Question: What Else Do I Need?

Study Downloads to Get Started

• 
  Study Guide - Session 1 Discussion Questions, Personal Study, and Advent Reflection & Practice

• 
  Because of Bethlehem - Chapters 1 & 2 of the Book

• 
  Bonus: Let Your Light Shine Advent Toolkit and 25 Scriptures to Christmas Reading Plan

• 
  Printable OBS Advent Schedule

Where Do I Watch the Videos?

You can get a jump start on this study right away. Go ahead and watch session one with Max. The other individual sessions will release each Friday morning before the weekends of  Advent. You'll receive your Week 1 email on December 1st. Bookmark this page and come back often: https://www.studygateway.com/online-bible-studies/because-of-bethlehem-study-home/  

 

Here's a look at our schedule:

Week One: Dec. 3-9 — God Has a Face

Week Two: Dec. 10-16— Worship Works Wonders

Week Three: Dec. 17-23 — God Guides the Wise

Week Four: Dec. 24-30 — Every Heart a Manger

Recap Week: Dec. 31-Jan. 6 — Watch all the videos again if you missed any of the sessions.

Questions and Answers

• I can't find my confirmation email with the free downloads. Was it sent?

  You should receive the confirmation email within 15 minutes after signing up. If you don’t see it in your inbox, check your spam or junk folders. Look for sender name Study Gateway OBS and sender email address newsletter@e.studygateway.com. Gmail users, the email may be located in the Promotions tab. If you still can’t find the email, you can try to register again (make sure there are no typos in your email) or contact our customer support team – they’d be happy to help you!

• How can I engage with my small group or church on Facebook?

  If you are an individual going through the study, we invite you to join the private Facebook group here. Are you a church or small group leader looking for a way to connect your members together to promote community during the study?  If you already have a Facebook group for your church or small group, great!  We want to encourage you to use it during the study so all the people in your church or group participating can connect, engage, and encourage one another as they go through the study together. 

• I want to invite other members of my church or small group to join the study. What is the best way to do that?

  It’s easy! Just send the registration page link (https://www.studygateway.com/online-bible-studies/because-of-bethlehem-registration/) in an email and they can sign up.

• I'm already part of a small group at church. How can we do this study with you?

  All of the online activities associated with this study are optional. You can still structure your group like a traditional Bible study using the free downloads we’ve provided and the study materials in the book. Feel free to follow our study calendar and meet every week or set up your own schedule and go at your group’s pace.

• Is this something I could do via Skype? I am looking for a study to do with my friends , but we are in different cities.

  Absolutely! The weekly videos will be available online so you could get on Skype (or Google Hangouts, iChat, or whatever), watch them at the same time, then talk and process through the questions and each week’s reading together. We love this idea! What an awesome way to bond with friends across the miles.

• What communication can I expect to receive? I don't want to be inundated with emails.

  After sign up you’ll receive an email a week as you’re going through the study. We’ll keep you updated on the assigned reading for the week and where to watch your companion videos. For this study, your weekly emails will go out on Friday mornings so you can have them in advance of the weekend’s Advent activities. You will receive these updates on 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, and 12/22. Advent officially starts on December 3 this year.

• My Internet connection is slow. Can I buy the DVDs and watch the videos that way?

  Yes! The videos that are on the DVDs are the same videos as what will appear online. This is a nice option if you’re in a traditional church setting and don’t have an Internet connection, or if you want to do the study later and go at your own pace! Individuals can purchase the DVD from FaithGateway and pastors and ministry leaders can get the DVD from ChurchSource (save up to 50% off bulk orders).

• I don't live in the USA and want to do this Bible study. How can I obtain the materials please?

  Anyone with Internet access can watch the videos for FREE week by week, and follow along with our weekly emails. If you are outside the U.S., we recommend checking with your local Christian bookstore or online retailer. In Canada and the United Kingdom, for example, the materials are often available from Amazon.

• Is this the same study as Because of Bethlehem 2016 Advent study? I participated in that one last year.

  Yes, the four study videos and study guide materials by Max Lucado are the same! We hope you will make this an annual Christmas tradition – and maybe this year invite some friends and family to join you! If you already have the study materials, you can use them again this year and reflect back on what you had written previously or engage with the Scriptures again.

• Is this online Bible study for everyone?

  The Because of Bethlehem online Bible study is for the entire family! Get a study guide for your spouse, kids, neighbors, small group members, and friends and invite everyone to do this study with you in the weeks leading up to Christmas!