Haverim: How to Study Anything with Anyone (Ancient Trilogy) Paperback – November 29, 2013

While the title indicates that it is a "how to" book, the real value to me is found in the "why." Paul’s “why” resonated so strongly with what I was thinking and processing as the pastor of a church that it was like I had found the only other person who spoke my language in a crowded room of aliens, except Paul had an accent (he's British and that makes me love him all the more!). Paul observed many of the same trends that I had. People in our culture and churches are becoming less and less Bible literate when, with all of the resources we have available to us, the reverse ought to be true.

We know how to draw people, but we’ve lost sight how to equip them. Equip them for what? Building God’s Kingdom. This is the thing that sets Haverim Devotions apart from typical Bible study. It isn’t an academic, get smarter about the Bible approach. When one says “Bible study” that’s what comes to mind. I myself, along with other expository Bible teachers, have said that the church doesn’t need more Bible studies, meaning we don’t need more head knowledge. Instead, we need to be about our Father’s business. We need more Bible obedience. Only, it isn’t an either-or scenario. One leads to the other, but we’ve disconnected them somehow.

Haverim bridges this gap.

Haverim Devotions doesn’t teach us what to think, but how to think. What’s more, it equips us with a way to share it with anyone. This is not a new program, it’s an old process. This is not something to be packaged and distributed, it is something that is to be a shared experience. To me, it’s more about the conscience than the content. It’s about getting back to the role God’s word is supposed to play in the lives of God’s people. Not just a text or rule book to live by, but a message to live out and into which we are to invite others.

While you can do this on your own, it's meant to be in a group. Buy this book. Buy a second copy for your pastor. It might be the catalyst for something amazing God wants to do in your life and church.

There are a lot of bible study tools out there, but you can't get it into everyone's hands. Haverim is great because it truly gives people tools in a simple way. It allows them discover the true meaning of the author's intent while giving a way to feel included in God's story and take it into their world. Most Bible study stuff teaches you what to think but Haverim teaches you how to think.

I have been following the development of this teaching for a number of years, and have slowly implemented each part as it was developed by Paul Gibbs. So I don't write this review as just a review of the book, but as a review of actually using the principles for the past long while, and now teaching the principles of a book at a recent men's retreat.

If you are an avid studier of the Bible you might be familiar with the first two parts of Haverim. And I would guess that if you have sat under any Biblical teaching the majority of it was concerning itself with the first part of Haverim, and some of the second if you are lucky. The third and fourth part though will most likely be completely new to you, life changing, and community changing.

I like sermons, I do learn something from them. I like classes from good instructors about the Bible, I do learn something from them as well. But, to be honest, as I look back the amount of knowledge I retain from those types of lesson's...well, that is limited. I view this as good way of learning, but not a great way of learning.

Doing Haverim with a group of people will simply redefine how you learn, what you learn, who teaches you, how much of it you remember, and, more importantly, how much of it you apply. Why? Simple, you are not being taught, you are teaching yourself. You are not being told by someone who knows, you are being told by The One who knows. You are not learning for the sake of knowledge, you are leaning for the sake of becoming a new person, and helping others to do the same.

Teachers

Now, for those of us who teach the Bible. Haverim is nothing short of revolutionary. It will simply make your teaching a hundred times more effective, and easier. Yes, both of those. This is due to the fact that while teaching Haverim you are less concerned about being a professor who has all the answers, and more concerned about being a guide who helps asks the right questions.

I have taught the Bible for over 15 years. And at this men's retreat was the first time I came away from a solid weekend of "teaching" feeling more refreshed than when I started. If you have taught the Bible you know that after teaching you feel like you have "emptied" yourself. With Haverim, you will walk away feeling stronger. Why? Because you won't spend 5 hours preparing a lesson only to have people forget what you taught them a month later, you won't have to beg people to ask questions, study, or come up with their own thoughts. Haverim is an engaging way for you to guide people to the answers, and at the same time those people will be teaching each other, and you. As a bonus, you can actually do Haverim with drastically less preparation time, and those who lead it can do it without a masters degree in theology, a basic understanding of the truth and some discernment is all that is required.

The result I personally witnessed at the end of the men's retreat was that 15 men had gained some amazing knowledge about the passages we covered, and they learned it in such a way as I don't think they will be forgetting it soon. And, I didn't teach them anything. Sounds odd uh? But I set the weekend up that way on purpose, I wanted to train leaders to do Haverim, so I intentionally brought nothing to the table. And yet, they still learned, and learned a lot. In fact, much more than I could have brought to the table and tried to speak to them. Why? Because they discovered it on their own, taught each other, learned from Him who had the answers. In this I was able to show them that no matter their level of "teaching ability" they could go home and begin Haverim immediately, and they agreed.

Looking for another way to do a normal Bible study, this book is not for you. Looking for a way to revolutionize the way you approach teaching and learning and connecting with Christians and non-Christians, you will love this book.

This book will encourage and empower your people to be able to be comfortable in searching out the Bible for themselves rather then rely on someone to tell them what to think and what the Bible says. It will help your people to be empowered to seek the scriptures on their own with the help of the Holy Spirit.

It was gifted.

A great resource for anyone seeking to learn practices that will equip you and your friends, community, family in opening up the bible and understanding it. Simply put, this book will revolutionize how you approach reading through the bible it will help everyday people engage each other in discussion, Paul Gibbs shares plenty of practical and creative suggestions that will really help any group dig deeper into the bible, an easy read, yet it will provide new perspectives on how you understand and study the bible in a deeper way. It will also help develop a biblical confidence which will encourage individuals to reach out to others in their world and start their own Haverim. I would definitely recommend you order a copy today :)

Does scripture confuse you?
Or...does the Old Testament seem odd in it's portrayal of God?

If you've ever wanted to study the bible in a way that was stripped of American culture and understand "The Book" like an AD era rabbi, than this book will give you the tools you need to read the bible with "Ancient Enlightenment".

It's only 4 Easy Steps and it will change your life!

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