OIA | Knowable Word

Don’t Forget the Gospel During Bible Study

November 6, 2023 By Ryan Higginbottom

This is not a post about connecting the interpretation of a Bible passage to Jesus. I won’t dwell on considering the work of Christ when applying the truth of Scripture. By God’s grace, you should do both of these things. Today I want to stress the importance of the gospel as it relates to the Bible study process.

Success and Failure

At Knowable Word, we’re big fans of the Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) Bible study method. It is our goal to help ordinary people learn to study the Bible. We advocate for steps that help you find the author’s main point, connect it to Jesus, and apply that truth to all the musty crawlspaces of your life. Our suggestions are not perfect, but we believe these are sound principles that help us to know God better through his son Jesus.

But what if you forget? How do you react if you jump too quickly to interpretation and don’t spend enough time in careful observation? What happens when you get excited about a pet application and miss the main point? What should you do when you mishandle God’s word?

On the other hand, suppose you follow all of our suggestions to the letter. How do you feel about your personal Bible study then? How does God think about it? Or maybe the Bible study group you are leading had a wonderful meeting—do you carry yourself as though you got a heavenly promotion?

We Always Need the Gospel

The good news of Jesus Christ is not just information that brings us into a relationship with God; we need to know and act on this news in every moment of our Christian lives. Neither is the gospel merely the dessert cart wheeled out at the conclusion of the Bible study meal. We need the gospel from soup to nuts and back into the kitchen.

We tend to hear this exhortation about remembering the gospel and think immediately of our moral behaviors—our successes or failures in the realms of pride, anger, lust, jealousy, and the like. But we need reminders about God’s love, Jesus’s work, and our new identities throughout our lives, and we need to connect these truths to our every endeavor, including studying the Bible.

So as you study the Bible yourself or with a group of other people, here are some ways to remember the gospel.

Our successes do not take us closer to God — If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God’s love for you is full. You cannot do anything, including following sound Bible study principles, to make God prize you any more. All the proper method, careful listening, and prayerful application in the world will not draw God any closer to you. In your place, Jesus has offered to God all of the obedience you will ever need to be accepted. Interpreting the Bible accurately and applying it thoroughly will lead you into further obedience and greater joy, but God cannot be on your side more than he already is.
Our failures do not cast us away from God — In the same way that God does not love you any more for your successes, he loves you no less for your failures. Whether your errors in Bible study are small or large, you cannot drive God away from you, not even a little. If you have spotted a mistake, you should repent and make efforts to set things right. But God is not distant from you in the meantime; indeed it is his grace that leads you to repentance (Rom 2:4).

I need this exhortation most as a small group leader. Hours after a study ends I will think of several ways I failed my group. I didn’t connect our interpretation to Jesus; I didn’t make time for specific applications; I talked too much and didn’t ask enough questions. It’s easy for me to be overcome with regret.

But I need to remember the gospel at these moments. Instead of dwelling on my shortcomings, I try to focus on Jesus. God doesn’t look at me as subpar and inadequate because of my performance; he sees Jesus’s perfect record instead of mine and is completely satisfied. God’s grace is lavish and powerful—strong enough to lift my chin and help me trust him even when my flesh tugs me toward despair.
We are free to offer the grace we’ve been given — Have you ever caught someone yawning or nodding off during your Bible study meeting? Are you frustrated to see your friend fighting the same battles against sin he fought a year ago? Does one member of your small group seem clueless despite your efforts to teach the Bible? Because God has loved you deeply, you are free to pass along love in the same manner. In his love God is patient, long-suffering, and full of forgiveness. Despite your flesh’s desire to complain or lash out in anger or frustration, remembering the gospel will help you to be patient with others in their sanctification even as God is patient with you.

My Bible Intake

February 12, 2021 By Peter Krol

I am asked with some regularity how I schedule time (and find time) to be in the Scriptures. As a full-time missionary with DiscipleMakers, I am thrilled to get paid, in part, to study the Bible. But I also seek to develop practices for Bible intake when I’m “off the clock.” I write this post not to suggest that anyone must operate the same way I do, but in hopes that some may be stimulated and encouraged to try new opportunities for increasing their own intake of God’s word. Regardless of how you do it, the fact of Bible intake is a tremendous privilege for followers of the Lord Jesus.

