The Bible Recap - Frequently Asked Questions - Year 3

Episode Date: January 5, 2021

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Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible recap. Wow, there are so many of you out there. How great is it that this many people want to read the Bible with us? We love it. You've already blown us away with your encouragement and feedback and by sharing this podcast with your friends and family and pastors, so first of all, thank you. Since we've had a lot of questions from you guys, we want to address them in a place where we can reach the largest number of people at once. And even if you haven't had problems, we'd still love for you to give this your attention because you almost certainly will have one of these questions in the future.

So now I can get you the solution before the problem. But before we roll through these questions, there are three main things I wanna point out to you. A, the start page of our website, thebibelrycap.com forward slash start. It has everything you need to get rolling with this plan. But if you're already rolling with this plan and you haven't been there yet, go there.

You might be missing something vital and not even know it. We have a link to our plan in the Bible app to make sure you're doing the right plan. We also have a printed plan so you don't have to rely on us to post it on social media. And if your power or your internet ever goes out, you won't be confused about what we're reading or what day we're on. This page also has links to our six prep episodes. You want to listen to these. A lot of the questions we get on a regular basis are answered in those prep episodes, so save yourself some trouble and confusion by listening

to those first. It'll take about an hour to listen to them all. Again, those are all linked at thebibelrecap.com-forward-slash-start. B, another place you can go to get help is the FAQ page of our site, thebibelrecap.com-forward-sl forward slash FAQ. Recover a lot of questions there, and they're mostly of the one-size-fits-all variety, like what planner we're using, or what version of the Bible do you read, things like that. You can read through all of it in about five minutes. It may even answer questions you didn't even know you had. See, the other main place on our site where you can get help is our Questions page, thebibelrecap.com, forward slash questions. While the FAQ page handles short questions, the

questions page is where we want to send you if you have the big questions, things of a theological nature. We get lots of emails with questions that we would love to handle, but we just don't have the staffing capacity to handle them all. So we like to point people here instead because unfortunately, Instagram DMs just aren't the best place to discuss theology at length. So we like to point people here instead, because unfortunately, Instagram DMs just aren't the best place to discuss theology at length. So we hope the questions page will be helpful for you. Okay, now let's dig into the specific questions you've already asked or might ask in the future. Here we go.

Question number one. My podcast didn't load today. Can you help me? This is a problem many people are having specifically with Apple Podcast. That is by far our most popular platform for you guys to listen from. So we recognize it's happening for a lot of you and it's happening often. And there's not a lot we can do about it, unfortunately. In fact, no matter what platform you're on, it will almost certainly happen to you at

some point. Because of that, we recommend using another platform as a backup option. PodBean is our source app, so they're the only one we have control over. It's the only app we have customer support for, and we pay them to help solve any problems they cause us. So that means we can't really help you if your problem

is with any other app. You'll have to contact them directly. But if you have a problem with PodBean, please email us through the BibleRecap.com so we can help you troubleshoot. Now, if you want to stay on your app, you can try searching the episode name or scrolling back to last year's episode. The content is mostly the same. And as a final backup option, all the episodes from Year 1 are loaded onto our YouTube channel, which will link in the show notes. Question number 2. The videos don't seem to be uploading daily on YouTube.

Can you help? We've already uploaded all the episodes to YouTube and we won't be updating them. This is our content from Year One, which means it's mostly the same with the exception of any edits we've made to correct or amend things. And if we have any bonus episodes like this,

there's a good chance they won't be a part of the playlist there. Our YouTube page is youtube.com forward slash the Bible recap. You can look at the playlist there, so it'll play everything in order, or you can search for each day's episode by its number. But you have to use the whole three digit number. So for day five, you have to type in day 005. For day 23, you have to type in day 0223.

We've linked to our YouTube and our playlist in the show notes. Question number three, which Bible Rean Plan is the Bible Recap following? We're doing the Bible Recap Plan on the Bible app by you version slash life church. There are lots of different Bible apps, and even on the Bible app we use, there are lots of different plans on that app. So if you're using the Bible app to link to a plan, be sure you've linked the one on the Start page of our site. You can also just search the Bible recap with Terri Lee Cobble. We have a one-year plan and a new Testament plan.

By the way, we also have a free printable plan on the Start page of our website in case technology isn't your thing. Thebibelrecap.com-forwardslashstart. Question number four. Are the daily devotionals in the Bible app the same every day? Yes and no. On some days we've posted the animated video overviews of the books or sections we're about to read, but on other days it's just our daily pre-reading prayer. The prayer is always there and it's always the same. I've been praying this prayer every day before I read my Bible for years and it always helps me set my heart in the right space before I read.

