Participants in our Bible in 90 Days groups filled out "exit" surveys at their last group meetings last week. Now that I have had a chance to look over them, I'd like to share the results and some of the comments with those of you who have been interested in how the project worked out.
We received about 60 completed surveys. Everyone who finished the course didn't fill out a survey, but my estimate is that roughly 65 people out of the 122 initial registrants read the entire Bible. Those who didn't finish still read more of the Bible than they ever had before, though.
Most of those who committed to the program had read "a little" of the Old Testament and " about half" of the New Testament before joining one of these classes. There were a couple of people reporting that they had not read any of the Bible and several who had read all of it once or more in the past. Most people said that the reading was "challenging, but manageable." Of course by the time these surveys were distributed, almost everyone who found it too difficult had already dropped out of their groups.
Some have wondered about the value of a class that emphasizes reading the entire Bible in such a short time rather than taking more time and studying it in depth. Several folks addressed this concern in their comments:
" In the past I have also questioned the value of reading cover to cover. I found this course to be a very positive experience. It helped me to read unfamiliar parts of the Bible and to understand more clearly the themes."
"It gives the entire picture, and at this pace, there is more of a flow to the books."
"What surprised me was that even through the tough parts of the OT my appetite for all of scripture was re-awakened."
"The story in the Bible has been revealed to me in a way not possible by reading bits and pieces as in traditional study...With this foundation, I am better prepared to grow in faith."
Comments about the overall value of the course and the experience were overwhelmingly positive. Here are just a few that I selected to share with you.
"Life-changing--I feel I really began to know God and Jesus and the history even though I went to church my whole life. This made all the difference. Great accomplishment for me with 3 kids under 5 and very worth the time and energy it took!"
"It has been--in all respects--a remarkable blessing in my life. The opportunity to read through God's Word in an intentional (and rapid) manner as a part of a community of believers has been a great gift...This is a wonderful ministry!"
"I can only say, despite the periodic frustration (not 12 pages AGAIN!!), the concern about "what did that really mean?", the alarm that went off at 3:35 am so that I could get up and read and still get to work...most days I none-the-less looked forward to my reading. I would not have missed this experience for anything. The continuity that reading the Bible cover-to-cover gave me was so rewarding. In the past I read the Bible in short passages, and as a result my understanding and knowledge was disconnected...and my disconnect was much greater than I would ever have guessed. I feel so much closer to God than I did before this experience..."
Overwhelmingly those who answered the surveys said that they would recommend the course to others. I heartily join in that endorsement. I participated in Bible in 90 Days and led two of the groups this fall. I gained as much (or more!) as anyone from the experience and pray that this habit of daily Bible reading that so many in our congregation formed will lead to increased participation and interest in study of the Bible in the coming months and years.
As I told El Jefe last night, this has been the most significant program that I ever brought to the church, or probably ever will bring to it. You can't read the Bible seriously without being changed. A congregation that adopts the habit of daily Bible reading will be changed.
If you want more information about Bible in 90 Days, there are two websites you can check. One is the publisher's website and the other is the website of the non-profit organization that has been organized to promote the curriculum and assist churches who are using it.
We received about 60 completed surveys. Everyone who finished the course didn't fill out a survey, but my estimate is that roughly 65 people out of the 122 initial registrants read the entire Bible. Those who didn't finish still read more of the Bible than they ever had before, though.
Most of those who committed to the program had read "a little" of the Old Testament and " about half" of the New Testament before joining one of these classes. There were a couple of people reporting that they had not read any of the Bible and several who had read all of it once or more in the past. Most people said that the reading was "challenging, but manageable." Of course by the time these surveys were distributed, almost everyone who found it too difficult had already dropped out of their groups.
Some have wondered about the value of a class that emphasizes reading the entire Bible in such a short time rather than taking more time and studying it in depth. Several folks addressed this concern in their comments:
" In the past I have also questioned the value of reading cover to cover. I found this course to be a very positive experience. It helped me to read unfamiliar parts of the Bible and to understand more clearly the themes."
"It gives the entire picture, and at this pace, there is more of a flow to the books."
"What surprised me was that even through the tough parts of the OT my appetite for all of scripture was re-awakened."
"The story in the Bible has been revealed to me in a way not possible by reading bits and pieces as in traditional study...With this foundation, I am better prepared to grow in faith."
Comments about the overall value of the course and the experience were overwhelmingly positive. Here are just a few that I selected to share with you.
"Life-changing--I feel I really began to know God and Jesus and the history even though I went to church my whole life. This made all the difference. Great accomplishment for me with 3 kids under 5 and very worth the time and energy it took!"
"It has been--in all respects--a remarkable blessing in my life. The opportunity to read through God's Word in an intentional (and rapid) manner as a part of a community of believers has been a great gift...This is a wonderful ministry!"
"I can only say, despite the periodic frustration (not 12 pages AGAIN!!), the concern about "what did that really mean?", the alarm that went off at 3:35 am so that I could get up and read and still get to work...most days I none-the-less looked forward to my reading. I would not have missed this experience for anything. The continuity that reading the Bible cover-to-cover gave me was so rewarding. In the past I read the Bible in short passages, and as a result my understanding and knowledge was disconnected...and my disconnect was much greater than I would ever have guessed. I feel so much closer to God than I did before this experience..."
Overwhelmingly those who answered the surveys said that they would recommend the course to others. I heartily join in that endorsement. I participated in Bible in 90 Days and led two of the groups this fall. I gained as much (or more!) as anyone from the experience and pray that this habit of daily Bible reading that so many in our congregation formed will lead to increased participation and interest in study of the Bible in the coming months and years.
As I told El Jefe last night, this has been the most significant program that I ever brought to the church, or probably ever will bring to it. You can't read the Bible seriously without being changed. A congregation that adopts the habit of daily Bible reading will be changed.
If you want more information about Bible in 90 Days, there are two websites you can check. One is the publisher's website and the other is the website of the non-profit organization that has been organized to promote the curriculum and assist churches who are using it.
3 comments:
Hi!
Is this curriculum something one could do on one's own? or is it better done as part of a church group?
It's best done as part of a church group. The curriculum, since it includes the dvd lessons, isn't cheap. The group support and discussion is an important part of the experience.
That said, the creator of the course was inspired by his own experience in reading the Bible in 90 days on his own to create the course. So if you want to try it yourself, get an NIV Thinline Large Print Bible (available through the websites I cited on this post) and read 12 pages a day.
Reading the Bible is the important point here!
This makes your church's class better prepared than most PC(USA) seminarians!
To confess something rather grim---I never even read much of the Bible in seminary! It was Tillich, Barth and commentaries on Scripture....
I am still figuring out if it was me that failed, the climate or the teachers.
Either way, I'm now bogged into Ezekiel. Now I KNOW what that whole Wheel thing was all about!!!
Blessings to you in Advent!
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