Daily Routines

I start every morning with an audio lectionary in the Dwell listening app. I’m just about to complete the 1979 Book of Common Prayer’s morning daily office, which takes about 5 minutes per day. I listen to it on my phone while I brush my teeth. As I continue getting ready for the day (getting dressed, greeting my children, moving toward my treadmill for exercise), I listen to a Bible-in-a-year daily plan (also with Dwell). This year, I’m following a “genre” plan, which gives about 3 chapters per day, each day in a different genre of the Scriptures (Yesterday’s text was from a prophet; today’s from a gospel). This takes anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes each day (I listen on 2x speed), and usually finishes up while I’m on the treadmill.

On weekdays, while showering after exercise, I review Scripture memory. I review Proverbs 1-9 over the course of 5 days, and I currently also recite Psalm 145 all 5 days. On weekends, I take a break from Bible memory to give my brain a rest.

So on most days, I’ve taken in about 6-8 chapters of Scripture audio (or memory review) before I’m even able to sit down to read.

Once I can sit down to read, I spend about 30 minutes reading the Bible before moving on with my day. I prefer to follow Joe Carter’s reading plan for how to change your mind (Summary: Read a book of the Bible 20 times. Then read another book 20 times. Continue until finished with all books.) I began doing this in earnest in 2016, and have completed 23 books so far. I select books based on what I’m expecting to study in the coming year. So I recently completed Luke and Acts because we were preaching them at church. I’m now working on 1 & 2 Samuel (treating them as a single book), because I’m teaching a Sunday school class on it to our middle and high schoolers. Later this year, I’ll move on to Revelation to prepare for a preaching workshop I plan to attend.

I end each day with a little more Dwell listening. I’m currently about to complete the 1979 Book of Common Prayer’s evening daily office, which takes about 5 minutes while I brush my teeth and get changed for bed.

Weekly Routines

You may have noticed my daily routine contains quite a bit of Bible reading and very little detailed study. That’s because I prefer to work on careful study in fits and starts. Though I trumpet the OIA method for Bible study, I just don’t have the energy to delve the depths of it every day. And I do enough teaching that my detailed study centers around whatever I’m teaching. I don’t feel the need to separate my teaching from my learning.

Currently, I preach about 3 in every 10 weeks at my church. Two weeks before each sermon, I study the text, with the end goal being the completion of this worksheet, which all our church’s preachers complete for every sermon. I spend up to 5 hours those weeks, scattered Monday through Wednesday, studying the passage enough to credibly complete the worksheet.

On weeks where I don’t have my own worksheet to complete, I am receiving another preacher’s completed worksheet. I spend up to 30 minutes studying the text enough to comment on his worksheet, to celebrate his work and help him improve it (as the others do with my worksheets). We also meet for an hour each Wednesday afternoon to rehearse the sermon for the upcoming Sunday and give feedback on its presentation. In this way, our team of preachers co-labors to preach expositionally through books of the Bible.

For the middle/high school Sunday school class I teach, I spend up to 30 minutes on Saturdays preparing the next lesson in 1 Samuel.

Finally, on Sunday nights, I recently restarted our family Bible reading time, where I read the Scripture out loud for 30-60 minutes while the children play quietly. We’re only a few weeks in and will soon complete Genesis.

Seasonal Routines

In times past, I’ve had weekly small group studies to either lead or participate in (both of which required preparation). But at this time I’m taking a break from our church small group.

Every November, and sometimes in February, I enjoy attending preaching workshops run by the Charles Simeon Trust to sharpen my craft. These workshops require significant Bible study preparation (perhaps 5-7 hours) in the weeks leading up to the workshop.

In my work with DiscipleMakers, I have numerous other events throughout the year where I may be giving a talk, leading a small group, or teaching an online course that requires me to get into the guts of OIA study.

