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Son Of God (Vol. 1): A Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark for Women, by Keri Folmar
Endorsed by Kathleen Nielson, Diane Schreiner, Connie Dever, Gloria Furman, and more.
Gospel of Mark Bible Study for Women by Keri Folmar
This 11-week study is the first of two volumes covering the entire Gospel of Mark (with the exception of the disputed closing section, 16:9-20), and ideal for personal or group use. Our Bible studies are meant to be written in extensively, so they have lots of extra white space. This is why they are only available in PDF and paperback formats, with the paperbacks spiral-bound for ease of use.
If you would like to utilize this study in a group context, take note that we offer three tiers of automatic discounts, beginning at just 8 copies. (Each PDF purchase gives you the right to print a single copy.)
Author
Passionate about encouraging women to delight in the Scriptures, Keri runs women’s Bible studies at the United Christian Church of Dubai where she’s privileged to teach fascinating women from every inhabited continent. In addition to the Delighting in the Word Bible study series, she has written The Good Portion: Scripture, a book that encourages women to discover the treasure and enjoy the sweetness of God’s word. Keri is the wife of John, who is the senior pastor of UCCD, and they have three grown children. In a previous life, as chief counsel of House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Keri was staff writer of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban.
Endorsements
“It is hard to imagine a better inductive Bible study tool than this one.”
— Diane Schreiner
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“With simple clarity, Keri Folmar guides us in learning to study the Bible…Keri encourages us to read God’s Word carefully, to understand clearly, and to apply prayerfully…This study points the way into the biblical text, offering a clear and effective guide…she encourages her readers first and foremost to listen well to God’s inspired Word.”
— Kathleen Nielson is author of the Living Word Bible Studies ; Director of Women’s Initiatives, The Gospel Coalition; and wife of Niel, who served as President of Covenant College from 2002 to 2012.
“Keri’s Bible study will not only bring the truths of [Scripture] to bear upon your life, but will also train you up for better, more effective study of any book of the Bible with her consistent use of the three questions needed in all good Bible study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application.”
— Connie Dever is author of The Praise Factory children’s ministry curriculum and wife of Mark, senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church and president of 9Marks.
“It is hard to imagine a better inductive Bible study tool than this one. So many study tools wander from the biblical text, but Keri Folmar’s study concentrates on what [the biblical author] says…unfolding its message with accuracy and clarity…The questions are inductive and applicable, helping us to understand [the biblical author’s] intent and what [the book] means for our church involvement and our personal lives…I recommend this book for both individual and group study, for it will enable you to grow in your faith”
— Diane Schreiner, wife of professor, author, and pastor Tom Schreiner and mother of four grown children, has led women’s Bible studies for more than 20 years.
“Keri lets the Scriptures do the talking! No cleverly invented stories, ancillary anecdotes, or emotional manipulation here. Keri takes us deeper into the text, deeper into the heart of [the biblical author], deeper into the mind of Christ, and deeper into our own hearts… Each new week of study provides a review of the previous week, to help us keep in context what we’ve studied. The subsequent days are for gold digging, and there are rich treasures to discover…I appreciate the way Keri consistently challenges us to apply God’s Word to our own hearts, and also to our relationships in the body of Christ. This is a great study to do on your own or in partnership with someone who is not yet a Christian, or with someone who struggles with assurance or expresses a desire to have a vibrant life of faith and service to Christ…I highly commend this study.”
— Kristie Anyabwile is a North Carolina native and graduate of NC State University with a degree in history. Her husband, Thabiti, serves as a pastor in Washington, DC, and as a Council Member for The Gospel Coalition.
“We have no greater need than to hear and obey and love the Word of God. Keri Folmar’s Bible studies are specifically designed to help you do just that…Keri is convinced that God is God-centered and that for the sake of our joy, we should be, too…She skillfully created these rich resources—and not only that, she has put the tools in your hands so you can study God’s word for yourself…I highly recommend that you embark on these studies with some other ladies. Then you can all watch in amazement at how God gives you contentment in him as he shows you the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.”
