Son of God: A Bible Study for Women on the Gospel of Mark (Keri Folmar)

Son of God, Volume 1

A Bible Study for Women on the Gospel of Mark

This volume is for the study of Mark 1:1 – 9:13

This 11-week study is the first of two volumes covering the entire Gospel of Mark (with the exception of the disputed closing section, 16:9-20).  Ideal for personal or group use. Our Bible studies are meant to be written in extensively too.

About the Author

Keri Folmar is wife of John Folmar, pastor of a Christian Church in the Middle East. She is also the mother of three children. In a previous life, as chief counsel of House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Keri was staff writer of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban.

Review by Barbara Banks

These Bible study workbooks, Volume 1 (Mark 1:1 – 9:13) and Volume 2 (Mar 9:14 – 16:8) are well crafted to aid in the study of the Gospel of Mark in an inductive way. An inductive study, as Keri clearly explains and illustrates in her workbooks, means to read the passages in context and ask questions of the text with the purpose of deriving the meaning and significance from the text itself. After discovering the meaning of the text, there are questions to help you apply it to your life. In other words, Observation, Interpretation and Application questions for each passage studied.

This inductive Bible study closely examines who Jesus is and the wondrous things he said and did. Volume 1 begins with the clear statement of who Jesus is…. “the Son of God” and concludes with his Transfiguration on the mountain. This workbook guides us through how Mark systematically shows Jesus’ authority over men, demons, sickness, the forgiveness of sins, nature and even death. Volume 2 continues to deftly explore the cost of discipleship and the fulfillment of the good news of Jesus Christ…”to give his life as a ransom for many”. Book-ending the opening statement in Volume 1, is the centurions’ exclamation at Jesus’ death on the cross:  “Truly this man was the Son of God!”.

Highly practical

I also appreciated some of the practical aspects of these workbooks. Spiral bound for ease of book manipulation as you study, answer questions and take notes. There is space to respond to questions or comments plus a note page at the end of each weekly lesson. Each volume consists of eleven weekly lessons and every lesson has five days of homework. For visual learners (or those days when the brain is just foggy) there is a unique icon next to the question that identifies which type it is….Observation, Interpretation or Application.

In the workbooks, Keri reminds us that “Scripture interprets Scripture” and to that end she strategically includes in the lessons Bible passages in addition to the current Mark scripture passage being studied that week. This supports those women who desire to dig deeper. I often found study of these additional scripture references helpful to my personal study and as a small group leader. If you are a small group Bible study leader, either new in that role or a veteran, the Son of God study workbooks contain a very useful section with Notes to Leaders. I especially appreciate the exhortation to keep your focus on the Bible!

While some Bible studies are designed to be used by a very narrow audience, I’ve used the Son of God Bible study workbooks for my personal study time, with one to one discipleship and as a small group leader with my church’s Ladies’ Bible study ministry. Believers both young in the faith and mature will benefit from utilizing this inductive Bible study of Mark. In all three scenarios Gods’ Word and the Holy Spirit produced much good fruit.