And every Jan 1, I set aside everything else I listed above (at least as much as possible) to give myself to reading the entire Bible straight through as fast as possible. With the combination of listening to audio and reading a physical book, I squeeze such reading into every nook and cranny of my schedule to finish in 25 or fewer days. After that is complete, I return to the regular routines I’ve listed above.

Conclusion

I’ll reiterate: I’m not deluded to the point of believing that anyone on the planet ought to do things quite as quirkily as I do. But with enough interest, anyone can find corners in their schedule where they could increase their Bible intake just a bit further. May you be encouraged and astonished at your Lord, and at the opportunity you have, perhaps unique in human history, to commune with him through his word, for hours on end, through a wide variety of formats.

Quick! You Have One Hour to Prepare a Bible Study

October 26, 2020 By Ryan Higginbottom

The phone rings, and you’re needed. Maybe there’s been an injury or an illness, or maybe your church has changed plans at the last minute. You need to prepare a Bible study, and you only have an hour.

This may sound more like a Mission: Impossible plot than real life. But these scenarios really do happen! And it’s not too hard in 2020 to imagine an event not working out as planned.

In my previous article I described an ideal setting, where I take an average of 6.5 hours to prepare a Bible study. Today I want to consider a scenario that’s much less than ideal.

Rethink the Bible Study

With such limited preparation time, I suggest rethinking the purpose of this particular gathering. Where most meetings center on discovery guided by a leader who has thoroughly considered the passage, this meeting might be better focused on mutual discovery.

Since you’ll have only a tiny head start on the rest of the group, I suggest treating this study as a workshop more than a traditional Bible study. Together, you and the group can study the passage and move toward the author’s main point.

This approach takes a great deal of humility and trust in the Lord. This approach also rests on the fact that the Holy Spirit is our Bible teacher. During a standard Bible study meeting I find God often brings understanding and clarity (and conviction!) through other group members; this will be even more likely during a meeting with light preparation.

Treat this meeting as an opportunity to teach your friends how to study the Bible as you practice observation, interpretation, and application together. And for those who know the OIA method already—we all need to practice and sharpen those skills.

How to Spend Your One Precious Hour

If you’ve re-framed this last-minute Bible study in the way I’ve suggested, a crucial question still remains. How exactly should you use that one hour of preparation time?

Read the passage as many times as possible for 40 of those 60 minutes. After every time or two through the passage, jot down some notes about the overall structure and themes.

For the final 20 minutes of preparation, do some observation and interpretation work, trying to notice important features of the passage and asking why they are there. Be sure to pray and ask for God’s blessing and help.

You’ll likely have more questions than answers going into the meeting. But this exposure to the passage, along with the God-given wisdom and insight of your group members, may make this an exciting learning experience.

Some may wonder why I haven’t suggested picking up a study Bible or commentary. After all, the reasoning goes, why not spend all 60 minutes of your limited prep time learning from someone who has invested in this passage deeply?

The most fruitful Bible studies are led by those who are deeply acquainted with the text. You will have a more engaged and productive discussion by spending time in the Scriptures instead of any commentary about the Scriptures. Commentary-heavy preparation will likely result in a Bible study that sounds like an extended academic citation garnished with a few courtesy questions. And true application would be unlikely.

An Unlikely Event

It may not ever happen that you’re asked to lead a Bible study on short notice. But if you’re anything like me, there will be times when your ideal preparation time is slashed and squeezed by the circumstances of life.

If that happens, there’s no need to worry. Your Bible study may not look like it usually does, but God is not limited by your standard of normal. Studying the Scriptures alongside your friends may prove more fruitful than you imagined.

Behind the Scenes: My Bible Study Tools and Process

July 22, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Studying the Bible is hard, holy work.

The tools we use for this work are not holy, but neither are they incidental. As we grow and mature we find different Bibles, different processes, and different translations that offer just the help we need at that time.

At the risk of navel gazing, my goal in this post is to let you into my Bible study workshop. I’ll describe the tools and process I use to prepare a small group Bible study.

This is one workshop among many. (My co-blogger Peter has written about this too.) My example is not meant for blind imitation, but I hope some readers may find some inspiration here. I should also note that my personal preferences are in flux. I have adopted some of my work flow within the past four months.