— Gloria Furman is a pastor’s wife in the Middle East , and author of Glimpses of Grace, Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full, and The Pastor’s Wife
Barbara Banks –
I recently read an endorsement for a study Bible that stated “Most Christians know what the Bible says, but they need to know how to apply its’ message to their heart.” I can’t say I agree with that, especially the first part of the statement. If anything, most professing Christians today seem to know more about what their favorite preacher, friends or even social media say about the Bible rather than read and study it for their selves. And unfortunately, this lack of knowledge or faulty understanding of the Bible leads to poor application. Ultimately the great danger is our tendency to be selffocused, thinking the Bible is “all about me” instead of recognizing that the Bible is all about God who reveals himself and his plan of redemption to us through his Word.
“We study the Bible to obtain true knowledge about God. We want to know who Jesus is and what he has done. Studying the Bible gives us head-knowledge but also heart knowledge of Christ.” Keri Folmar states in the introductory chapter of the Gospel of Mark Bible study workbooks “Son of God”. She masterfully guides both head and heart in this Bible study. These Bible study workbooks, Volume 1 (Mark 1:1-9:13) and Volume 2 (Mark 9:14-16:8), are well crafted to aid in the study of the Gospel of Mark in an inductive way. An inductive study, as Keri clearly explains and illustrates in her workbooks, means to read the passages in context and ask questions of the text with the purpose of deriving the meaning and significance from the text itself. After discovering the meaning of the text, there are questions to help you apply it to your life. In other words, Observation, Interpretation and Application questions for each passage studied.
This inductive Bible study closely examines who Jesus is and the wondrous things he said and did. Volume 1 begins with the clear statement of who Jesus is….”the Son of God” and concludes with his Transfiguration on the mountain. This workbook guides us through how Mark systematically shows Jesus’ authority over men, demons, sickness, the forgiveness of sins, nature and even death. Volume 2 continues to deftly explore the cost of discipleship and the fulfillment of the good news of Jesus Christ…”to give his life as a ransom for many”. Bookending the opening statement in Volume 1, is the centurions’ exclamation at Jesus’ death on the cross …”Truly this man was the Son of God!”.
I also appreciated some of the practical aspects of these workbooks. Spiral bound for ease of book manipulation as you study, answer questions and take notes. There is space to respond to questions or comments plus a note page at the end of each weekly lesson. Each volume consists of eleven weekly lessons and every lesson has five days of homework. For visual learners (or those days when the brain is just foggy) there is a unique icon next to the question that identifies which type it is….Observation, Interpretation or Application.
In the workbooks, Keri reminds us that “Scripture interprets Scripture” and to that end she strategically includes in the lessons Bible passages in addition to the current Mark scripture passage being studied that week. This supports those women who desire to dig deeper. I often found study of these additional scripture references helpful to my personal study and as a small group leader. If you are a small group Bible study leader, either new in that role or a veteran, the Son of God study workbooks contain a very useful section with Notes to Leaders. I especially appreciate the exhortation to keep your focus on the Bible!
While some Bible studies are designed to be used by a very narrow audience, I’ve used the Son of God Bible study workbooks for my personal study time, with one to one discipleship and as a small group leader with my church’s Ladies’ Bible study ministry. Believers both young in the faith and mature will benefit from utilizing this inductive Bible study of Mark. In all three scenarios Gods’ Word and the Holy Spirit produced much good fruit.
Even though it calls for a commitment to complete Volumes 1 and 2, this inductive study of Mark is a wise use of time. The individual time spent in Bible reading and completion of the weekly lessons, along with group discussion, is time well spent. Studying the Gospel of Mark with the assistance of these Son of God inductive Bible study workbooks will surely increase your knowledge and love of God and his eternal Word.
Barbara Banks’ Bio:
Barbara Banks is passionate about studying the Bible with women. She teaches the Bible and has led one-on-one and small group Bible study discussions with women from all over the world. She previously worked as a Professional Development Specialist with a digital curriculum company and most recently as the Administrative Secretary at United Christian Church of Dubai. She and her husband are currently repatriating back to the United States after five wonderful years in Dubai, UAE.