It’s the time of year when individuals, small groups and churches commit to Bible study curriculum for the upcoming Fall season, but finding theologically sound resources to accommodate a particular timeline, group dynamic/need, or topic can be difficult. We know many of you might be studying alone at home or with kids around while social distancing and supervising school. We want to help!
Below is a list of options we think will help women better understand the Word, the character of God, and the purpose He has for our lives. Each one varies in terms of time commitment, depth of study, and suitability for group/independent learning, so we tried to provide some helpful notes to guide your decision. This list is not at all exhaustive, but we hope it will serve as a launching point for upcoming studies. You can find more of our suggestions by linking to last year’s ideas here.
If you do choose to use one of the resources listed below, click directly on the image or title to view and purchase the resource from Amazon. We earn a small commission if you do, and every little bit helps us minister to women.
You can find more of our suggested books, studies, Bibles, and even resources for children by clicking here.
- Author: Pam Forster
- Timeline: 30 Days
- Homework: 5-15 minutes per day with options to go deeper
- Video: No
- Additional Insight: This is a great way for anyone (you don’t have to be a mom or even particularly busy to glean from these studies), but ideal for women homeschooling/supervising remote learning this Fall. This study is geared towards moms with little ones at home and includes activities/suggestions for involving them in what you’re learning. For more in this series, click here.
- Author: Angie Smith
- Timeline: 7 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 2-3 hours per week
- Video: Yes, but not necessary
- Additional Insight: This study has just been released, so none of us on the Arise team has had a chance to finish it, yet. That said, we absolutely loved Angie’s other study, Seamless, so have faith that this one will be theologically sound and a great resource as well.
- Author: Jackie Hill Perry
- Timeline: 7 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 1-3 hours per week
- Video – Yes. Not necessary, but strongly suggested. Each episode is 8-20 minutes long and can be rented or purchased from Lifeway.
- Additional Insight: A teen version of this study is also available.
- Author: Kay Arthur
- Timeline: 28 Days /4 Weeks
- Homework: 2-3 hours per week
- Video: No
- Additional Insights: This is an all-time favorite for a few of us on the Arise team. It’s a great independent study, but also has questions in the back for use with a group. We strongly recommend this one, and love doing it alongside others for accountability.
- Author: Kay Arthur, Bob & Diane Vereen
- Timeline: 6 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 1 hour per week (see Additional Insights below)
- Video: No
- Additional Insights: This is designed to be completed as a group with all of the work/discussion taking place together over a 40 minute period together. We suggest allowing more time to go through the study in a group format (at least 75-90) OR asking participants to complete the 40 minutes of content individually before coming together to discuss. This study is also suitable for independent use.
- Author: Laura Dingman
- Timeline: 6 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 2 hours per week
- Video: No
- Additional Insights: This is a topical study about issues surrounding shame and identity. It’s less of an in-depth Bible study, but uses Scripture to lead women on a journey toward healing and surrender. It’s suitable for individual use or study with a trusted group of women.
- Author: Kelly Minter
- Timeline: 8 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 2-3 hours per week
- Video: Yes – Helpful, but not necessary.
- Author: Karen Ehman
- Timeline: 7 Weeks / Sessions
- Homework: 2 hours per week
- Video: Yes
- Author: Published by Crossway
- Timeline: Varies depending on which book you choose to study
- Additional Insight: These Bible journals are amazing! Scripture is printed on one side, with lined pages on the other for your observations and notes. There are large margins for marking the text and recording insights. We suggest reading about Inductive Bible Study and printing our downloadable resources to help you work through the text. The book of James would be a great place to start, but journals for each book of the Bible are available.
We also love Precept Upon Precept and Bible Study Fellowship classes. These are facilitated by trained instructors all over Canada and the USA. Click on the links below to find one near you.
About Lisa Da Silva: Lisa has never (ever) officially homeschooled her children, and is increasingly thankful that her kids are young adults with schools that are pulling off remote learning with great success. She is passionate about education and loved being a public school teacher before starting a family. She is honored to be the Director of Arise Ministries Collective, and longs to see women transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. She is willing and ready to come alongside all the mamas with children unexpectedly at home during this season.
About Our Guest: Hey, I’m Brenna Blain. I am a 24 year old wife, mother and theology student at Multnomah University. For work I speak at different churches, ministries and youth events with a focus on re-engaging lukewarm Christians to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ. Aside from speaking, I also host a podcast that focuses on asking hard questions that are not normally asked within the church. For the past 10 years I’ve struggled with mental illness and what it means to be a follower of Christ while having a broken mind. Within my walk, I’ve found theology to be an overwhelmingly beautiful practice that not only strengthens my relationship with God but also welcomes difficult questions and topics. My hope within doing ministry with Jesus is that no individual feels outside of His reach, no matter what they struggle with.