Tools

I use six main tools when studying the Bible and preparing for my small group.

An audio Bible. In my early exposure to the passage I’m studying, I like to listen to the Bible. A lot.
A markup Bible. My current markup Bible is a template of my own design. I copy the text from Bible Gateway into a Word document with fat margins (three inches on each side and two inches on the bottom). This gives me plenty of room for notes, arrows, and symbols.
Colored pencils. I use cheap colored pencils to mark up the Bible text. Color coordination helps me locate repetition and connections.
A Bible commentary. This one’s fairly self-explanatory.
A journal and pen. I need to write in order to understand a Bible passage. I grab a nearby notebook or journal.
Multiple Bible translations. I read the passage in multiple translations at Bible Gateway before my small group meets. (I make a point to consult the translations that my small group members prefer.)

My Process

With my tools in hand, these are the eight steps I take to prepare a small group Bible study lesson.

Before I do anything, I pray. I am weak and full of sin, and I am approaching God’s holy word. I need his help!
My first step is to print out my markup Bible. Simple enough.
Next, I listen to and read the Bible passage a bunch. My goal is to discover and understand the structure of the passage. (I recently wrote about how helpful it was to read a passage 25 times.) I listen to or read the Bible passage at least ten times before I make a single mark on the page.
Now it’s time for Bible study. Using the markup Bible, colored pencils, and a pen, I dive into the Observe-Interpret-Apply (OIA) Bible study method. I make a ton of observations on the paper, and these lead me to interpretive questions, which I also write next to the text. I use the right-hand margin of the paper for these notes.
At this point I try to answer the interpretive questions from the text. I outline the passage according to the central ideas of each paragraph and land on an overall main point. I force myself to make notes about the passage before reading any commentaries. I also write down the primary questions I’d like to learn from the commentary.
Next, I read the commentary. If I found the passage confusing, I’ll spend a lot of time interacting with the commentary. If it was an easier passage, I might skim the commentary or skip it altogether. I write notes from the commentary in the left-hand margin of my markup Bible.
It’s time for more writing. I try to identify the main point of each section of the passage and then the overall main point. (This will use my work from step 5 as well as what I learned in step 6.) I list how my interpretation of the passage connects to Jesus and I think through application. Finally, I write a launching question for my small group.
The last step is to create my leader’s notes for the small group meeting. This is a list of questions to help my friends discover the main point of the passage and discuss application. This is also when I read the passage in different translations, although I may do this earlier if the passage is especially thorny.

One Model Among Many

What I’ve outlined above is just one model among many. Some of it may work for you and some may not. And if what you’re doing already is working for you, you shouldn’t feel any need to change.

Don’t focus on the tools. Get and use the tools that will help you focus on the Bible.

How to Teach Any Bible Passage

May 1, 2017 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2017), public domain

Have you been asked to teach the Bible? Maybe you’d like to prepare something for your Sunday school class, small group, or youth group. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the task, you’ve come to the right place.

Two Elements of Preparation

There are two elements to any good communication of the Bible: getting it right, and getting it across.

First, study the Bible and understand what it says and what that means. Then, determine the best way to help your people understand the passage. All of the advice that follows falls into one of these two categories.

A Preparation Guide

Here are eleven steps toward preparing a lesson on the Bible.

Pray — You can’t do anything apart from God. Pray for your own study and pray for God’s work through you in the class.
Read the Bible passage as many times as you can. Depending on the length, aim for at least ten.
Study the passage. At this blog we teach the Observation, Interpretation, Application (OIA) Bible study method. Your goal should be to find the main point (or sometimes, main points) of the passage. Expect to spend several hours on this part of the process. (You may find these worksheets helpful.)
Try not to use commentaries or notes in your study Bible until after you’ve studied the passage on your own.
Think through this question: how does this passage (and especially its main point) connect to Jesus and the gospel?
Prayerfully apply the passage (especially the main point) to yourself. Application can happen in the realms of head, heart, and hands. The more God works on you personally through this passage, the greater impact your teaching will have.
Produce an outline of the passage. This needn’t be too detailed, but try to describe how the sections of your passage fit together.
Your first goal in teaching is to lead the class to the main point of the passage. Think about how you arrived at the main point. What supporting truths helped you get there?
To help the class grasp these supporting truths, determine what questions (both observation and interpretation) you will ask to lead the discussion. (The size of your group will determine how much interaction you can have, but you should push for as much as possible.) Because it is easy to forget your questions in the moment, write them down ahead of time. This is one of the hardest and most important parts of teaching—asking good questions.
Think about application for the class. What questions will help the class consider personal application? Are there corporate applications the class should consider? What are some barriers to these personal or corporate applications?
Finally, consider how you will begin the class. To get the class primed for the lesson, you might target an application or a theme or even something related to the main point. Will you start the class with a launching question? Will you start the class some other way?

