Bible Study
Sitewide Banner Message
Please note our hours have been adjusted. Please see below for details.
The Well Bookstore is open for in-person shopping Tuesday thru Thursday 9am-2pm and Sunday from 8:30am-12:45pm (curbside pickup not available). All orders placed online or over the phone after noon on Thursdays will not be processed until the following Tuesday.
Transformed by Scripture to change the world.
This 12-week study immerses you in the books of Luke and Acts.
Disciple Fast Track Into the Word Into the World is an adaptation of the original, bestselling Disciple Bible Study Into the Word Into the World. The study is ideal for busy people who want to fit an in-depth Bible study into their schedule. The study retains the familiar Disciple format with its theme word, theme verse, statement of the human condition, daily and weekly assignments, and prayer.
Into the Word helps readers deepen their understanding of Scripture and make connections between what they already know and what they are reading. Each week you will encounter three spiritual disciplines, learn what they are, and how you can engage those disciplines. The first discipline varies from week to week, then moves into Sabbath and prayer. In every session, you commit to how you will respond to Scripture in terms of ministry in the world.
Into the World identifies some needs in the world for which ministry is needed and suggests possible responses, then invites participants to summarize the scripture message that will shape their ministry and to decide what response and commitment to make to that message. Each week you will be guided in experiencing the gift of Sabbath rest and renewal. Classes meet for a total of 24 weeks, studying Genesis–Exodus and Luke–Acts for 12 sessions each. Daily preparation is manageable, with 3–5 chapters of the Bible to read each day.
Participants in Disciple IV Under the Tree of Life will recognize the familiar rhythm and requirements of daily Scripture reading and note taking in preparation for the discussion in the weekly group meeting. The study manual guides daily study of the biblical text and calls for written responses that become grist for discussion in the weekly group meeting.
Two new elements in the study manual format represent special emphases in this study – the Psalm of the week and the radical disciple. The Psalm of the week will lead people into a deeper life of prayer using Psalms as a guide. It is to be prayed aloud both daily and weekly in the study group session. Study manual suggestions on experiencing the Psalm of the week pay attention to feelings as well as words.
The radical disciple focuses on thoughts or actions relevant to the weekly theme. Whether praying or taking steps toward radical discipleship, participants know they are not alone – the community is there.
Each member of the group needs a study manual and a Bible. The Bible is the text for the study and the study manual will guide group members in their study and preparation for the weekly group session. The study manual also includes suggestions for individual research and study-related activities. Space is provided for taking notes while reading Scripture, for recording thoughts and questions arising out of daily study, and for notes during the weekly group session.
The titles of the sessions along with theme words and theme verses, and major persons, events, and topics will set the sequence of the biblical story in the minds of the participants. The principal Scripture for each session follows the chronological movement of the biblical story.
Disciple IV Under the Tree of Life is the final study in the four-phase DISCIPLE program. The study concentrates on Old Testament Writings, the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, James, Jude, and finally, Revelation. Emphasis on the Psalms as Israel’s hymnbook and prayer book leads naturally to an emphasis on worship in the study. Present through the entire study is the sense of living toward completion – toward the climax of the message and the promise, extravagantly pictured in Revelation. The image of the tree and the color gold emphasize the prod and promise in the Scriptures. The word under in the title is meant to convey invitation, welcome, sheltering, security, and rest – home at last.
Commitment and Time Involved
- 32-week study
- Three and one-half to four hours of independent study each week (40 minutes daily for leaders and 30 minutes daily for group members) in preparation for weekly group meetings.
- Attendance at weekly 2.5 hour meetings.
Easter from the Back Side
J. Ellsworth Kalas
Using an approach similar to the one he took in Parables from the Back Side and other books in the popular Back Side series, author J. Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into the biblical Easter story. The author looks beyond the traditional gospel scriptures to connect the story of Christ’s resurrection with other stories and scriptures throughout the Bible, including both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Kalas’s creative approach both clarifies basic teachings and introduces new possibilities of meaning, even for those who are most familiar with the Easter story. Enriched with contemporary illustrations and personal experiences, this volume will provide new perspectives on Easter.
Chapter titles and Scriptures include: “Why We Need Easter” (Genesis 3:1-7, 22-24); “Easter from an Ash Heap” (Job 19:13-27); “Easter for the Disillusioned” (Ecclesiastes 2:14-26); “Ezekiel Celebrates Easter” (Ezekiel 37:1-10); “Easter Is a Love Story” (John 20:1-18); “Late for Easter” (1 Corinthians 15:1-11); and “Forever Easter” (Revelation 21:1-4).
J. ELLSWORTH KALAS is president of Asbury Theological Seminary and has been part of the faculty there since 1993, after thirty-eight years as a United Methodist pastor and five years in evangelism with the World Methodist Council. He has been a presenter on Disciple videos, is the author of the Christian Believer study, and has written more than thirty books, including the popular Back Side series; Longing to Pray: How the Psalms Teach Us to Talk with God; Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament; and What I Learned When I Was Ten.
Selected Gospel portions from the New Revised Standard Version are printed in a multicolumn format to facilitate comparison of similarities and differences in Gospel accounts. The printed selections follow the sequence of Scripture covered in the study manual. This component is a companion to the study manual and functions both in daily study and in group study. Every participant needs a copy of both the study manual and the Gospel Comparisons.
JESUS IN THE GOSPELS takes participants deeper into Scripture as they look up and compare passages and make notes on them. Examining different accounts of the same or similar material brings richness and texture to study. Occasional words, phrases, or sentences printed in different colors will aid quick visual comparison of similarities and differences in Gospel accounts.
The Life Application Study Bible is today's #1-selling study Bible. The notes not only explain difficult passages and give information on Bible life and times but go a step further to show you how to "take it personally," speaking to every situation and circumstance of your life! This is the one Bible resource that incorporates today's top scholarship in answering your real-life questions. It includes nearly 10,000 Life Application notes and features designed to help readers apply God's truth to everyday life.
The New Living Translation breathes life into even the most difficult-to-understand Bible passages, changing people's lives as the words speak directly to their hearts.