grace232
- Sep 11, 2022
- 4 min read

Our SIMPLY BIBLE Community

Thank you for joining our Simply Bible community.

Whether you’ve been part of Simply Bible from the very first study in 2017, or you have joined us in recent days, we thank God for you. Ideally, knowing and enjoying God through the Bible happens through community. And so, we are glad you are here.

Yet, along with that, at Simply Bible we believe that experiencing God happens best through a local body of believers. Simply Bible began as a study in my home church. The first studies were written for the purpose of helping a particular congregation of women grow in their relationship with Jesus and also grow in relationship with one another. Relationship is the keyword.

Relationship. A connection. A bond.

And so, we hope and pray that each member of this Simply Bible community also enjoys the blessing of growing in tight-knit relationships with Jesus and others. When we pray, we picture churches and small groups linked together arm-in-arm and heart-to-heart in this journey to follow Jesus.

It’s a visual I have from our first Simply Bible study.

God had done His transforming work in our hearts as individuals and as larger groups of women. Our hearts and spirits became linked in a Holy Spirit way such that on the final day of study, women desired giant group hugs. It's true! What a beautiful picture of what God had done in our inner beings. Heart bonds had grown strong.

Knowing and enjoying God through the Bible is about relationship. Experiencing relationship with Jesus and relationships with others. Ideally, we hope these relationships are happening for you within the context of church communities, neighborhoods, coffee shops, homes and more.

Yet life is not always ideal. There are seasons (ahem, COVID?) where we need help. We need a hand. If that is you, we want you to know, we are here for you.

We are on mission to help others know and enjoy God through the Bible.

And so, the resources we offer aim to support ministry leaders, groups and individuals foster relationships with God and others.

Simply Bible studies have gone beyond the walls of my home church in ways that I never

dreamed or imagined. We are ever seeking to follow Jesus where He is leading and evaluate our resources to align accordingly. With that, I want to highlight the various resources we are offering this fall.

Would you please take a peek to see which ones are helpful for you?

1. The Simply Bible books.

You can find them here. Our books provide a format to help us be curious and ask God questions about the Bible. The books also provide tools and guidance to help us find answers to our questions.

Learning to converse with God through His Word matters.

In the midst of the daily, the Bible explains the way to the good life that our good God longs to give us.

2. Online Zoom groups.

Be a part of an online group. There are seasons of life where online provides relationships needed. I’m amazed by how God knits hearts together with His and others through Zoom.

3. Daily videos.

Daily videos started during COVID. We realized that busy moms- whether

moms of toddlers or teens (it really didn’t matter)- needed a hand, a study buddy.

The idea came from Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers really just wanted children to know that

someone cared about their feelings. As a person on the other side of the screen, he did

care. He was not flashy or high tech. He simply entered into children’s concerns with

them.

Sure, it’s not face-to-face connection, but God used Mr. Rogers to encourage and inspire children to explore and be curious.

That’s the gist of Simply Bible daily videos. A study buddy. A face on the other side of the screen that really does care and longs to encourage and inspire others to be curious, brave and explore a connection with God. Contact us here if you’d like to receive Sermon on the Mount videos in your inbox this fall.

4. The YouTube Channel.

Subscribe. Whenever a new Simply Bible video is posted, YouTube will notify you. We will continue posting daily study buddy videos that many of you are familiar with. We also are experimenting with YouTube shorts… a one minute thought. These pick-me-ups seek to inspire us to take a peek at the day’s Scripture reading.

5. The Facebook Group.

We hope for this to become a discussion room, a safe place to ask questions and relate to others who long to experience God through the Bible. In the past, we have posted teaching videos here. We won’t do that this year. Simply Bible has grown, and not everyone in the group is doing the same study. This fall we know of church groups using Sermon on the Mount, but others are offering Galatians, Ruth, Philippians, Esther… and more.

6. Leader’s Live.

A safe haven for leaders to experience God through the Bible with other

leaders. We meet via Zoom. Email us if you’d like more information.

7. In person.

Beyond this, I periodically meet with church ministry leaders, speak and/ or train at churches.

That's quite a list! Yet, we wonder how to be better and how to best help others relate to God through His Word.

So friend, as a part of our Simply Bible community, would you please take a moment to reflect on this list?

Let us know which resources you currently use. And then, what might you find helpful?

Lord God, thank You for this Simply Bible community. Thank You for the good work You are

doing. You transform our hearts to know and enjoy You. We are blessed! Please continue to lead and guide us in this mission.

Which resources do you currently use?

The Simply Bible books
Online Zoom groups
Daily videos
The YouTube channel

You can vote for more than one answer.

If we offered online training or webinars, what would you attend?

More in-depth training on the inductive study process.
Walk through a passage of Scripture with Carmen.
Tips for studying various genre of Scripture.
How to put a Bible passage in context?