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Reading the Bible for the First Time

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bible on table

Ryan Riggins (2017), public domain

Imagine that a friend of yours has just become a Christian. She knows of your faith and asks to meet with you.

Your friend knows the Bible is an important book for Christians, and she wants to read it. But she has no familiarity with the Bible at all.

What would you say to her?

Only the Essentials

This post isn’t an attempt to say everything about the Bible, just what would be most helpful to a person reading the Bible for the first time.

In what follows, I’ve collected some important facts and advice aimed at first-time Bible readers. If you have further additions or suggestions, I’d love to read them in the comments!

6 Facts About the Bible

Welcome to the Bible! As you begin, you should know some information about the book you’re about to read.

  1. The Bible is God’s word. Though the Bible was written in time and space by human authors, it is divinely inspired. God’s love and sovereignty are such that the words we have are exactly what he intended. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
  2. The Bible is true. If God is the ultimate author of the Bible then we will see his character throughout this book. Since he is perfect, pure, and unable to lie, the Bible is trustworthy and true.
  3. The Bible is important. A small number of questions in life have ultimate consequences. What is God like? What does he think of me? What does he want people to do? Because God wants to be known, he has answered these questions in the Bible.
  4. The Bible is concerned with God and his people. The relationship between God and his rebellious people—first the nation of Israel and then the church—is the focus of God’s word. Biblical teachings have massive implications for individuals, but they are primarily addressed to groups of people.
  5. The entire Bible is about Jesus. After Jesus rose from the dead, he explained to some of his disciples that every part of the Bible spoke of him. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
  6. The Bible is clear. Though some parts of the Bible are difficult to understand, far more of the Bible is plain. After all, in several places, God commands his people to teach the Bible to their children. We must interpret the more challenging parts of Scripture in light of the portions that are clear. The Bible is not only for those with high IQs or advanced degrees; the Bible is knowable to everyone.

7 Suggestions for Reading the Bible

There is much more to say about the Bible, but for those just starting out, it is more important for you to start reading. Here are some suggestions for reading the Bible that apply just as much on Day 1 of your Bible-reading adventure as they will on Day 10,000.

  1. Pray before you read the Bible. Because the Bible is God’s word, we need his help to understand and benefit from reading it. God loves to answer this prayer!
  2. You don’t need to read the Bible from start to finish. Many Christians read the Bible from Genesis straight through to Revelation, but this is not necessary. I suggest starting with the Gospel of John, then Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Then move on to Genesis and Exodus. There’s no single correct way to read the Bible.
  3. You don’t need to read the entire Bible right away. Read-the-Bible-in-a-year plans are popular, but these are not mandated by God. You should eventually make your way through the whole Bible, but it is far more important to read carefully and slowly than to read quickly without understanding.
  4. Reread the Bible. Plan to read the Bible for as long as you live. We need to reread the Bible both because we forget what is true and because each reading of the Bible offers more riches than the last.
  5. Read the Bible with others. Christians are a part of God’s family and we are called into community with each other. This is important for many reasons, including understanding and applying the Bible. Seek out a Bible-believing church and some people within the church with whom to read and discuss the Bible.
  6. Establish a habit. The sooner you can make regular Bible intake a part of your life, the better. Find a good time and place for reading the Bible, and try to read regularly. A habit like this doesn’t make you more precious to God, but it could make God more precious to you.
  7. Study the Bible. While the Bible is knowable, sometimes it requires work to understand what it says. Older Christians in your church should be able to offer guidance, and we have lots of articles and resources on this web site to help.
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This post was originally published in 2018.

What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Nehemiah

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Samos Box (2021), public domain

Along with Ezra and Esther, the book of Nehemiah is tucked between larger historical books of the Bible and Job. It lacks the big, sweeping themes of something like 1 Samuel or the memorable figures of Joshua and Judges. Like Ezra, it contains a lot of lists (see chapters 3, 7, 10, 11, and 12); additionally, through one lens it can be viewed as a book about a construction project, which isn’t the most compelling topic! There are many reasons Christians might not read or study this book.

