Using Video Home Bible Studies: Why Video Home Bible Studies?
By: Tim Dugas
Article 1
The call for evangelism is the challenge that is given to every church congregation. Motivation for the need is relatively easy but the fulfillment of going into our communities with the gospel message is much more complex. The message is not the problem. It is the feeling of inadequacy on the part of the messenger that stops the progress.
I have found that most saints want to be involved in teaching home Bible studies, but they are intimidated because they do not feel capable. This is the reason I asked Brother Bernard to record
Exploring God’s Word on video. These tapes make it possible for anyone to present God’s Word in a qualified manner.
The video home Bible study also allows new converts to immediately begin teaching their friends and at the same time experience discipleship for themselves. As a pastor you can be assured that the Bible is being taught in a practical and fundamental way.
The video home Bible study does not take the place of any individual. At the conclusion of each lesson it is necessary for someone to follow up to answer questions and give a conclusion. Often you will find that this time is very important in leading people to Jesus Christ. It is also important to realize that Jesus will provide the anointing and that we do not have to rely solely on our own abilities.
The video home Bible study has already proven to be successful. In this newsletter you will read accounts of how others have used it.
Recently Brother Gary Morgans from Liberty, Missouri, presented a home Bible study seminar to our church that was inspirational and enlightening. The purpose of the seminar was to motivate us to be involved in going from house to house with the inspired Word of God. Brother Morgans presented the method that he uses in giving a survey to obtain Bible studies. The next week the church responded to the challenge and 8 homes were opened up to us for home Bible studies. The 3 cassette tapes of the seminar given by Brother Gary Morgans will help you to obtain Bible studies and also give suggestions on how to use the video home Bible study. The 3 cassettes and a copy of the survey can be yours for only $6.00. Please use the form on the back of this newsletter for your order.
HOME BIBLE STUDY REVIVAL IN LIBERTY, MISSOURI
By: Gary Morgans
Article 2
Without a doubt, home Bible study programs such as Search for Truth, Exploring God’s Word, Rightly Dividing the Word Into His Marvelous Light, and others have been the greatest tools of evangelism in recent times. Thousands have been brought to the saving knowledge of truth in the comfort of their own home by an individual with a burden, a Bible, and a chart. Entire churches have been raised up through this outreach method alone. Because of its effectiveness, it is imperative that every church try to establish an ongoing home Bible study ministry within the local assembly.
For too long our philosophy of evangelism has been askew with the New Testament pattern. Our strategy has been to “come hear” the lesson. We invite people to church services to “come hear” the preaching. We invite people to revivals to “come hear” the evangelist. But the commandment of Acts 1:8 did not say to tell the world “come hear” the New Testament pattern is, “Go tell.” Gil Stricklin once remarked that inviting people to church is like “making a set appointment between the fish and the fisherman.” Few fish will “bite” that kind of approach.
According to Jesus’ own words we must “go out quickly into the streets [inner city] and lanes [residential areas] of the city, and bring in hither the poor [homeless and destitute], and the maimed, and the halt [hospitalized, elderly, and handicapped], and the blind …. Go out into the highways [neighboring communities], and hedges [countryside], and compel them to come in, that my house maybe filled” (Luke 14:21- 23).
In our local church in Liberty, Missouri, where I assist my father in pastoring, through our S.W.A.T. (Spiritual Warfare Attack Team) ministry we are strategically and systematically launching a ground assault against the gates of hell. The 10,000 homes in Liberty will be split up into vineyards of 100-200 homes each and canvassed house to house (Acts 20:20) using the survey approach for getting in the home.
In recent work, by the help of the Lord, I have been able to secure 11 video home Bible studies after giving 15 surveys. We are presently teaching 35 adults, and 15 of them have been baptized with 12 receiving the Holy Ghost. In one trailer park of 41 trailers, I knocked on 9 doors, 8 people gave audience for my presentation, and from them I acquired 5 home Bible studies. At one point I parked my car and taught 4 studies back to back and never moved my car. Two of those families have been baptized already, with one nearing conversion. The other family moved after completing 5 lessons.
The video Bible study works! After I taught 16 weeks at the Lawyer residence by way of Brother David Bernard’s new Exploring God’s Word video series, Leslie Lawyer called on a Monday afternoon and asked for the opportunity for his family to be baptized immediately. We baptized Leslie and Florence Lawyer, and the oldest son, mom, and dad received the Holy Ghost. This was one of my trailer park survey families. They said they could not wait until the weekend. The Word was compelling them to obey the gospel.
Across the street in the same trailer park were Jerry and Cindy Mesa. They were living together, unmarried, and hurting. After 8 lessons they obeyed the Lord, and I married them on February 3, 1991. They are doing well and growing. Both families are now enrolled in our New Life Convert Class.
After pastoring and teaching several home Bible study seminars, I have concluded that most of our people are timid and want to teach but probably will never get enough courage to try for fear of failing.
Many pastors are frustrated because they cannot get their people mobilized to teach lessons. They have had seminars and put time, effort, and money into their people, and still the majority of them are not teaching. I’m convinced they never will.
