Dear brothers in the ministry,
Long before COVID-19 entered our vocabulary, we believed it was important to provide Bible studies that would help God’s people understand what it means to live as citizens of God’s two kingdoms and how they could serve God through both of them. We hoped to answer questions about how to respond to the negative politics that increasingly characterizes election years. We also sought to encourage people to take an active role in praying for our nation.
With the onset of the pandemic and ensuing government measures that have directly affected our churches, the topics addressed in the resources below may be even more pertinent than we could have imagined a year ago when we began planning for them. People are grappling with questions about our response to government regulations and recommendations. People who want to serve God don’t always feel certain about the best way to do so in these circumstances.
Anticipating these needs, former District President Rev. Charles Degner authored a Bible study titled Politics Is Driving Me Crazy!. In four lessons—A Tale of Two Kingdoms, The Imperfect State, The Separation of Church and State, and Our Messy Political World—Degner calmly addresses political concerns with God’s Word. To hear more from Degner about this timely Bible study kit, click here.
A second study, Civil Government: Small Group Study, guides the participants through Professor Daniel Deutschlander’s book, Civil Government: God’s Other Kingdom. The Bible study is an adaptation of a study that Seminary Professor Tom Kock used when he was in the parish ministry. Both Bible studies and the book are excellent resources that help God’s people grow in their appreciation for the blessings God gives us through the church and the government.
In today’s environment, it is especially important that we help people understand the roles God has given the church and the state. The Bible studies and Deutschlander’s book clearly remind us that when either the church or the government loses sight of their God-given roles, or when the citizens of those kingdoms confuse the distinction between the two, the spread of the gospel is inevitably hindered. Both Bible studies could be a valuable addition to your Bible study offerings during this year.
If circumstances make it impossible for your Bible class to meet face-to-face, these resources are easily adaptable for online or virtual studies using the virtual meeting platform of your choice. Whether meeting face-to-face or virtually, participants of Civil Government: Small Group Study would read a chapter of Civil Government: God’s Other Kingdom in preparation for the study session. If the student booklets have been distributed in advance, the questions are well-suited for online discussion. Both books are also available as a set for 20% off. Though Politics Is Driving Me Crazy! would involve a larger group and more input from the teacher, it also could serve well in a virtual environment.
For a thorough discussion of options for teaching online Bible studies, see the Spring special edition of Teach the Word, which serves as a valuable reference for congregations conducting online Bible studies.
Though we cringe as we hear the abrasive and mean-spirited rhetoric that bombards our ears during an election year, we recognize that these circumstances provide us with an excellent opportunity to help our brothers and sisters grow as citizens of God’s two kingdoms.
Jesus lives!
Ray Schumacher
Bible Study Editor