I believe God has used it and continues to use it to bear much fruit in my life and I pray that it's true for you too. So even though it may seem repetitive, we hope you won't miss this opportunity. It's a great way to get your heart in your head in the right space before you read. Question number five. My friend wants to join me. Should they start at the beginning or just jump in where we are now? That's awesome. It's so great that your enthusiasm is contagious. We always tell people to start at the beginning. That's the whole point of doing a chronological plan, so you can get the whole storyline from the start. So if you're doing the whole Bible plan, tell them to start reading at day 001, Genesis

1 through 3. And if you're doing a new Testament plan, tell them to start with day 274. To get rolling, they'll just follow the steps on the start page of our website. Question number six. I didn't start at the beginning of the year and I get frustrated with scrolling back every day. Is there an easier way for me to do this? Yes, probably. Depending on which podcast app you're using, you can often find a setting that allows you to play sequentially, as opposed to choosing to play the most recent episode first. If you can't find that setting in your app, try doing an internet search to see if it's

an option in that app, and if so, how to find it. Once you've adjusted the settings, you'll just read along with the plan daily and select the next podcast each day. Question number seven. Do you have something like this for kids? We have lots of families who do this plan together, and they tell us that kids of all ages listen in, and they seem to pick up on more than we might expect them to. So yes, we have something like this for kids, and it's this. But seriously, one of the best things you can do is expose your children to the full range of scripture. That's why so many of us who are doing this plan are going, why didn't anybody tell me the Bible said this? So doing the Bible recap together is one way you can make sure your children never have to ask that question.

And as someone who is not a parent, but has been a kid, I'm praying God will use this tool in your child's life. I've been blown away by the number of kids who actively listen to the Bible recap with their parents each day. Maybe yours will love it too. Question number eight. You made an error and or I disagree with something you said. How can I let you know? First of all, we're glad you're listening so attentively. We make every effort not to misrepresent things, make mistakes or communicate poorly, but with the sheer volume of work required for a project this size, it's bound to happen from time to time. Though we always hate it when it does. Please trust your Bible more than our podcast.

If we ever say something in error, you already know who is right and it isn't us. We have a trusted team of people assigned to listen for any errors, but some things will boil down to preferences and opinions. With the wide range of ages, cultures, and denominations who listen, it would be an impossible task to create a podcast that everyone agrees with. So it's almost certain that you will disagree with us at some point. When that happens, we encourage our listeners to take what's helpful and disregard what isn't. Or as one

Bible teacher likes to say, eat the meat and spit out the bones. Or if you're vegetarian, eat the watermelon and spit out the seeds. We believe healthy disagreement is natural in all families and we're grateful you're helping us create peace in the gaps instead of being people who pick fights. So if your question persists after running it through all those filters, we suggest checking out the questions page of our site, thebibelrycapp.com, forward slash questions. Question number nine. The date listed on my podcast is different than the date listed on your reading plan. Can you help me?

Each day's podcast gets loaded at different times from app to app and from time zone to time zone. So the best thing to do is to pay attention to the day of the reading plan and not the date it posts. And by the way, if you live in the Eastern hemisphere, we know it usually loads halfway through your day. So if you want to have it available in your morning, one way you could solve this problem is to just stay one day behind.

That way, today's episode will be waiting for you when you wake up tomorrow. Question number 10. Is the podcast new this year? Yes and no. The content is not new, but we will be posting them new again each day. The old content will still be there since there are people who are still making their way through it, but with the new episodes that will be posting each day this year, we'll also be updating any errors we've come across and occasionally adding new content.

Question number 11. Where are these show notes you keep mentioning? The show notes are in different places depending on what app you're using to listen and not all apps have show notes so you might be searching in vain. But here are two pro tips. Option A, you can do a web search for the name of your app and the phrase does X app have show notes and or how to find show notes on X app or option B. We have all the show notes on X app or option B, we have all the show notes for the whole year on our site. You can find those at thebibol recap.com or word slash links. By the way, show notes are links to other things we've mentioned in the show.

They aren't word-for-word transcripts of the podcast, but we do have transcripts available. They're offered through our Patreon family at the $7 a month level. Or if you only want one transcript, you can find them in our store at the $7 a month level, or if you only want one transcript, you can find them in our store at thebibelrycap.com. And if you want a book that is basically the whole year's podcast in book form, the refined version of each day's transcript, you can look for the Bible recap book anywhere books are sold. Like I said, it's not the transcripts for Baidim, but it contains most of the info from each day's recap in a 365-day daily devotional-style format.

It's a great partner to the podcast, and it's also a great gift for any friends you may have who want to do this plan, but aren't tech savvy or don't like podcasts. Question number 12. I've heard of Patreon, but don't understand what it is. Can you explain? Here's the quick explanation. Patreon is a subscription service where you can get even more content from us. And you get to choose the amount of content you get. There are lots of different subscription tiers where you can get monthly perks or daily perks from us.