A Worksheet

If you’d like a resource to use when planning to teach the Bible, check out this worksheet. Please use it if you find it helpful.

Helpful Meetings

Here’s one last piece of advice. Talk about your lesson both before and after the class.

I’ve insisted on these conversations as I train adult Sunday school teachers in my local church. These meetings have made a huge difference, both in the quality of the class and the development of the teachers.

Find a friend and chat a few days before the class. Talk about the main point and what questions you plan to ask. Give your friend permission to ask questions and tell you if your setup makes sense.

Ask your friend to sit in on the class and then pass along feedback afterward. Make sure your relationship (and their personality) allows for honesty in this conversation. Helpful feedback will involve both the good and the bad from your lesson.

What An Opportunity!

Teaching the Bible is a serious task and privilege. Don’t try to be fancy. Explain your thinking, ask good questions, and help your people see that studying the Bible is something anyone can do.

A Bible Study Culture within the Church

January 11, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

A group of able, determined people can accomplish what an individual cannot. Witness this video, where about twenty people in China converge to free a woman trapped beneath a car.

Molly A. Burgess (2010), public domain

From One to Many

Personal Bible study is at the heart of this blog. We advocate the Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) method, and we produce and collect resources to help Christians investigate God’s word.

When we adopt a habit of Bible study, we cut the ribbon on an adventure. By his Spirit, God changes us—from the inside out—as we give ourselves to reading, understanding, and obeying his word. Such change is not easy; in fact, it is a series of small deaths. But these deaths are life—we are new people being renewed.

Now multiply the effect of one changed life. Imagine a troop of transformed, growing Christians. Think of the impact a united, thriving, God-glorifying church can have within a community.

Churches and the Bible

Many churches say they are dedicated to the Bible. The pastor preaches from the Bible, the confessional standards are dense with Bible references, and the pews and Sunday school rooms are chock-full.

But how much is a broad allegiance worth? Suppose a grocery store promotes healthy eating in its flyer, but within the shop they conceal the carrots and push the pastries. You can see the company’s values by walking the aisles.

For some churchgoers, the Bible seems irrelevant; for others, it’s impenetrable. They may half-heartedly open the book on Sunday morning but it has no place of honor in their lives. As a church loses regard for the Bible, they also lose the power to love and influence their communities.

You’ll see a different picture when Christians are committed to studying the Bible. The distinction is not one of intelligence or morality, but of authority. Because God has spoken, such believers are devoted (by God’s grace) to reading God’s word closely and obeying, no matter how uncomfortable the conclusions.

Blessings of a Bible Study Culture

This post begins a series on the distinctive marks of churches which have a Bible study culture. We’ll discuss different aspects of the church in future posts, but today I want to highlight God’s gifts through churches like these. Here are seven blessings to expect when your church embraces a Bible study culture.

Sound doctrine — A church that studies the Bible can stand confidently for truth against all heretical threats.
Unity — Listen to A.W. Tozer: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?”
Obedience — Application of the Bible leads to greater love and obedience, and God blesses obedience. (See James 1:25, Luke 11:28.)
Help — We often need help studying the Bible, and in a Bible-studying church, we are resources for each other.
Encouragement — Because Bible study can be difficult, we need encouragement. We will find ample support among like-minded Christians.
Healthy norms — When a church studies the Bible, it shows how natural and healthy this exercise is. This discipline isn’t reserved for academics or the super-spiritual, this is a normal Christian practice.
Training — If you want to learn Spanish, move to Spain. New members of a church will pick up Bible study quickly if it is part of the church’s culture. If everyone from grandparents to gradeschoolers is studying the Bible, new members won’t be intimidated to begin.

