About us
BIBLE LIGHT lessons started to be published around 1966 at Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to meet the needs of its Sunday School teachers and students. The pastor, Dr. R. V. Clearwaters, was dissatisfied with the Bible lessons that were being produced at that time and asked Roger Peterson, his Minister of Education, to produce doctrinally sound lessons for the church.
The challenge was intimidating, but he accepted it with the conviction that God would help him. He believed that the whole Bible ought to be studied by the adults and all the stories of the Bible should be taught to the children. Eventually lessons were provided for the early learners (ages 3–5), for children in grades 1–6 and for young people and adults. Mrs. Ralph (Alice) Mawdsley and gifted children’s workers volunteered to produce Bible lessons for the early learners. He wrote the lessons for the teachers and students in grades 1–6 and was helped with the art work by Mrs. Jim (Terry) McLeish. He recruited professors and graduates from Central Seminary to work with him in writing the teacher’s lessons for the young people and adults and he wrote the student’s lessons.
Since Central Baptist Theological Seminary was held in the Fourth Baptist Church, many of its students were teachers in the Sunday School of the Church. When they graduated, some of them wanted to continue using these materials in the places where they ministered, so they were made available to them. In this way these lessons spread to different parts of United States and even to foreign countries. These materials were printed by Central Press, which was located in the Fourth Baptist Church. When the Central Press was shut down, the lessons were no longer printed and the Bible Light ministry came to an end. The church gave to Roger Peterson all rights to the lessons. But an interest in the lessons remained. People wanted to know if the lessons would be reprinted. After many years, it has been decided not to reprint these lessons, but to digitize them and make them available on the internet. That is a slow process, but that is the goal. Then they can be downloaded and used anywhere in the world where English is understood and a computer is available. If there is a demand to have the lessons translated into other languages, permission will be granted to those who will be faithful to the doctrines of the Bible.
BIBLE LIGHT lessons for children in grades 1–6 will take them through the stories of the Bible starting in Genesis, plus twenty lessons on basic doctrines of the Bible. This is a four-year program of study. A LESSON PLAN is provided for the teacher. It includes an interesting introduction to catch the interest of the students, an aim for the lesson, a memory verse with helps to teach it. A brief outline of the Bible story is suggested with comments to make the lesson clear and applications to make it practical for the lives of the children. Finally, an invitation is suggested to encourage the children to make a spiritual decision that fits the lesson aim. Illustrated WORKSHEETS are provided for the children after each lesson to help them review the lesson. One side of the worksheet is for the younger children (grades 1–3); the other side is for the older children (grades 4–6). Children of any grade can do both sides, if they wish.
BIBLE LIGHT lessons for young people and adults take them through the entire Bible in seven years alternating between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Teachers receive STUDY NOTES, a limited commentary on the Scriptures that they are to teach. They also receive a LESSON PLAN, which has an outline of the lesson. Helpful comments and applications to the lives of the students are given throughout the outline. Students are provided a WORKSHEET that can be used while the teacher is presenting the lesson or used by the student for review as he has his personal devotions throughout the week.
BIBLE L.I.G.H.T. is the anachronism for BIBLE Lessons In God’s Holy Text. God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a LIGHT to our path (Ps 119:105).
The LESSON PLANS are designed to give suggestions for teaching or preaching the LIGHT of the Bible passage. The divine Author will give the teacher or preacher the purest LIGHT directly from His Word. He inspired holy men of old to record the Holy Scriptures. So it is important to study and meditate on God’s Word first, and to pray that the Holy Spirit will open the windows of our mind so the LIGHT from His Word can fill our lives. When that initial study is completed, these lesson plans may give more LIGHT from the Spirit. Above all things the teacher or preacher must experience the LIGHT of the lesson in his own life before it can be given with true conviction.
These LESSON PLANS will explain the Bible from a literal, grammatical and historical perspective. They will attempt to be simple, accurate and useful. They will provide the student with a good grasp of the Scriptures under consideration, but they do not claim to be a thorough commentary on the subject. They are like the LIGHT from a small lamp that shows the path in the darkness so the one carrying the lamp does not stumble.
Even though the STUDY NOTES AND LESSON PLANS are the property of Dr. Roger L. Peterson, he gives permission to make as many copies as you wish from this website without charge. However, they must not be combined with any other lessons or modified in any way without his permission.
BIBLE LIGHT lessons are offered without charge, but gifts are welcome for the operation of this ministry. God will provide for any ministry that pleases Him. This is a Bible study ministry to help sinners receive Christ as their Savior and to help believers love, worship and serve God.