Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Looking for a bible study to complete with a few ladies that is of the traditional non-charismatic bent, and would prefer something that isn't a Beth Moore study either (speaking of Beth Moore...has anyone completed her Esther study yet? Just curious as I have heard she gets in to a bit of mysticism :confused:). Some I am currently considering are: Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges Transforming Grace by Bridges Discipline of Grace by Bridges (yeah, I kinda like Jerry's stuff :D) Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp and???? I have completed myriad Beth Moore studies and I honestly cannot stomach another. Yeah, I know many love them, but :tongue_smilie: Would love your personal fav and why you liked it. Also, it does NOT have to be a women's study. I am not at all against non-gender studies. I just want something good. Not too difficult, but not wishy-washy on theology. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 www.bsfinternational.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 (I'm a fan of BM, but a member of a traditional parish, if that helps in discernment) I liked going thru Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline using the study guide. It's a pretty awesome book--very rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 My favorite is Restore My Heart by Denise Glenn. Check it out at this site: http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/motherwi/-strse-Restore-My-Heart/Categories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 http://www.amazon.com/Love-Worth-Giving-Living-Overflow/dp/0849913462/ref=sr_1_59?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566299&sr=1-59 This one was nice, but lightweight theologically. http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Disciplines-Christian-Donald-Whitney/dp/1576830276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566454&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Disciplines-Christian-Study-Guide/dp/0891097597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566454&sr=1-2 This one I'd like to repeat every two years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 My favorite is Restore My Heart by Denise Glenn. Check it out at this site:http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/motherwi/-strse-Restore-My-Heart/Categories This looks interesting. Could you tell me more about it? Why did this touch you? The website does not have samples to view, and didn't really give me great insight to what the study teaches, etc. I really don't want to spend $20 on a sample pack if it's not what I am looking for, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I led a women's study a year ago using "Having a Mary Spirit' by Joanna Weaver. It is a seemingly light study with quite a bit of richness. It was very well received. No DVDs, just a book and study guide. We, too, were burned out on Beth Moore and this study allowed us a different pace. We laughed a lot. An older study, but one I'm picking up for myself is "Laugh Again" by Chuck Swindoll. I've done it in years past and feel the need for some hope these days. It's study of Philippians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 http://www.amazon.com/Love-Worth-Giving-Living-Overflow/dp/0849913462/ref=sr_1_59?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566299&sr=1-59This one was nice, but lightweight theologically. http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Disciplines-Christian-Donald-Whitney/dp/1576830276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566454&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Disciplines-Christian-Study-Guide/dp/0891097597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244566454&sr=1-2 This one I'd like to repeat every two years or so. Oooo...these look good too Julie. I especially like the Spiritual Disciplines book. The Amazon excerpt was quite interesting to read. Can you tell me what you liked about it, did it actually help inspire you to develop the disciplines in your own life? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 I led a women's study a year ago using "Having a Mary Spirit' by Joanna Weaver. I looked at this one on Amazon just yesterday. It looked like it might be a good one. I was wondering if one had to have completed her first book first though, as the beginning chapter speaks of it. Can you tell me what you liked about the study? What you learned from it? It is sooooo hard to judge a study by an excerpt! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staci in MO Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Trusting God by Jerry Bridges changed my life. I struggled a lot with worry and fear, and this book was a balm to my soul. There's a study guide that goes with it. Another book I've enjoyed is Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes. I'm not sure if there's a study guide for it, though. And your post reminded me that a friend left Age of Opportunity in my dh's mailbox at church for me to borrow. Need to drive over there and get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 OOh there are so many good Bible Studies to choose from. My top 3 from that we've done so far would have to be Beth Moore's Daniel study. AWESOME!! http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=825890&item_code=WW&netp_id=449080&event=ESRCN&view=covers Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?ISBN=1415832145 and James MacDonald's Downpour. http://store.walkintheword.com/p-1225-downpour-he-will-come-to-us-like-the-rain.aspx I really got a lot out of them when we did these with our Bible Study group this last school year. In the fall when we get back together we will be doing The Truth Project. My mom is doing it with her group right now and she says it is life changing. I'm really excited about doing that one. :) http://www.thetruthproject.