What is bema

This Sunday School class is using the BEMA Discipleship podcast. What is BEMA? The BEMA was the place at the center of a synagogue where they would place the scroll when it was read to those in attendance. The Word was in the center and people gathered around the Word.  The podcast is intended to help us understand the Word as we strive to keep it at the center of our lives. 

 

In no way is this podcast supported as “it”, rather it is a tool  intended to prompt discussion. Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are two men who have put this podcast together. When they began, they lived and worked in the Moscow, Idaho area; Marty led college campus ministry from which the BEMA Discipleship website was born.  You can find the podcast seasons and episodes at www.bemadiscipleship.com  The website episodes also contain “notes” that you can look at while you listen to the audio podcast. 

 

If you want to listen on your phone or iPad, you can do so using a Podcast app.  (from the website - “Brent’s favorite app for iOS is Overcast (Marty uses the default Podcasts app), and our recommendation for Android is Pocket Casts (which is also a great second option on iOS). Other options for iOS include Castro and Downcast. Another option for Android is Podcast Addict.”)

 

Below are some questions that the BEMA authors often encourage wrestling with as a group to get you started: 

• What are the problems I see in this story?  What sticks out to me? 

• Is there anything that radically changes by viewing this with eastern eyes? 

• What new truth did I learn in this podcast? 

• What am I having a hard time embracing and why? 

• Who are the characters in this story, and how do I relate to each one? 

• How do I see this teaching displayed in my own life? 

• What is changing in my life as a result of this lesson? 

• What action points do I need to pursue in order to be transformed by this  Text?