But if you skip this book, you’ll miss a lot!

Instruction in Prayer

The book of Nehemiah offers loads for us about prayer, beginning with the example of Nehemiah as one who prays—frequently!

When Nehemiah heard about the sorry state of Jerusalem, he wept and prayed (Neh 1:4–11). There is also a famous prayer of confession in Nehemiah 9:6–38. In addition to these extended prayers recorded for us in Scripture, we read of smaller, shorter prayers of Nehemiah (Neh 2:4; 4:4-5; 4:9; 5:19; 6:9; 6:14; 13:14; 13:22; 13:29; 13:31). We don’t always know the words of these prayers, but what we do know is that Nehemiah consulted often with the Lord.

We can also learn from the content of Nehemiah’s prayers. Specifically, Nehemiah asks God to do what he promised. When Nehemiah is praying for favor with the king, he cites God’s commands and promises to Moses as the basis for God to answer (Neh 1:8–9). Also, during the corporate confession of sin, Nehemiah reflects on God’s covenant dealings with his people (Neh 9:32–37). It is on this basis that Nehemiah tells God, “we are in great distress” (Neh 9:37).

Finally, the longer prayers in chapters 1 and 9 show Nehemiah offering corporate confession of sin. In our highly individualistic world, this explicit understanding of God’s people as a collective is a good correction.

Instruction About God’s Word

Nehemiah uses the Scriptures frequently as a source of rebuke and recalibration. I’ve already written a whole article about the truths of God’s word in Nehemiah chapter 8, but that’s not the only place in this book we could turn for such instruction.

The confession in chapter 9 follows the prolonged public reading of the law in Nehemiah 9:3. When the people pledge themselves in covenant with God in chapter 10, they promise “to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes” (Neh 10:29). Finally, when reforms were needed in chapters 12 and 13, the people looked to God’s law for the standards they were to keep (Neh 12:44, Neh 13:3).

As this new worshipping community was being established, it was crucial to have God’s word at the center. The same, of course, is true for modern Christians.

Instruction About Money

There is explicit teaching about the use and misuse of money in Nehemiah chapter 5. There was a famine in the region (Neh 5:3), so times were difficult. The nobles and officials were charging interest to their Jewish brothers, and as a result some sons and daughters had been taken as slaves to pay off debt. Nehemiah rebuked those who would profit off of their countrymen and cause additional financial hardship (Neh 5:6–13).

We see more of Nehemiah’s approach to money in the same chapter. Nehemiah had not been taking the food allowance from the governor to which he was entitled, in contrast to previous governors (Neh 5:14–15). Instead, Nehemiah provided food for 150 people at his table (Neh 5:17–18). In all of this, Nehemiah was conscious of not laying too heavy a burden on the people (Neh 5:18).

Conclusion

The book of Nehemiah reminds us how central Jerusalem was to the people of Israel. This was the city of the temple, where God had promised to dwell with his people. So the rebuilding of the city walls and gates after their destruction by Babylon is more than just a boring construction project. This work was crucial to the ongoing identity of Israel as the worshipping people of God.

In addition to learning about God’s provision in the face of opposition, Nehemiah teaches us about prayer, Scripture, and money. This book is more than worthy of our attention.

Bible Study Leader Tip #33: Let the Spirit Lead

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Back in college I led a number of Bible Studies, each very well-intentioned and some even mildly well-done. One of the biggest struggles I had, however, was that I led the studies as though I were the one on whom everything depended.

Dumb.

Here are three suggestions for how to be smarter than I was by letting the Spirit lead:

Suggestion #1: Pray

You’d think this would be obvious, but I neglected it often. Rather than acknowledging on my knees that I was a Bible Study leader in desperate need of grace, I’d spend hours preparing, I’d use free time for recruiting and I’d survey people afterwards for feedback. Notice the repeated word? I…

Dumb.

Did I author these verses…?

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV)

Nope. The Spirit did (2 Peter 1:20-21). So pray, then let Him lead.