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I've never done the Whitney book as a Bible study, it is a very challenging book! I've been reading off and on for a couple of years now, it would make a great study and be easy to discuss. I'm in a women's Bible Study and we're using a Bible survey written by former OPC pastor Francis Breisch, Jr. We finished the OT survey (The Kingdom of God) and now are doing the NT survey (The Ministry of Christ). They are really written for Jr High-early High School, but we find the books to be a great spine and good discussion starters. Our group takes turns teaching and will often pull in other commentary and ideas to discuss, but the book can easily stand on its own as written too (and some of us do that too when life has gotten hairy [grin]) I plan on using these with my middlers when the time comes, but they've truly been great for adults! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Oooo...these look good too Julie. I especially like the Spiritual Disciplines book. The Amazon excerpt was quite interesting to read.Can you tell me what you liked about it, did it actually help inspire you to develop the disciplines in your own life? Yes, the Spiritual Disciplines book encourages me to me more "intentional" in carrying out my faith. I really thought the study guide was beautifully done too. Some study guides don't seem to add much more to the discussion, but this one really did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Esther was AMAZING! And I'm not a Beth Moore junkie by any stretch, but it was truly one of the best studies I've ever done. My all-time favorite though is Experiencing God by Blackerby (?) It truly changed the way I think about a lot of things. Very good stuff there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I looked at this one on Amazon just yesterday. It looked like it might be a good one. I was wondering if one had to have completed her first book first though, as the beginning chapter speaks of it. Can you tell me what you liked about the study? What you learned from it? It is sooooo hard to judge a study by an excerpt! :001_smile: I had never read her first book--still haven't. ;) One of the primary lessons I got from this book was that Satan doesn't have to completely derail our faith--a complete rejection of God. All he has to do is make us less effective. That really hit me as significant because I see it now in my life and in the lives of others. She teaches that often we aren't resisting bad things, we are resisting the hand of God in our lives. We spend too much time arguing with God instead of embracing His plan and path for our lives....no matter how challenging. A lot of thinking, growing, and analyzing kinds of thoughts. It helps you look within. I have lots and lots of underlined sentences and paragraphs in the book. The enclosed study guide can be printed off a website and is a good start for conversation and thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I've never done the Whitney book as a Bible study, it is a very challenging book! I've been reading off and on for a couple of years now, it would make a great study and be easy to discuss. Do you have the study guide? It's very useful. We used it as a group (men & women) study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 Esther was AMAZING! What did you find "amazing" about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 Beth Moore's Daniel study. AWESOME!! http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=825890&item_code=WW&netp_id=449080&event=ESRCN&view=covers I agree that this was a good study in and of itself, but it was actually the one that turned me off to Beth. I had done all of her previous studies minus The Patriarchs, and in Daniel she came off as very...well...maniacal. The way she would draw out her S's and the look in her eyes. :tongue_smilie: it just turned me off. I later found out that I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of Godhttp://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?ISBN=1415832145 and James MacDonald's Downpour. http://store.walkintheword.com/p-1225-downpour-he-will-come-to-us-like-the-rain.aspx Too expensive. I do enjoy James MacDonald on the radio though. But I cannot afford $150 for such a short study. :D http://www.thetruthproject.org/ I've already been through this twice with various groups. It's very well done, very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I highly recommend anything by Precept Ministries: http://www.precept.org/site/PageServer You have to be a trained Precept leader to lead a Precept Upon Precept study (which are the best but also the most rigorous, and the workload is a turnoff for many), but the Lord series is terrific. Kay Arthur is great at pointing people back to God's Word and not straying far from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Originally Posted by freeindeed My favorite is Restore My Heart by Denise Glenn. Check it out at this site: http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/mo...art/Categories This looks interesting. Could you tell me more about it? Why did this touch you? The website does not have samples to view, and didn't really give me great insight to what the study teaches, etc. I really don't want to spend $20 on a sample pack if it's not what I am looking for, KWIM? Sure. :) Wow, let me think of a way to convey in writing what this study did for me. It takes you through the betrothal and marriage of a