CHAPTER HEALTH
CHAPTER HEALTH
By MARK Heid
CMA chapter Bible studies are an excellent way for our members to connect , fellowship , and grow deeper in the Word . One of the first questions to be answered is , β How often do we meet ?β Once a month seems inconsistent for effective study , and once a week may be too time-consuming when placed alongside chapter meetings , fellowship events , and ministry opportunities .
The Desert Disciples , CMA Chapter # 2 , in Mesa , Arizona , found a unique solution to this dilemma using the free online app , β YouVersion .β This biblically centered application encourages and challenges people to seek God daily . As a chapter , the members committed to using the YouVersion app in three ways .
First , each participating chapter member would individually complete the daily lesson , which included a short daily devotion along with supporting scriptures . It was discovered that many of the chapter members had previously desired a daily devotion time but lacked the discipline to stick to it . The consistency and accountability of other chapter members were a great encouragement in this area . Second , after completing the daily devotion , members could post to a group online β Talk it over β chat form . This could include thoughts , questions , observations , or responses to other replies . Participating in the β Talk it over β aspect was not expected daily , but provided insightful comments and thoughts for all to consider .
The third component of the YouVersion study was a twicemonth meetup at a local restaurant for fellowship time , sharing a meal or drink , and discussing the previous two weeks β daily studies . Discussion centered on the daily devotions and the β Talk it over β comments provided on the chat forum .
The meetups were also used as an opportunity to select the study topics for the next two weeks . These studies ranged from studying books of the Bible to studying themes ( thanksgiving , anxiety , purpose , etc .). Some were only for a few days , while others were more extensive .
While some chapter members initially had doubts about how much time the study would take and the random nature of topics , none of this proved to be an issue . Those who participated appreciated the opportunity to fit the devotions into their personal daily schedules and also have the twice-a-month fellowship and discussion times . Participation quickly grew beyond the Desert Disciple chapter members to include members from other CMA Arizona chapters . Daily participation was excellent , with many taking part in the β Talk it over β forum and meetups .
If you have questions about how to set up and run these types of group Bible studies , feel free to contact Cecil Walker , Desert Disciples , at cecilwalker @ gmail . com .
Find wisdom . Get understanding . Be blessed . Proverbs 3:13 . CMA
Mark and Tammy Heid oversee the Rocky Mountain Region as National Evangelist .
21βͺJUNE 2024βͺwww . cmausa . org