mybsf.org

AP and Class Staff Bulletin

February 2023

MyBSF
Need to Know
Archive

Next Year’s Study Unveiled!

We are excited to announce to all BSF members our 2023–24 study:
John’s Gospel: The Truth

In a world where many things claim to be truth—you can even “find your own truth”—Jesus stands alone. He boldly proclaims Himself to be the only true source of freedom, peace, truth, meaning, sustenance, security, and everlasting life with God. Which leaves us asking: Are Jesus’ claims true?

Through John’s Gospel, we will discover the truth about Jesus.

  • He is fully God and fully man.
  • He invested in real people in life-changing, destiny-defining ways.
  • He ignited both faith and opposition.
  • He died as a willing sacrifice for sin, not the victim of human hatred.
  • He rose from the dead in triumph over sin and death.
  • He invites all to “come” and receive salvation by putting their faith in Him.

The beauty and spiritual depth of this book cannot be exhausted, because the character and person of Jesus exceeds our finest thoughts and most eloquent expressions. We pray that our leaders and members will personally experience Jesus’ claims as we study John’s Gospel: The Truth.

This study involved collaboration from theologians, a global review team, dedicated translators, and many others. Please pray for those God will bring to this study next year.

Coming in 2024–25: Revelation

We are excited to announce that our 2024-2025 study will be Revelation! Planning is under way to prepare for the Revelation study year, and we will keep you informed.

We encourage Class Staff to make a class announcement so members and leaders can look forward to both John and Revelation. To help, we have created a slide that shows the two upcoming studies together. Download this slide from the Resource Library (Keyword Search: announcement).

Happening Soon

HQ Staff Planning

HQ Staff will gather 27 February through 3 March for Staff Planning Week. Staff will have reduced access to e-mail and Zoom. Please pray for HQ Staff connection and collaboration during this time.

March and April 2023 DOT, OT, and TL Orientations

TL candidates may choose online or in-person orientation as space allows. Please encourage TL candidates to e-mail events@bsfinternational.org now if they need a visa invitation letter!

26–29 March 2023
(online for OTs, DOTs, and TLs)

  • Application deadline for OTs and DOTs 1 March 2023
  • Application deadline for TLs passed on 22 February 2023

23–27 April 2023
(in-person TLs only)

  • Application deadline 22 March 2023

Prayer

Pray that:

  • Every member will persevere to the end of the PPKD study.
  • BSF technology will fully support Class Staff end-of-study-year and registration.
  • Leaders will experience God’s equipping as they depend on Him.
  • All children in BSF Kids and BSF Students will be safe and secure in person and online.
  • Active engagement in God’s Word through BSF Students will produce personal, passionate commitment to God’s truth amongst our students worldwide.

    MyBSF

    Transition to the New Study Year in MyBSF

    You will be hearing more about registration for the next study year. The process of transitioning to a new study year will be similar to last year’s with some enhanced functionality. 

    Class members, children, and leaders are automatically registered for the next study year in MyBSF. GLs should contact each member to confirm their intent to attend the John study. See the Registration Communication Process for more information (also available in the Resource Library [Keyword Search: registration]). The following is an overview of the MyBSF transition to the John study.

     

    Need to Know

    Be sure to click and read for all positions related to your class.

    Clarification: Church Membership for Leaders 

    To help with recruiting new leaders, please note the following clarification regarding membership and church service qualifications for leaders. This will be updated in the June release of the manuals. 

    • All BSF leaders must be a member of a Protestant church. 
    • If their church does not offer membership, they must be a regular attender. 
    • Each leader must serve their church in at least one specific role. 

    Annual Leader Event

    The annual Leader Event to kick off the John study year will be similar to last year’s Leader Event. This year’s theme is Refill. More information to come.

    STL, AOT, and DAOT Term of Service

    The term of service for the STL, AOT, and DAOT role is moving from 1 year to 2 years starting with the John study year. This will be updated in the June 2023 release of the manuals but may be communicated now.  

    Refill: AP/OAP Conference 2023

    Registration and ticketing for Refill: AP/OAP Conference 2023 are underway! Click to learn everything you need to know about registration and travel parameters. You will also find answers to some of your most frequently asked questions! 

