Your Voice was Heard!

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for your tremendous response to this survey. I submitted my proposal and manuscript to two prospective publishers today, and I was able to include feedback from 86 of you!

I'm excited to announce Shelli as the winner of Lysa's fabulous book, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith. Thank you Shelli!

The survey revealed some staggering trends in women's Bible study. While I realize some of you are huge fans of weekly Bible study, I had a hunch there were many of you out there that felt they needed something different. We are all in varying seasons of life, and some of us cannot commit to attending a Bible study every week on top of our many responsibilities.

I'm an avid fan of weekly Bible study and am currently teaching one, but most times I walk away from weekly studies excited yet overwhelmed. I often wish I’d had more time to linger a little longer in order to really apply the principles learned. I’m only usually able to apply about 50% of the material presented in a weekly Bible study because new concepts are introduced before the former ones have taken root in my soul.

Many of your responses echoed this reality.

Out of 86 women from across the U.S. surveyed on Survey Monkey:

• 86% feel that a once per month Bible study is needed.

• 90% would attend a once per month study.

• 57% believe the time required to attend a weekly Bible study is overwhelming.

• 66% believe the time required to complete daily homework assignments in a weekly Bible study is overwhelming.

• 70% have been tempted to stay home from weekly Bible study because they did not complete their homework.

• 69% would prefer a Bible study with homework that could be completed in one day.

• When asked what percent of the daily homework in a weekly Bible study they complete:

•  10% complete 25% of their homework
•  20% complete 50% of their homework
•  45% complete 75% of their homework
•  25% complete 100% of their homework

Therefore, 75% of women do not complete their daily homework in a weekly Bible study.

• 75% of women feel most Bible studies lack creative practical application methods such as crafts, letter writing, questionnaires, and role-play.

• When asked what percent of the information in a weekly Bible study they were able to apply to their lives before the study ends:

• 25% said they apply 25% of the information
• 58% said they apply 50% of the information
• 15% said they apply 75% of the information
• 2% said they apply 100% of the information

Therefore, the majority of women surveyed are only able to apply half of the information in a weekly Bible before the study ends.

My vision is to offer women an alternative to weekly Bible study that meets their unique needs and correlates with their season of life. Grafted into Godliness, the first of five Bible studies in the GEMS curriculum, accomplishes this goal in an innovative three-fold fashion.

Because women are busy, they need a Bible study that deeply refreshes their souls but doesn't require them to be away from their families for extended periods of time. Grafted into Godliness only requires a three-hour monthly time commitment outside the home.

Women are also burnt out and often begin a weekly Bible study looking for life change but quit before the final session. This is frequently due to their inability to complete daily homework assignments. Rather than risk embarrassment, they stop attending altogether. Grafted into Godliness provides manageable weekly homework lessons that can easily be completed in one day. This allows women freedom to finish their homework in a timely fashion and then read their Bibles the rest of the week. Suggested scripture readings that correspond with the teaching are provided to give women direction in their individual study time.

Also, some women are tired of the ho-hum flow of traditional Bible studies. They are searching for a revolutionary Bible study that applies directly to their season of life. If they invest time attending Bible study, they want to be able to practically use the biblical principles they learn day in and day out. Grafted into Godliness meets this need by providing an entire hour of hands-on application in each session. This hands-on component occurs after the lesson is presented and provides women with the opportunity to apply what they learn to their lives using creative methods such as questionnaires, crafts, letter writing, role-play, and discussion.Women leave empowered with a plan of action to pursue in the upcoming month. 

It is my prayer that Grafted into Godliness reaches millions of women willing to be polished into beautiful GEMS who glorify the Lord with their lives, encourage one another through accountability, mentor and be mentored, and serve their husbands, children, and churches sacrificially.

Thanks again for your honesty and transparency! Much love to you all!