Our Family

Our Family

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Schoolhouse Review Crew: Doorposts

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Since 1990, Doorposts has had a mission to provide Scripture based tools to aid parents in raising godly children by presenting Scripture in an organized an easy to follow format.  They offer a wide variety of products including: Biblical Character Training, Bible Study, For Husbands and Fathers, For Wives and Mothers, For Boys, For Girls, Family Worship Resources, Bible Based Toys and Doll Kits, Bible Based Music, Reformation Day and Other History, and Bible Memory and Catechisms.  Over the last several weeks, we have had an opportunity to use and review Because You Are Strong, A Study of Strength For Young Men.


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Because You Are Strong is a 104 page paperback book.  It is a Bible Study designed for boys ages 12 and up although it can used by girls as well.  This study teaches how to study the Bible while learning about what God says about true strength.  There are 10 different studies with each study being divided into daily assignments that vary in length from 5-20 minutes.  After each study there is a short review study.  Because You Are Strong contains 74 days of study plus 40 more suggested studies.  The 10 different studies are:

1. Strength For the Race: Meditating on Hebrews 10 and 11
2.  Strength With No Limits: A Topical Study on the Omnipotence of God
3.  Strength and Wisdom: A Topical Study in Proverbs
4.  Strength and Temptation: A Character Study of Samson
5.  Strength to be Valiant: A Word Study on "Valor"
6.  Strength in Our Weaknesses: A Verse Study on 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
7.  Strength in the Battle: A Chapter Study on 1 Samuel 17
8.  Strength in Serving Others: A Study on Jesus' Actions in the Gospel of Mark
9.  Strength and Gray Heads: A Verse Study of Proverbs 20:29
10.  Strength in the Faith: A Book Study on 1 John

Because You Are Strong also teaches practical Bible study skills.  Students will learn how to:


  • Use a concordance
  • Study original Hebrew and Greek words that are used in a passage
  • Perform a character study
  • Study a topic in the Bible
  • Understand and use notes made in your Bible
  • Study a verse, passage, chapter, or entire book in the Bible
  • Use free Bible study tools on the computer or other mobile devices


You can view a sample by clicking here.

Other recommended materials include a Nave's Topical Bible and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.  You will also need a Bible that you do not mind marking in and some colored pencils or non bleeding highlighters.

You can purchase Because You Are Strong in paperback format for the regular price of $14.  As of the time of this writing, the study is currently on sale for $12.  You also have the option to purchase as an ebook for $10.

I have been using Because You Are Strong primarily with my 11 1/2 year old son, but also with my 9 year old son listening and participating in some of the question/answers.  We read all of the Scriptures and questions aloud together and record the answers in the book.  We have been working on the study daily during our afternoon school time, finishing one days section per day, four days per week.  The amount of time per day depends on the assignment for that day.  The days when there is Scripture to read, such as study one you have to read chapters 11 and 12 of Hebrews took longer than looking up and defining "strength."  I would say though, that 15-20 minutes per day is a good average amount of time if the student is doing the work on their own, and a little bit longer if you are reading aloud.

First of all, I have to say that I am really enjoying using this study with my boys!  My oldest is usually pretty quiet when doing Bible Study and tends to let others speak for him unless he is really prodded to answer, but he has been doing very well with this study and volunteering answers!  That in itself is a wonderful thing.  I really like the layout of the study, it is simple to do and easy to follow.  Although the study is aimed at young men, it absolutely will apply to anyone who wants to learn more about what the Bible says about strength.  The questions, exercises, and application questions are very interesting and thought provoking.  I love that it is not just a Bible study, but a study of how to study the Bible!  Once the student knows how to do different studies (word study, verse study, topical study etc..)  they will be able to take that knowledge and use it for further Bible studies.  There are many suggestions for further study included in the book, that are quite helpful, but with these study skills, students will not be limited to only those suggestions.  There is so much wonderful, helpful information included throughout the book in "gray boxes."  Notes about notes, Strong's Concordance and how it came to be, definitions from Webster's 1828 dictionary, online tools, and more, plus what kind of study you will be focusing on in that study, and what tools you will need.

One of my favorite things (and something that was quite new to us), was all of the online resources that are listed in the book, complete with step by step tutorials on how to use them!  We do not have a Nave's Topical Bible or a Strong's Concordance (although our Bible has a small concordance), so I was afraid we would have to skip some of the sections.  But, there is a step by step tutorial on how to use these online for free.  It was very helpful!!

Members of the Crew reviewed Because You Are Strong and Beauty in the Heart.  To see what my Crew Mates had to say, click on the banner below.


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