It’s hard to believe that when Marty and I started Next Step Bible Study (now LifeMark Ministries) 23 years ago. Many of you were there at the beginning and are still with us today. Thank you for your faithful support, time and participation in the ministry. You have been a blessing to us and to those you served.

It’s good to look back occasionally and that’s what I’m going to do with this video. But I’m only going to look back a couple of years - - you’re welcome.

As you may remember we added Rob Pine as Exec Director of the ministry and Beth Howes as Office Manager a little over 2 years ago - both were Blessings from God to LifeMark. And after a while we figured out how to work together and the ministry has grown in many ways as a result of their efforts.

Under the oversight of our 10-member Board led by Don Spence as Chairman we have made many significant advances in both the quantity of Bible Study resources available and also in the quality. Here are some of the key advances:

Based on a Grant that Rob procured we were able to completely rebuild our website and enhanced Branding. We now have 25 Bible Studies available right from the website including video “Talks” for each lesson. Participants can buy the Study Guides from Amazon.com and watch the video Talks right from the website for free.

Plus, the website now houses the His House topical Bible study featuring 50 Topics and over 290 brief video lessons plus a downloadable Worksheet for each topic. The site also features access to Mondays with Mark our weekly video thought that is currently emailed to over 760 Monday mornings. And, we recently added an add-on expanded study called Dig Deeper which is produced by my cousin Randall Schupbach. If you haven’t viewed Dig Deeper, you’re missing out.

Randall also did a compilation of 60 of the Mondays with Mark videos in book form as a daily devotional. It is called Seek First and is available on our website or from Amazon.com.

The website also provides access to our new LMM Newsletter - thank you Beth - and also videos from past Summer Sessions as well as other resources. You can even sign up for LMM events through the website.

Another huge improvement is that Beth has totally organized our operations and systems, plus she can figure out almost any technology issue. What a blessing!

Rob has contributed in a number of ways. Most notably, he has personally started four new LMM Study Groups and did the new Mark Bible Study (questions and Talks) and is working on increasing our marketing efforts. His 17 years leading another ministry provides a wealth of expertise and experience that is very valuable.

We’ve also added Pastor James Heffington as a contributor. James did some of the Acts study Talks and all of the Revelation Study Talks. He’s a fresh voice. By the way, Marty isn’t a new Contributor, but she’s added a new role by writing the Revelation study lessons - which was very well received. She is currently working on a new Hebrews study - more details to come.

Obviously, God has blessed LifeMark in many ways and we are grateful. As you know our goal is to provide Bible Study Guides that draw participants into God’s Word directly to learn His Way to live and also Video Talks that try to place the teaching in context applicable to real life situations. Our motto is, “Helping people Learn God’s Word so they can Boldly Live God’s Way.”

Now, let me shift and share what’s coming in the next year. I already mentioned a new Hebrews Study which we plan to release in late fall. The Lessons are being compiled by James, and he is also doing the video talks. Plus, Rob has put together a study on the Minor Prophets. He’s doing Both the Lessons and the Talks. The Talks are available on our website, and the study guide is available on Amazon.com. Also, Randall is currently working on an Advent Devotional which we hope to have available in November.

I’ve started doing new video talks for some of the older studies. I’ve already completed Galatians and it is currently available. In the Renewing process my goal is to revise and shorten the videos. Sometimes they would be 40 mins and I’m recasting them to be half as long but just as strong.

Speaking of study renewals, some of you will remember our very first study in 2003 - it was on the life of Jesus. It followed a Harmony of the Gospels compiled by Dr Dwight Pentecost which covers all four Gospels simultaneously and in chronological order. The study is 54 Lessons with 54 Talks. We renewed and rebranded it The Mosaic of the Master in 2013. I’m currently reshooting the videos and hope it will be available as early as the fall but for sure by January. If you’ve never done this study, please put it on your list. It is our Capstone Study.

My friends this is a lot of productivity from our small team of six - God is good!

As we look ahead with excitement, we see many other opportunities and some changes coming. To maximize our operations, we will need to upgrade our technology, video production tools, social media capabilities and marketing activities. Plus, our staffing costs have increased. As always, Marty and I receive no compensation, but we want to adequately pay our talented staff and consultants.

We estimate our financial needs for the next 12 months to be $180-200k. Thank you for your support over the years - financial, volunteering, prayers and the way you have consistently brought new participants to LifeMark Ministries.

We ask for your continued support in all these ways and introductions to other groups who may be able to benefit from our study materials and resources. For example, just this morning I received a text message from a college executive in Nebraska who wants to review our materials for his school. You may be able to help us connect with other small schools or businesses - so many opportunities.

