A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. John E. Schwarz is a graduate of the Master of Christian Studies program at Regent College, and lives in Edina, Minnesota.
“It is unnecessary to furnish proof that there exists even among Christians a widespread biblical illiteracy … Protestantism will not forever survive if steps cannot be taken to remedy it.” – John Bright
John Bright’s comments above come from the preface of his 1953 award-winning classic, The Kingdom of God. Bright goes on to say that the problem the average churchgoer finds with the Bible is that “much of it is scarcely comprehensive, much is perplexing, and much plainly dull.” Also, Bright says, the Bible is often seen as an ancient book that has little to say to the reader. There is a need, clearly, for helpful, contemporary, relevant resources to teach the Bible to adults, and several have been developed over the years since Bright’s remarks, particularly over the past ten to fifteen years. This article describes twelve of the more popular of these resources for churches to consider in starting up or adding to their adult education programs.
One-Year Survey Programs. The following three programs are surveys or overviews of, or introductions to, the Bible. They are meant to be taught over a single church year, starting in the Fall and finishing in the Spring. The dates in brackets are the “copyright” dates of the programs.
Trinity Bible Studies, P.O. Box 77, El Paso, Arkansas 72045 (1978). Developed by Rev. Frank Warden while Pastor of Evangelism at a prominent Methodist church in Dallas, Texas. Two 10-lesson “semesters” on the OT and NT. Touches on all 66 books of the Bible. Classes are clergy-led and principally lecture format. Heavy emphasis on factual information. Very inexpensive.
Path Through Scripture, P.O. Box 7000, Allen, Texas 75002 (1987). Based on materials written by Mark Link, S.J. Sets out the biblical story in “20 easy lessons” (8OT, 12 NT). Written for high school seniors, but an excellent “first” study for adults. Very good at relating the Bible to twentieth century life. Book quality student materials (available through bookstores). Wonderful, creative teacher’s resource manual.
Parish Life, P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440 (1980). Developed by the former Lutheran Church in America (now part of the ELCA). Two 13-lesson surveys of the OT and NT (the NT is the best), plus an optional 13-lesson survey of the inter-testamental period. Materials seminary-authored and scholarly in nature. Leader’s guide. Least expensive of the survey programs.
Two-Year Survey Programs. The three programs below are two-year programs; being longer they take the participants a little deeper into the text.
The Bethel Series, P.O. Box 8398, Madison, Wisconsin 53708(1961). Developed by Rev. Harley Swiggum while Associate Pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison. Very popular and widely- used (over 10,000 churches in various denominations, including many in Canada). Two years, with 20 lessons each on the OT and NT (the OT is the best). Lay-led, with 18 months of intensive teacher-training. More theological than exegetical. Students memorize some 200 biblical concepts. Two-week training seminar in Madison, Wisconsin or Courtenay, B.C. Quite expensive to enroll in program.
Journey, P.O. Box 2400, London, Ontario N6A4G3 (1977). Developed by Fr. Marcel Gervais, a Canadian Roman Catholic. Comprehensive, scholarly, extensive materials (30-35 pages per lesson). Two years and 40 lessons (20 OT, 20 NT). Small group format. Lay-led. Used by both Anglicans and UCC in Canada. Materials purchased through bookstores.
Crossways!, 7930 Computer Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435 (1979). Developed by Rev. Harry Wendt, an Australian Lutheran. Two-year, with 60-lesson (40 OT, 20 NT), book-by- book, information-oriented survey of the Bible. Extensive student materials (over 700 pages). Usually clergy-led and principally lecture. Teacher workshops.
Book Studies. The three studies below are for those who would rather do a book of the Bible than a survey of the Bible, or who can’t do a year-long program but could do a multi-week study.
Church Bible Studies, 191 Mayhew Way, Walnut Creek, California 94596 (1971). Developed by Dr. Robert Stevens, who had been on the staff of Bible Study Fellowship and put into practice in his church (Evangelical Free) a BSF-type program: homework questions, large group lecture, small group discussion, printed lesson notes. Both clergy and lay lecturers (cassettes available to help in lecture preparation). Some 30 10-lesson studies to choose from (both books of the Bible and biblical topics). Very inexpensive.