    US AP ONLY: 2023 Mileage Rates

    The IRS has updated the mileage reimbursement rate from 58.5 cents per mile in 2022 to 65.5 cents per mile in 2023. This mileage rate change has been adjusted in Concur.
    Rates for AP in other countries are forthcoming.  

    Online BSF Students Program Requirements

    Class Staff and AP work together to make sure Online BSF Students programs meet certain criteria. Be sure to read the CS tab for details.

    Save the Date!

    TLs, DOTs, and OTs join us 13-15 June 2023 for an online event to prepare you for the upcoming study of the book of John. More details, including registration information, are coming in the March Bulletin.

    Strategic Framework Update

    Please see this brief video for information about a small change to the Strategic Framework.

    WordGo and Leading a Small Group Seminar

    As classes come to the end of the PPKD study, we want to encourage members to stay engaged with Scripture during the break by using the WordGo app. WordGo makes it simple for anyone to start a short-term Bible study with the people in their life. We encourage you to promote WordGo as an option for small-group study for all your members.

    If your class is offering the Leading a Small Group Seminar before the end of PPKD, this is a great opportunity to prepare our members to guide others in Bible study.
    The Seminar Supplement and Seminar forms can be found in the Resource Library (Keyword Search: seminar).

    Need Help Remunerating Your Host Church?

    If your class bank account lacks sufficient funds to pay the host church for both in-class contributions and online giving, do the following in MyBSF:

    1. Verify the HC percentage reflects 25% (or another approved amount). If it does not, correct this information before moving forward.
    2. Remit zero to HQ (No HQ Remittance).
    3. Pay the HC what you can from the class bank account while maintaining your ending retained balance.
    4. When submitting the report, select the Request HQ to Pay box and provide a reason in the comment box.

    For more information, watch this video.

    Online BSF Students Requirements

    As we prepare to register for the next study year for John, Class Staff and AP work together to make sure your Online BSF Students programs are meeting the following criteria.  

    Requirement

    Why
    When there are no online adult groups meeting the same day, identify an online SP as a separate, online satellite meeting in MyBSF (from the left navigation, select Class > Management > Meetings). This applies to DOLMs and base classes. AP should assist classes as needed with this meeting identification. (See the June-July 2022 Bulletin.) The online SP meeting will be visible on Find a Group.  

    MyBSF will recognize the students as online rather than in-person to find and track online SPs 
    Use only the class SP CS Host Zoom License for all online BSF Students meetings. Zoom settings are preconfigured to provide the safety and security needed for leading students online.
    Two-adult policy with one adult serving as a trained SP leader in each online classroom and breakout room. Adherence to the BSF two-adult policy for the safety and security of all participating in SP.

     

     

    Save the Date!

    TLs, DOTs, and OTs join us 13-15 June 2023 for an online event to prepare you for the upcoming study of the book of John. More details, including registration information, are coming in the March Bulletin.

    Clarification: Church Membership for Leaders 

    To help with recruiting new leaders, please note the following clarification regarding membership and church service qualifications for leaders. This will be updated in the June release of the manuals. 

    • All BSF leaders must be a member of a Protestant church. 
    • If their church does not offer membership, they must be a regular attender. 
    • Each leader must serve their church in at least one specific role. 

    Annual Leader Event

    The annual Leader Event to kick off the John study year will be similar to last year’s Leader Event. This year’s theme is Refill. More information to come.

    STL, AOT, and DAOT Term of Service

    The term of service for the STL, AOT, and DAOT role is moving from 1 year to 2 years starting with the John study year. This will be updated in the June 2023 release of the manuals but may be communicated now.

    Refill: AP/OAP Conference 2023

    Registration and ticketing for Refill: AP/OAP Conference 2023 are underway! Click to learn everything you need to know about registration and travel parameters. You will also find answers to some of your most frequently asked questions!   

    Save the Date!

    TLs, DOTs, and OTs join us 13-15 June 2023 for an online event to prepare you for the upcoming study of the book of John. More details, including registration information, are coming in the March Bulletin.

    Archive