SPS: Supplies

Erin suggested that I give you a heads up on the types of supplies you might need to do SPS.

1. Journal - Even with the Mocha on the Mount spiral bound book, you may want to have an additional, blank journal. You can record insights, questions, and prayers. You can use it for Shuffle the Deck and to jot notes/sketches for Play Your Hand. Glue a large envelope on the front or back cover and you can store clippings and/or your playing cards.
   


2. Playing Cards - This is the canvas for the art work you create in Play Your Hand. Playing cards aren't required, just the trademark of SPS. We originally chose playing cards because: (1) they were small therefore did not stare at you demandingly like an 8"x10" canvas. You could finish a piece of art quickly resulting in a quick payoff. (2) They could be sent through the mail. Our original idea was for a mail art project between friends.


3. Old magazines - Another trademark medium of SPS. Many of the cards you see in the SPS galleries are collages made from magazine clippings. If you don't have any, begin checking with your friends or try Goodwill.


4. Sharpie - If you use playing cards, you will discover some frustrations with their plastic finish. Sharpie permanent markers work great and they come in so many wonderful colors now.
   


5. Glue stick - For obvious reasons - to glue stuff on your card.

Outside of this, the sky is the limit. Just watch your time and remember that the study in the middle, Deal the Cards, is the main point!

WEEK 1: Shuffle

Until I get the first week up on the web site, I thought I would post the Shuffle the Deck and Play Your Hand here on the blog.

SHUFFLE THE DECK
Warm up with one or both of the following:

1. What is your favorite time of day? Describe it using all five senses.


2. Salt Painting. In your journal or on a piece of watercolor paper, paint a large swath of color, at least 4" x 4". Sprinkle your painting with table salt. Once dry, wipe away the salt and enjoy the effect.

DEAL THE CARDS
Do Week 1 of Mocha on the Mount.


PLAY YOUR HAND
Once you have completed Week 1 of Mocha on the Mount, decorate a playing card, a playing-card sized piece of paper or cardboard with something associated with the following:

1. Compare your present value system to Jesus' system.


2. A specific way you can be light and salt in your circle of influence.


3. The "Blessed" that impacts you the most.

Don't forget to share your cards and insights with us.

SPS: Groups

Some of you may or may not know that this round of SPS using Mocha on the Mount is being done by multiple groups.

We have what we call "live" groups. These are folks who actually live near each other and meet in person once a week to discuss the week's lesson. We have two live groups this round: one in Maryland and one in North Carolina.

Then we have the "on-line" group (webcomm or web community). This group gathers around the SPS blog or yahoo group to discuss, all throughout the week, insights, questions or ideas about the study. This is fabulous because you can "meet" with people from all over the world that you might not ever have a chance to meet live. SPSers from Indiana, Idaho, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York and even Madrid Spain are meeting regularly in the webcomm. The group is energetic and full of great insights.

Welcome to our webcomm. We're glad you're here.

SPS: Step-by-Step

Here's how you do a Bible study SoulPerSuit-style. Each week of the study you will do three things:

1. Shuffle the Deck


2. Deal the Cards


3. Play Your Hand

Shuffle the Deck is an exercise to get your creative juices flowing. It's fun, it's silly, and it's very important. An example might be to illuminate and embellish the initial of your first name. Be creative and try to use "SPS thinking" which means trying to incorporate all five senses. There is a new Shuffle each week of the study. Don't get side tracked and spend too much time on your shuffle but don't skip it either!


Deal the Cards is the actual Bible study. You can use any study of our choosing. Starting February 2, 2007 our on-line group is going to do Sandra Glahn's Mocha on the Mount. (If you are interested, go to our website.) It is a six week study. There are spaces in the book to answer questions but you might want to get a small, blank journal to record you own insights and questions.


Play Your Hand includes application questions about this weeks study. To make application SPS-style, you create a collage or small piece of art on a playing card. The application questions we provide help you with ideas for your card or you can use the insights you recorded in your journal to create your card.

As with everything else, TaNR (there-are-no-rules)regarding the cards. They are simply there to give you a starting point. You can do artwork on one side or both sides. You can tear up the card. You can glue the card to other surfaces. You can eliminate the cards all together and use something else that works better for you. You can write a poem, a song or a story. You can mold clay, dance, play an instrument or make a video.

Don't hesitate to visit the Galleries and see how other pursuers expressed themselves using their playing cards (or other materials).

Does that make sense?

INTRO: The SPS Trio

We'd like to do a brief introduction of the creators of SPS.

SPS started as a personal project and turned in to a misssion.

Rhonda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. For the past 12 years she's worked as a graphic designer. Currently, she does the graphic design and marketing for a commercial real estate company and continues taking classes and making art at home. Rhonda designed and developed the SoulPerSuit concept, web site, and logo. She also assists in developing the "Shuffle the Deck" and "Play Your Hand" sections for each study.

Erin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art and Art History. Besides being a very talented artist, she is a home schooler and writer. She develops the creative "Thought Provokers" for SoulPerSuit as well as the biblically based "Shuffle the Deck" and "Play Your Hand" sections for each study. Erin is the one who believed SPS was more than a project between two friends. She saw it as something the spiritual community was hungry for.

Sandra Glahn, Th.M., is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, where she teaches and edits the school’s award-winning magazine, Kindred Spirit. She is a best selling author and is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and a board member for the Evangelical Press Association. She is the Bible study writer and primary speaker for the SoulPerSuit team. Her web site, Aspire2, publishes a regular newsletter and blog.

MORE: What is SoulPerSuit?

SoulperSuit can take their own medicine.

Previously I mentioned that creativity can express things when words do not suffice. Historically, people have told us, "We don't get it" when we've tried to explain SPS. Erin decided to use the SPS technique to explain... SPS! Click here to see her presentation and invitation to our next SPS study, "Mocha on the Mount" by Sandra Glahn.

If you have any questions, please ask! More to come...

COMING to SPS: Mocha on the Mount (02/02/2007)

As my well illuminated friend has mentioned, we are getting ready to kick off a new SoulPerSuit (SPS) study using the Coffee Cup Bible Study "Mocha on the Mount" by Sandra Glahn.

Basically, SPS is a technique that can be used with any Bible study. You're familiar with application questions in a Bible study? First you may read a passage of scripture, then a teacher will expound on that scripture to teach a certain principle or doctrine and then, finally, application questions are given to the student so that they can personally apply the principle or doctrine to their own life.

SPS is a new and creative way of making application, the final step in the study process. We use creativity to express our understanding and feelings about God and His Word when words may not suffice. We believe a creative expression makes the application more memorable and intrinsic.

Over the next three weeks on this blog, we will be talking more about SPS, introducing you to our trio of creators and using other shameless marketing tactics to entice you into giving SPS a try. SPS is not for sale (not yet!). We are a grassroots production offering all of our time, support and encouragement for free. The only thing you need to join us this go around is a copy of the Bible study we've chosen, "Mocha on the Mount" by Sandra Glahn. It can be purchased from CBD or Amazon online. I would also suggest you call a local book distributor (Christian or non). My local distributor was able to get it in just two days (faster) and without the online shipping charges (cheaper).