The church that meets and works together at Chapman Acres has decided to set aside 45-50 minutes every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening to study the Bible in the form of a class. If you will join us at 9 A.M. on Sundays and 7 P.M. on Wednesdays, you too can join us in this engaging study of God’s holy word. At these studies you can expect, first and foremost, teaching from the Bible, teachers who have prepared to instruct the students and who care for the souls of those whom they teach, and fellow truth-seekers who desire to know and understand God’s will more than all else. All adults are welcome and encouraged to join us for these profitable studies (even if it is not your custom to attend these on a regular basis).

These Bible classes are not just for adults; young children and adolescents will greatly benefit from age-appropriate studies as well. Two separate classes are offered for the younger people. It is not the responsibility of the local church to raise children; that responsibility is placed on the shoulders of parents (Ephesians 6:4), however we believe that the studies offered here at Chapman Acres can be of aid to parents in that most important task of raising godly children. To that end, we would encourage all parents to bring their children to these Bible classes. Grandparents, we would ask you to consider this an opportunity to help mold the spiritual future of your precious grandchildren.

We may not all be Bible class teachers and have the opportunity of directly influencing the future generation, however more of us can play the pivotal role that Lois and Eunice played in the rearing of Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14, 15).

Attendance to these studies is an obvious way we will benefit from these Bible classes, however, if we think that by simply attending these studies we will grow spiritually mature, we are mistaken. In the continuation of this article, let us offer some other ways we can help our spiritual walk as it relates to our Bible classes.

Pray

One of the best things we can do as we try to improve our Bible classes is pray. There are so many things to pray for. You can pray for your understanding of the text. You can pray for open hearts to the word. You can pray for the instructors who will be leading the studies. You can pray for resolve to follow and apply what you learn from the studies. As you can see, there are many things that we can pray for as it relates to our studies. While this is a good start, it should not be the only step.

Prepare

I think most would agree that when only the teacher is prepared for Bible class, it is usually not one of the best classes. Certainly, the teacher has the responsibility of preparing and doing his homework for the class, but should he be the only one?

In two weeks, the adults will begin a study through material titled Themes in 1 Timothy. Wednesdays we are studying through the Periods Between the Testaments. The children’s classes are currently in a three-year study of the Old and New Testaments. Most of us have plenty of time during the week where we can get ready for these Bible classes. Read the text before you come to class. Lesson sheets have been made and everyone is encouraged to have those filled out before class. If you wish to gain much good from these classes, remember that you must put forth your best effort as well.

Participate

Once you have prayed and prepared yourself for Bible class, you will now be in a good position to participate in the class and help make it engaging for others with your contributions. As always, any and all comments and questions are always welcome. One of the advantages of studying the Bible in a class setting is that you have so many sharp minds also studying the material. This can incredibly helpful as often others can shed light and bring clarity to what otherwise be a tough subject. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in a public setting, and that is fine, but remember that there are other ways of participating other than by speaking up.

Practice

The goal of Bible study is not to simply memorize Bible facts. While facts can be extremely helpful, the true purpose of Bible study is to reform us. The reason we study, meditate, learn, and teach is so that our hearts and lives might be changed. We always want to conform our will to the Scriptures.

As we go through our material in Bible class, remember to let God’s word change you and to practice the things we learn from our studies. “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:21, 22).

Isaac Muñoz