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Discovering the Identity of Jesus

Announcing: “Discovering the Identity of Jesus” online devotional, Discovering Good News in John release, and a live, online launch party!

Discovering the Identity of Jesus: A 7-Day Study of John 1

Discover the amazing things John 1 reveals about the identity of Jesus in this new FREE online devotional with seven 2-minute lessons! Perfect for busy people.

Discovering the Identity of Jesus
Free online devotional

Two Ways to Get the Devotional

The devotional is on the YouVersion Bible app (see the picture) as a Bible reading plan.

YouVersion
  1. If you have the YouVersion Bible app on your phone or tablet, open it and search the plans for my name or the devo title: “Discovering the Identity of Jesus.”
  2. Or use this link: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/31189/.

Tips for Using a YouVersion Plan

If you’ve never used a YouVersion plan before, after you tap Start Plan, you’ll see the first lesson open with links to the devotional and Scripture readings. Tap the first link to open and read the devo or Scripture. Then return to the lesson page using the menu or left arrow at the top left. If you don’t see a checkmark next to what you read, tap the circle to its left to mark it complete. When you’ve read the devo and the Scriptures, you’re done for the day! Return the next day and do the same for lesson 2.

Discovering Good News in John

July 5: Release of Discovering Good News in John!

If you pre-ordered Discovering Good News in John, it arrives today, July 5! Please post a photo of yourself with the book on social media, tag me, and add the hashtag #GoodNews. Add a link to the book on Amazon in the comments.

If you didn’t pre-order it, but plan to buy it soon, please order it on July 5 if you can. The release date is called Power Purchase Day because if a lot of orders come in on release day, then the book garners a #1 ranking in more categories and Amazon starts showing it to more people. Then more people hear about God’s good news, get in God’s Word, and come to know Christ. Here’s an affiliate link: https://amzn.to/376cTFd.

July 12, 5:30 Pacific: Live Launch Party

Join us for a live launch party broadcast on Bill and Pam Farrel Facebook page.

Discovering Good News In John launch party
Pam Farrel, Jean E. Jones, and Karla Dornacher
7-day free study "Discovering the Identity of Jesus devotional": https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/31189/ Click To Tweet
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Join the Launch Team for “Discovering Good News in John”!

I’m excited to announce that we’re forming the launch team for Discovering Good News in John(releasing July 5)! If you want to learn more about the book, click here.

So what is a launch team?

A launch team is a group of people who are excited about the release of a new book and are willing to help the author spread the word leading up to and after the release.

If you’re excited about Discovering Good News in John and its message of Jesus’s mission, ministry, and resurrection, we’d love to have you join the team.

What You Get

  • Early Access: We’ll send you a digital sneak peek of chapter 1 immediately. That way you can see and experience the GOOD NEWS in John.
  • Get to Know the Authors Better: Let the authors pour positive encouragement and a little of their expertise into you as you participate in a private Facebook Group.
  • Celebration! We’d love to share positive “Good News Goodies” of biblical hope and help. We’ll send them to your inbox for just a few weeks around launch.
  • Behind the Scenes: The unique behind-the-scenes experience of launching a new book into the world!
  • Friendships: The “Good News Good Vibe Tribe” will be led by author Pam Farrel. She has a heart to build into your life.
  • Make a Splash. By teaming with wonderful, enthusiastic, friendly folks like you, we can sprinkle out the GOOD NEWS of Discovering Good News in John far and wide. Our combined efforts will allow MORE people to hear of this vibrant new creative Bible study. It helps the Bible come alive and will enrich lives with God’s GOOD NEWS!
Launch team forming for Discovering Good News in John

What You Contribute

As a launch team member, you agree to:

  • Review the book on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or other book retailer sites after July 6.
  • Spread the word on social media and in person with family and friends. We’ll help you with ideas for effective posting and images you can share.
  • Be an engaged member of the team by participating in the Facebook group.

How to Join the Team

You just need to do two things:

1. Preorder the book at Amazon. The reason for a book purchase is that retailers are cracking down on reviews where the product hasn’t been purchased. For your review to be considered legitimate, the retailer needs to identify that you’ve actually bought the product.

2. Click here and fill out the form.

Thanks for your considering this, and please feel free to share this invitation with others.

