Letter of love from Suzie - Spring 2023
Suzie Klein, Director of Disciplers Bible Studies
My dear fellow Disciplers,
For the past three years, it seems our lives have been lived in the shadow of the COVID pandemic. These have been difficult years for many of us and I have marveled and thanked God for the way He has brought us through. Many of us have suffered loss, but through it all, God has been faithful. For Disciplers, He has shown us new and innovative ways to keep our study groups meeting. He has drawn more people to seek knowledge of His Word and His ways. He has given us courage and commitment to carry on and survive COVID, the controversies, and the confinement. We’ve found comfort in Christ and in fellowship with one another.
I believe that in many ways God has used these years to draw us closer to Himself and make us stronger and wiser with a deeper commitment to Him and our Christian way of life. I believe God brings and allows everything in our lives for a reason and some things (sometimes many things) are hard. But all the while, He is working everything for our good and for His glory. We need to remember this and live for His glory all the time, even in hard times.
I have a Christian friend whom I meet for lunch from time to time, and ever since I first met her, she has worn a cross on a chain around her neck. But the last time we met she wasn’t wearing a cross. When I asked about it, she told me it’s because most people these days have a negative impression of anyone wearing a cross. She said that wearing a cross is no longer “acceptable” to the secular world and when she wears her cross, she doesn’t fit in. Hearing this was very troubling, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I decided that from now on, I’m going to wear a cross.
So far no one I’ve met has mentioned my cross, so I don’t know what people are thinking when they see it. But I’ve been reading a book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and he explains that when we “hear the call of Christ and let ourselves be claimed by it,” we take a position for Christ against the world even as we live in the world. This made me realize that even when we don’t witness verbally, we can witness for Christ as we go about our daily lives living for Him. When people see you going off to church on Sunday morning, or to Bible Study with a Bible tucked under your arm on a weekday evening, or people arriving at your home carrying their Bibles, those things are a witness for Christ. When you send a handwritten note of encouragement or comfort to someone, or take a plate of homemade cookies, or promise to pray for someone, or actually go and pray quietly for a confused young woman in front of an abortion clinic, you’re witnessing for Christ. Even a cross on a chain around your neck can be a witness for Christ without saying a word.
By meeting together to study God’s Word, sharing what it means to us, and applying it to our lives, you and I encourage one another in our Christian walk and actively answer the call of Christ to live for Him. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, we take a position in the world that is against the world and on the side of Christ. Bonhoeffer lived in Germany during World War II, in a time when that position became a dangerous one. It is becoming an uncomfortable position in our world today. We need to stand tall and stand together as Christ’s disciples with love, compassion, and truth. Hebrews Chapter 10 admonishes Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:23-24). In this way we encourage one another to live boldly for Christ and as witnesses to the world.
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I hope you feel as blessed as I do to be a part of Disciplers and the family of God. May we always take our stand together with Jesus at the cross.
With love in Him, ♥ Suzie |
IT ALL STARTED IN THE 3RD GRADE
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In February, 2020, Bryan Eberl downloaded the study of Joshua and Ephesians from Disciplers website and wrote the following note.
I used these Bible studies with my church when I was home schooled from 3rd to 9th grade. It was a key point of study and growth in my walk with Christ. I’m in grad school now and want to use these lessons as a plan to stay in God’s Word. Bryan has continued downloading studies since then and a few weeks ago wrote that he and two friends, Gage Murphy and Jess Maddox, have been doing Disciplers every day for three years! Thank you so much for sharing this Bryan. God bless you and Gage and Jess! |
Left to right: Bryan (now a pharmacist at a hospital in Columbia, SC) Gage Murphy (now a supervisor over EKG’s), and Jess Maddox (now a mechanical engineer).
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WHAT IS GREENSBORO SAYING ABOUT D.B.S.?
Greensboro Disciplers Bible Study at Cornerstone Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
The Greensboro class, led by Mike and JoAnn Hampton,
has been using Disciplers studies for about 4 years now.