This series is not meant just for information. In the next post, we’ll start to look at some features of a Bible-studying church. Read prayerfully. Then in your own church, encourage what is present and work toward what is lacking.

What Aerial Dogfights Have in Common With Bible Study

July 31, 2015 By Peter Krol

Observe, Interpret, Apply (OIA). That’s the heart of this blog’s message. We follow these steps when we read the Bible because God has communicated, and OIA is communication. This is one reason OIA is the best Bible study method.

However, what matters is not the terminology but the substance. The substance is both simple and profound, but people might use different terms to describe the same thing.

Case in point: John Boyd’s OODA loop. According to the Art of Manliness, “John Boyd is described by some as the greatest military strategist in history that no one knows.” He developed a strategic tool to help fighter pilots, but this tool has also proved helpful for governments, businesses, and other competitive entities.

Christopher Ebdon (2006), Creative Commons

The OODA loop describes a process of thinking and decision-making that deals with uncertainty and gives a competitive edge.

O: Observe
O: Orient
D: Decide
A: Act

Can you see any similarities to OIA?

If not, let me remind you that the Interpretation (I) phase of Bible study can be divided into two sub-phases: Q&A and determining the author’s main point. Boyd’s “Orient” step involves breaking down your presumptions and reconstructing ideas from the data you’ve observed (very much like Q&A). His “Decide” step involves making an educated guess about which mental model best fits the situation (sounds like taking a stab at the author’s main point).

If you’re interested in the philosophical underpinnings of how to think and make decisions, you’ll find Brett McKay’s article fascinating. Don’t get distracted by his use of unfamiliar terminology (including “The Tao of Boyd”). McKay describes something that explains human communication and decision-making, which is why we can see Jesus using the same process with the Scripture (reason #3 for why OIA is the best Bible study method).

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the OODA Loop – it has the power and potential to change your life.

Absolutely right.

HT: Andy Cimbala

Sharpen Your Axe: Prepare for Your Small Group

June 15, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

A woodsman was once asked, “What would you do if you had just five minutes to chop down a tree?” He answered, “I would spend the first two and a half minutes sharpening my axe.”¹

JJMustang_79 (2008), Creative Commons License

Preparing to Move

I recently helped a young couple move. When the truck arrived, we loaded their boxes and furniture in almost no time. We made such quick work of the job that we called off the reinforcements who were coming later!

What made the move so easy? My friends had packed and organized everything. They told us what needed to go, and we jumped right in.

In short, they were prepared.

If it’s Important, We Prepare

While you might not need extensive plans to brush your hair, you wouldn’t take the same approach to a career change. It’s simple: we prepare for events and tasks in proportion to their importance.

So, how important is your small group Bible study? On the one hand, this gathering should be a low-stress get-together. This is no job interview, first date, or keynote speech.

But a casual event can still be significant. When we study God’s word, we should expect him to reveal himself. He will teach us how to love and obey him through his son, Jesus. Can you think of a more monumental activity?

You lay the groundwork for God’s work in your midst when you prepare for your gathering. Some planning may appear ordinary, but it is all vital to the success of your Bible study group.

Physical Preparations

If the physical aspects of your meeting are in order, you won’t notice. They will blend into the background like jazz at a coffee shop. But if a detail is overlooked, it will stand out like a gong.

Host — Every group needs a place to meet. Could you provide a comfortable place for your friends?
Organize the practical details — Some groups rotate child care and/or food duties among group members. If your group has such a need, consider arranging these schedules.
Lead the communication — Between gatherings, build your group’s sense of community. Keep everyone in touch using email, Facebook, phone calls, or text messages. Remind the group of the next meeting’s details and, if everyone signs on, consider a weekly distribution of prayer requests.
Invite others — If your small group welcomes visitors, prayerfully seek people to invite. This is especially encouraging in groups designed to introduce unbelievers to the claims of Jesus.
Build anticipation for the meeting — Talk to other group members, rejoice at God’s work, and express your excitement for the next get-together. What applications of the Bible are you working to implement that came up at the last meeting?

