Form Free - Diagram Rich

     Though, as I wrote yesterday, "I hate forms . . . even [form like] traditional Bible study worksheets," conversely, I love to use diagrams in our Bible studies. Thus, each lesson in our "In Quest" series is to have at least one page (one of six) with a diagram or two. The sample in the post below is from the "In Quest" study in John 1:19-28. (You can view it full size with one click.) We just revised this page today and sensed the Lord's leading as Mitsy and I worked together on it. The connection between the heart and spoken words is very clear in this simple design. (Cf. Mat. 12:34.) Now Mitsy and Tomi will be able to translate this page into Japanese. 

      Since we make use of diagrams and other special design elements in our material, designing a Bible study is much more than simply "writing" one. Thus, we need the Lord's special direction in such day by day, diagram by diagram, and lesson by lesson.  Thank you for your prayers! 

      By the way do you like diagrams, especially Bible diagrams?  There are a few websites concerned with such, which you can find by doing a search. One of our dreams, is to have a Toa Ministries homepage with a section of Bible diagrams.  Over the years I have made many, at least some of which are worthy of wider distribution. Like the one posted below, many of the best designs are profoundly simple.  

A Bible Study Diagram

Form Free Bible Study

      Recently, I had some unpleasant paperwork to do; so I'm going to "rant" about such for a few lines.    I hate forms; income tax forms (U.S., Japanese, & state), annual and quarterly report forms, questionnaires, and even typical Bible study worksheets! Is there no escape from the endless questions, blank lines, and empty boxes? Don't we have enough to do without all this "extra work"? (end of "rant")       Sadly, there is little we can do about most of these forms, except pray for a better attitude, so that our "form-itus allergies" do not become chronic or even fatal. BUT there really is something we can do about typical Bible study worksheets.

     You can replace typical Bible study forms with easy-to-use Bible study methods, with creative designs that eliminate the common, boring Q&A strings. In this way our "In Quest" and "W.A.L.K." Bible study designs are truly unique. In both, strings of questions have been replaced by simple Bible study steps. So you can do your own Bible study, following three or four steps, instead of filling in the blanks to answer someone else's string of questions. There are still worksheets, for those who want them. But such are optional. Thinking through and applying the Bible passages systematically, step by step, is what really counts. Some do this mentally, step by step, in their minds alone; others do so verbally, sharing thoughts with others in a small group setting; and still others, who enjoy writing, use the simple worksheets to record their thoughts with pen and ink.

       There are, of course, many typical, yet helpful, Bible studies available in English (but not Japanese). I praise God for all such. But if like me, your "form-itus allergy" has flared up recently, with more and more forms to fill out at this time of year, why not try out our "In Quest" and "W.A.L.K." approaches for "Form Free Bible Study*" in 2009. Down with the tyranny of forms! Up with the freedom of real Bible study! Does anyone need a sample lesson?

 

   * The "In Quest" and "W.A.L.K." Bible study designs also could be called "Free Form Bible Studies," since with their systematic steps they have good order and form (using the term in a different sense), as well as, great personal freedom in how they can be used. (This material is copyrighted, but available for local use to those who ask.) 

Six Ducks with One Shot?

     My dad once shot six or seven ducks with just one shot during a Maine "noreaster" blizzard in the 1930's.  It was not because he was a super marksman, however, for ducks become an easy target when they bunch closely together to keep warm under such special weather conditions. Similarly, the Lord on rare, special occasions causes everything to be just right so that there can be a tremendous living harvest of souls, as on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two. Again it was not that Peter himself was special, but that the Lord placed him in the right place at the right time with the right message. May it be so with us all, as well, whether we are evangelists, Sunday school teachers, or a small group working on a new series of Bible studies. 

     No, there were not three thousands saved as three* of us met today for our Toa Ministries work session on the upcoming "Questions in John" text. But something special happened, nevertheless. For the first time, today, I realized that most lessons we are now working on, not only will be part of our text on the fourth Gospel, but also will be great as parts of several other future topical texts. The lesson on the Samaritan woman will fit wonderfully in a future text on evangelistic questions in the Bible. The study on the blind man in chapter nine will be part of another text on divine care for the handicapped. And the lesson on the questions to Peter in ch. 21 will be a key study in a future text titled "In Quest of Genuine Love." Thus, suddenly, today, I realized that the Gospel of John is surely "the right place" for us to have begun our "In Quest Bible Studies" series, it being especially rich in inspired questions on many topics. It is as if the Lord has gathered so many "ducks" into one place for us, that we can hardly miss.  In John, six or seven "ducks" with just one shot really are possible. 

     *A fourth key member of our Toa team, Phil, is collaborating with our Japan group each week by long distance from Maine. Also a fellow missionary in an unnamed "closed" country just sent some very helpful material. Does anyone else in "blog land" want to join "the hunt"?  It's always open season for Bible studies no matter where you live, in the frozen north or on burning dessert sands! 

Software Help Needed

     Computers have made our work much easier; and as the technology has improved so has our ministry potential. Thus, in general, it was a great blessing to recently upgrade our computer hardware and software. This included a huge jump up from version 3.1 to version 8.1 of QuarkXPress. What a difference this has made in our page layout ability for our Bible study texts! Likewise, our blog is now possible because of recent upgrades. Not everything has been easy, however.

