Building Community in Senior Bible Study

By Taylor Mills, Shield Editor  

One Friday each month during lunch, a Bible study open to all 12th-grade students is held in the Christian Living classroom, home of NRCA’s senior Bible classes. This study was put together at the beginning of the school year by Dr. Mitch Evans and his wife, Dawn, to reach the students looking for more biblical advice and discussions beyond Bible class.  

“We’ve talked about college, school life, and worldviews while enjoying [cookies Dawn brings],” Sunshine Cawthorne said. In their conversations, seniors talk about faith topics and receive advice about growing in faith through different areas and phases of life.  

The group goes further than just focusing on individual faith and growth. They look to extend their love and support to their peers through things such as prayer. These moments have an impact on the students and show the unity senior Bible study is looking to foster. 

“The first senior Bible study we actually got a list of all the students in the senior class, and we split them into groups, and then we got into groups, and we prayed for each and every person in our grade by name because there was a lot of power in praying [for people] by name,” Josh Dewar said. 

Community-building is key for Cawthorne, too. She said, “It’s a lot different than just Bible class because it’s more connected, and it really shows because [it’s] the people that want to be there that are there.”  

The students who attend desire to come together and talk about Christ. At senior Bible study, all seniors can feel welcomed and are encouraged to ask questions about their lives and future. For seniors, this is a period of many new challenges, so faith-based perspectives and guidance is important.  

Dr. and Mrs. Evans invite all seniors to join the Bible study and become a part of its community.