The following material was presented at the 2019 Sunset Vision Workshop as part of the Sunset Satellite School Administrator training track.

“Catching Fish”

Introduction:

  1. Sunset Satellite School classes provide a high-quality, well taught experience in studying the Bible. However, we really should desire to take our students to the next step – helping them become not just more knowledgable, but capable of growing and going deeper into God’s Word on their own. This will allow them to be of greater service to the church as teachers, leaders and shepherds.
  2. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” We might even modify this to say, “Teach him to fish and he will be able to feed both himself and others for a lifetime.”

Implementation:

  1. Build a basic library for your Satellite School and encourage students to take advantage of it.
  2. Find ways to demonstrate the use of the library resources to go beyond the content of the Sunset class study guides.
  3. Ask for volunteers or make assignments for “mini research projects” to be presented in class.
  4. Encourage the minister in his sermons and all adult teachers in their classes to incorporate research as part of their teaching. Have them share their source of information along with the knowledge they impart.
  5. Offer a special class on “How to Study the Bible Better.” This might be for anyone in the congregation, or at least for students in the Satellite School.
    1. We have included a sample course outline and CD of audio and other materials.
    2. Focus at first on familiarity with various book resources and their purpose & value
    3. Then show how to use the resources by actual research exercises.
  6. Invite members to donate to a special fund to build the library, or donate the amount needed to purchase one book (and acknowledge their generosity in the front of the book).
  7. Encourage all students to start building their personal library, either with print or with digital resources. Just remember that knowing how to use the tools you have is better than having a large number of unused tools.
  8. You learn to fish by doing! Sitting in a classroom and being told why and how to do it will not produce the desired results. Students must open the resources and do the work on actual projects and assignments.

Resources:

  1. Print resources:
    1. Sunset Bookstore – www.extensionschool.com
    2. Christian Book – www.christianbook.com
    3. Amazon – www.amazon.com – both new and used books
    4. Abe Books – www.abebooks.com – used books
    5. Discover Books – www.discoverbooks.com – used books
  2. Digital format resources for computers, tablets, phones, e-readers
    1. Sunset Bookstore – Satellite School books and study guides in PDF, Kindle, Nook, Google Play Books, and Apple Book formats
    2. Amazon Kindle store – www.amazon.com/kindle-ebooks – or inside the Kindle app on any non-Apple tablet or smartphone.
    3. Apple Books app on Apple Macintosh computers, Apple iPads and Apple iPhones.
    4. Google Play Books – play.google.com/books – all platforms.
  3. Bible Software
    1. E-Sword – www.e-sword.net – free for Windows-based computers and tablets; $9.99 for e-Sword X for Mac; $4.99 for e-Sword HD for Apple iPad.
      1. 86 Sunset class textbooks and study guides are available from Sunset Extension School especially for use within e-Sword. Order the “Sunset Complete Bible Library Bundle for e-Sword.” Includes 8 Jim McGuiggan commentaries.
      2. A very large number of FREE e-Sword resources are available at www.biblesupport.com – including the older College Press Commentary Series, Barclay’s Daily Study Bible New Testament commentaries, and many more.
      3. A number of commentaries, dictionaries, additional Bible versions, and Bible background books for e-Sword are available for purchase at www.estudysource.com.
      4. The NASB Bible can be purchased from within the e-Sword program itself.
    2. Olive Tree Bible software – www.olivetree.com – all platforms
    3. Logos Bible software – www.logos.com and www.faithlife.com – all platforms
    4. Wordsearch Bible software – www.wordsearchbible.com – all platforms.
    5. Laridian Pocketbible software – www.laridian.com – all platforms.
  4. Online Resources
    1. Great for Chromebook computers and all other platforms.
    2. biblegateway.com – the paid Plus version offers more resources.
    3. blueletterbible.org – see Quickstart Guide on their homepage to learn to use.
    4. biblia.com by Faithlife/Logos – best for those owning Logos Bible software.
    5. wordsearchbible.com
    6. netbible.org
  5. Tablet and Phone Apps
    1. These are in addition to apps mentioned above for e-Sword, Logos, Olive Tree, etc.
    2. Tecarta Bible
    3. NIV Study Bible

© 2019, Richard Cravy

The fish symbol in our graphic was provided by www.freepik.com and was designed by Freepik.