mybsf.org

AP and Class Staff Bulletin

October-November 2023

Tomb with stone rolled away

Come and See

I recently heard the story of a young woman who was unfamiliar with the Bible but hungry for the truth. She often listened to her friends discuss their experiences in BSF. The in-depth Bible study shared in community where participants seek to learn and grow together seemed to impact their lives. Their witness was impacting her. She wanted to go and see. Her problem was that her friends never invited her, and she didn’t know how to tell them she really hoped that they would. As I listened, I wondered why they had not invited her to join them.
Her story triggered a memory. Years ago, my mother’s best friend began attending BSF, and she couldn’t keep the impact of this newfound blessing to herself. She invited my mom. The result? Mom said, “No” many times. She declined invitations several years in a row. But one year she went. The result? My family tree was transformed. The impact of that persistent invitation led to 20 members of my immediate family (four generations) studying God’s Word in BSF. As I thought back 44 years to the day that my mom finally accepted her invitation, I wondered why her friend persisted in asking her to join.
As I pondered these two stories, a simple statement of encouragement formed in my heart. “Invite. And keep inviting.” This year, we have the opportunity to make Jesus known to the people God intentionally places in our small part of His big world. Next year, we will see Jesus through the promises and prophecies of Revelation. Imagine the global impact if BSF members across the nations prayerfully, courageously, and persistently commit to “Invite. And keep inviting.”
As a key leader in BSF, would you share these stories and this encouragement with those God has entrusted you to lead? Would you help them see the privilege of being a witness who invites others to come and see? What can you do to prepare your leaders to warmly receive those God will bring from the many invitations persistently extended?
AP and Class Staff, you are receiving packets specifically designed to help you strengthen the foundation of your classes spiritually and practically to prepare for the growth God will bring to your class through the Revelation study. Will you depend on Him as you expectantly use the packet so that together we can mobilize His people to advance His Word and impact His World?

– Joyce Newhall, regional director

Happening Soon

16-20 October 2023: HQ Staff will be participating in staff development. Staff will have reduced access to communication such as email and Zoom. Response time may be longer than usual. Please pray for HQ staff as we collaborate, connect, and build community.

5-8 November 2023: Online orientation for TLs, OTs, and DOTs. TL, OT, and DOT application deadline is 25 October 2023.

Prayer Requests

Praise for:
  • A strong start to the John study
  • God’s provision of host churches for base classes and SDGs
  • God’s powerful, life-changing Word
Pray for:
  • More leaders to meet the demand for online groups and children’s classrooms
  • Good working relationships with host church staffs
  • Safety and security of adults and children in our classes meeting online or in person
  • Many lives to be changed by the study of John
  • Class members and leaders to invite many to the John study who will also join us for Revelation

Technology Updates

 

MFA Beginning Soon

Phased implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) will begin in late October and continue throughout the study year for MyBSF and BSF Online. MFA provides a higher level of security by requiring two steps to log into an account, usually your password and a unique code either sent to your phone or generated on your phone. Watch for an alert and instructions in the Resource Library.

MyBSF: Class Inactives Extended to Five Studies

On the Manage Members page (Class>Class Composition>Manage Members) next to Show Inactives is a question mark icon. Hovering over that icon reveals that when the Inactives are selected, the list will include all members inactivated in your class for the current study year, plus the four previous study years. This helps you locate former members who wish to return for the John or Revelation study.

MyBSF: Efficient Video Lecture Recording and Upload

To record video lectures without causing lengthy downloads for members or consuming excessive storage, consider:

  • Bandwidth limitations: Upload speeds vary based on the bandwidth of the location from which you are uploading. If the internet connection is slow, it might save time to upload from a location that has a stronger internet connection.
  • Recording settings: If possible, record your video at 720p resolution with a frame rate of 30 fps. This ensures balance between video quality and file size. Even if played on a larger screen, the video will offer a satisfactory viewing experience.
  • Video compression: If you cannot reduce the recording resolution, consider compressing the video. This helps accelerate the upload process and conserves server space.
  • Smaller file sizes: Videos that have a smaller file size ease the viewing and download process for members and cost less when it comes to storage.

Please pass this on to the person who does your recording and uploading.

Need to Know

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

To help us prepare for the anticipated excitement and increase in members for Revelation, we are adding this tab to the Bulletin. Read here to keep up with the latest information about next year’s study.

AP and Class Staff Packets for Revelation Planning

Packets for AP and Class Staff will be posted soon in the Resource Library. These packets have resources for casting vision, planning for growth, and working together to prepare for the Revelation study. Be sure to watch your alerts and pray for collaboration between AP and Class Staff on Revelation planning.

Suzanne Sloan Retires from BSF Board of Directors

Mrs. Suzanne Sloan, a faithful leader and friend of BSF, is retiring from the board of directors. Suzanne served as a board member for 25 years (1998-2023) and was secretary of the board. She also gave years of faithful, gracious, and wise service as a Teaching Leader and Area Advisor. She is now honored with the role of director emeritus. The board is grateful to God, who graciously gifted Suzanne to BSF as a faithful servant and to each of her fellow board members as a loving friend.

2024 and 2025 Events

Plans are underway for events coming in 2024 and 2025. An email was sent recently to AP, OAP, TLs, STLs, OTs, and DOTs with information about these events. Here is a link to that email. We are grateful for you!

BSF Cost per Member

God has demonstrated His faithfulness for over 60 years making it possible for people all over the world to study His Word at no charge. As BSF has grown, so have the necessary investments—including increased staff, IT enhancements, BSF app and WordGo development, BSF Online support, content development, media creation, and translation—to help make in-depth Bible study accessible anywhere anytime. One way to acknowledge God’s work and our gratefulness is to share with leaders and members the yearly cost per member. (OTs, AOTs, and OGLs can periodically announce this information and the giving options.) This year, the cost per member to participate in BSF is $130.00 USD.

