WESTMONT, IL—October 2023—IVP has announced the launch of a new imprint called IVP Bible Studies that will kick off with the February 2024 release of Upheld: Meeting Our Trustworthy God Through Isaiah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Kori de Leon.
In addition to the small group and Bible study resources that carried the IVP Connect label, the IVP Bible Studies imprint will include a new collection of Bible studies that continue IVP’s legacy of rich Bible content while featuring trusted Bible teachers, fresh perspectives, and an accessible format.
“We wanted these Bible studies to include all the key elements that participants expect: group sessions, video teaching, and individual studies throughout the week,” said executive editor Elissa Schauer. “And we’ve also designed these studies to be accessible and engaging. So whether someone is newer to Christianity or they’ve grown up in the church, they’ll experience both the relevance and refreshment of studying Scripture.”
Bible studies have been a significant part of IVP’s publishing history. As an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), an interdenominational Christian campus ministry founded in 1941, IVP’s history with Bible study is closely tied to its outreach on college campuses. In the early 1940s, Jane Hollingsworth brought her experience with Bible study to IVCF. As millions of men went to war in Europe and Asia, many jobs were filled by women—like Jane, who was recruited to join IVCF campus staff in 1942. A Wheaton College graduate, Hollingsworth had been trained in inductive Bible study at the Biblical Seminary in New York, and she went on to write IVP’s first inductive Bible study guide in 1943 titled Discovering the Gospel of Mark.
In 1985 IVP published the first seven of what have become the press’s most recognizable Bible studies, LifeGuide Bible Studies (LBS). Since then, IVP has sold more than fifteen million copies of the nearly one hundred fifty LBS titles.
Out of IVP’s mission to prioritize what IVP does best—creating valuable content—the IVP Bible Studies imprint will encompass the current LBS titles, along with the newly launched Bible study format.
The upcoming collection is for both groups and individuals and can be used in a variety of ways. “These studies are great for a church to use—for Bible study, small groups, or adult Sunday school classes—and they are just as appropriate for a few friends who prefer to meet at a coffee shop. But even folks who aren’t connected with a group can still engage with these studies and have a meaningful experience,” Schauer said.
Each study will focus on a portion of Scripture through a thematic lens. The current tentative schedule of titles among the forthcoming IVP Bible Studies includes:
- February 2024: Upheld: Meeting Our Trustworthy God Through Isaiah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Kori de Leon
- April 2024: Moms at the Well: Meeting God Through the Mothers of Scripture—A 7-Week Bible Study Experience by Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLean
- May 2024: Hear My Prayer: Learning from the Faith of Elijah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Liz Ditty
- June 2024: Live in the Light of Christ: Radiating the Hope of the Letters of John—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Tara Beth Leach
Other authors contracted for 2025 IVP Bible Studies include Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, Kristel Acevedo, and Ashley and Bryce Hales.
Each study includes six to eight weeks of content, and each week begins with a group session: a teaching video and discussion questions designed to take about sixty minutes. The group session is followed by five days of individual study, each designed to take about twenty to thirty minutes. The content for individuals includes both traditional Bible study as well as a variety of opportunities for reflection and prayer.
These IVP Bible Studies are authored by a cast of wise Bible teachers and pastors. Schauer said, “I’ve been so encouraged in my work on these studies. The folks teaching us are passionate about God’s word—encouraging and guiding us every step of the way!”
For a complete list of IVP Bible Studies, visit www.ivpress.com.
Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
