On the one hand, answering the question posed in the title of this article is impossible. The amount of time required to prepare a Bible study is highly individual, depending on the passage involved along with the leader’s experience, skills, and life circumstances.
So, why attempt this at all? Some readers may be thinking about starting a Bible study group, and some may soon be asked to lead a study at their church. The time involved in such service should be part of their considerations.
My aim in what follows is to be descriptive, not prescriptive. I’ll describe roughly how long it takes me to prepare a Bible study. I am probably average when it comes to preparation time, though I have been doing this for many years.
The Stages of Preparation
The first step in preparing a Bible study is to study the passage. And the first—perhaps most important—step in studying the passage is to read it as much as possible. I try to read or listen to the passage at least 20 times before I begin any further study. (This is one of the most valuable parts of my process that I’ve changed in the last three years.) On average this takes me about two hours.
After reading and rereading the passage, I begin my OIA study. I’ve described my tools and process before, so I won’t repeat myself. My goal at this stage is to understand the author’s main point. This also takes me around two hours.
I then grab a commentary or sometimes two. My use of these tools varies depending on the complexity of the passage I’m studying. (And choosing a good commentary is important!) I’m looking for interpretive help from my commentary; I like to compare the author’s conclusions with my own. This usually takes one hour.
I next try to synthesize the commentary and my own understanding of the passage to write down a main point. I then work on personal application; after all, the best small group leader is one who has been changed by the passage. A rough time estimate: half an hour.
The final stage of my process is to turn my private study into something useful for my group. Most of this time is spent writing questions to help my friends understand the passage and discover its main point. I try to think of a good launching question, and I make sure to pray. Time: one hour.
Adding up my time estimates gives a total of about 6.5 hours.
When is Preparation Time?
For most Bible studies, I spread my preparation time out over a week. I finish the task by spending 30–60 minutes/day.
I also have friends that pack their preparation into one or two longer time blocks. Some simply prefer this; others do it out of necessity. Again, there’s no single correct approach.
Time Well Spent
As you gain experience and confidence in leading Bible studies, you will gradually need less time to prepare. That’s true with most endeavors in life.
However, I learn and grow so much during my Bible study preparation, I’m not eager to cut my time much further. For my own spiritual health, it is time well spent.
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