Suggestion #2: Be satisfied with who shows up

I remember one time a guy I’d been inviting to come to the study for weeks finally showed up. In fact, he was the only one who came that night. Know what I did? I canceled it.

He never came back.

Dumb.

If only one or a handful of people show up to your study, take full advantage of the dynamics and relational opportunities that avail themselves to small groups. Don’t assume that a group of 5 or 13 or 20 will mean that you’re godlier somehow or that you’ve arrived. Jesus had a Bible study of 5000+, but not many of them panned out.

And don’t forget the corollary to this suggestion: Be satisfied with who doesn’t show up – even if you’ve been inviting them for months or years. If the Spirit is leading, He’ll bring just who He wants just when He wants them.

Suggestion #3: Throw out the script

I used to spend a ton of time trying to come up with just the right sequences of questions to help those in my study really “get” the Bible. Yet without fail, by the time I got about two questions in, someone would make a comment or ask a question that steered me off my “script”. I’d usually end up frustrated and/or staring like a deer in headlights as I tried to come up with a way to get the study back on my agenda.

Dumb.

If the Spirit is working in the hearts of those who come, you needn’t rely on your perfect planning. Yes, you should lead them through the basics of observation, interpretation and application, but the specifics of what that looks like needn’t be precisely pre-planned. After all, the Spirit has already been working to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8 ESV). You’re basically just along for the ride.

One sure-fire way to see what the Spirit is revealing to the group after reading the text is to ask the simple question, “What stood out to you?” You might assume it would be verse 2, but someone says, “Wow… verse 4 is amazing… I never realized that God loved me that much…” In those moments, you’ll be delighted that you weren’t the One “leading”.

 

Your turn: what other suggestions would you give in regard to letting the Spirit lead?

Confess Your Sins to God When Applying the Bible

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Samuel Martins (2018), public domain

Applying the Bible involves putting off and putting on. We put off the old self, which belongs to our former manner of life, and we put on the new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24). Put differently: applying the Bible involves repentance.

Sam Storms offers a helpful definition of repentance.

True Christian repentance involves a heartfelt conviction of sin, a contrition over the offense to God, a turning away from the sinful way of life, and a turning towards a God-honoring way of life.

The “putting off” and “putting on” essential to repentance has a moral component. This is not like exchanging a baseball cap for a fedora. This “contrition” before God is also known as confession.

Examples of Confession

After hearing the word of God, the Holy Spirit brings conviction, showing us the ways we have sinned. We have numerous examples of God’s people confessing their sins in the Bible.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:3–5)

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:3–4)

O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. (Ezra 9:6–7)

The Scriptures also assume we will regularly confess our sins to God.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8–9)

God’s Kindness

It is good for us to think about the different spheres and directions for our Bible application. But confessing sin is often a necessary step in the process. It is not just that we need a different strategy for loving our neighbor or a new approach to handling gossip. Frequently, we must confess that what we have been doing (or not doing) is offensive to God and deserving of his anger.

Here are some principles related to confession.

  1. Be honest and specific — Let’s not only talk about our “struggles” or “destructive patterns.” Let’s name our sins the way the Bible names them and bring them to God with that vocabulary. God knows all and trying to hide anything from him is downright silly.
  2. Consider the heart — Bad fruit (observable sin) in our lives is the outworking of rebellion in our hearts. (See Luke 6:43–45.) So while we do need to confess our gossiping (for example), we must also think about the impulses and desires that make us crave those conversations. It’s difficult to trace polluted streams back to their source; conversations with trusted friends can be invaluable in this regard.
  3. Confess your sins to others — All of our sin is against God; some of our sin is also against other people. Part of repenting of these sins is confessing them and seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.
  4. Pray for conviction — This may sound scary, but part of the essential function of God’s word is to expose us (Hebrews 4:12–13). It is not God’s displeasure but his kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God brings us conviction as a loving father disciplines his children (Hebrews 12:7–11).
  5. Remember this is the way of grace — While it might not feel good to see more of our sin and discover it goes deeper than we thought, this ultimately helps us exult in God’s grace. When we understand more of our offenses against God, we are reminded that our salvation is due to God’s grace. So, while painful, confession gives us more opportunities to glorify God for his grace.

