By Aaron Earls
In response to an unprecedented global crisis, Lifeway Christian Resources is taking unprecedented steps of their own in offering free digital curriculum for all ages from “The Gospel Project,” “Bible Studies for Life” and “Explore the Bible.”
Churches can access the free group curriculum and other resources at LifeWay.com/coronavirus.
“This is a challenging season for the church when we must pause gathering together, but we must look for innovative ways to advance the Great Commission,” said Ben Mandrell, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources. “We pray these resources will enable churches to continue the work to which God has called them.”
“Lifeway is here to serve the church,” said Michael Kelley, senior vice president of church ministries, “and so we are looking for creative ways we can do that in light of the fact that churches cannot, and should not, be meeting in person right now.”
Providing digital curriculum free to churches is a way in which Lifeway can help small groups continue to meet online even while they can’t meet physically and help parents disciple their kids at home, according to Kelley.
He said the new enhanced digital curriculum being provided is designed to make discipleship during social distancing easy and to help pastors focus on other pressing needs.
“We know churches are hurting, and we want to do what we can to take some worries off their plates,” he said. “Most pastors and church staff members will be rightly concerned with caring for their people, so if we’re able to take just one piece off their plates, then hopefully church leaders will have the capacity to serve people even more.”
To use the digital curriculum, churches should follow these steps:
- Set up your church’s organization. To share this digital curriculum, churches will need to create a Ministry Grid organization that allows users to organize and share curriculum.
- View and customize your sessions. The digital curriculum provided is customizable to fit a church’s specific context. Group leaders can add additional teaching components, activities, discussion questions and downloadable items.
- Share curriculum with families to access at home. Once the curriculum is ready, churches can send people an email from within the platform or share a link through their own communication channels. Individual users will receive the digital curriculum and be able to use it on any device.
Small group leaders can use the curriculum with online group video platforms or print and deliver to those who cannot access the materially digitally.
Lifeway is also offering free help and training for those who have never led an online group through the resources available at MinistryGrid.com/coronavirus.
In the end, Mandrell said this and other similar efforts to provide free digital resources from Lifeway are a means to help the church continue its mission. “We want to help churches carry on their ministry of making disciples despite these difficult circumstances.”
For more information on the curriculum or other free resources provided by Lifeway during the COVID-19 crisis, visit LifeWay.com/coronavirus.
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Aaron Earls is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources.
