The Lenten season will be here sooner than you know it, and many people will be looking for a little something extra that they can do to help bolster their spiritual lives. Starting a Great Adventure Bible study is a good way to have a deeper encounter with Christ, make sense of the Mass readings, and discover how the Bible has practical application for your life.

If interested in starting a Bible study in your parish, you are invited to join a free webinar entitled “Starting Your Catholic Bible Study” with Shannon Civetta January 14th at 2 pm ET. Sign up here.

Shannon has been leading and cultivating The Great Adventure Bible Timeline and other Ascension Press Bible studies in several New Jersey parishes for more than seven years. She is the Bible study coordinator in her home parish, Resurrection, in Randolph, New Jersey, where she has also taught religious formation for grades one through nine.

Shannon Civetta

Starting a Bible study at your parish is easier than you may think, and our study consultants will be there to help you every step of the way. Here are some easy steps to help get you started:

Get Parish Approval

Start with prayer. If you’d like to learn effective ways to share information with the decision makers at your parish, call one of our study consultants. When you show The Great Adventure Bible study materials and promotional videos, be sure to share your enthusiasm and how you will help with the study.

Get the help of some friends

Ask a few friends if they would be willing to join you. Creating a team will ensure that you have help with the details. Look for people just like you: gifted people who are committed to their faith and to spreading God’s word in the world. There is no need to find experts; you just need two or three people who can help get things started.

Plan your schedule

If you are planning your first Bible study, we recommend A Quick Journey Through the Bible. This is an 8 week study which will take your group on a fast paced journey through the story of salvation as it unfolds in the Bible, from creation and the fall through Christ and the Church. This study could easily be started just before Lent and finish in Easter week, tying it in with the liturgical season.

Here are some logistics you will want to keep in mind:

• Schedule rooms for all sessions in advance.
• Tables for small groups of 8-12 people or several smaller rooms
• Video & screen for all groups to view together
• Get materials at least two weeks in advance of the study start date.

Promote the study

Here are some suggested ways to encourage people to attend:

•Pastor support from the pulpit

•Bulletin announcements, parish website, personal emails

•Invite parish ministries & neighboring parishes.

•Have a preview night or run video previews after Sunday Masses.

Customizable downloads for flyers and posters are available here. Remember that one of the most effective ways of promoting your study is personal Invitation, so invite your friends and encourage them to invite others too. Using social media will make it fast, easy and effective.

See the fruits of a life transforming study

Over the years many people have been touched by God’s word through Great Adventure Bible studies. Your parish doesn’t have to wait another year to study Scripture together.

For more information on how to start an Ascension Press Bible Study this Lent, join us for the webinar or call one of our study consultants at 1-800-376-0520.