A Key Step in Application

Not every application requires confession along the way. A church might make a change to their ministry to widows as an application of James 1:27, seeking greater effectiveness or wider opportunities. There might not necessarily be sin in their previous approach.

However, most application probably requires some sort of confession. And because God is so gracious, when his children come to him admitting their transgressions, he forgives. He reminds us of the work of Jesus for us. And that gives us real power to change.

Context Matters: In the World, but Not of the World

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Kyle Glenn (2018), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard that Christians are (or ought to be) in the world but not of the world. You’ve learned that those who follow Jesus should interact with their friends and neighbors (the world) but they should also be distinct, with different priorities and standards.

This phrase is common in Christian circles, but many may not know where it comes from. Is this a biblical saying? If so, are we using it correctly? If we read the Bible as a whole and not as an inspirational-motto jukebox, we’ll see that some familiar expressions take on a deeper meaning than we originally thought.

Within the Gospel of John

Let’s dispense with one thing first. “In the world but not of the world” does not appear in the Bible. Rather, it is a simple phrase that joins two sayings of Jesus together in a memorable way.

We find the pieces of this phrase in Jesus’s “high priestly prayer” in John 17. Jesus prays this prayer at the end of his last meal with his disciples, after Judas leaves to betray him (John 13). Jesus addresses the remaining disciples for three chapters (John 14–16) regarding his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. At the beginning of John 17, Jesus turns from talking to the disciples to praying to his Father for those same disciples.

In the World

My hunch is that “in the world” was pulled from John 17:11.

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. (John 17:11)

Jesus was thinking about his departure from earth, contrasting where he will be (“no longer in the world”) with where the disciples will be (“in the world”). By “in the world,” Jesus means that the disciples are walking around on the earth like other living humans. This conclusion follows from the beginning of Jesus’s prayer.

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. (John 17:4–5)

Not of the World

The second part of this saying occurs a few verses later in Jesus’s prayer.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:14–16)

Whereas “in the world” was used by way of contrast between Jesus and his disciples, the phrase “not of the world” is used to show similarity. The disciples are not of the world just as Jesus is not of the world.

Jesus spoke of this idea in John 15:19. The disciples are not of the world because Jesus chose them out of the world. Put differently, the disciples are “the people whom [God] gave [Jesus] out of the world” (John 17:6). There is a fundamental difference between the disciples and other people now. Instead of being of the world, they are of Jesus.

Jesus’s Requests

The context of words and phrases in the Bible always matters. Both parts of this little saying are located within Jesus’s prayer. How are they connected to his requests?

With regard to the disciples being “in the world,” Jesus asks his Father to “keep them in your name…that they may be as one, even as we are one” (John 17:11). Jesus wants God to guard them, so that none will be lost (John 17:12). The end goal of this preservation is a divine unity.

Part of what identifies the disciples as not being “of the world” is that Jesus has given them his word (John 17:14). Jesus prays that his Father would not “take them out of the world,” but that he would “keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). A related request falls two verses later: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

A Helpful Phrase

Sometimes in these Context Matters posts, we correct a popular understanding of a verse. In this case, “in the world, but not of the world” is not found in Scripture, but the phrase is a helpful summary of biblical truths.

How much greater the reminder this phrase can provide, therefore, when we remember its components lie at the heart of Jesus’s prayer for his followers. Jesus still (and always) prays for his people, so we might conclude he prays these things for us now.

Those who follow Christ are in the world in a way that Jesus no longer is. Because we are still in the world we should ask God to keep us in his name that we might be one.

Those who follow Christ are, like him, not of the world. For this reason the world may hate us. So we should ask God to keep us from the evil one and sanctify us in his truth.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Stretching Application Beyond the Big Three

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Zach Vessels (2020), public domain

Read the Bible more. Pray more. Share the gospel more.

Christians know what’s likely coming at the end of a sermon or Bible study. If there’s any application discussed, it will be one of the big three: read, pray, share.

