This is a wonderful article written by Terri Burnett on how to have successful Bible studies.

Women's Bible studies are essential to a thriving Women's Ministry. Women need a safe place to ask questions, share experiences, connect with others, and grow closer to God. A successful Bible study program develops spiritual maturity in a non-threatening environment, strengthens relationships, and improves harmony within the body of the church. Whatever the size and needs of your church, the following steps will be helpful in either starting or growing Bible studies:

Calling all prayer warriors! Ask several spiritually mature women to begin praying with you. Pray specifically for God to bring teachable hearts, qualified leaders, and life- changing study materials. Don't do this alone. Form a discipleship team to help make decisions and share the load. Clearly outline and communicate the tasks that lie ahead, and delegate responsibilities.

Know your audience. In order to plan an effective Bible study or studies, you first need to ask some questions about the women of your church. A well thought out survey is useful to gain valuable information about their interests, needs, and availability.

Who's minding the kids? Mothers can only come to your studies if their young children are taken care of. Some churches have been blessed to have volunteers who are willing to watch the children, other churches provide paid childcare workers. Discuss with your Children's pastor ways to work together, calling on their expertise in this area.

Choose materials wisely. Not every study out there may be right for the women of your church. A review team can narrow the options and make recommendations to the Discipleship team. If more than one study option is being offered, make sure you are considering the needs of different ages, lifestyles, and maturity levels.

Pray in your leaders. After the studies have been chosen, then prayerfully select your facilitators. I firmly believe that if God leads you to select a certain study, He will provide the leader.

Get the word out. As women, one of our best assets is our mouth! Keep the women and staff of your church informed and interested. Use testimonies at an event to promote upcoming studies, or during Sunday school classes. Create flyers, posters, or mail-outs.

Set the Standard. Clearly communicate your expectations to your facilitators. Provide an agreement for them to sign, listing expectations and your church's statement of beliefs. Provide a training class before the study begins, equipping them to lead a discussion group.

An effective and impactful Bible study program requires dedication. The Bible tells us to "commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3). Pray hard, plan well, and let the Lord direct your steps.

Provided by Pam Gillespie who is the author of Ablaze: Igniting Spiritual Passion for Life through Reading God's Word. Contact Pam online at www.deepandwide.org.

• "What's Your Dream?" Women's Retreat
• Bridget Taylor's Website

Last week we asked you to recommend a Bible Study for someone dealing with a history of sexual abuse. As always, you sent in many thoughtful and helpful responses. We are not able to include all the recommendations, but here are some that were mentioned several times:

• "Breaking Free" a Bible study by Beth Moore was recommended by over half of the women who responded, some of whom have dealt with the same issue. Although it does not focus specifically on sexual abuse, it is a great tool to work through the issue in a Biblical way. As one of you said, "This study takes you through a journey on how to allow God to heal you, to let go of the past, and allow God to use everything in your life for His glory."
• "Healing for Damaged Emotions" a book and workbook by David A. Seamands
• "Beyond the Lie" by Alice Smith
• "The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse" by Dan B. Allender
• "Beauty for Ashes" a book by Joyce Meyer
• "Helping Victims of Sexual Abuse" a book by Lynn Heitritter and Jeanette Vought
• "Shattering the Strongholds" a book and workbook by Liberty Savard
• "Door of Hope" a book by Jan Frank
• "Lord, Heal My Hurts" a Bible study by Kay Arthur
• "Healed and Set Free" a Bible study by Tammy Brown

In Him... Robyne Beaubien, Editor

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I love learning!

Recently I have shared some of my favorite study tools and websites. In response, several of you told me about E-SWORD, a tool that I have heard of, but had not yet explored.

Here is an excerpt from one of the emails I received:

Have you checked out E-SWORD? It's free to download. I use it often to read commentaries, search the Bible, define words, copy verses, compare Bible versions (you can create your own parallel Bible with up to any four translations), and see the Greek or Hebrew meanings. There's also a Graphics Viewer for studying maps, charts, and other images and much more!

Check out the Introduction at their web site:
www.e-sword.net/

Thanks for sharing ladies!

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