Getting started with the “Read, Talk, Pray” approach to community Bible study.
Welcome!
I’m Tom Benton, and my wife Mary and I serve as one of the eldership couples in the Hampton Roads church in Virginia USA. Due to a last-minute family issue, we weren’t able to attend the World Discipleship Summit. While we’re sad that we couldn’t be with you in person, we’re enjoying the virtual sessions. We also wanted to let you know about the community Bible study groups in our congregation that we call haverims. You may have seen the article I wrote earlier this year that was posted on DisciplesToday.com. Below is more information to help get you started.
We began the “Read, Talk, Pray” haverim concept with one small group of men in April of 2020 and have expanded it to many groups of men and women across the church. Along the way, we’ve learned some practices that work well for these community Bible study groups. We’re eager to share what we’ve learned and the amazing benefits of studying scripture together in haverim (“group of friends”) and haverot (feminine equivalent word of haverim) groups.
I’ve posted a few articles here on BentonBlog to help get you started – see below. BentonBlog is a website that Mary and I started a few years ago to help disciples grow spiritually and build family. We post articles on the website based on lessons we’ve developed for our shepherding and teaching ministry. I serve as an elder in the Hampton Roads Church. Mary is currently pursuing a Masters of Theology degree from the Rocky Mountain School of Theology.
Haverim Helps
Here are a few BentonBlog haverim resources to learn about haverim Bible study groups:
- Read, Talk, Pray: 3 Things I Learned From A Men’s Morning Devotional Group – more details about the haverim concept. It’s a longer version of the DisciplesToday article.
- Six Steps to Starting Your Haverim Bible Study Group – information based on best practices we discovered while the haverim concept evolved in 2020.
- Haverim Helps: More Resources for the 2022 Old Testament Reading Plan – more information on the Hampton Roads Church 2022 plan and resources to help your haverim group use it effectively.
- A Haverim Approach for One Another Discipleship – a plan for how to transform your discipleship group toward haverim and “one another” discipling. The article includes a four-week haverim reading plan on the “one another” passages that you can use to try out the haverim process.
I also have other reading plans from our past haverims and the notes from my original haverim on Psalm 119 (not yet published). Please contact me if you’d like to discuss starting a haverim or using the concept in your congregation.
Tom Benton tombenton.hrc@gmail.com