Jewish couple, and it teaches you about how we truly are the bride and Christ is the bridegroom and how everything that He did for us parallels the Jewish marriage tradition. It really opened up my eyes to how much Jesus loves me. I mean, I knew that He loved me, but He LOVES me!!!:D:D KWIM? I still have my book and would NEVER part with it. This study radically changed my life. Or, I should say, God used this study to radically change me. Maybe you could look it up on amazon and see some samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 ...most conservative Christians I know -- and being from the Bible Belt, I know a LOT of them -- and she LOVED the Esther study. She wasn't a big Beth Moore fan but the Bible study group she attends started doing almost nothing but Beth Moore studies, so she grew to really like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 Thanks Freeindeed. :001_smile: I checked Amazon and they have no samples. It's really hard to buy something sight unseen. They would probably get more interest in their studies if they had some type of online samples to view. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I've done a few Beth Moore's and find her to be lightweight, especially after doing Bible Study Fellowship. I don't want to offend anyone here, but she doesn't encourage you to study Scripture for yourself. Her questions are designed to lead you to the answer she wants you to find. At least that's my opinion. Again, I don't want to offend, but that has been my real problem with Beth Moore. Regarding a Bible Study, I haven't really found any small group Bible Study that has a lot of depth. I thought Nancy Leigh DeMoss' "Lies Women Believe" is good from a healing, psychological, Biblical stand-point. But, there were some women in my group that hated it. So, there you go. I have no advice.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 http://www.motherwise.org/clientimages/37830/biblestudies/tableofcontentsrestore.pdf http://www.motherwise.org/clientimages/37830/biblestudies/pagesfromchapter1restore.pdf The first link is the table of contents, and the second is the weekly "homework." Hope those help!:D It really is a wonderful study. It touched so many ladies in my Bible study group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 If you can find one around your area, look into Community Bible Study. It's phenomenal! Of course, if you're looking for something you can do at home, this won't work. It's based on a class format. Everyone meets first, breaks up into small groups, everyone meets again. They also have a children's program - ours has a homeschool kids program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I agree that this was a good study in and of itself, but it was actually the one that turned me off to Beth. I had done all of her previous studies minus The Patriarchs, and in Daniel she came off as very...well...maniacal. The way she would draw out her S's and the look in her eyes. :tongue_smilie: it just turned me off. I later found out that I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Yeah, she is pretty intense in this one I agree with you. I just always chocked it up to the fact that she was just passionate about the study. I guess we all have our levels of comfort, but for me, her manner didn't bother me enough take away from the content of the study itself. :) Too expensive. I do enjoy James MacDonald on the radio though. But I cannot afford $150 for such a short study. :D I'm not trying to persuade you either way but just to share what our group does. We have a group of about 8-10 ladies. Whenever we choose a new study, the leader tallies up the cost and we just divide it evenly amongst ourselves. It usually comes out to around $20.00 per person or less. That method has worked well for us. :) I've already been through this twice with various groups. It's very well done, very good. Thank you for the confirmation. :) I'm really looking forward to doing this one in the fall. Good luck on your search. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 http://www.motherwise.org/clientimages/37830/biblestudies/tableofcontentsrestore.pdf http://www.motherwise.org/clientimages/37830/biblestudies/pagesfromchapter1restore.pdf The first link is the table of contents, and the second is the weekly "homework." Hope those help!:D It really is a wonderful study. It touched so many ladies in my Bible study group. Thanks!!! So the homework sample, is that one day's worth? Meaning there are four more days like that (is it a five day a week study?) Did you have the DVD's too when you did the study? Did you enjoy them, did they add alot to the study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 (edited) So the homework sample, is that one day's worth? Meaning there are four more days like that (is it a five day a week study?) Yep, that's right. Did you have the DVD's too when you did the study? Did you enjoy them, did they add alot to the study? Yes, we used the DVD's. We enjoyed them greatly, and they do add a lot to the study. Denise is a wonderful speaker and very knowledgeable about Scripture. I don't want to spoil the end too much, but let me say that Denise Glenn sings "We Shall Behold Him" at the end of the study, and it is absolutely beautiful. That alone is worth purchasing the DVD's!:001_smile: When we did the study, we met once a week. We watched the DVD's and discussed the week's reading. I did this study over two years ago, and it still has an impact on me today. I've done lots that were good at the time, but this one "stuck", KWIM? Edited June 9, 2009 by freeindeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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