It’s easy to make Christians feel guilty in any of these areas. None would boast of having a check mark next to these boxes.

Even so, why do we land in the same places every week, regardless of the Scripture we study? One effect is that we become callous to these exhortations, ignoring actions that are good for us and for God’s kingdom.

The Good Kind of Repetition

When I go to my annual physical, I know my doctor will touch on diet and exercise. This isn’t because he lacks creativity or because he’s a bore. He returns to these topics because they are essential to my body’s health. Other patterns and activities are also important, but if I’m not paying close attention to what I eat and how much I’m moving, most other things won’t matter.

Similarly, Bible reading, prayer, and evangelism are central parts of our Christian lives. We cannot obey the first great commandment (love God) without hearing from him and speaking to him. And we cannot obey the second great commandment (love your neighbor) without considering ways we might point our friends to Jesus.

These application topics are repeated because they are of vital importance. We need the repetition both because we forget them and because we resist them. Let us not despise the good repetition that our souls need.

Go Beyond the Basics

It is good to be reminded to read the Bible, pray, and talk to our friends about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean these are the only applications we should draw from Scriptural truths. In some situations, these serve for a preacher or teacher as a too-easy fallback or blanket prescription.

This is precisely where I find the grid on our application worksheet so helpful. Thinking systematically can help spark ideas and push us in new directions.

Application has two directions—inward and outward. Inward application has to do with personal obedience, piety, and growth. Outward application refers to the influence we have on others—both other individuals and institutions of which we are a part.

It may also be helpful to think about Bible application in three spheres—head, heart, and hands. Head application is concerned with what we think or believe. Heart application refers to our affections—what we value, long for, or love. Finally, hands application is about our actions—what we will start or stop doing.

Overwhelmed by Application

When we put together the two directions and three spheres, we have six potential application categories. (See an example here.) For some readers, this may give you whiplash—from only three familiar application topics to an overwhelming number of possibilities.

Six may well be too many applications for any given sermon or study. A smaller number works better in most cases.

We should be drawing our application from the main point (or, occasionally, main points) of a passage. And most main points lead naturally to some of these six application categories more than others.

Finally, we must remember Jesus in our application. Feeling overwhelmed often means that we are not resting in God’s grace. The gospel reminds us that we obey and apply the Bible because we are God’s beloved children, not in order to be beloved. Jesus has bought us with a price, secured our salvation, and made our Bible application possible.

How to Pray for Your Small Group Bible Study

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Olivia Snow (2017), public domain

It is no small thing to gather with others and focus on the Bible. God can (and often does) move mightily during such a meeting.

How can Christians pray for this work of God? What would that look like?

Praying for the Leader

A small group Bible study leader has an important calling from God. One of the best things we can do for our Bible studies is to pray for our leaders.

Pray for their Preparation

A lot goes into preparing for a Bible study meeting. Pray that your leader, in all of it, will depend on the Lord.

As they study the Bible in advance, pray that God would protect their time and give them wisdom. Pray that God would give them a faithful, accurate understanding of the passage. Pray also for their spiritual growth, for their fight against sin and their walk in God’s grace.

Pray that their understanding of the Scriptures would lead to genuine change in their lives. The most effective leader is the one who is regularly applying the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit.

A good Bible study leader will think carefully about the discussion they plan to lead. Pray that they would frame the discussion in a way that is helpful for the group. Pray that God would help them to prepare questions that will encourage fruitful conversation.

Pray for their Leadership

It takes experience, sensitivity, and wisdom to lead well during a Bible study meeting. Pray that God would give your leader what is necessary to manage the meeting well.

Pray that your leader would be able to move the group toward the main point of the passage. And pray that they would encourage heart-oriented application in their group members.

A small group with a compassionate, honest leader is powerful. Pray that your small group leader would love all the members of your group.

Praying for those Who Attend

If we pray only for the leader of a small group, we’ve done just half the job. So much of the group dynamics hinge on the non-leaders in the group. Let’s pray for them too!

Pray that small group members would prepare themselves for the Bible study. This may involve homework, but it surely involves growing in their love for the Lord and for their small group friends.

