Fields of Music
As far as musicians go, I’m an odd bird. I play the trombone, and I’ve performed both solo and in ensembles (jazz, quintet, marching band, symphony, wind ensemble, brass band)—but I couldn’t make it as a performer. I’ve composed a few miserable pieces—but I despise composition.
After getting my bachelor’s degree in music, I almost went to graduate school for the one thing most musicians loathe: music theory. I wasn’t nearly as into creation or expression as I was into investigation. I wanted to know why good music was good and why bad music was bad. I wanted to know not only who the great composers were but also what they did that was so great.
Carl Guderian (2014), Creative Commons
How did Beethoven build an entire symphony (his 5th) off of 4 notes: short-short-short-long? How did Dvorak get an orchestra to play every note of the scale at once and have it still sound good, in the climax of his 9th symphony? How does the rock band Dream Theater move so smoothly between 4/4, 7/8, and 6/8 time?
So I confess my bias is more toward the analytical arts than either the expressive or compositional ones. And I concede that we need all sides for life to be interesting.
But there’s a time and place for each skill. If a composer can’t create, or a performer can’t express, or a critic can’t analyze—that person’s craft is doomed.
What does this have to do with leading Bible studies?
Leading Bible Studies
To switch the metaphor from music to literature: Leading a Bible study is not like a creative writing assignment. Nor is it like a poetry reading. It should be much more like a literature club: reading, discussing, and responding to the author’s thoughts.
In other words, preparing a Bible study should involve much more discovery than creation or expression.
A Bible study is not the place to express yourself or your views of the world—unless you mean them to be examples of bringing every thought captive to Christ. A Bible study is also not about how clever or profound you can be. Your burden is not to come up with something new, but to speak what has already been spoken.
Notice the Apostle Paul’s final charge to the one who would inherit Paul’s ministry:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Tim 4:1-2, ESV)
Paul charges Timothy:
- In the presence of God
- In the presence of Christ Jesus
- In light of Jesus’ impending judgment of all people
- Because of Jesus’ appearing
- Because of Jesus’ kingdom
As my friend Dave Royes has said, “There is no larger font in the Bible.” Paul could not draw any more attention to this charge than he has drawn. His life’s work, which he passes to the next generation, rests in the following imperative.
And what is the charge? What is so important that Jesus’ appearing and kingdom took place to make it happen? What will impact Jesus’ judgment of both living and dead? For what purpose has God become present in Christ?
That we might preach the word.
You don’t have to write your Bible study; it’s already written for you, and you merely have to discover it. You don’t have to prepare an intriguing sermon; you must uncover what has been said so you can say it.
If you try to be profound, you’ll fail to figure out what God has said (the second practice for preparing effective Bible studies). But those who depend on the Lord are free to speak what he wants them to speak.