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Online Bible Study: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament

When times are crazy, it helps to remember God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises about Jesus’s first coming. That’s because it assures us he’ll fulfill his promises about Jesus’s second coming. Join me in a new online Bible study of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament! Your faith will soar as you discover how the Old Testament unfolds God’s incredible plan. And your hope will rise as you grasp his promises for you when Jesus returns.

This 13-session study begins June 22. Subscribers can watch my weekly teaching videos for free. All you need is a copy of the Bible study book to follow along with the discussion and the subscriber password from my last newsletter. (Not subscribing yet? Get the password when you register).

online study Moses
Learn what Moses said about Jesus

Benefits

These are the benefits you can expect from this OT online Bible study:

  • Grow in faith as you see God’s eternal plan unfold.
  • Know God’s incredible, unchanging love for you.
  • Understand your place in the Bible’s big story.
  • Increase your joy as you learn and rejoice in the future awaiting you.

Here’s what one reader said of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament:

Amazing and mind-blowing and helped us all grow in our faith and our relationship with God.

Reader DeAnn Dinelli

How This Online Bible Study Will Work

Starting Monday, June 22, I’ll post weekly videos and discussion questions so you can interact with me and others learning from the study. When the video is up, I’ll email a link to it to those who have registered.

Each week:

  • Watch the video.
  • Answer the online questions.
  • Complete a chapter in the study book.

That’s it!

FAQS

What if that’s not a good date?

No worries! Begin any time from June 22 on. I’ll check in regularly.

What if I can’t complete a chapter in a week?

Go at your own pace!

Is there a fee?

The videos are free to my newsletter subscribers—you just need your subscriber specials password.

How do I get the password?

Jesus in the OT

Newsletter subscribers: The password is in my latest newsletter. Not a subscriber? When you register, you’ll subscribe automatically and receive a confirmation email with the password.

Does the password unlock anything else?

Yes! There are timelines to go with the study and other materials here: Free Resources

How to Join This Online Bible Study

Here’s what to do:

  1. Register here: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online
  2. Buy a copy of the book: Amazon

I’ll email registrants a link to the videos when I post them.

For bulk purchases and other buying options, go to the registration page: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link for which I receive a small commission.

More Details

online study prophets
Discover what the prophets said about Jesus

Your faith will grow as you journey in discovering all God has planned since before the foundation of the earth. You’ll see how God enfolded his plan, what Jesus fulfilled in his first coming, and what he has for you in his second coming.

You’ll never tire of studying Scripture with this fresh and engaging Bible study encounter. Through persuasive instruction and inspiring devotions, it reveals God’s redemptive plan from the beginning of creation. Explore…

  • timeline icons to help you track God’s plan through the Old Testament
  • key questions at the beginning of each section to guide your focus
  • opportunities for creative expression, including full-page graphics and bookmarks to color
  • sidebars that offer fascinating historical insights
  • practical application questions to guide and deepen your walk with Christ
  • online opportunities for connection and interactive community

As you discover new ways to engage with God’s Word through this in-depth approach to studying Scripture, you will gain wisdom and understanding about his incredible, unchanging love for you.

Join Now!

Register here: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Online

Online Bible study begins June 22 on "Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament"! Taught by Jean E. Jones…register now! Click To Tweet

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Know & Go Apologetics Conference

Jean E. Jones will speak on “Doubts, Curses, and Dashed Babies in the Psalms” at the Know & Go apologetics conference in Palm Springs, California, on February 23. Atheists claim that the fact that the Psalms contain doubts, curses and that passage about dashed babies (Psalm 137:9) is proof that a good God can’t exist. Come hear how to answer these challenges.

Other speakers include Clay Jones on overcoming the death fears that drive us, Craig Hazen on fearless prayer, and Reid Lancaster on health from an apologetics standpoint. Learn more.

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New Book Due Out in May

If difficult days have ever left you discouraged, this interactive 11-week journey will help you engage creatively with God’s Word and establish habits that lead to greater joy and peace.

Read more
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“Why Do You Believe That?” Bible Study

Image of "Why Do You Believe That?" member book

“Why Do You Believe That? A Faith Conversation” by Mary Jo Sharp

EDIT 9/1/14: See my blog, “Review: ‘Why Do You Believe That?’“

EDIT 6/19: We ran out of room on Thursday mornings so we’re offering a second session Thursday evenings beginning 6/26!

