What's New?

It was fall 2019. We had no idea what lay ahead in a few short months. When 2020 hit, we all were trying to process COVID. The lockdowns, masks, quarantines, and school closures all seemed to create an atmosphere of fear in our communities, families and workplaces. In His sovereignty, God divinely brought four ladies together to do a Bible study on Advent. Following the Spirit’s prompting to begin a weekly Zoom based Bible study, Amy, Lee, Susie and Cindy had no idea what a source of encouragement this would be for the difficult days that lay ahead.

NBS2GO is pleased to announce our newest YouVersion Bible plan on the Bible app! This 5-day plan is a beginning place for changing the dial of thought patterns through reading and memorizing truths from God’s Word. It also includes prayers for each day. Invite a friend, neighbor, co-worker or family member to join you. 

We never dreamed that a partnership with YouVersion, the world’s most widely downloaded Bible app, would bear nearly as much fruit for the Kingdom of God as it has in the last three years! August 5, 2020, was the start of a unique opportunity that has propelled NBS2GO to reach nearly 400,000 people across the world in 39 languages. We can confidently say that this partnership was established, and the work is sustained by consistent and fervent prayer.

I can’t hear you, you are on mute…this was the most common statement I heard when learning to use Zoom. 

Who could have imagined what beauty God would eventually create out of a simple step of obedience? I started a women’s neighborhood Bible study in the middle of the pandemic in 2020. Two questions swirled in my head: Who would come to an in-person Bible study? Am I qualified to be a leader? 

I couldn’t believe it when our offer was accepted on a property that felt like God’s sweet gift to me to make my dreams come true. But a move meant a lot of change that left my stomach a little knotty. We were leaving behind a neighborhood (and cul-de-sac) where our daughters could play with other kids, plus all the neighbors we had invested in. But I felt hopeful about our new neighbors based on my observations of their properties: large vegetable gardens, a pool with a slide, fruit trees and beautiful flowering plants.  Surely these were my people. 

With sleepy eyes and coffee in hand, I logged onto the zoom call. It was March 11th at 6:00 am, and I had the incredible opportunity to connect with pastors and leaders from a closed country in south Asia. One pastor and his wife had invited a group of women to their home whose bright, colored dresses were matched only by their bright, eager smiles! This group of joyful believers were eager to receive encouragement towards reaching others for Christ.

After Ben Seiler, a minister to college students, attended an NBS2GO workshop discussing how to use one of our Bible studies, he had this to say.

Yes, you might have heard of it.  Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America!   What I love about pickleball is that it is for EVERY AGE. It is also very easy to make friends and build relationships.

To grow up with and observe a mom who is consistently in God’s Word is a gift I cherish! I’ve witnessed her take time in the mornings to pull away in the quiet and dedicate time to prayer and reading Scripture. Not only was it for herself, but it was to posture herself in a way that allowed her to help other women in our neighborhood study His Word.

Ultimate Motives              

I have read several books over the years that have touched on the idea of examining our motives when seeking to introduce others to Christ. The comparison that posted like a sticky note somewhere in the “easy to recall” section of my brain was this: Ultimate vs. Ulterior Motives.

What if I am not a gifted teacher?

From time to time, we are asked questions regarding specific “how-tos” as it relates to leading a neighbor Bible study. When it comes to facilitating groups, we all want to be effective leaders. Below we have compiled various aspects of leadership to consider. Whether you have been a leader for many years or you're just beginning, take time to go through the list and be prayerful as you step out in faith.

Meggan’s neighbor, Sarah, shared this sentence with her in a moment of vulnerability. The emotion could be heard in her voice. This friend shared a true appreciation for their growing friendship. Sarah went on to explain that when she met Meggan, she had been going through the motions of life, kids and work, and it was wearing on her.

Recently I had the privilege of sitting down with a group of women at a local church to discuss loving our neighbors by inviting them to study God’s Word.

We introduced ourselves, and I quickly realized among those present were prayer warriors, veteran Bible study leaders and many who had a heart for their neighbors but weren’t sure where to begin.

National Good Neighbor Day is Wednesday, September 28th, and we have filled this newsletter with ideas to inspire you!

Created in the early 1970s, National Good Neighbor Day was established by presidential proclamation in 1978 by Jimmy Carter. Every year, all across the country, people make an extra effort on September 28th to intentionally be a good neighbor and build community.

The Mission of Multiplication

Imagine with me a field of dandelions in all their glory of vibrant yellow. Growing up, my dad did everything he could to keep them out of our yard. I loved them. He hated them.  Why? Because dandelions are perennial weeds that spread rapidly and multiply both from seed and the roots yearly. 

SAVE THE DATE and register for the next Let Your Light Shine!

Tuesday, March 29^th 12:00 pm CT

Listen to others who have attended past workshops:

“The NBS2GO workshop (“Let Your Light Shine” – Fall) was awesome! I put four of the ideas to work and saw God open completely different doors with neighbor families with whom I had not been able to connect before. So thankful and excited about what God is doing!!!!!” Karen from Texas

I’ll never forget January of 2012. Visiting my brother Alan on the family farm during lambing season was a highlight of my Easter experience. Those moments created a desire to know the Lord – His life, death, and resurrection – in a new way.

The lambing season brought 12 new little lambs to his flock.  The newborn lambs lurched and stumbled as they learned to walk, yet they were precious and beautiful from the beginning. I watched my brother and father carefully tend each one, providing their needs and protecting them.  The ewe moms stayed close, attentive, and observant. Within a few days the newborns were dancing and playing in the field. One lamb seemed especially appealing to me because I noticed he had no defects and was perfect in every way. Witnessing this firsthand changed my view of Jesus; it was pivotal. 

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed… but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” I Peter 1: 18, 19. That spring it seemed I was reading Peter’s words as he wrote them, the ink barely dry on the page.

The moment I read the title of my friend’s blog, “If You Moved, Would Your Neighbors Miss You?” I was hooked.  After reading it, I wanted to pass it on to our NBS2GO family.

Judy Douglass is an exceptional writer, inspirational speaker, and an engaging leader whose life is characterized by extraordinary love. She is a personal friend, long distance mentor, and fellow lover of neighbors. 

I invite you to listen to the Lord’s promptings as you step into Judy’s story and ask yourself, “If I moved, would my neighbors miss me?”

Debbie McGoldrick

Do you want to reach out to your neighbors but don’t know how to begin? Make a Fresh Start! This 4-week group training will encourage and equip you to take simple steps towards beginning a Bible study. Each seventy-five-minute video call will include training tools, group discussion and application.

Here's what others are saying about the Fresh Start group training...