Spiritual Preparations

When the physical arrangements are made, the soil is tilled for a spiritual crop. Here are some ways to plant seeds and prepare for the harvest.

Study the passage — Your small group leader may prompt the group with questions ahead of time. Even without prompting, you will contribute more to and learn more from the discussion if you study the Bible passage in advance. While God can (and does) give in-the-moment insight, think of all the observations, interpretations, and applications you will bring if you work ahead!
Pray for the leader — Your small group leader’s job is difficult. Ask God to reveal the main point of the passage and how to guide the group there. Pray that your leader would allow the message to change him/her before teaching.²
Pray for the group — Pray for the individuals in the group, not just for their recent requests, but also for their growing trust in and love for Christ. (Consider praying Ephesians 3:16–19 for them.) Ask God to give the group understanding into his word through their interaction at the next meeting.
Pray for yourself — In small groups, you have the opportunity both to bless and be blessed. Pray for openness to the ideas and suggestions of others. Think of someone in your group with whom you haven’t connected recently; pray for an opportunity to encourage them.

During some weeks, the busyness of your life may keep you from preparing for your small group. Go to the meeting anyway. These are probably the times you need to go more than ever!

But if you’re able to prepare, you will be a blessing to your group. And you just might find that God teaches you in the process.

A version of this quote is commonly attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but it appears that is not true. ↩
This series of posts is focused on those who attend small group Bible studies; if you lead such a study, we have lots of resources for you. ↩

Ask These Questions When Joining a Small Group

June 1, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Joe Shlabotnik (2008), Creative Commons License

Some choices in life are simple, like the choice between gloves and mittens. (Gloves, obviously.) Other decisions are far more difficult. Chocolate or mint chocolate chip ice cream?¹ And some choices can show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Easy or not, your choice of a small group Bible study is important. You will study the Bible, seek the Lord, and share your life with these people. It’s a big deal!

Some readers of this site may have no decision to make. Perhaps you know of only one small group in your area. Or maybe there aren’t any other Christians nearby who are committed to the Bible. Those of us living in communities with abundant opportunities and resources should remember our lonely or isolated brothers and sisters and pray for their strength and encouragement. Theirs is a difficult providence.

But a good percentage of readers have options: a small group offered by your church, a community fellowship, a parachurch ministry, or an informal troop of friends. Which gathering should you choose? Consider these three questions.

Where can I study the Bible?

Not all that glitters is gold, and not every “Bible study” group gives attention to the Good Book. Instead, some groups discuss a specific topic or read a best-selling Christian author. Such gatherings can be dynamite, but they aren’t what we mean by a Bible study. Simply put, Bible studies should study the Bible.

So, if you are thinking about joining a small group Bible study, here is your first task: determine whether or not they study the Bible. A few specific questions about the group meetings should do the trick.

Where can I serve?

In proposing this second question, I’m assuming you are not the small group leader. (Though we have many resources for Bible study leaders!) I maintain that, in every small group setting, you can both grow and help others grow. There are oodles of ways you can serve others in a small group.

Do you know of a small group with a young or inexperienced leader? Join and look for ways to pile on the encouragement.

Is there a local group in search of a meeting place? Offer to play the role of host/hostess.

How about a group with several new Christians? Step in and help with discipleship and training.

Have you heard of a group that is stagnant? Strengthen the group by attending and recruiting new members.

What about your friend who is sharing the Bible with unbelievers? Attend the group, help field questions, and introduce people to Jesus!

Even if you’re not filling one of these roles, just your participation in a small group can be a great service. As you contribute your Spirit-led observations, interpretations, and applications, God builds up his people. (Look for a longer discussion of this point in a future post.)

Where can I learn?

Serving in a Bible study group and learning in the group are not mutually exclusive. In fact, because the Bible is written by our infinite, perfect God, we can learn whenever we turn our attention to his knowable Word.

