Bible Study by Mail

Extras

Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not here, let us know.

People need help understanding the Bible. Would you please help them?

If you have an e-mail account and are a Christian you can help. We need people to respond to Bible lessons from inmates. It is as easy as having a discussion in Sunday school. All you have to do is read their comments about a Bible passage and write an e-mail saying what you think about what they have written. We take care of all the printing, paper, postage, envelopes, etc. All you need to do is write the e-mails.

It all seems pretty complicated when you first look at it, but after you get started everything falls into place pretty quickly. At first we read everything you write before we print it and send it, so we will provide a safety net for you. The inmates have no way of contacting you directly, so there is no danger to you. They will not even know your name unless you tell them what it is. We do not get upset if you try to do this a couple of times and decide it is not for you; so why not give it a try?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Will it cost me anything?
No. We do all the printing and mailing. You just send e-mails from your own computer. No travel required.

Do I have to do a certain number of lessons?
No. One an hour, one a day, one a week, one a month, or one a year, or whatever

Am I assigned to particular students?
No. All the lessons go in a queue and you pick who you want answer.

Am I assigned to particular courses or lessons?
No. All the lessons go in a queue and you pick what you want to answer

Is there a time limit to how long it takes me?
Yes. Once you have "checked out" a lesson you need to answer it within three days.

How long does it take to answer a lesson?
It depends on the student and the lesson. Five minutes to five hours. Average is about thirty minutes.

What do I do if a lesson is just too hard for me?
Let us know you do not want a lesson, and we'll put it back in the queue, no questions asked.

What if I get busy and can't answer one I have checked out?
Let us know you do not want a lesson, and we'll put it back in the queue, no questions asked.

What if for some other reason I do not want to answer a lesson?
Let us know you do not want a lesson, and we'll put it back in the queue, no questions asked.

Can children answer lessons?
With adult supervision, it can be a great learning experience for someone in high school. However, an adult would need to read the lesson before the student saw it. 99% of the time they are fine, but sometimes the inmates write things not suitable for children. Also, an adult would need to read what the child answers to make sure they have not revealed too much about themselves.

What do you teach?
Our statement of faith is at www.biblestudybymail.com/OurBeliefs.htm

What if I disagree with what a lesson teaches?
As long as you believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, you can write whatever you like to the student, including a "correction" to the lesson. We might not agree with you, but as long as you are honestly trying to base it on the Bible, I would much rather they agree with you than remain ignorant and heathen. They are going to end up making up their own minds anyway. You would not believe the variety of influences they face on the "inside." We have tried to write the lessons "denominationally neutral" so this doesn't come up very often.

What are your lessons like?
All except the advanced lessons are available at www.biblestudybymail.com/teachers/ Please take a look.

Do you have sample responses I can go by?
Yes. See www.biblestudybymail.com/teachers/Templates/

How do I get started?
E-mail pastor@tntcarden.com and ask for a "quick start guide" or read www.biblestudybymail.com/

What if I don't want to answer lessons, but I would still like to help?
There are other ways to help. See www.biblestudybymail.com/ for a list.

What if I know someone in prison who wants to take these lessons?
Send us the name and address, and we will send them a Bible and the first lesson

If you would like to help contact us at pastor@tntcarden.com.