Review the plan for the workshop. The workshop is designed for a ninety-minute period. It can be adapted to meet your particular'setting and needs.

Think about the people who will be attending this workshop. Name each one aloud. Write each name on an index card with a note about that person's role, in the church. Create cards for people whom you do not yet know, but who may be attending. After the workshop write a comment about each person and his or her contribution to the group, to the equipping of the saints in that workshop.

Investigate unique aspects of Bible Quest

Foundations Paper, article "Bible Quest: A New Way of Teaching, A New Way of Learning"

If the participants do not already have the Foundations Paper, distribute it now. Direct attention to the vision statement. What words capture their interest?

Summarize how the word story is used in Bible Quest, as described in the Introduction.

Divide the group into three teams (a team could be two people) and assign one of each the, remaining sections of the paper to each team. Ask them to identify what implications they discover for leading and learning in the church.

As they work in these teams, they may want to refer to the article "Bible Quest: A New Way of Teaching, A New Way of Learning."

When the teams have completed their assignment, bring the group back together and hear reports from each team.

Travel through the leader's resources

Age-level Leader's Guides, article "Finding Your Way through Bible Quest"

Look first at the Table of Contents. What looks interesting enough to explore further? Point out all the articles available for leader development. Does your congregation have a plan for monthly or quarterly leaders meetings? How can these articles be used in those meetings?

For a moment, study the age-level guides for Ages 3–4, Grades K–1, Grades 3–4, Grades 4–6, Grades 6–8, and Multi-age (K–8). The format of these guides is the same. Because the adult resource is a combined leader/learner book and its size is different, the page layout is different. The guides for Birth-2, Bookmarks, and Push It are annual resources, and therefore have different formats also. However, all ages use the same bookmark stories.

Turn to "The Year at a Glance," pages 6–7. Note the bookmark stories for the entire year. Have everyone find the session based on the first bookmark of the quarter. You will note in the Table of Contents that the bookmark stories are designated with a stylized Q. The "A Story behind the Story" for that session and all sessions based on bookmark stories will be the same in all Leader's Guides.

This is helpful for leaders who do Bible study together. Point out the chart "The Bible in Bible Quest" that gives the four-year cycle of stories, scriptures, and bookmark stories.

Turn to pages 2–3, "Quick Reference for Planning a Session." These pages point out all the features of the six-page session plan. The article "Finding Your Way through Bible Quest" gives more details about each section.

Turn to the first page of any session plan (page 8, 14, 20, and so forth). This page and the facing page are intended for the leader's spiritual preparation before the session.

Point out the four-step session plan: Prepare, Tell, Connect, Celebrate. Describe how to use "Your Plan" for designing your own session. Each section of the four-step process, Prepare, Tell, connect, and Celebrate has "Other choices."

These options allow leaders to select alternative activities to fit the particular interests of their age group. Core session activities are marked with a letter in a box, like the "a" in the next column. "Other choices" are indicated with a letter in a circle.

Turn to the inside back cover and locate the CD. The CD is packaged with the Leader's Guide because it is an integral part of each session plan.

Open one of the Action Packs and show the variety of items. These are also integral to creating the learning environment and to leading each session. Note that the Leader's Guides for Grades 4–6, 6–8, and Multi-age (K–8) contain reproducible pages. The Leader's Guide for Grades 4-6 also includes a giant poster.

This has been a very quick look at the Leader's Guide. You may want to allow lime for the participants to look more closely at this resource.

Examine the learner's resources

Story cards, Spinners, BQ, Multi-age leaflets

You may want to divide the group according to the age groups they will be leading. There may be only one or two people looking at each resource. Invite those whose learning groups do not have learner pieces to join with someone else.

Pose this question: How do these resources carry out the Bible Quest vision statement?

Introduce the seven-step plan

Handout "Seven Keys to Planning"

There are as many ways to plan for being a leader as there are leaders who plan. Each has an individual style. But you can suggest this approach to planning for those who say they are too busy to be a leader, or who simply need some guidance.

This plan suggests a task for each day of the week. This eliminates that last-minute rush on Saturday night during the late news.

Monday: Read "Enter the Story." Reading the scripture early in the week gives time for'spiritual reflection all week long. You will begin to hear the news and interpret other daily events from a different perspective through the lens of the text.

Tuesday: Name the learners. This step is easier if you keep an attendance record or at least a complete roster of the learners. Bring to mind those who attend regularly and irregularly, as well as those who are potential members of your group. Pray for each one by name.

Wednesday: Read the Leader's Guide. Choose which activities best fit your group s needs and your'setting. Complete the chart "Your Plan."

Thursday: Gather'stuff. Because you have already decided which activities you will lead, you can check off on the "You Will Need" and "You May Need" lists what you want to have on hand when the group gathers.

Friday: Try it! Sometimes those activities look easy, but there s a glitch when you try it. Depending on the learners in your group, a particular activity may take you five minutes and them fifteen, or vice versa Trying out the plan assures you that you can follow the directions and help others accomplish the task too.

Saturday: Review. Read the Bible story again and review the plan you have designed. Make last- minute notes in the sidebars of the Leader's Guide.

Sunday: Go with God. Remember, God, by the power at work within us, is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.

Apply the plan

Handout "Seven Keys to Planning" age-level resources

Allow time for leaders to quickly work their way through the seven-step plan. Some steps take a bit longer than others, but try this in thirty minutes. Of course, this will not be a full-fledged plan, but it will give leaders a taste.

Summarize the work of the day

Gather the group together. Ask what most challenged the participants and what most excited them about their time together.

Read the hopes that were posted at the beginning of the workshop. How many of them have been met? Place those in one stack. Talk about ways to address those hopes that were not met. Will these be addressed in the next leaders meeting? Identify sources of help and assistance in the congregation for when leaders get stuck with their planning.

Go out with a blessing

Hymnbook, Bible

Sing the hymn "Called as Partners in Christ s Service," if it is in your hymnbook. If it is not available, choose another hymn that talks about working together in ministry.

Read Ephesians 3:14-21. As you read verse 16, insert the name of each person in the group: "I pray that, according to the riches of God s glory, God may grant that you, (names), may be strengthened..."