Writing Bible Study Books
Christian Leaders Institute students have ministry dreams. Stephanie Parrish just graduated with her Christian Basics Certificate. She is engaged to her fiancee who is studying at seminary to be a pastor. She is looking forward to being a pastor’s wife. This 24-year-old database developer has a ministry dream that includes writing Bible study books for pre-teen girls.
She shares her testimony,
My name is Stephanie Parrish, a 24 year-old Database Developer from Phoenix, Arizona USA. I have a wonderful fiance who encourages me in everything I do, and he is in his 2nd year of seminary. When all is said and done with his degree, we will be getting married.
Being born and raised in a Christian home in a tiny town outside of Pittsburgh, PA, I accepted Christ into my life in the summer of 4th grade in my parents living room and a few weeks later was baptized. However, after many twists and turns in my life and faith, which included turning halfway from God and trying to find that acceptance and love from boys and partying. I say I turned halfway because I never lost faith in Him or His word, I just wanted to do things my way not His. During this time I basically became a ‘Sunday Christian’, and God was calling me back to Him. More than once, I would show up at my college campus Bible study or worship, not really sure what I was doing, and feeling out of place, so I wouldn’t show up the next week but maybe a few weeks later I would.
The winter break of my senior year (Dec 2012), I remember thinking before I fell asleep one night, “This isn’t right, I shouldn’t be doing what I am doing. I need to focus on God and finishing school. He will lead me if I just let him.” That was the moment I recommitted my life to Him. I gave Him control of my life, which lead me to move to Phoenix, AZ a year after graduation and placed me in the church that I meet my fiance at. Also, it is where he is interning during his schooling.
Just earlier this year, I talked to my fiance about how I have always felt called to lead girls and women to Christ. Currently, I am working as a small group leader for our church’s JR High girls, but I have dreamed of writing Bible study books and starting a nation wide ministry for pre-teen girls. If God isn’t calling me to start a nation wide ministry, I know he put it on my heart and mind to lead women because I firmly believe the job of the pastor’s wife is to lead the ladies of the church.
Writing Bible study books is an important work for building the kingdom of God. Christian Leaders Institute has a Bible Study Leader Certificate now and plans to publish Bible study books. We want our graduates writing Bible study books for us to publish and make available free of charge, if possible. We hope to offer a class someday on the nuts and bolts of promoting and leading a Bible study. There are some excellent resources out there, and we look forward to bringing them to CLI students. For instance, here is a great article about what makes a good Bible study published by Christianity Today.
Christian Leaders Institute is privileged to help Stephanie toward her dream of writing Bible study books for pre-teen girls, or whatever God has for her. Since she is called to be a pastor’s wife, CLI ministry training will assist her in supporting her husband. She writes,
A scholarship to CLI, would allow me to continue my outreach program at my current job and assist my fiance in his ministry calling wherever God calls us, while studying and preparing to teach future women of our church and whoever else God calls me to lead.
I ask for prayer in understanding the depth of my calling, guidance in my classes and my future husband’s ministry.
Maybe your calling is not in writing Bible study books or pamphlets, but there are many ways to use your gifts to reach people for Christ and help them grow. Christian Leaders Institute offers free ministry training. You can use this training to prepare for ministry impact.
