Women's Bible Study Classes & Book Clubs

We value all generations seated together around the table at our Bible Studies!  However, childcare costs and fees can often deter moms and women from attending.  Personally, when my boys were little – living on a single teacher’s income – I couldn’t afford to come to WBS, but someone paid my way for me by covering my childcare costs.  If you wish to donate to help young moms and women who might not be able to afford WBS, you can provide your donation here and select Women’s Ministry Fund.

• Available Tuesday mornings for ages 6 mo. – kindergarten.  
• FEES (childcare + reg):
  • 1 child – $25 ($40)
  • 2 children – $35 ($50) 
  • 3 or more children – $45 ($60) 

By Jennie Allen

A study focusing on the book of Philippians to help us stop the spiral of destructive thoughts.  This study will help us to recognize how our thoughts are affecting our lives and remind us of the weapons we have available to take control of our thoughts as we submit our minds to Christ. 

TEACHERS: Tracy Stezin
HOMEWORK: 1- 2 hrs/wk
LEVEL:  All
BOOK:  Get Out of Your Head
BOOK PURCHASE LINK:  Amazon, Christianbook 

By Jen Wilkin

In this study, we’ll walk through the stories of the fathers of our faith – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.  We’ll discover how God is working everything together for His glory and for the good of His people.  Walk alongside the image bearers who sinned but wrestled to maintain trust in the only One who fulfills every promise.  Some of the themes covered will be: covenant, resurrection, redemption and hope.  You’ll come away from this study knowing that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! 

TEACHERS:  Nancy Makowski, Jaime Witmer, Heidi Dorrow
HOMEWORK:  1-2 hrs/wk
LEVEL: All
BOOK:  God of Covenant, A Study of Genesis 12-50
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Christian Book, Lifeway 

By Hillary Morgan Ferrer

Starting at a young age, kids are being fed damaging lies about sexuality, gender identity, and human biology.  In this study you will look through a biblical lens as a guide to yourself and your kids to know, respect and understand God’s design for gender, and sex and marriage in a world that has rejected it – this biblical vantage point reveals a beautiful portrait of the nature of God Himself.  Training will include how to identify the tactics being used to trick children into adopting an unbiblical view of sexuality under the guise of Christian-sounding words like love, identity, tolerance, and justice.  You will also be taught how to teach your kids to treat those who hold different beliefs with gentle, Christlike compassion without compromising biblical values and truth.  As society continues to blur the lines of what is good, true and acceptable, God’s standards remain clear and unchanging.  

TEACHERS:  Patty Scott & Kate Wool
HOMEWORK:  2 hrs/wk
LEVEL: All
BOOK:  Mama Bear Apologetics: Guide to Sexuality
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Christian Book, Lifeway

By Rebecca McLaughlin

The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are four accounts of one extraordinary life. Each book tells the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These book aren’t fairytales, fiction, or legend; they are gospel truth. Our eternal future hinges on whether or not they are trustworthy testimonies of the events of Jesus’s life and accurate records of His teaching.  Through this study, your confidence in the truth of Scripture will be renewed and you’ll gain a more captivating view of the Savior. And along the way you’ll acquire skills that will help you become a better student of all of Scripture.  

TEACHERS:  Jamie Plasterer & Sharon Armstrong
HOMEWORK:  1-4 hrs/wk
LEVEL: All
BOOK:   Navigating Gospel Truth
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Lifeway, Christian Book 

By Dr. Timothy Keller

The book of Romans completely changed the church, and it has the power to change you!  We’ll study the first half of Romans, diving into a deeper understanding God’s righteousness and sovereignty, salvation, and living the Christian faith and showing how it transforms our hearts and lives today. 

TEACHER:  Melinda Bear
HOMEWORK: 3 hrs/wk
LEVEL: Intermediate
BOOK:  Romans 1-7 For You
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Christian Book 

This class is open to anyone who completed the original Soul of Shame Bible Study led by Kim Winters at WSEFC in the fall of 2021 and 2022. You should have already gotten an email from us describing the content in detail but if you didn’t please email Kim at garlandhouse1@verizon.net. You completed SOS 1.0 if you attended more than half of the in-person classes, read the book and prepared your 5 minute shame narrative (or at least outlined it) even if you did not present it in class – you graduated and are welcome to register for SOS 2.0! In this class we will be doing a deeper dive into content from the first class with lots more time to share, respond and put into practice these essential principles for a healing community at home, work and church.  

