1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

cafeteria style Bible study can work

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by nodak, Jan 7, 2010.

Top Posters
  1. nodak

    nodak Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1,269
    Likes Received:
    16
    One of the local churches does "cafeteria style" Bible study.

    They offer a variety of menus and times, so to speak, and encourage folks to PICK ONE, not try to do them all.

    Families with gradeschool and younger kids usually stick to Sunday School since the kiddoes bedtimes make weeknights hard. Seniors stick to SS also, since for many of them driving at night is a problem.

    Teens are always up for someplace to go, but do have homework, so they usually come to the offerings on Sunday night.

    There are daytime midweek Bible studies that work better for sahm's and sahd's, for some seniors, and for those who have to work on Sundays.

    There are pm midweek Bible studies for those that can't or don't want to come to SS but have to work days during the week.

    It seems to be working much better than trying to get everyone in the building at the same time. It also allows them to tailor the Bible study to the age and group need.

    Does your church do anything like this?
     
    #1 nodak, Jan 7, 2010
  2. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    4,521
    Likes Received:
    43
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Most Baptists see all services as a cafeteria from which they can choose. :tongue3:

    This kind of style would be good for a larger church who have multiple able teachers, but I am not sure about a smaller church which might have the teachers but not have enough people to make a class interesting.
     
    #2 Tom Bryant, Jan 7, 2010
  3. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2002
    Messages:
    15,460
    Likes Received:
    1
    It is funny how we can find or make time for football, baseball and basketball games, but we can't find or make time for Church meetings!!!!!!

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #3 Jim1999, Jan 7, 2010
  4. Peggy

    Peggy New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2009
    Messages:
    285
    Likes Received:
    0
    I like the cafeteria style idea. People have different needs and different schedules, so you can't say that one size fits all.

    We need to adapt to meet the needs of our people, not expect to do the same thing year after year because "that's the way it's always been done."
     
    #4 Peggy, Jan 7, 2010
  5. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    Our church has many offerings for study and small groups. It works out really well for most everyone.
     
    #5 annsni, Jan 7, 2010
  6. nodak

    nodak Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1,269
    Likes Received:
    16
    I think it only is unusual for our town because so many of the pastors feel they have to teach or lead every meeting.

    Jim--we don't make time for ball games when it is a school night for our granddaughter, either! And I am glad the nurses at the hospital, the er docs, the cops, the ambulance crews, etc are willing to work on Sundays and Wednesday nights. We have a lot of folks involved in oil/gas here. You literally cannot shut down a drilling rig because it is time for church--you could wind up stuck in the hole! Even if you pulled off bottom and just circulated you have to have a crew there.

    I'm not a member at that church, but I give them kudos for outreach for sure!

    There is another church in town (I don't attend it either) that offers all those different times and studies, but expects its members to support each and every one. Those folks seem run ragged!
     
    #6 nodak, Jan 7, 2010
  7. rbell

    rbell Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    11,103
    Likes Received:
    0
    It would seem to me that if you are offering studies at many different times, then you are making time for them...just at different times.
     
    #7 rbell, Jan 7, 2010
  8. nodak

    nodak Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1,269
    Likes Received:
    16
    Yes--sorry I misunderstood you, Jim. I thought you were making the point one local pastor does who is critical of the practice. They offer ss at 10 and church at 11 and prayer meeting Wed at 7 (and they are GOOD) but are very sharply critical of those that can't come at those times.
     
    #8 nodak, Jan 7, 2010
  9. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    Our new church is going to be a "simple church" model with only church on Sunday and small groups during the week (with members involved in one small group so it makes just twice a week for church). Our home church, which will be 30 minutes away, offers all of those other things. I'd not be critical of people who couldn't make the standard times we meet since we've got so few times in the new church although I'd hope that if it were important, they'd try to arrange the best they can. But life happens. I know my daughter is in college and there have been classes that she had to take that were at the same time as other events that she wanted to be involved in and she just needed to choose. Our small group that we just dissolved had a doctor in it who often was on call when we met so oftentimes he'd just not be there or have to leave early due to a call from the hospital.

    But it really IS nice to have the flexibility of may opportunities to meet for fellowship and study. It's so nice in our church now to be able to be involved in many different things when I can.
     
    #9 annsni, Jan 7, 2010
  10. donnA

    donnA Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2000
    Messages:
    23,354
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't think there is anything wrong with having bible studies available at church, and I do see it as making time for bible study if these people are actually attending a bible study. Multiple studies available is a good idea, reaching peoples need where they are in their life, a young working mothers needs may be different then mine, who was a stay home mom and now a grandmother, singles class verses marrieds clas (not for the purpose of dating like some here have accused before, but their needs are different, and what you can discuss is different), I'm sure there are others that could be named that I can't think of right now.
    but, they are making time for bible study, to accuse them differently is wrong.
     
    #10 donnA, Jan 7, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...