How confident do you feel in talking about matters of faith? Do you wish you could express your beliefs with more effectiveness? Join us in a practical seven-session study to gain understanding and skill in sharing Jesus effectively with others, and in better understanding your own faith. Answer your doubts. Build your confidence. Start changing lives.

The learning begins Thursday, June 19. This is apologetics for women! No experience necessary. We’ll have engaging videos, lively discussions, and confidence-building at-home lessons.

The Details
How to Join
FAQ
More on Mary Jo Sharp
Calendar
Promos, sample chapter, sample video (opens in new window)

The Details

Morning Session

  • Dates: Thursday mornings, June 19 to August 14 (skipping July 10 & 17)
  • Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Where: 26572 Paseo Callado, San Juan Capistrano, CA
  • Materials: Why Do You Believe That? A Faith Conversation member guide by Mary Jo Sharp (see below for links)
  • Facilitator: Yours truly

Evening Session

  • Dates: Thursday evenings, June 26 to August 28 (skipping July 10, July 17 and August 21)
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • Where: 32191 Via Los Coyotes, San Juan Capistrano, CA
  • Materials: Why Do You Believe That? A Faith Conversation member guide by Mary Jo Sharp (see below for links)
  • Facilitator: Me again

How to Join

  • Sign up by telling me you’re coming by commenting below or emailing me at jeanejonesblog (at) cox.net
  • Get Why Do You Believe That? A Faith Conversation (Member Book) and bring to first meeting; some options:

FAQ

Do I need to complete any assignments before the first meeting?

Nope. You can read the introduction if you like.

How long will the at-home lessons take?

There are five daily lessons per week that should take about 15 to 30 minutes each.

Can I still come even if I don’t complete the at-home lesson?

Absolutely! You’ll get the most out of the study if you complete the lessons, but you’ll still learn a lot from the discussion and video.

Do I need to sign up?

Yes, we’re meeting at a private home and you’ll need some details I can’t post here. Plus, I need a head count!

More on Mary Jo Sharp

Mary Jo Sharp’s blog has lots of tips on confidently sharing faith–check it out. She’s a former atheist who now has a Master of Apologetics from Biola University (yep, one of Clay’s prior students) and is a Certified Apologetics Instructor. She teaches at Houston Baptist University and Summit Ministries, and she debates formally.

Calendar

Date Morning Evening
6/19 Session 1 —
6/26 Session 2 Session 1
7/3 Session 3 Session 2
7/10 — —
7/17 — —
7/24 Session 4 Session 3
7/31 Session 5 Session 4
8/7 Session 6 Session 5
8/14 Session 7 Session 6
8/21 — —
8/28 — Session 7
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New Free Resources

I’ve posted four free new resources this week for personal Bible study and for small groups:

Free resource: discussion guide for James

“James: Mercy Triumphs” by Beth Moore

‘The Story: Personal Journal’ for iPad & Kindle

There’s now a new version of The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide which doesn’t require a printer. You can type answers and check off checkboxes from your computer, iPad, or Kindle Fire using the free Adobe Acrobat reader for your— I’ve provided links and instructions on the download page. Find this free resource the journal’s download page.

Supplemental Discussion Guide for James: Mercy Triumphs

Beth Moore’s James: Mercy Triumphs is an inspiring study on the book of James. However, not all women’s groups can cover a week’s worth of material in just one week. This free supplemental guide is for women’s groups that divide the chapters into two or three weeks each. It has additional discussion questions and plenty of guidelines for leading discussions. Find it on the More Resources page.

Discussion Guide for The Screwtape Letters

C. S. Lewis’s classic work, The Screwtape Letters, is a must read. Clay and I wrote a discussion guide for a Sunday school class divided into small groups. It includes quotations from the book, related Scripture, and plenty of discussion questions. This free resource is on the More Resources page.

Free resource: Discussion guide for Zoo

“A New View From the Zoo” by Gary Richmond

Discussion Guide for A New View From The Zoo

Pastor Gary Richmond’s delightful book is family fare, and is great for small groups looking for something lighter to cover during busy times. Find this free discussion guide on the More Resources page.

