Christian Concourse - CHAPTER & VERSE

Chapter & Verse TM

Session Guidelines for "The Applied Bible Study System"

THE GROUP LEADER

We invite any sincere follower of Jesus Christ who can demonstrate skill in the use of this Bible study system to register with us as a "leader." To do so, just contact us to communicate your desire to be a "leader" of a Chapter & Verse group. The group leader will constantly be mindful to point the group toward love and encouragement for one another. The leader will keep the group close to schedule. He (or she) will facilitate discussion when necessary. He will decide when points of contention should be left in question (see "Key Track" below). The group leader will generally orchestrate the meeting from opening prayer to benediction. Only as time allows will the leader participate in the Random Track or the Key Track, but he will be prepared to do so each meeting throughout the session.

The leader will be responsible for identifying and rectifying problems with any disruptive participant. He will do so in a spirit of love with the goal of reconciliation. The format of Matthew 18:15-17 is recommended, in which case the leader will have the input of the whole group if necessary. If, in the extreme case, a person is removed from participating with the group by the leader, that person may rejoin the group when apology and amends have been made to the group at large to the satisfaction of the group leader.

The leader will collect the Verse Study and Discussion forms after the last meeting and submit them to the director of Christian Concourse Ministries via email (again, leaders contact us to register) for certification and inclusion in the archives.

A SESSION

A "session" is like a semester. A "meeting" is like one class during that semester. A session has a starting date and an ending date. The number of meetings per session is seven (7). The specific meeting times and dates for the duration of the session are to be agreed upon by all attending the first meeting; this schedule should be adhered to if at all possible.

THE GROUP

The group will consist of two to eight persons. If there are more than eight participants, the group should split. All in the group should respect the Christian Bible as God's written Word, striving for harmony with one another in the Spirit of Christ.

Below is a brief overview of each of the forms in the Chapter & Verse Bible Study System. (CLICK HERE for a more thorough explanation of the forms.) Beside each heading is a link to the form as a webpage (.html format) and as a download in .pdf format (Adobe Reader).

Note: you must have Adobe Reader loaded on your machine to use the .pdf file. Click here to go to their website to download a free copy.

MEETING NOTES FORM

.html format .pdf format

The meeting notes will be your record of the things others share from their journal in the Random Track. This is an exercise in LISTENING. In your meeting notes you will keep a PRAISE AND PRAYER LIST of good things about each member to praise the Lord for and your prayer requests for each member. The study members are encouraged to pray each day for each member in their group, using their notes and these lists to aid them in their prayer.

THE JOURNAL FORM

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The journal is a record of your spiritual pilgrimage; a reflection of your walk with God. Try to write a paragraph a day. Date each entry. Your writing need not be qualified or referenced to specific scriptures. Write your meditations, troubles, poems, spiritual gems, failures, victories, doubts, speculations, etc. When sharing journals, avoid offensive, inappropriate language or subject matter. It will be optional to submit journal entries for certification. If a participant desires to submit his journal for the publications of Christian Concourse, he should sign the permission line at the bottom of the journal form.

THE VERSE STUDY FORM

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The "verse study" form will be filled out as a rough draft for the assigned meeting. After discussing your work, the form will be taken home, rewritten in a polished version and submitted to the leader for certification. If a participant desires to submit his work for the publications of Christian Concourse, he should sign the permission line at the bottom of the form.

DISCUSSION FORM

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The "discussion" form will be filled out as a rough draft for the assigned meeting. After sharing your discussion with the group, the form will be taken home, rewritten in polished version and submitted to the leader for certification. If a participant desires to submit his work for the publications of Christian Concourse, he should sign the permission line at the bottom of the form.

RANDOM TRACK - relationships

The Random Track will take up the first half of time given for each meeting. Participants will take equal time (even if they have nothing to say), sharing from their journals without interruptions or comments. Fellow members will keep dated notes on each other in their meeting notes.

KEY TRACK - flow of information - feedback - clarification & adjustment

The Key Track will take up the second half of time allotted for each meeting. All participants will do a verse study for the same verse for the same meeting (see "The First Meeting" below). Participants will have equal maximum time but will not be compelled to use it all. Group members may interrupt for clarification and questions. The Verse Study is to be read and explained as necessary for all to understand your intentions. Changes are in order if indicated by discussion. Differences not able to be reconciled in a proper, harmonious atmosphere are to be dropped from discussion. Verse Studies are to be done prayerfully, seeking to be clear, accurate and concise. Limit yourself to the space provided in the format. When handwriting, use only the back of the page if necessary - BUT, do not be wordy!

THE FIRST MEETING

The first meeting, and all others, will be opened and closed with prayer. The leader will facilitate discussion in the first meeting, looking for a common interest or concern among the members. The leader will state that issue in clear terms to the group, refining it with discussion if necessary. All will be invited to suggest single verse scriptures which might relate to this topic until, after discussion, there is one assigned to each of the next five meetings. The leader will then go over the syllabus and the forms, seeing that each member has sufficient copies. The agenda for remaining meetings will be: opening prayer, Random Track, break, Key Track and closing prayer.

THE LAST MEETING

Random Track spent sharing feedback on each others' journals. Discussion work based on the Verse Studies of that session will be presented by each member in the Key Track.

PLEASE REMEMBER

As you "do" Chapter & Verse, you will probably experience the reality of the old truism: "You get out of something what you put in it." Don't forget, you are looking to develop your relationship with Jesus Christ and with fellow believers. Your success rests in building on the common ground of your faith in Christ in the light of His written Word. May God So Bless His Church!

Chapter & Verse TM
The Big Picture
Biblical Foundations For "The Applied Bible Study System"
Syllabus for "The Applied Bible Study System"
Guidelines for "The Applied Bible Study System"
About The Tools
Meeting Notes
.html format .pdf format
Journal
.html format .pdf format
Verse Study
.html format .pdf format
Discussion
.html format .pdf format

WORKBOOK - including all the material above - the manual and all the Tools (forms) to do the Chapter & Verse(TM) Bible study (a .pdf download)

Copyright 1993, 1999, 2000, and 2005 by Gerald T. Johnson, this material is licensed exclusively to Christian Concourse Ministries, Inc., and may only be copied and distributed for non-commercial use by individuals and small-groups in the study of Holy Scriptures.