TEACHERS:  Kim Winters & Laura Bibighaus
HOMEWORK:  1-2 hrs/wk
PRE-REQUISITE: Must have completed SOS 1.0
BOOK: The Soul of Shame, Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves by Curt Thompson, MD
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Christian Book 

By Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jada Edwards & Kristi McLelland

Do you have trouble thinking of words to say to God when you pray?  Are you afraid some emotions are too intense to express to God?  Do you reach the end of a day only to realize you haven’t prayed at all?  You are not alone.  Prayer is the way we relate to God, but sometimes it’s a struggle.  But throughout God’s Word, we encounter many voices that we can look to who can help teach us how to pray.  We will glean from specific examples of prayer in Scripture.  
We will join with Bible teachers Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothshild, Jada Edwards, and Kristi McLelland, who will help us study prayers in the Bible that can inspire our prayer lives.  We will learn that God welcomes our praise and lament, our thanksgiving and intercession.  We will see examples of how to pray when we are alone and when we are gathered with others.  Above all, we will notice that there is no one right way to pray.  As we draw near to God through prayer, we will find our faith strengthened and our hearts united to Christ.   

TEACHERS:  Toni Turoff & Kalila Warner 
HOMEWORK:  1 ½ – 2 hrs/wk
LEVEL: All
BOOK:  When You Pray
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon,  Lifeway 

By Dr. Timothy Keller

The book of Romans completely changed the church, and it has the power to change you!  We’ll study the first half of Romans, diving into a deeper understanding God’s righteousness and sovereignty, salvation, and living the Christian faith and showing how it transforms our hearts and lives today. 

TEACHER:  Melinda Bear
HOMEWORK: 3 hrs/wk
LEVEL: Intermediate
BOOK:  Romans 1-7 For You
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon, Christian Book 

Are you an example to others?  Learn the principles of exemplary Christian living.  Understand the spiritual warfare, sparked by the presence of the gospel in the world, and the rapture of the church – God’s ultimate rescue. Don’t be confused about “the Day of the Lord.” The Thessalonians were interested in the end times, just as we are today.  But, they were confused until they received this letter from Paul.  This book will help you fully understand what God says about the last days. 

IMPORTANT:  Registration for this class only will open AUG. 20 and the class begins Sept. 12.  Training, optional, for the study process is offered if you are new to PUP studies, it has been a while, or you’d like a refresher! 

TEACHERS:  Tina Dunlap & Melody Dietz
HOMEWORK: 5+ hrs/wk
LEVEL: Advanced
BOOK:  1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians NASB or ESV PUP Workbook
SUPPLIES NEEDED: Colored pencils or pens, 3-ring binder
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 

By Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jada Edwards & Kristi McLelland

Do you have trouble thinking of words to say to God when you pray?  Are you afraid some emotions are too intense to express to God?  Do you reach the end of a day only to realize you haven’t prayed at all?  You are not alone.  Prayer is the way we relate to God, but sometimes it’s a struggle.  But throughout God’s Word, we encounter many voices that we can look to who can help teach us how to pray.  We will glean from specific examples of prayer in Scripture.   

We will join with Bible teachers Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothshild, Jada Edwards, and Kristi McLelland, who will help us study prayers in the Bible that can inspire our prayer lives.  We will learn that God welcomes our praise and lament, our thanksgiving and intercession.  We will see examples of how to pray when we are alone and when we are gathered with others.  Above all, we will notice that there is no one right way to pray.  As we draw near to God through prayer, we will find our faith strengthened and our hearts united to Christ.   

