Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Bible Study Starts in 8 Days!

We are preparing to launch a facebook based Bible Study on February 25th. The optimal way to experience the online study is by joining facebook and requesting to be our friend at this link.

However, we will also be posting the weekly study guides here at www.facebookbiblestudy.blogspot.com for those who do not belong to facebook or prefer blogger. Each week's study will involve working through a self-directed, web-based experience under the direction of a spiritual director/teacher.

Joe Boyd, Teaching Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio will be teaching a Lenten study based on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. The focus will be on Jesus' teachings in light of his message of the availability of what he called the "Kingdom of God."

The best way to experience the study is to join the Bible Study on Facebook group by clicking this link and requesting to become our friend. However, there will be enough information posted here each week to do the study apart from facebook.

Please read below to see the Bible Study Covenant. The first study guide will be posted here and on facebook on or before Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2009.

The FB Bible Study Covenant:

This is an online community of spiritual seekers desiring to learn more about the Christian Scriptures. This group is not for everyone. The following covenant will be strictly maintained. Failure to meet the guidelines may result in removal from the study.

1. We understand that the study is facilitated by a Christian, thus making the study unavoidably biased toward a confessional Christian worldview.

2. Having that understanding, we welcome anyone of any faith or tradition (Christian or non-Christian) to participate.

3. We come from every imaginable religious and spiritual background and desire to study the same Scriptures at the same time because we desire unity and mutual respect. We vow to respect everyone, even those with whom we disagree.

4. We vow to be completely civilized - among other things, this means no harsh or course language on the wall, no proselytizing toward our own faith, church or opinion, and no mean spirited interactions. There are plenty of places on the web for that. This just isn't one of them.

5. We agree that each study will be taught by a qualified Christian teacher/spiritual director. Joining the study is a vow to submit to and learn from the director; and, to do the work he or she assigns. (Think of it like taking a college class without the fees.) The primary covenantal relationship entered is between student and teacher. Each study has one and only one teacher. This is a learning environment, not simply a discussion group.

6. We agree that anyone may voluntarily leave a study or the group at anytime without shame.

7. We expect approximately 1-3 hours/week of independent guided study. We commit to the work and will voluntarily drop the study if we cannot make time for it.


We will be studying the book of Matthew, chapters 5-7. This is traditionally called Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." The study will begin on Ash Wednesday - Feb. 25, 2009 and conclude the week of Easter. This study corresponds with the season of Lent on the church calendar.

To sign up for the study, send a FRIEND REQUEST to BIBLE STUDY and then SEND A MESSAGE (MAIL, NOT WALL) requesting your week one syllabus. You will receive instructions on or before Wed. Feb. 25.

This study is our first. It's a trial run and we will work out the bugs as we go, so please be patient.

Thanks,

Joe Boyd
Teacher for Matthew 5-7 Bible Study (Spring, 2009)

3 comments:

  1. Joe, one thing that you might try is to make it a Facebook group instead of a profile. That way, you can still post things, have other people be able to post things, and be able to message everyone at once.

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  2. Can we have a sneak preview ? Like they do in Hollywood.

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  3. Hey Jon-

    I think I will start a group page as well once we get going...we probably need both really. Thanks.

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