By Aaron Wilson
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Romans 8, a portion of Scripture many scholars deem “the greatest chapter in the Bible,” is receiving a Bible study treatment that allows participants to engage with its content in more ways than ever before.
The eighth chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans is the focus of a new, eight-session Bible study by Noe Garcia, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona. It is also one of the first Bible studies to leverage Lifeway On Demand, a new app from Lifeway Christian Resources that provides Bible study participants flexibility in how they watch videos, allowing them to engage content on-the-go through mobile devices, in a church classroom, or through the comfort of a living-room TV.
“I’m extremely excited to see how God works through ‘Romans 8,’” said Garcia. “It’s an honor to be among the first Bible study resources available on the Lifeway On Demand platform, providing greater accessibility for churches. I’m so appreciative of the work of the Lifeway team and expect this project to be a tremendous help to pastors in their mission of making disciples.”
Romans 8 is an oft-quoted Scripture passage that addresses themes such as living in the flesh versus living in the Spirit, God’s purposes in working all things for good for those who love Him, and His promise of transforming earthly groans into future glory. As Garcia tackles these topics, he also shares his life story and experiences of abuse, depression and overwhelming hopelessness—revealing how God redeemed, repaired and restored him.
“We’re blessed to be launching Lifeway On Demand with a leader and pastor like Noe,” said Brian Daniel, director of adult ministry at Lifeway. “Noe’s testimony, desire to live as a disciple of Jesus, and his heart for people are all evident in this study. He’s living this message every day.”
Each copy of the “Romans 8” Bible study book comes with access to eight teaching videos available to view through the Lifeway On Demand app. This platform allows participants to stream videos through their favorite devices and on their own time.
“Through Lifeway On Demand, we aimed to improve the consumption experience of the video content purchased from Lifeway.com to ensure that customers can watch in more flexible ways,” said Andy Dukes, manager of digital content engagement. “Specifically for mobile phones, iOS and Android include an offline access feature where users can download videos to their device and then watch later if they aren’t connected to Wi-Fi or their cellular network.”
Lifeway On Demand can be streamed through Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV. The app allows users to favorite content, make lists of videos they want to watch more frequently, and search for content using keywords and filters. By removing the need to purchase physical DVD sets, Lifeway On Demand also makes Bible studies more affordable for churches.
“This technology makes it possible for group leaders to avoid the cost of a leader kit and makes video content more accessible for group members and individuals,” said Daniel.
Along with “Romans 8,” Lifeway On Demand launched this summer with video content from Scarlet Hiltibidal’s Bible study, “Anxious: Fighting Anxiety with the Word of God.” The app will also host video replays from Lifeway simulcast events, such as Going Beyond with Priscilla Shirer and Glory with Jackie Hill Perry. New Lifeway On Demand video content will be added in 2022 for upcoming releases and events, and for previously released Lifeway studies that included video, said Dukes.
Lifeway On Demand is available to download for free through the App Store and on Google Play. Additional information about “Romans 8” and Lifeway On Demand can be found at Lifeway.com.
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Aaron Wilson is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources.
About Lifeway
In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, Christian music and movies, VBS, and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Lifeway receives no denominational funding and operates as a self-supporting nonprofit. For more information, visit lifeway.com.