TEACHER:  Kathy Jo Sassaman 
HOMEWORK:  1 ½ – 2 hrs/wk
LEVEL: All
BOOK:  When You Pray
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Amazon,  Lifeway 

“Is the Bible reliable, accurate, or just a collection of fictional stories?”  Maybe a youth in your life, or you personally, is asking this question and doubting the believability of the Bible.  In this class, we will learn from Homicide Detective Wallace, a former atheist, who tested the accuracy and reliability of the New Testament Gospel accounts and came to see that the case for Christianity was as strong as any case he would bring before a judge.  We’ll follow along as he investigates the historical evidence and “questions” the witnesses.  Cold-case Christianity will train you so you can train others, especially the youth in your life, to get at the evidence for Christianity and why it matters. 

TEACHERS:  Cindy Parker & Holly Hoke
HOMEWORK: 2-3 hrs/wk
LEVEL: Beginner-Intermediate
REQUIRED BOOK:  Cold-Case Christianity Participant’s Guide: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels by J. Warner Wallace
OPTIONAL BOOK: Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospel
BOOK PURCHASE LINK:  (Required) Amazon, (Optional) Amazon;
DATES:  Sept. 27; Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25; Nov. 1, 8, 29, Dec 6 

By Lysa TerKeurst 

What happens when life looks very different from the reality we long for? In It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa TerKeurst offers a Biblical perspective and hard-won advice to encourage readers facing their own challenges. Find unexpected strength while wrestling between faith and feelings and learn how to stand through uncertainty and trust in God’s goodness and the truths given to us in the Bible. 

TEACHERS: Billiejo Monday
Homework: 3 hrs/week
LEVEL: All
BOOK: It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, Book AND Study Guide
BOOK PURCHASE LINK: Proverbs 31
DATES:  Sept. 24; Oct. 1, 15, 22; Nov. 5, 12

By Lysa TerKeurst 

Lysa shares the hard-won relationship advice she’s acquired in her own life!  You’ll read about and discuss the five critical points to establishing healthy boundaries and remind yourself that YOU determine how much personal and emotional access someone has to you.  Not only will you process Lysa’s words, but also examine passages from scripture which are sometimes misused to perpetuate destructive interactions and help you say goodbye, if necessary, without guilt. 

LEADERS:  Shelley Steck & Alece Nauck-Heisey
WHEN:  Tuesday mornings @ 9 a.m.
WHERE:  WSFC, coffee Central
BOOK PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon, Christianbook
CHILDCARE:  available for a fee upon registration 

By David Thomas

Some say that’s just how boys are—prone to outbursts or sullenness. But what’s behind these and other issues? Drawing from twenty-five years of counseling boys and working with parents, David Thomas sheds light on common emotional struggles, including anger, anxiety, and depression, and shares practical ways you can help your son be: resourceful, aware, resilient, and empathetic.
Helpful also for grandparents, teachers, and anyone else who has a boy in their life, this book shows how a strong emotional foundation leads to a Christ-like sense of masculinity that will serve him well his whole life.  

LEADERS:  Cyndi Alioth & Alicia Ewer 
WHEN:  Sundays, 6 PM 
WHERE:  TBD 
BOOK PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon, Christianbook  
DATES: Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 22, 29 

By Sissy Goff

Raising girls in today’s anxious world is a challenge but you’re not alone!  Are you a mom, spiritual mother, life-group leader or mentor?  Come join other women in reading this practical book by Christian counselor, Sissy Goff.  She will offer various tools to help you and the girls in your life understand how her brain works as well as equip them to fight back against worry and lean into God’s great love. 

LEADERS: Dawn Sampson &  Bree Anderson 
WHEN: 6:15 PM    
WHERE:  Dawn’s house  
BOOK PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon, Christianbook 
DATES:   Wednesdays, Sept. 27; Oct. 4, 18, 25; Nov. 8  

By John Mark Comer 

“Who am I becoming?”  That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer.  Outwardly, he appeared successful.  But inwardly, things weren’t pretty.  So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.  Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.” It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was – and continues to be – the answer he needs.  Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil. 

LEADERS:  Toni Turoff & Laura Shughart
WHEN:  Sundays, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 6-7:30 p.m.
WHERE:  Toni house
BOOK PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon, Christianbook