Can someone describe the process (including author selection) which LifeWay uses to development Bible study materials such as the Explore the Bible series? Who are the key influencers? What committees are involved? Who would I talk that would explain the process?
I ask these questions since Nick Reddin, an SBC pastor posted a comment on this blog saying,
"I would like to see the boy's club dismantled for solid Godly leadership and solid teaching. I had to use the adult Lifeway material to teach my sixth graders and they still found it to lite. I ultimately had to take lifeway completely out of the Sunday School program for deeper material."
Given this "landmark moment" in the SBC, I'm wondering if someone can help me understand how the newly elected SBC president Dr. Frank Page could or should impact the process to develop LifeWay Bible study material? Understanding the current process used by LifeWay is a first step for me.
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6 comments:
I received an email with a pointer to Writing for LifeWay, which offers a link to add your name to a database of those expressing interest in writing for LifeWay. You begin by writing a sample lesson, attending a writing seminar, learning the guidelines and completing an
application.
A different email I received spoke about writing a sample lesson and said, "the rules at that time were too much of a hassle for me and my schedule at that time, so I stopped, and basically said thanks but no thanks".
As you'd expect, it sounds like it's a closely managed process.
Below is a comment taken from sbcoutpost.com:
Marty Duren Says:
June 18th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Ronnie,
He has no influence over it at all as an official duty.
As a matter of fact, his only “official duties” are to appoint a couple of committees and preside over the annual session. He is ex-officio on all boards, but they rarely attend all those sessions.
Bobby Welch’s presidency was extrememly unusual in that he was almost a “full time” president, but that was not the norm and probably shouldn’t be. We already have Morris Chapman.
ServingHim,
Just happened to come across your site and see this post. To follow up what I posted elsewhere earlier, Paige Patterson's short book(let) entitled 'Anatomy of a Reformation: The Southern Baptist Convention 1978-2004' is a helpful read to learn how change was effected (sp?) through the convention. It's available directly from Southwestern Baptist Theol. Sem. -- I think you contact his secretary for it. Maybe their bookstore has it too?
On pg.6 of that book, he describes the presidents role in brief -- "The system works as follows. Autonomous congregations who give to 'convention causes' elect up to ten messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Those messengers elect a president of the Southern Baptist Convention, who appoints a Committee on Committees that consists of two people--usually a pastor and a layperson--from each state. In turn, the Committee on Committees nominates a Comittee on Boards, which is subsequently elected by the Southern Baptist Convention in session. This comittee also consists of two individuals from each state. The Comittee on Boards then nominates a slate of nominees, which the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convetion in turn elect to the twelve agencies and boards of the Southern Baptist Convention . The genius of the system is in leaving elected messengers in ultimate control, while extending to the elected president considerable influence, if he makes his appointments carefully. Since even two-term trustees on the various boards serve no more than ten years, the election of presidents committed to a renewal egenda each year for ten years, in theory, should redirect the entire system. This is exactly what happened, beginning with the 1979 election of Adrian Rogers."
Being a SBC outsider, I don't really know how far down the list that LifeWay is, which would affect (I think) the time and degree for it to be influenced by changes in 'higher up' leadership. But I hope this helps clarify the role of the president, in terms of influence and effect.
According to Patterson's site:
Copies of "Anatomy of a Reformation: The Southern Baptist Convention, 1978-2004" are available for $5 each by writing to Office of Public Relations, 2001 West Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, 76115, or calling (817)923-1921, ext. 7220.
Thanks bulldog. Very informative post. I've heard from a few other people by phone or email since posting the question and I tend to agree with Marty that Dr. Page will have little or no impact on bible study materials used in the local churches.
I appreciate your looking for answers to this question. It is something that I have wondered.
I would love for the Lifeway curriculum to have a complete scope and sequence so I can see from 1st to 12th grade exactly what is going to be covered, and what our youth should be able to grasp by the time they graduate.
This does not seem to exist in a cohesive manner. I think that is critical for planning what we are teaching our youth to make sure we are giving them the whole counsel of God.
As mentioned before I have had to go outside to design a solid course of study from 1st to 12th.
I could be wrong but it seems that Lifeway is geared more towards non-believers -- i could be wrong, but it seems that way.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Nick
Hi Nick,
I was privileged to have a conversation this AM with a current writer of material for LifeWay and he described the very thorough process used to develop lesson material. Based on his comments, I'd say one of the toughest challenges is to write for a very broad audience, and the second is to choose the right balance between exposition and illustration. My sense is that tremendous energy goes into lesson writing, editing, and fact checking, and the whole deal is no easy process. It's sort of what you'd expect from any reputable publisher, but more so since it aims to transform lives through clear and relevant bible study.
Since I've wondered about it myself, I hear what you're saying regarding the non-believer target audience. However, it may be that it comes across that way simply because of its focus on people's right relationship to God.
I can't comment on your valid desire to see an overall plan laid out and what student should know by the time they graduate. From a couple of other emails I received, I get the sense that the material is planned on 7 to 8 year horizons, and is occasionally completely revamped. For example, Life & Work changed to Family Bible series, which is about to change to the Life Stages series.
Thanks for the honesty is your posts. I don't think you expressed anything that most of us teachers haven't at least thought about from time to time. Personally, I'm thankful for the availability of trustworthy, systematic bible study materials. While their material may seem bland at times, the alternative of everyone selecting material from who knows where is scary.
However, occupying the pole position doesn't relieve LifeWay of the responsibility to make the material interesting and relevant to today's media savvy consumers.
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