Like every organization we face increasing costs, but I’m not concerned because I’ve repeatedly seen that you can’t out-give God! He can do miracles with 5 loaves and 2 fish (Mt 14:16-21). All we have to do is offer what we can, and he’ll provide what we need.

Thank you for being a generous giver (2 Cor 9:7). Trust me, your generosity will be rewarded (Prov 11:25).

To God be the glory!

LIFEMARK MINISTRIES  |  LIFEJOURNEY

The Word of the Lord Came:

Major Prophecies of the Minor Prophets

A New Bible Study Series from Rob Pine

They’re called the Minor Prophets — but there is nothing minor about their message.

For too many Bible readers, the final twelve books of the Old Testament sit largely unread — unfamiliar names, distant history, and passages that can feel hard to connect to everyday life. That’s about to change.

Rob Pine has created a brand-new, comprehensive Bible study resource: The Word of the Lord Came: Major Prophecies of the Minor Prophets. This complete study package — featuring a written study guide, video lessons, and a companion podcast — invites you into one of the most spiritually rich and surprisingly relevant corners of Scripture.

The Study Guide

The The Word of the Lord Came study guide walks you through all twelve Minor Prophets — Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These ancient messengers spoke with fire and tenderness, with urgent warning and breathtaking hope, and their words carry stunning relevance for the world we live in today.

Each lesson is designed for depth, not just surface familiarity. You’ll encounter Hosea’s shattering picture of God’s relentless love for a people who keep turning away. You’ll hear Amos thunder with a passion for justice and righteousness. You’ll sit with Habakkuk in his honest struggle with a God who seems silent — and discover why “the righteous shall live by faith” became one of the most quoted lines in all of the New Testament. You’ll stand in wonder as Micah names Bethlehem as the birthplace of the coming Messiah, hundreds of years before the manger.

The study guide is ideal for individual learners, small groups, and women’s ministry settings — designed to connect ancient texts to contemporary life with honesty, clarity, and application that sticks.

10-Minute Video Lessons

Every lesson in the study guide is paired with a short, engaging video lesson taught by Rob Pine. At approximately ten minutes each, these videos are designed to be accessible for busy lives — whether you’re watching alone with your morning coffee, using them to open a small group discussion, or working through them at your own pace.

Rob brings these books to life with warmth and clarity, drawing out the major prophecies of each book and showing how they connect to the New Testament and to us today. The eight video lessons cover the full scope of the Minor Prophets, from a sweeping introduction to the entire collection all the way through Habakkuk’s declaration that the righteous shall live by faith.

The video lessons are available now on our website and on YouTube.

Go Deeper with the LifeJourney Podcast

Want to go even further? Rob has also created a thirteen-episode podcast series to accompany the study. Here’s how Rob describes it:

“These 13 podcasts are companion pieces to the study guide and 10-minute video lessons. The podcast’s purpose is to dig deeper — bringing historical, geographical, and spiritual context to the passages you’ll study, so you can understand and apply them more fully.”  — Rob Pine

Each podcast episode is a standalone deep dive — unpacking the history behind the prophet, the geography of the ancient Near East, the spiritual forces at work in Israel and Judah, and what all of it means for the way we live and believe today. Think of it as the extended commentary that makes everything in the study guide and video click into place.

The podcast episodes correspond to each lesson, so you can use them in whatever order works best for you — listen before you study for context, or after for reflection. Either way, they’re designed to enrich your time in the Word.

Find the LifeJourney podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Who This Study Is For

Whether you’ve always wanted to tackle the Minor Prophets but didn’t know where to start, or you’ve studied them before and want fresh insight, this series meets you where you are. It’s especially well-suited for:

•  Individual learners doing personal Bible study at home

•  Small groups looking for substantive, discussion-worthy curriculum

•  Women’s ministry groups seeking a full-featured study series

•  Church Bible study classes wanting video-based teaching with support material

Start Your Study Today

The Minor Prophets have been waiting for you. These twelve voices — calling out across centuries of silence, exile, and return — have something to say to the world you live in right now. Their message of justice, faithfulness, repentance, and hope is anything but minor.

Get the The Word of the Lord Came study guide, watch the video lessons on our website or YouTube, and subscribe to the LifeJourney podcast — and get ready to hear what these ancient prophets have been saying all along.

📹  Watch the video lessons: Available on our website and YouTube

🎙️  Listen to the podcast: LifeJourney — available wherever you listen to podcasts https://sites.libsyn.com/565065/site

📚  Get the study guide: Visit the Lifemark Ministries website - LifeMarkMinistries.org