      I love to write using database software that I customize myself. Thus, for example, most of my extensive work on Psalm 119 is in a custom database, material that would require over 1,000 pages if it were all in printed form. But since it is instead in a database program I can search it easily to find just what I want, whenever I want. 

     Over the years, I became an expert using an old Mac only database program, Helix Express. This, however, does not work well on our new system. Thus, I am switching to Filemaker Pro Advanced version 10. This is a great program that will eventually allow me to do more work and even produce material that others can use on both Mac's and PC's. However, since this is a new program to me, it is hard work adjusting. Whereas I was an expert with Helix yesterday, today, I am just a beginner with Filemaker. 

      It is important that I get up to speed as quickly as possible, to move forward with projects large and small. Putting our mailing list into Filemaker should be easy, though time consuming, as there are templets readily available. However, creating a custom database for topical studies on all the questions in the Bible will be much more difficult. Even so, having such a database is the key to not being "hit and miss" in our great "In Quest Bible Studies" series, for theme studies on evangelistic questions, messianic questions, youth questions, and many other topics.

     I have a couple Filemaker "how-to" books. But personal, hands-on  instruction from an expert, would be far better. Also, I would love to have a like-minded, Christian programmer to work with long-term on this and other projects.  Does anyone have any suggestions? 

In Quest of Usefulness

      For many years Mr. H. has played a key role in keeping the ministry going in the small Monzen church, speaking two or more Sundays a month and writing a monthly Bible study and news letter. (The church does not have a pastor.) He especially enjoys writing for the Lord, and has been looking forward to retirement so that he can do such even more. (On average, more Japanese people love to read and write, than Americans.)

     Then, three years ago, dear brother H. suffered a brain hemorrhage which left him paralyzed on one side, and even adversely effected his eyesight. He is, of course, no long able to work; but, worst of all, he is unable to write much, at least not, by himself like he did before. Thus, I have been praying that somehow, someway, his ministry might be restored, at least in part. 

      As I was preparing to speak at the Monzen church last week, the Lord gave me an idea.  Why not develop, along with Mr. H., a set of "In Quest Bible Studies"* based on the many questions* in Bible passages having to do with disease, physical disabilities, and divine healing? Such passages are numerous, but often neglected in conservative, evangelical circles because of how they are abused by some charismatic groups. Yet, the message of divine care and hope found in such texts is as much needed today as in biblical times. This set could be titled "In Quest of Usefulness" or "In Quest of Healing."

      Therefore, after church last Sunday I asked Mr. H. what he thought of the idea.  Not only was he very positive about it, but he also named several passages he thought should be studied, including the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9, 16, and 19. (I had not thought of that one.) So, though it may take a year or two to develop this set of Bible studies enough for it to be passed on to others, we have already started in a small way. May the Lord be pleased to restore, and even magnify, Mr. H.'s usefulness for the Lord through this project, despite his weakness (2 Cor. 12:10)! Mrs. H. is also a believer and undoubtedly will be helping, too, though her health (heart) likewise is not especially good. Perhaps you also would like to help. What Bible passages on this subject, which also contain questions, would you suggest? 

* In Quest Bible Studies" is our ongoing series of expository, and in some cases topical, Bible studies focused on questions in the Bible itself, rather than questions that people have about the Bible. Our main project for the past year has been on Questions in John. 

    Though we are copyrighting this "In Quest" material to protect it from abuse, we certainly also wish to share it and cooperate with others in its development. 

Welcome to our First Blog!

   We are finally on-line, thanks to this new free (!) blog account. Eventually we hope to have our own homepage, but this simple blog will help us get started in that direction. Our basic goal for now is to simply help keep our friends and prayer supporters more up to date with the latest news about our ministry in Japan, especially the "Toa Ministries" Bible studies aspect. Via the net we will be able to share much more basic and current information week by week than is possible in our printed news letters or even our e-mails. 

   We hope you will not be bored if, like today, January 13, 2009 (Japan time), the biggest news may be merely that we got 14" of snow last evening and so spent an hour shoveling. News like this, actually, may be important because (1) I certainly can use the exercise and (2) thankfully, the snow did not come on Sunday morning when I was traveling to a meeting at a distant church. (There was only 3" last Sunday. This time of year it often snows every night of the week.) 

     We also will be sharing some more important personal prayer requests. Probably our "biggest" one this week is for Yumi who will be taking the first round of college entrance exams next Saturday and Sunday, January 17th and 18th, (yes, two whole days, and that is just the first round). As we shared in our recent printed letter the exams in Japan are very competitive, especially for her as she is trying to get into med. school to study to become a doctor. 

    The up-to-the-minute Toa Ministries news today is that Mitsy just mailed the very first direct-mail advertisement for the new "Women of the Word" Bible study text. There will be hundreds more such going out to churches all over Japan in the next couple weeks. Although in English there are various Bible study texts on the women in the Bible, until now there has been nothing else like this in Japanese. 

     This mailing also includes a Japanese "Toa Update" news letter. In this, our current project on questions in the Gospel of John is mentioned for the first time.  Please pray that we will be able to finish this by summer 2009. 

      Thanks for prayerfully "blogging" with us!  By the way, any advertising included with this blog is placed by Google, over which we have no control.