Search Weekly Bible Studies, 8765 West Higgins Road, Chicago, Illinois 60631 (1983). Developed by the American Lutheran Church (now, also, part of the ELCA) as a Lutheran response to BSF (thus, like CBS above, similar in format). Materials cover five biblical themes broken down into 20 units of eight weeks each (17 OT and 8 NT books). Some churches do a theme a year; others do three units a year (Fall, Winter, Spring), which stretches the course out over seven years. Very complete student and teacher materials (available through bookstores). Pastors usually lecture (there are printed lectures in the teacher manuals!). Good leadership seminars. Inexpensive.
Serendipity, P.O. Box 1012 Littleton, Colorado 80160 (1986). Developed by Rev. Lyman Coleman and Dr. Richard Peace (Professor of Media and Evangelism at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary). Eight multi-lesson studies of nine NT books. Studies have two “tracks”: shorter books (like Philippians and Ephesians) are studied over 7 and 13 weeks; longer books (like Romans and 1 Corinthians over 13 and 26 weeks. Has a lecture component like CBC and Search, but can be done without (so, can be done outside of church). Excellent student and teacher materials. Very inductive and application-oriented. Leaders seminars. Inexpensive.
Advanced Programs. The last three programs include a thematic survey of the Bible, a serious Scripture/discipleship study and a core-level seminary program.
The Kerygma Program, 300 Mt. Lebanon Blvd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15234 (1977). Developed for a Presbyterian church in Pittsburgh in the early 1970s, adopted by The United Church of Canada in 1977, and re-written and marketed in the U.S. and elsewhere in the early 1980s. Not a chronological, book-by-book overview of the Bible but a 33-lesson study of 10 biblical themes (covenant, salvation, worship, etc.) Theological. Participatory class format. Often used as a follow-on study to a survey or introductory course. Good student and teacher materials. Leaders workshops. Somewhat expensive to enroll.
Disciple Bible Study, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37202 (1987). New Program. Developed by Bishop (of Arkansas) Richard Wilke of The United Methodist Church. One-year, 34-lesson survey of the OT and NT (17 lessons each). Focus is on becoming disciples (“followers”) of Jesus. Small group format. Both clergy and lay leaders. Good student materials. In-class video presentations on key themes and passages. Teaching seminars. Fairly expensive to enroll.
Education For Ministry, The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee 37357 (1976). Developed by The School of Theology of The University of the South, an Episcopal seminary. Four-year course of theological education by extension. Only program to go beyond the Bible into church history, Protestant theology and Christian ethics. Format is small group with an approved “mentor.” Good application component Materials extensive, scholarly and critical. Very expensive for participants.
Implementation. Churches that want to get their adult members into Bible study, or to go on with more study, might consider the following:
Ready: Give the congregation a questionnaire to find out whether people want beginners’ or advanced studies, survey courses or book studies (list books for which there are good curriculum resources), lecture or discussion, large group or small, Sunday morning or mid-week, at church or in homes, etc.
Aim: Order sample materials from programs that seem to fit the responses, and talk with churches that have used them (ask program administrators for the names of user churches in the area). Decide which programs most closely match the congregation’s interests. Then interview and select the best possible teachers/leaders, and send them to teacher-training workshops and seminars.
Fire: Prepare a brochure with information on the programs to be offered, and promote adult education throughout the year in as many ways as possible, including from the pulpit. Also, meet with the teachers/leaders on a regular basis to get feedback on their courses, and to encourage them in their teaching ministry.
Further Information. Additional information on the above twelve programs will be available in an article to be published in the January 1990 issue of Word & World: Theology For Christian Ministry, published by Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 2481 Como Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108. The Word & World article has more detail on each of the programs, including cost figures; it also includes six criteria to use in evaluation Bible study programs, and lists those programs ranking highest in each of the six categories. Those who want even more information, including details on how each program “works,” samples of personal study questions, each program’s course outline or book studies, samples of student materials, an evaluation of each program using the six criteria mentioned above, specific recommendations for small, medium and large churches and expanded suggestions for implementation, should consult the research thesis the author wrote (Adult Bible Studies: A Look at 20 Popular Programs, 1988), which has been micro-filmed and is available through the Regent College-Carey Hall Library in Vancouver, B.C. care of the Channels address.