadine...a friend at work. Nadine was always known as a very godly woman...who loves the Lord. She was always serious and deeply involved and committed to Bible study. Nadine had previously invited me...but I declined...the time never seemed right.
But Nadine persisted and would periodically extend the invitation again. 1998 was a transitional time in my life...and suddenly I realized...I needed to get serious about being a Christian...and studying God's word.

I had recently moved...and was involved in a relationship with a deeply troubled guy. I had lost a good friendship with a friend who was angry at me over my bad choices. My mom and step dad lived a distance away...and I felt all alone. So God was working on my heart...and I decided to step out give BSF a try. I can say without reservation...it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I had been a Christian for for about 7 years and had attended several great churches. I had been privileged to sit under some great Bible teaching...but had never really seriously studied the Bible. Oh I had read the Bible...and loved church and group Bible studies...but they didn't demand commitment or an investment in time.

But BSF was different...and that's where I really started to grow as a Christian. Each week you attend a class about two hours long. The first 10 minutes the full class meets as a group for opening hymns and prayer. Following that the class breaks up into smaller groups of up to 15 people. In the small groups...class members take turns sharing their answers to the questions completed on the current week's lesson. The lessons have about 30 questions that cover the passage that BSF is studying that particular week. Sometimes the questions are pretty challenging...and other times easier. The thing that's nice about everyone sharing their answers is that you get to hear someone else's take or understanding on questions. So the work you've done is enriched by hearing other's responses. You are in the group for about 45 minutes.

Following your discussion group...the entire class meets together again...and hears a lecture from the Teaching Leader. The lecture is also covering the passage you had studied during the week and had just discussed with fellow class members. So the weeks Bible passage and lesson is really reinforced in multiple ways. It's very rich and rewarding.

When you leave class each member get their new lesson for the week. It includes several pages of notes from passage just studied...and questions for the new week.

It's great having both new Christians in the class as well as older Christians with a lot of Bible study experience. If someone's answers a question inaccurately, someone else may have a more accurate answer according to scriptures. Frequently, the questions you were uncertain how to best answer are covered in the lecture for the week.

On an average week...I'd say I spend probably 2 to 2 1/2 hour studying. Maybe a little longer if you're detail oriented. That may sound like a lot...but not if you go according to plan maybe about 20 minutes or so each day. Everyone uses only the Bible for studying...no outside sources. So everyone is on an even footing with regards to resources.

All the people involved in your local classes from the Teaching Leader to Discussion Leaders are volunteers. They put a lot work and a lot of prayer into doing that which God has called them to do.

So if BSF sounds at all intriguing...I recommend you give it a try. It will help you to grow by leaps and bounds. I went from someone just sitting in church and hearing a message to some studying the Bible. I went from someone who had some knowledge to someone who is more discerning and can spot when I hear a message that is not in keeping with God's word...and know why or where it's wrong.

This will be my seventh year...I stopped for one year...but started back up again last January. Didn't realize how much I needed it and missed it, until I returned.

This years study is in the book of Genesis. It's an excellent study...that I loved when going through it many years ago. Look forward to covering it again. While I will be studying with the Santa Ana women's evening class...people in Bible Study Fellowship all around the world will also be studying the same passage.

Don't be intimidated by the time investment...it's well worth it. You will grow in wisdom and knowledge of God's word. Hope to see you there!