That is why I’m so excited about the lessons that have been made and taught by Brother David Bernard by way of video. Now anyone (and I mean anyone) can teach one. There is now no longer an excuse for someone not teaching . After having taught 15 years personally, I am ecstatic about the possibilities of teaching by way of video.
There are so many positive reasons for video teaching. Of the 13 Lessons I am teaching weekly, I teach all by video. I have been teaching by video for 6 months with tremendous results. It allows me to teach 4-6 lessons daily without wearing myself out physically. Being full time, I can start around 10:00 a.m. and teach in 2-hour slots until 10:00 p.m.
I find video teaching very acceptable to sinners. It is a non-
confrontational approach. Brother Bernard is one of our best teachers in Pentecost, and he is gifted by God with his presentation of the Word to assimilate it so that it makes sense. He teaches certain themes throughout the study, such as the Oneness of God, the new birth, and a faith response. He doesn’t get loud and preach, he doesn’t offend, and he presents the message with love and kindness. My new converts get a set of the video lessons upon completion of their lesson so they can begin teaching their family and friends immediately.
Brother David Bernard never gets sick, is always prepared, and never cancels a lesson. People enjoy sitting in the comfort of their recliners and absorbing the Word of God either on their video or a
portable one brought into their home.
As a pastor you will know what is being taught in every home in your city. Plus your people will benefit from watching the lesson being taught over and over. It will serve as a confidence builder, teaching them how to present the Word skillfully and with structure.
Your best home Bible study teachers are normally very active in other ministries in your church and are not able to teach more than 1 or 2 lessons per week. We will never reach our cities with our present structure. We desperately need a drastic change. Now everybody can get involved and teach and reach one in ’91. Let’s double our churches in Jesus’ name. Let’s get Started!
USING THE TAPES EFFECTIVELY
By: David Bernard
Article 3
At the request of Pastor Dugas, I taped Exploring God’s Word as an outreach tool. Home Bible study is one of the most effective means of soul winning, but some church members do not feel qualified to teach one. These tapes enable every saint to present a home Bible study. All he or she needs is a set of tapes and a chart or minichart.
Experienced teachers also benefit by using the tapes. They can eliminate preparation time and reduce the effort expended in teaching and thereby have more time and energy for additional outreach.
Special features for soul winning
* Each Lesson refers to the message of salvation.
* Each lesson concludes in a way that is conducive to prayer or a question-and-answer session.
* The presentation is positive, biblical and non-denominational and the method is non-confrontational. Since the message is presented by tape, people do not feel defensive or threatened.
* The technology is professional, appealing, impressive, and credible people today are accustomed to such presentations, like them, and tend to believe them.
Ways to use
* Soul winning through a home Bible study
* Training for home Bible study teachers
* Discipling of new converts
* Refresher course for saints
* Reference in church libraries
* Outreach to prospects who cannot commit to a regularly scheduled home Bible study
BIBLE STUDIES FOR PEOPLE WITH A BUSY SCHEDULE
By: Billie Savoie
Exploring God’s Word on videotape by Brother David Bernard is an answer to a real need among us!
The first person I knew who watched the series did so by closing himself in and studying his way through the entire Bible study. He took the telephone off the hook and devoted himself completely to the study. At its conclusion, he was a changed person and found a United Pentecostal Church in which to pray and worship. His tearful testimony touched everyone.
My second experience is still in the process and is with a precious young lady who is a customer at our place of business. To help you understand her situation, let me share a little of her history. She and her husband are from different religious backgrounds. Together they became part of a charismatic church in our area. He felt the call of God on his life and was greatly used in that local assembly. While there, they were taught to be fearful of “Pentecostals who were judgmental.” Two years later they felt to leave and start a work. Harsh things were said and done during their departure that left them very hurt.
One day, her conversation opened the door for one of our Pentecostal employees to offer her a home Bible study. With three children and a busy schedule, it was hard to schedule a time. The videotapes were perfect! She eagerly took the first tape with two lessons on it.
About two weeks later she came back, returned the first tape, and eagerly took the second tape! During this visit she expressed how she felt we loved and cared for her. Some of her comments of the study were: “He is very knowledgeable, and it was very enlightening.” “I could watch and study when the baby was asleep.” “I realize you and I are, perhaps, at different levels in our relationship with God. I may not be where I will be one day but I want all He has for me.”
Now, we are not just giving her the tapes without doing our part. The four of us Pentecostals who work and others who have friends and family attending their church are all praying together that God will lead her and her husband and that they will be receptive to the truth! We are making a point to be available for her and her family. God is at work, and we are prayerful and excited!
As of this writing, a friend who is soon to be married has asked for the tapes! She and her fiance are attending required weekly classes before their wedding. In these classes the teacher has instructed them to know what they believe and then make a decision and stand. As the class continued, the teacher said that their church neither condemned nor condoned homosexuality. Quickly my friend raised her hand and asked “So we will ride the fence on this issue?” She and her fiance know they do not believe the things they are being taught and are excited about a study they can work through together.
The potential use of these tapes are wonderful! There is always someone we would like to give a Bible study to, yet we are a little is one of the best teachers among us, and we can offer this study with full confidence that our friends will have a thorough introduction to and study of God’s magnificent Word!
(The original source of the above material is unknown.)
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