Plus, your subscription costs help us keep things running here at TBR. You can check it out by visiting the BibleRecap.com and clicking on the Patreon link. We've also dropped a link for you in the show notes. Question number 13. What is the Bible kneecap and how can I access it? The Bible kneecap is our daily prayer podcast. Get it? Knee? Prayer? Anyway, it's a podcast that corresponds to our daily reading. It's how we're aiming to pray through scripture as we read it. It's about 90 seconds long each day, and it's meant to listen to after you listen to the Bible recap. So you read, recap, then kneecap. We posted a free preview of it on the day the reading plan started,

so that's either a day 001 if you're doing the whole year plan or day 274 if you're doing a new testament. The Bible kneecap comes in a private feed, which means you won't find it if you just do a search for it in a pod catcher app because it's only available to members of our Patreon family. But we want you to find it, so here's the secret for how to access it. A, sign up for Patreon and pick your tier. There are two separate $10 tiers, so if you're picking a $10 tier, be sure you pick the one that is for the Bible kneecap.

And every other tier above the $10 tier, also automatically includes the Bible kneecap. B, Patreon will email you a personalized private URL to embed in your pod catcher app. Not all pod catchers support this link. You can do a web search to find out which pod catchers do support private feeds, or we've linked to an article with info about that in our show notes today and on the FAQ page

of our site. See, once you've added the URL to your pod catcher app, the episodes will populate in your pod catcher automatically each day. Question number 14. I'm a Patreon supporter, but can't find what I'm looking for. Can you help me? There are multiple tier support levels and we know this can be confusing. The first thing you should do is log into your Patreon account and check to make sure your

support level grants you access to the content you're looking for. For example, if you want access to the monthly bonus content but you're a member of the $3 a month Facebook group tier, then you'll need to upgrade your membership to the monthly bonus content, but you're a member of the $3 a month Facebook group tier, then you'll need to upgrade your membership to the $10 a month bonus content tier in order to get that content. You can find out how to update your membership by following the step-by-step instructions listed in the show notes. If you're logged into your Patreon account and see that you are a member at the right level for what you want, but you still can't find what you need, Try checking your Patreon dashboard. It should be there. If you prefer to have your awards emailed to you instead,

you can adjust that option in your Patreon account settings. And if you're having trouble figuring any of that out, Patreon customer support is super helpful and quick to respond. They can walk you through everything associated with your account since they know all the ins and outs of their system. Question number 15. I started the Bible recap after January, and I'm a patron at the $10 month bonus content tier.

But I can't find the bonus content you mentioned in the podcast. Can you help me find it? We delete each month's bonus content 60 days after posting it. But no worries because you're going to be getting what we're sending out at the current month, and the monthly bonus content does not correspond with where we are in the reading plan, so it won't impact that at all. We believe the content could be encouraging and helpful no matter where you are in the reading plan. Question number 16. I want to change my support level or membership to your in Patreon. Can

you help me? I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is we don't have access to individual Patreon accounts, so we can't go in and adjust yours. But the good news is, you can totally do that. In the show notes, we've listed out the step-by-step instructions for how you can log into your Patreon account and update your membership. So look for those in the show notes, or log into your Patreon account and search the phrase

update my membership account. Question number 17. I signed up to receive the free monthly resource you mentioned, but I didn't get it. Where can I find it? Oh no, I'm so sorry. If you haven't already, check your spam filter. Or if you have Gmail, it may have been filtered into your promotions or socials tabs. If the free resource isn't in any of those spots, we've got a backup plan. We always send it out in our monthly newsletter that goes out on the last day of each month.

You definitely want to get that email anyway, so you can make sure you're signed up for it by going to the BibleRecap.com forward slash email. We'll also link to that in the show notes. And of course, you may have to check your spam folder for that too. But if you add our email address to your contact list, there's a greater chance any shiny new emails from us will show up in your inbox. Question number 18. I want to mail you something. Where can I send it? Array, we love mail. Our shipping address is on the contact page of our site. The BibleRecap.com, forward slash, we love presents. I mean, forward slash contact. The must-a-minute typo. Question number 19. Is it Tara or Tara Lee?

I will answer to either of those options, but I usually introduce myself as Tara Lee, and pretty quickly after meeting me, people start calling me by my initials, TLC. So typically I go by Terrily or TLC. Question number 20. Can you take down the old episodes from last year so I don't have to scroll back so far? I have good news and other good news. Here's the first bit of good news.

