Do you believe in the Bible? Do you believe the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God? I would imagine that almost all of us would answer a 100% “Yes” to both of those questions. Do you think someone would be pleasing to God if they did not believe those things? Are you actively participating in our Bible class ministry, either as a student, teacher, or teacher’s assistant? Do you see how answering “Yes” to the first two questions and “No” to this one seems contradictory?

This Sunday begins a new quarter of study. We have great classes for our children, from the cradle roll through teens. And we have four adult classes that offer topics and classes that will offer something important and helpful for everyone each week. More about them can be found on the inside of this Family Page.

Did you attend Sunday morning Bible class this week? Perhaps you have a good reason if you couldn’t. If not, do you really think that one hour of sleep was more beneficial than meeting with your brothers and sisters to consider important truths from God’s eternal Word? I have come to believe that generally speaking people do what they really want to do, and if they don’t do something, there’s a good chance they just didn’t really want to do that. Time to look in the mirror—in your heart—and ask what’s really important, based not on what you say, but on your actions and practices, decisions and choices.

We offer Bible classes for all ages on Wednesday evenings as well. I will begin a new series this Wednesday night in the auditorium based on the story of Joseph in Genesis, using as a resource a book by Steve Farrar, God-Built: Forged by God…in the Bad and Good of Life. This was a very challenging and helpful study in our men’s class a while back, and I know our discussion would be enriched—if you were a part of it!! Our ladies continue their wonderful study, ABCs of a Godly Heart, based on the book by Cassandra Martin. Each week they take a letter from the alphabet and give it an attribute of God and what our response to that should be. They meet in the “New Classroom” (old office) down the hall from the auditorium. And our men will begin a study upstairs led by Rudy Stempfer and Jim Rackley on the two good spies from the time of the Exodus, Joshua and Caleb, using another Steve Farrar book, Battle Ready: Prepared to be Used by God.

A new quarter is a great time to begin again!! Consider making a “New Quarter’s Resolution” to be active and faithful in Bible class participation!! And while you’re at it, how another resolution: to be in your seat on time!

And we are always in need of some fresh faces to help in our Bible class program by being a teacher or teacher’s assistant. Contact Lesa Branch if you can help. And remember this challenging rebuke from Hebrews 5:11-14 as you consider your commitment to studying—”constantly using”—God’s Word:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.