The Wilful Sunflower

Tonight I went for the Bible Study Fellowship (hereinafter known as BSF) introduction class. In case you didn't know, BSF is this really serious Bible study group that insists you be punctual for meetings and do daily homework and not miss more than three classes in a row. Foohlamak

I thought of joining early this year, but the commitment required scared me off. Plus, as a journalist, my schedule can sometimes be unpredictable...

But now I'm switching jobs and my new job will require me to work fixed hours. No more hiding behind the excuse of having an unpredictable schedule (if I'm honest, my work timetable was never THAT unpredictable -- I'm the one who made it unpredictable!!).

And Bible study is something I've always wanted to do, intended to do, but... not done. I have Bible dictionaries and commentaries but they're all sitting on my shelves gathering dust. I figured I'd better do something about this, or else I'll just keep on drifting on and never get down to it!

Unfortunately, my church doesn't seem to have any Bible study classes or a Bible study programme, despite having numerous training courses, seminars, conferences, and camps. What's up with that? So I've signed up for BSF -- they're supposed to call me when a new class starts. However, there are a few things which cause me slight concern...

Like when, during the opening prayer, the leader prayed, "And forgive those who have not done what they're supposed to have done... let them know that there is forgiveness in You, and they can participate in the class and do better next week, and come prepared for the next class" or something like that. I was like, whoa, wonderful way to make people feel guilty about not doing homework!

And when the lady explained their study method: first you are given questions to do every day, which, she said, are supposed to do as your daily Quiet Time. She even exclaimed, "Isn't this such a blessing? Before this, I had to look around for devotional materials!"

I dunno... but I would say that devotional time & Bible study are two separate things, and I definitely wouldn't do the BSF questions as part of Quiet Time. To me, devotional time is when I focus more on God, my relationship with Him and what He wants to do in my life; Bible study is when I want to learn more about God, His Word, and what He wants to teach me. In other words, the former is relational and the latter more intellectual. Does anybody think I'm splitting hairs?

Besides, I don't want to be answering a set of questions during devotional time!!

Anyway, after you've done your homework, you come for the BSF class, where there's a short time of worship (we sang 3 hymns today) and then everybody breaks into classes of 15 to discuss the questions. Once discussion is over, everyone gathers again to listen to a "lecture" on the passage of Scripture that was just discussed. On their way out, they collect additional notes on the passage and a fresh set of questions on the next study passage, to last the following week.

I just read this critique of BSF and I have to say that the main thing which really worries me is when the writer says the small group leaders don't correct incorrect answers during discussion time and participants are also not encouraged to point out discrepancies, inaccuracies or errors in teaching. That would really be unacceptable to me if it were true. We shall see, I guess...

Hard to believe that, for me, even wanting to do Bible study becomes such a complicated thing!