We have people going through our Bible reading plan who started at all different times of the year, so we won't be pulling down the old episodes. We have people who are on day 200 right now and plugging along steadily, so we need to keep the old episodes up or we'll cut off the feed for any listeners who started late or are just moving at a different pace. But here's the second bit of good news, which is what you were hoping for. In most apps, there's a setting you can adjust that prompts the app to play the most recent episode first instead of playing things sequentially. Most apps that we know of feature that option,

but of course, we don't know all the apps and we don't have all the apps, so we personally can't tell you how to do that in your app. So, here's how you can find out how to adjust your settings in your particular pod catcher app. Do a web search of the name of your app and the phrase, how to play episodes newest first instead of sequentially. If you set your episodes to play newest first, you hopefully won't even see the old episodes at all, unless you need them and then you can scroll back. And as a bonus, here's more good news.

Those old episodes also serve as a fail safe for you. If your app is being glitchy and you don't get the download of the current day's episode, you can always scroll back to find it. It's still there. Array, you're welcome. Question number 21. I bought the New Testament Study Guide and Discussion Guide,

and I'm planning to join you again next year. Will you be releasing it for just the Old Testament? Since we designed these to be written in, and we didn't leave enough space for two years worth of answers, we think you'll want to get a fresh copy of the New Testament when you read it again next year. Plus, that will keep you from cheating off your own vapor. So at this point, our plan is to just have the New Testament

and the entire Bible. Question number 22. You haven't addressed my problem. Where can I let you know about it? If you don't find what you need on the Start page or the FAQ page or the Questions page of our website, please contact us through the Contact page, the BibleRecap.com forward slash Contact. And just to pull back the curtain a bit, I'll let you know that we're a very small team

full of people who appreciate you and want to help you, but we're not great at tech support. So we're almost never the best resource for actually getting you the help you need. Even though we really want to be able to help you. So whenever you have a problem with a particular app or website, the best way to get the help you need is to open a ticket with that app or website.

Contact the platform where the problem exists. Then consider trying another platform in case your original platform is the problem. So for instance, if your podcast doesn't load on Apple, try using Spotify or Podbean or YouTube instead. Then if you find it there, let Apple know they've dropped the ball. Hopefully that will help them get on top of things for you in the future. If you have a problem with your plan on the Bible app, contact the Bible app, or use the printed plan on our website as a backup. If you have a problem with our website, contact us.

And if you do need to reach us, the best way is to reach out via the contact page of our website. We know it's sometimes easier to send us a direct message on Instagram, or to respond to Instagram or Facebook posts or in the Patreon discussion group, but there are a few reasons that's not optimal and doesn't usually result in getting you the help you need. As I mentioned earlier, most of our social media and sites are run primarily by volunteers. Our team isn't always familiar with every app or phone update, so we're limited in our ability to help you.

Plus sometimes we need to email you things when we can solve your problems. It's hard to do that through social media platforms. So the best way to reach us is through our website. On a related note, our team gets lots of questions through social media and our website asking deeper questions about God or the Bible or personal application. And we wish we had time to answer them all because those are our J.M. But since we can't handle them all, we've created a fantastic Facebook discussion group for this very purpose. It's available to our Patreon members only, and it's only $3 a month to join. That's just 10 cents a day. Having a small barrier to entry like that

helps us keep the group specifically for our Bible readers who have the same goals and purposes in mind, which is probably one have the same goals and purposes in mind. Which is probably one of the reasons this group is so great. You may see other groups on Facebook who appear to be us, but our group is exclusively run through our Patreon, and Patreon is the first word in our group name. Unfortunately, we don't know what's happening in the other group, so we can't necessarily vouch for them,

but I'll tell you, our group is filled with people who want to be encouraged and be encouraging. While we aren't a church, this can be a great place to work through things in community, especially if you don't have a local church or are still figuring things out as far as God is concerned. You can get feedback from other listeners who are studying the Bible alongside you, while also supporting the Bible recap financially and keeping us moving along at full speed. Honestly, I don't love Facebook, but our Patreon discussion group is my favorite place on Facebook. We even have lots of members who didn't have a Facebook account, but created a private profile solely for the purpose of joining this group. It's fantastic, truly. It encourages me every single day.

I love posting in there and seeing comments and keeping in touch with you all every day. Okay, this has been a lot, I know. So thanks for hanging in there with us as we try to help as many of you as possible. Please know how grateful we are for your persistence in the face of obstacles and your patience with us as we aim to serve you well, whether you've just joined us or you're an old pro with this, we're thrilled to be on mission with you. His word reminds me and you remind me that he's where the joy is. Let's hear it for a few of the Bible recap team members who helped us out by reading questions in this episode. A big thanks to Alison Congdon, our sound engineer, Courtney Vaughn and Jack Will and Terrell who handle our content management for the podcast and for Patreon.

Cally Summers, who handles our YouTube and all our technical difficulties, Joel Smith, who covers logistics, and Sarah Yokem, our social media team leader. We rely on these people every day to help bring this podcast and everything else we do, to you. I'm grateful they were willing to lend their help to one more thing, like recording audio for us in this episode.

We couldn't do it without them. [♪ OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