Bible Studies

This week marks the conclusion of our Fall Monday Night/Tuesday morning Bible Study.  We are finishing the book of Job. 

I have been doing a weekly Bible Study for almost twenty years.  It started as a Tuesday morning Bible Study for Senior Adults.  Evelyn Kepley was coordinating our Senior Adult Ministry in early '90s when she asked me to do a Bible Study for several weeks.  Eventually, this evolved into a Fall and Spring Tuesday morning Bible Study.  In the early days we would meet in the church parlor and sometimes in the chapel.  Later, as attendance picked up, we moved to the Fellowship Hall. 

After a couple of years doing the Bible Studies on Tuesday mornings, several people asked me about doing a study at night.  That is when the Monday night study started.  We also started having people from other churches join us. 

The Bible Study took a dramatic leap around the mid-1990s (I can't recall the exact year)  Coming out of church one Sunday my good friend Mack Mast said, "Do you have enough guts to teach the Book of Revelation?"   I took the challenge to heart.

I remember two things about that study.  One, we decided to invite the community to join us and we ran a few ads in the paper.  Secondly, I wasn't sure what kind of response we would have and I remember Rochella Baker telling me she would pray for a good turnout.  Well, the first night we had over 200 people show up in the Fellowship Hall!   I called Rochella the next morning and told her to quit praying!  

A lot of the people who initially came to the Revelation study were more curious than serious Bible students, but our attendance remained strong and continues to this day. (Mack Mast did not miss a single session of Revelation!) It is not unusual to have as many, or maybe more, people from other churches in attendance than First Baptist.  I always promise not to try to make a Baptist out of people and not to take an offering!  The ecumencial spirit in the Bible Study is one of our great strengths. 

In the late 90s, Frank Sherron called me one day and asked if I would be interested in teaching a men's morning Bible Study.  We started meeting in the Board Room of LSB, a Bible Study that continues today every Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. (We are now meeting at the YMCA)  We have developed into a very close-knit group of men and since we have a smaller group, we have some great discussion!

Bible Studies take a lot of time.  I usually study on Monday mornings, beginning about 5:00 a.m.  While they are time consuming, the discipline of Bible Study and the spiritual truths discovered in the discipline provide a solid foundation for the week.  It is one of the most important things I do! The Bible Studies are highlights of the week for me.  I am grateful for so many faithful individuals who come every week. 

Our Winter/Spring Bible Study will be on the Gospel of Mark and will begin Monday night and Tuesday morning, January 23 and 24. We would love for you to join us. We will be using the Abingdon New Testament Commentary on Mark written by C. Clifton Black, who happens to be the brother of Dr. Jim Black of Lexington.  Jim, by the way, is a faithful member of the Monday night Bible Study!  

Another great tradition is our annual Bible Study Field Trip.  Next May we will be traveling to Savannah, Georgia. It's a great time to celebrate our study of the Word.