Thursday, October 18, 2007

"Bible in 90 Days" Begins January 2, 2008

Membership for this study is now closed. If you would like to be notified when (and if) I do this study again, please e-mail me and I will save your information for the appropriate time. Thanks for stopping by!

If you are here, I am sure it's because one of my kind bloggy friends mentioned something about participating in the Bible in 90 Days reading program. No doubt you are interested, or you wouldn't have clicked over. Here is everything I can think of that you would need to know. If you read through all of this and you still have questions, please e-mail me using the link at the right.

What is this program?
The mission, as stated in The Bible in 90 Days literature, is "to read, ATTENTIVELY, every word of the Bible in 90 Days. "

If you would like more information, you can read testimonials and some FAQs at the Bible in 90 Days website.

Have you, personally, done this program before?
Yes. I wrote a little about my experience with it in this post.

Why would anyone want to read the Bible in 90 days?
The idea is that by reading it in large chunks over a short period of time, you are able to make connections and see themes that you might not otherwise catch. It is not meant to be an in-depth study. However, there is MUCH to be learned by reading the Bible in this way.

Do you actually retain anything when you read through it that fast?
The point is not to learn every detail of the Bible. The point is to see the big picture.

That being said, I can tell you that I can still recall every specific thing that God taught me through the study. Why I remember who the Kohathites, Elihu, and Asaph are, I don't know. But I know who they are, and why they are important. My study gave me a framework for the history of Israel that I'd never had before and everything I have studied since then has been a new piece added to that framework. Through this study, God tendered my heart for His chosen nation, Israel. God used this study to spark in me a love for the Old Testament that I have never had before. He enlarged, beyond my ability to explain, my vision of Him. And when I began to read the New Testament, it was with fresh eyes that I beheld Jesus. He just wasn't the same guy I'd been reading about for so many years.

So, all that to say: you won't retain every bit of Bible trivia there is to know. But, while I don't know what you will retain, I'm certain you will retain whatever God gives you as you read.

His word always accomplishes whatever he purposes to do with it, you know.

Can I participate?
Before you make the decision to participate in this study, allow me to make a few requests:

1. Please do not sign up if you plan to do another Bible study during the 90 days.

2. You will be asked to make a serious commitment to complete your reading in 90 Days. That means that from January through March you will need to set aside 45 minutes to an hour EVERY DAY for reading. You need to be aware that something will very likely come up during that time which will throw you off your schedule. You need to be prepared for it and you need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get back on schedule.

I am asking you to take this commitment seriously for two reasons. First, the benefit of this program comes from reading all of the Bible in a short period of time. Every day of reading beyond 90 days lessens that benefit. Second, this is an ACCOUNTABILITY group, and I take that seriously. That means that throughout the 90 Days, I will be contacting members individually to see how each is doing. I am willing to do this for a group of 60 committed women. This is a lot of work for me, so I am requesting, for my sake, that you don't join this group on a whim.

3. I lead this group last year in person at my church as well as online through the Yahoo group. Sixty-six percent of the church group completed the Bible within the 90 Days. Only fifteen percent of the online group completed on time, and the majority did not complete it at all. For this reason, I am asking you to seriously consider doing this program with another "real-life" person - your husband, your best friend - someone you will be able to talk to frequently about what you are reading.

4. Again, this is an accountability group. As such, you will be asked to report your progress each week. If you are unwilling to make yourself accountable to the group, you are less likely to complete the program. Please consider this before joining.

Right on, Lori! Sign me up!
We will use a Yahoo group to share information, check in each week, and post questions and encouragement. If you would like to join the group, simply send me an e-mail (see link in sidebar) NO EARLIER than December 1. You must contact me using the e-mail account you wish to use for all of your 90 Day communication.

I will keep the sign-ups open until 60 women sign up or until December 15, whichever comes first. After December 15, no new members will be added to the group. (I will take more than 60 people if someone else volunteers to help moderate the group. If you are interested in moderating, please let me know in your e-mail.)

After December 15th, look for your invitation to the Yahoo group. To those of you with Yahoo accounts: please make sure that your preferences are set to accept an invitation to a Yahoo group. If the invitation is rejected because your preferences will not allow it, you will not be able to join the group.

In the time remaining before the program begins, familiarize yourself with the Yahoo group and, if you want to use one, order your participant's guide. Also, contact me with any questions or technical difficulties you may be having so that we can get everything running smoothly before we begin.

If you are expecting an invitation but haven't received one by December 17, please make sure that the invitation was not directed to your junk mail folder before contacting me.

Thanks, y'all. I sincerely hope you will join in.... a blessing awaits you.