If you try these out, let me know how they work for you!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

 

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‘The Story’ Guide Now More Accessible in Chapters

7/31/23 The Guide is no longer available splir into chapters, but you can download the full guide here. 

Recently, several churches told me they needed The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide split into individual chapters they could post on their website and/or print weekly. I’ve posted the chapters, which could be useful to others who don’t have that particular need. Perhaps you’d like to view some of the key chapters to decide if this study guide is a good fit for your church, without scanning the entire 230-page workbook. Maybe you’ve gone through Zondervan’s The Story and now want to spend a little more time in a few topics. You might have questions about how some of the Bible books fit together but aren’t ready to commit to the entire program yet. Or you may love timelines and want to see all ten of them without scrolling through the larger book.

Picture of 'The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide'

The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide

I’ve posted the individual chapters and listed what extras (such as timelines) each includes so you can take a look at them. I also posted general permissions since both Zondervan and I have been getting a lot of questions on that (mostly, “May we post this on our church’s website?”). You’ll find both downloads and permissions on the Subscribers Specials page, which you can access from here.

Now, if you’re considering using The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide, I recommend looking at these key chapters:

  • Chapter 1: Creation: The Beginning of Life as We Know It. This chapter shows how God’s story begins and sets the stage for themes that recur throughout the Bible, including the promise of the Seed who will be the Serpent Crusher.
  • Chapter 8: A Few Good Men … and Women. This lesson got tremendous feedback, with some saying they’d never understood the book of Judges before. It not only sets the stage for the upcoming stories from Kings and Chronicles, but helps readers apply the truths found here to their own lives.
  • Chapter 16: The Beginning of the End. Thought-provoking questions guide participants to understanding why the exiles happened and seeing how judgment was combined with hope. Practical applications include imitating Hezekiah’s prayer for deliverance. A fill-in table links Isaiah 53’s prophecies to their New Testament fulfillments.
  • Chapter 26: The Hour of Darkness. The Last Supper and crucifixion are tied back to what previous chapters covered in the Old Testament, guiding the reader to understand why Jesus died.

I pray that you will find this study of God’s word a blessing.

Related Topics

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‘The Story’ Guide Book Finished!

I’ve finished The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide and you can get it free on the Subscriber Specials page, which you can access here! This guidebook takes you through the overall grand themes of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It accompanies Zondervan’s The Story, which groups Bible excerpts into thirty-one chapters. The Personal Journal & Discussion Guide adds questions that help you apply the concepts you’re learning to your life and that stimulate robust discussions. It explains history and adds charts to help you grasp the big ideas more easily.

Picture of 'The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide'

The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide

Shelley Leith, National Church Coach and Story Specialist at Zondervan, called this guide “a phenomenal, high-engagement tool”! Cool, huh?

Nearly 200 women in my church started going through The Story with simple discussion questions when we realized we needed more in-depth questions that would help everyone apply the passages they were reading to their everyday lives and that would provide more explanation for those who wanted it. So I wrote this discussion guide for them. Our women’s ministry director, Lori Marshall, sent a couple lessons off to Zondervan, and now Zondervan is adding them to their free online resource library.

Acknowledgements

I owe a quite a few people some great big thanks.

Thank you first of all to my wonderful husband, Clay, who is always my first reader and offers invaluable insights (it helps that he holds a doctor of ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is a full-time professor in the Master of Arts in Christian apologetics program at Biola University). He also did everything he could to free my time when I was in a crunch.

Thank you, Lori Marshall, for entrusting this project to me, and for the encouragement, insights, and kind notes you gave along the way.

Thank you to all the other readers who advised and proofed: Lori Marshall, Holly Robaina, Donna Jones, and Kerrie Parlett. Thank you, too, to Cathryn Wade who is a joy to work with and who kept everything updated and posted at Crossline. Thank you, Angie Wright, who suggested creating discussion pages so people like she who do the lessons as a personal journal would have a place to interact. Thank you as well to our awesome women’s prayer team led by Gerri Donnelly—I so appreciated your prayers!

Thank you to the nearly 200 women who tested lessons 8 to 31 and gave such wonderful encouragement and support. Also, thank you to the women in my smaller summer Bible study group who tested the first seven lessons for me (they attend seven different churches so their perspectives were great).

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