BSF Students Online Class Directory

A BSF Students Online Class Directory is available in the Resource Library (Keyword Search: directory). The directory is available to all Class Staff roles, members, and account holders. To show an online option for BSF Students, follow instructions found on page 22 of the MyBSF Reference Guide_082023 (Keyword Search: reference).

BSF: CP Checklist Maintenance

Please ensure that your CP Checklist is updated in MyBSF because AP are validating compliance twice yearly. Leaders or regular volunteers who serve our children must complete their background screening or recertification based on the requirements for your area.

The database will show Ineligible for those who are noncompliant and must be updated. If you have class members who no longer volunteer in your Children’s Program, remove them from the CP Checklist by selecting Hide from CP Checklist. The CP Checklist should be free of Ineligible names. Thank you for protecting the children and students in your class.

Global Lectures and Class-Specific Lectures

Global lectures are provided in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish.

MyBSF:
Members and leaders access their class-specific lectures in English, Chinese, or Spanish on the Lessons page. These lectures can be in video or audio format.

Members and leaders attending an English class that need lectures in Mandarin, Cantonese, or Spanish access the global lecture through the Resource Library. Change the display language at the top of the Resource Library page to see these lectures in the needed language. Global lectures are available only in audio format. Class Staff no longer need to send these lectures.

BSF Online:
Members and leaders access their lectures on the My Lessons page according to the Display Language and Spoken Language settings in their account settings. They can also access through the Resource Library. These global lectures are in audio format only.

Video lectures for Intro and for Lesson 29 are posted in the Resource Library for all members and leaders in our four supported languages. Change the display language at the top of the page to see these lectures in your preferred language. If you cannot access Vimeo, a link to an alternate location for videos is available in the Resource Library (Keyword Search: alternative).

November Online Orientation

An online orientation for TLs, OTs, and DOTs has been added to the calendar and will be held 5-8 November 2023. This orientation will be limited in scope and scale with one small group of TLs and one small group of OTs and DOTs. Both groups will operate in the Central time zone and be conducted in English. The application deadline is Wednesday, 25 October 2023 for all candidates.

TL and AP Event Registration

Registration for the TL and AP June in-person event will begin late October 2023. Look for an email with a link to the registration form.

HQ Staff Visits

HQ staff are encouraged to visit in-person leaders meetings or classes in October and online leaders meetings or classes in February. Because our staff is global, you might receive an email notifying you of a staff member’s desire to visit one of your LMs or classes. They are there to encourage and bring back information so that HQ can support you better. AP/OAP are not obligated but may attend with HQ staff. We think this will help your HQ staff gain perspective and appreciation for all of the work you, our servant leaders, do.

AP: Validation of CP Checklist

Now is the time for AP to review and validate the compliance of every leader and regular volunteer serving in the Children’s Program. (This review should be performed twice yearly.) To uphold safety and security in our Children’s Program, all CLs and regular volunteers on the CP Checklist must be up to date with necessary background screenings and recertifications required for your area.

  • Select all names that are marked Eligible and Validate.
  • If anyone on the CP Checklist is marked Ineligible under Eligibility Status, contact the Class Staff to have them complete the necessary update before validating.
  • The CP Checklist should be free of any Ineligible names.

Thank you for ensuring the safety of our children and students!

AP: BSF HQ November Audit

During November, the BSF Headquarters yearly global financial audit will commence. As part of that audit, our external financial auditors may RANDOMLY select a class or AP to provide supporting financial documentation. If you are selected to participate, BSF Headquarters will contact you with the specific requests. Thank you in advance for ensuring the integrity of the ministry.

TL and AP Event Registration

Registration for the TL and AP June in-person event will begin late October 2023. Look for an email with a link to the registration form.

Monthly and December Financial Reporting

As you prepare your financial report each month, please verify the Host Church Contribution section on the Transactions page to make sure the percent remuneration is accurate. Confirming and updating this percentage each month before submitting your report will provide our gracious host churches with accurate remuneration. Please ensure that your December financial report is submitted no later than 12 December. Please also refrain from combining December with November or January reports.

BSF Classes: BSF HQ November Audit

During November, the BSF Headquarters yearly global financial audit will commence. As part of that audit, our external financial auditors may RANDOMLY select a class or AP to provide supporting financial documentation. If you are selected to participate, BSF Headquarters will contact you with the specific requests. Thank you in advance for ensuring the integrity of the ministry.

Thank you for your work. Please be sure to read all tabs.

MyBSF Learning Courses for AOTs and DAOTs

AOTs and DAOTs who are not already enrolled in the Assistant Online Trainer Foundations course will be enrolled in October. Look for an email notification from MyBSF Learning. Please review the course for the most current information for your role.

Returning AOTs and DAOTs should not sign up for instructor-led training. These sessions are available only for AOTs and DAOTs who are serving for the first time in the John study.

Multiple AOTs

A new feature will be released at the end of November for BSF Online called Multiple AOTs. This feature will:

  • Show all Class Staff OTs and AOTs at the top of page.
  • Make it easier to add new AOTs to the class.
  • Enable OTs to create multiple leader groups and assign an AOT to a group with their own meeting link.

More information and training is coming in November and December. This new feature helps you create a more engaging and effective online leaders meeting while accomodating growth in your online class.

MyBSF Learning Courses for AOTs and DAOTs

AOTs and DAOTs who are not already enrolled in the Assistant Online Trainer Foundations course will be enrolled in October. Look for an email notification from MyBSF Learning. Please review the course for the most current information for your role.

Returning AOTs and DAOTs should not sign up for instructor-led training. These sessions are available only for AOTs and DAOTs who are serving for the first time in the John study.

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