A small group offers a unique environment for learning from the Bible. In a small group, you can harness the power of interaction to sharpen one another and see Jesus more clearly. There are ways you can learn in a small group that cannot be replicated in private or in larger gatherings.

Consequently, you should ask about the format of any group you plan to join. Is it dominated by a leader’s lecture or by group discussion? There are times when instruction is helpful, but you lose one of the main benefits of the small group setting if teaching replaces dialogue.

Default to Your Local Church

There is no perfect small group, so please don’t let less-than-ideal answers to these questions keep you in isolation. Seek the Lord, consider the opportunities, and step out in faith.

Here is one final guiding principle. All other things being equal, give preference to the small group(s) offered through your local church. Your elders have responsibility to shepherd God’s people, so your church’s small groups should fit your leaders’ vision for building God’s kingdom. It may be that part of joining your local church involves participating in its small group ministry.

Trick question: the answer is “yes.” ↩

When Bible Study Meets Real Life

April 6, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ve observed that we advocate for a specific method of personal Bible study. (We call it the OIA method—Observe, Interpret, Apply—though it goes by other names elsewhere.) You may have interpreted our repetition to mean we think you should adopt this practice. At this point, I hope the application is clear.

Nick (2008), Creative Commons License

But bringing OIA Bible study into your life might sound difficult, especially if you haven’t done much personal Bible study before. This approach to God’s Word is deliberate and thorough, so studying a portion of Scripture will take time, especially if the passage is lengthy.

But who has extra time?

Your schedule is already full. Your calendar might resemble an old wineskin containing new wine, set to burst (Matt 9:17). How can you find time for personal Bible study if this method demands so much time?

Bible Intake

Instead of an exclusive focus on Bible study, I suggest you think in terms of Bible intake. With this term I include all the ways we interact with the Bible: reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, and hearing the Bible preached. The lines between these activities can be fuzzy, since starting with one practice might overlap with or lead into another. But all of these categories are important.

Think of Bible intake like the food you eat. The U.S. government urges a balanced diet consisting of foods from five groups, and your Bible intake should also be varied. Your bones might weaken if you ignore dairy, and you may show a spiritual deficiency if you neglect (for example) Bible memorization.

So you should be studying the Bible, because that’s part of a healthy diet of Bible intake. But this doesn’t mean you need to break out the OIA worksheets during every devotional opportunity. Some mornings you could read longer passages of Scripture and meditate on specific truths or promises. Other times you might work on Bible memorization.

What Might This Look Like?

Your devotional life will likely be different than mine. My own practices happen with far less frequency and passion than I would like, but I record them here in case they are helpful.

During the two weeks each month when my small group meets, I study the Bible in the morning using the OIA method. I don’t separate my learning from my teaching. I shoot for 30 minutes at a time.
In other weeks, I read other parts of the Bible. I follow along with my pastor’s preaching texts or dive into another section of Scripture.
Whenever I have devotions, I spend 10 minutes on Bible memorization. I cycle through a review of the chapters I’ve memorized and work on new verses at the end.

Make some time to think seriously about your own devotional practices. What are your priorities? Have you been ignoring any aspect of Bible intake? It’s one thing to read a blog about Bible study, but it’s far more important to make appointments in your life to meet with, learn from, and worship God in his Word.

Strive for Bible intake as often as possible. Make sure not to neglect Bible study. When you study the Bible, I suggest using the OIA method.

Three Final Pieces of Advice

First, remember that there is no Scriptural command to read through the Bible every year. I’m not against reading great quantities of the Bible (or doing so quickly), but I’ve found this goal tends to dominate many Christians’ devotional practices. It produces guilt and crowds out other forms of Bible intake.

Second, our weeks are far more similar to each other than our days are. Establishing weekly devotional rhythms (including devotions-free days) can be more helpful than setting high daily expectations.

Finally, remember the gospel in your devotional life. Consistent devotions do not endear you to God, and inconsistent devotions do not turn the Father away. If you are his child, God’s love for you is full and perfect—he cannot love you any more or less than he does right now. The perfect life and death of Jesus—not any obedience of your own—has secured this for you once and for all.