Question of the Week #7 & 8

How behind am I on the Question of the Week from Operation Actually Read Bible. I think at least several. I am going to answer this weeks and last weeks and the rest will be left in the comments section at OARB.

Question of the Week #7:

Do you like listening to sermons? Have you ever subscribed to sermon podcasts? Have you ever listened to sermons on the radio? Do you have any favorites? What resources (if any) have you found on the web that you'd like to share?

I'm so excited to have a chance to answer this very question. My home church is Pin Oaks Christian Fellowship. If you are in McKinney/Anna area, then I invite you to visit. Otherwise, you can listen to us live every Sunday morning. We have been working on this for several weeks and have about worked out the kinks. I think you can view older broadcasts from previous Sunday's but don't hold me to that. I am not sure how that works.

I haven't actually watched a broadcast yet, but when I miss church or when I am working in the nursery, I get a copy of the sermon on CD and listen during the week.

Prior to our previous pastor moving to Brazil to be a missionary, we also had past sermons going back years on the website. Unfortunately, one of the requirements for becoming a missionary had something to do with taking down the sermons. But I would download at least one or two sermons a week and listen to them. This was great while my baby was too small for me to get more than one hand free for very long.

I also love the program E-Sword. It is free to download and has a lot of great resources right at your fingertips from concordances to various translations.

Question of the Week #8

Do you participate in Lent? Do you give up anything for Lent? If so, what? Why? What do you hope to gain from Lent this year? I don't know if 'gain' is the right word...what I'm asking is what are your goals this year, what are you hoping to accomplish or learn? Do you think that Lent is important? Or not so much?

No, I don't participate in Lent. I always think that I might, but then don't. I have known people who do participate in Lent and it wasn't necessarily part of their church's tradition. It is not part of my church's tradition and has never been a part of my family's tradition.

I had a friend once who participated in Lent. Every year she prayed about what she should give up, and this one year it was bread. Why bread? She explained that she loved to eat and savored bread at her meals. By giving up bread, she would be reminded how much she was blessed. She said each time she thought about whatever it was that she gave up she would take the opportunity to pray. Through her Lenten traditions she learned more about herself and gained a closer relationship with God. She was reminded to put God first and not let things get in the way of your relationship with him.

It was a great lesson; one that I have yet to try myself, but maybe someday. That is definitely an attitude I want to have.

Read Through the Bible: Question of the Week #5

What do you do in the in-between times? Those times when you are in-between-Bibles or in-between-books of the Bible, or in-between Bible studies. Do you ever feel a bit lost, a bit unsure of where to go next? what to read or study next? It's not that you don't want to read--you do--it's just you may be a bit indecisive OR you may be a bit overwhelmed with all the choices.

Ah, yes, I do have those indecisive inbetween times. The last time was when I finished Ephesians before Christmas. I wanted to study John next but the book is so long and so deep it just intimidated me. I had purchased a study guide but it didn't go in depth enough. It only scratched the surface of the book of John. Since the holidays were approaching I just didn't study at all.

Once January rolled around, I started anew with the Read Through the Bible challenge. I just finished Genesis and it is an easy decision to roll on into Exodus. After that, we'll see if I stay in the Old Testament or go back to the New Testament.

I don't really have a method to get out of those indecisive moments. I guess I just wait for inspiration.

Operation Read Bible--Question of the Week #4

Do you prefer reading Bibles in paperback, hardback, or leather? Do you prefer red letter or black letter? Do you have a favorite translation of the Bible? Why? What is it that you love? Do you prefer reading text-only Bibles? Or do you prefer reading study Bibles? Do you have a favorite study Bible?

I don't really have a preference of type. My own Bible is a NIV leather bound, but I also read out of a study booklet. I do prefer red-letter editions. I feel this adds respect to Jesus' words. I am currently enjoying the NIV but have also read the King James a lot. I have both on my nightstand. My favorite Bible is the Notetakers Bible. It has wide margins so I can make notes from sermons or my own studies in the margins, between chapters, and paragraphs. This makes it easier when I go back and re-read a text to remember what I drew from it during my last study.

There are others answering these questions as well. Click on the picture, and it will take you to the listings. Want to join us in our challenge? You can do that at Operation Read Bible.