JoAnn writes, “In the picture, you will see a podium in the center front with a laptop on it. That is our Zoom Group. There were 8 Zoom members present that night! We have a total of 63 men and women enrolled this year in the study of Hebrews, I & II Peter, and Jude. They range in age from 24 to 85. It has been a tremendous study so far! Our plan is to extend invitations for more people to join us when we end Hebrews and begin the study of Peter’s writings. Here are a few comments from our group members about the Disciplers studies and what this Bible study has meant to them.”
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" Being in Disciplers has helped me stay in God’s Word daily. I look forward to spending time with God; knowing He is going to speak to me through His Word. The weekly questions challenge me to want to learn more. I also learn from my leader and those in my group and the lecture helps bring it all together. I’m very thankful for Disciplers Bible Study. "
" I come to Disciplers Study to grow stronger in my faith. The fellowship with other Christians is an added bonus. Plus, I love my leader! "
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" It’s helpful to hear others’ answers and see how God impacts different people in different ways through the same Word. "
" DBS has been an enlightening study of Hebrews. Because we are taking our time reading and studying and responding to questions, it has been enriching to my spirit and convicting at the same time. It reminds us that God is in all things—that we have a High Priest that intercedes for us—Jesus! "
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" This has been a really tough time for me—actually, the last several years have been very challenging. Just being able to come together with other Christians and leave the world behind for a few hours has meant the world to me. The study keeps me going; the fellowship is what I look forward to. "
" What Disciplers means to me! I love going through the Bible verse by verse. It is also an accountability reminder to stay obedient and stay in the Word. "
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Suggested page turners
Suggested Reading by Suzie Klein
Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor
Hudson Taylor was born in 1862 and devoted his life to sharing the gospel of Christ with the people of China. All his life, he was totally dependent on God to guide his every step and provide for his every need. And that is no exaggeration! In spite of times of exhaustion, illness, the death of family members, and rioters that attacked, looted and burned his mission headquarters, Hudson Taylor became the founder of China Inland Mission which today is OMF International (Overseas Missionary Fellowship). Hudson Taylor’s story is inspiring, convicting, and an unforgettable example for us to follow today. Perhaps you’ve never heard of Hudson Taylor, but after you read his story, you’ll never forget him. |
God Works All Things Together For Good by Robert J. Morgan
This book is all about Romans 8:28, but it’s much more than a commentary. Robert Morgan goes into detail to explain and give examples to illustrate that “Romans 8:28 is all inclusive, all powerful, and always available. It can touch any hurt and redeem any problem. It isn’t a mere platitude but a divine promise.” Romans 8:28, if we believe it, understand it, claim it, and live by it, can “transform us into resilient, cheerful people, whatever our temperament.” You may know Robert J. Morgan from his three books on the World’s Greatest Hymns, Then Sings My Soul (Books 1,2 and 3. I find these books to be an uplifting joy during my morning time with the Lord, or when I crawl into bed at night, before going to sleep. The history of each hymn includes the words and music, so you can sing to the Lord to your heart’s content. |
I Want to Live These Days with You by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This is a collection of excerpts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings, put together as a daily devotional for one year. Each month focuses on a different subject, from “A New Beginning” and the Book of Genesis in January to “Celebrating Christmas Correctly” in December. Whether you’re a seasoned reader of Bonhoeffer’s books or you’ve never heard of him, these writings are wise, insightful, and inspiring. You’ll look forward to spending a few minutes of your day with him. |
TAMRA JO TOMLIN - PROMOTED TO GLORY
It is with heavy hearts that we share with you that we have we lost our beloved sister in Christ and fellow worker in Disciplers, Tamra Tomlin. Tamra had been struggling with health issues and on September 25, 2022, God took her home. To say that we all miss her is an understatement. Tamra was an amazing Christian woman and had been a member of the South Bay, CA Disciplers class since 1988. A few years later, she began leading a discussion group, and then began editing Disciplers’ studies in 1999. God sent the perfect person for the job. Tamra was an English teacher and very experienced with her red pen. 😊 In 2013 she also organized and began leading our Prayer Team which upholds all Disciplers prayer needs, including prayer requests from study groups and individuals like you. Even beyond that, Tamra was a joyful singer and longtime member of the choir at Rolling Hills Covenant Church and an active volunteer with Love INC., a Christian organization committed to helping needy people in all areas of life.
Tamra radiated the love of the Lord and followed and served Him with her whole heart. When she took on a task, you knew she would do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23), although she took delight in pleasing those she worked with as well. Above all, Tamra was an amazing mother and grandmother. She was dedicated to her family, and her granddaughters, Ava and Myla, were the delight of her life. Now Tamra has joined her beloved husband, James, in the company of our Lord.
Although we miss her, we rejoice that she is with Jesus and we will see her again.
Tamra radiated the love of the Lord and followed and served Him with her whole heart. When she took on a task, you knew she would do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23), although she took delight in pleasing those she worked with as well. Above all, Tamra was an amazing mother and grandmother. She was dedicated to her family, and her granddaughters, Ava and Myla, were the delight of her life. Now Tamra has joined her beloved husband, James, in the company of our Lord.
Although we miss her, we rejoice that she is with Jesus and we will see her again.
IN THE WORD ON THE RIVER |
WE 🤍 GOD’S WORD |
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Ken began using Disciplers studies many years ago with a group of men at BB&T Bank in North Carolina. The men began meeting to study the Bible in 1998 on Tuesday mornings before work. They discovered Disciplers studies just a few years later and that group has used Disciplers materials ever since. Ken retired in 2014 and Brent Hicks continues to lead the group.
These days Ken and his wife spend most of their time in the mountains of North Carolina. They live in a golf course community, Jefferson Landing, where Ken met a group of fellow golfers and – well, I’ll let Ken tell you. “It started in 2020 with ten of the guys I play golf with. We come from varying church backgrounds and meet weekly from May through October (because many of our members go to winter homes in Florida) to study God’s Word. Our focus is to build a solid foundation in the Word of God.” The group has now expanded to 20 members, and we meet on Monday mornings at the River Park under a shelter. It is on the New River (which oddly enough is one of the oldest rivers in the world - and it flows North. Not many rivers flow North.). There is no better way to start the week than being in the Word on the River surrounded by beautiful mountains, trees, and wildlife of every kind. Romans 1:20 says For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. We are reminded every Monday about the God of creation.”
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Nancy Grevenstuck leads this diverse group of lovely ladies in a Disciplers study at InSpirit Church in Byron Center, Michigan. Nancy shares that the ladies come from diverse backgrounds and represent a wide range of ages. Most importantly, they are all dedicated to studying the Bible.
They love God’s Word, are eager to learn, and they openly share with each other, both what they’ve learned through their individual study time and their personal life experiences. This has drawn them together into a close-knit group. They have loved studying the Book of John this year, but are already looking forward to next year. |
DISCIPLERS website resources
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Video Series: Select one of the many lesson series and follow along. Our video leader is Lynda MacDonald. She is a gifted bible teacher whose love of God’s Word is evident as she shares Scripture. She communicates biblical truth with intentionality, clarity, enthusiasm, and sometimes with a bit of humor. Lynda is a faithful servant who lives out her faith in obedience to her Savior. She is knowledgeable and masterfully brings His Word to life.
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Devotionals: There are additional free resources available in the form of devotionals, all written and compiled by Suzie Klein. Dive into new insights and growing through God’s Word by selecting from the following options: Minor Prophets, Psalm 119, and Ephesians.
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We appreciate you and your support in helping us provide
Disciplers Bible Studies free of charge for God’s kingdom, to His glory.
Thank you for casting your bread upon our waters. May it yield a high return (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
Disciplers Bible Studies Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all gifts are tax deductible.
Disciplers Bible Studies free of charge for God’s kingdom, to His glory.
Thank you for casting your bread upon our waters. May it yield a high return (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
Disciplers Bible Studies Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all gifts are tax deductible.