Pray that those who attend would learn to be vulnerable during the meeting, willing to let others into the difficult parts of their lives.

Pray that attenders would engage in honest, thoughtful discussion. Pray that God would guide each person to speak and listen in love. Pray that God would give wisdom by his Spirit through each Bible-focused conversation.

Some churches and ministries grow in large part due to the expansion of their small groups. If you find yourself in that situation, you should pray for the end of your group.

Ministry Covered in Prayer

Bible studies are not just a social gathering or religious activity. A Bible study can stoke and fuel the fire of spiritual engagement and growth in a church.

With such important work taking place within these groups, we should spend time and energy asking God for his work and blessing through them. Why not use the suggestions above and make a prayer list for your local group?

Note: Aside from those linked above, we have written several other articles about leading and attending small group Bible studies that you may find valuable.

Prayerlessness About Bible Study Reveals Our False Beliefs

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Samuel Martins (2018), public domain

Christians pray for friends and loved ones who are ill. We ask for protection when we are traveling. We thank God for the food he provides, and we teach our children to pray before bed.

But many Christians take a more cavalier approach to prayer when it comes to the Bible. And our prayerlessness is telling.

Our actions reveal our hearts, and a resistance to (or forgetfulness about) praying before studying God’s word exposes at least three false beliefs about the Bible.

The Bible is Ordinary

In much of the global west, we have an abundance of access to the Bible—multiple translations, cheap physical copies, and free digital versions. As a result, many of us regard the Bible like any other paperback lying around the house.

Instead of a supernatural encounter with the God of the universe, we treat reading the Bible as ho-hum and ordinary. Bible reading becomes one of many daily tasks, like making our bed or drying the dishes.

If we consistently take up the Bible without prayer, we believe it is nothing special.

The Bible is Simple

The essential truths of the Scriptures are plain, but we often treat the Bible as a grade school grammar book. We give it ten minutes of our attention and try to harvest a lesson for the day.

If this book really is God’s word, and if we really have an invitation to the depths of God’s work and his desires for his people, then we cannot understand it on our own. Our minds are too finite, our hearts too fallen. We need God’s Spirit to teach us (John 14:26).

When we neglect prayer before we study the Bible, we believe God’s word—and maybe God himself—is easy, obvious, and elementary.

The Bible is Powerless

We who are Christians have already been changed through God’s word. To paraphrase Paul in Galatians, how could we think we would grow in some other way (Gal 3:1–3)?

We treat the Bible lightly—or don’t pick it up at all—and we wonder why we continue in the same selfish patterns year after year. We shrug at the long, Bible-lite plateau in our Christian growth and think, “Huh, that’s weird.”

God’s word is at work within believers (1 Thess 2:13). But casual, erratic encounters with the Bible—instead of regular, strengthening spiritual workouts—are like turning an exercise bike into a clothes hanger. We’re neglecting a powerful resource.

If we don’t pray when we open God’s word, we don’t believe God can use it to change us.

Repent and Believe

Because God is a loving father, he doesn’t withhold good things from us, even when we screw up. Occasionally forgetting to pray before reading the Bible is no reason for despair.

But if we consistently come to Scripture without talking to God, we are in dangerous territory. It may be pride or unbelief that is driving our silence.

God is generous and kind. He loves to forgive us and turn us around. We can—we must—bring even our prayerlessness to him.

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Preparing

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Matt Botsford (2018), public domain

You’ve led a bad Bible study and tried to learn from the mistakes you’ve made. What comes next?

Well, usually there’s another study to lead! As you prepare for that meeting you have an opportunity to avoid the problems that turned your last meeting sour.

Remember the Gospel

Coming out of a recent bad experience, it’s easy to approach your next Bible study meeting with an unanchored heart. On the one hand, you might take this as an opportunity to prove yourself, to show the last meeting was an aberration. On the other hand, you might limp into the meeting, wounded and wearing failure on your sleeve.

There’s a better way. The gospel of Jesus keeps you from both extremes. When you know the love of God deep in your bones, you don’t have anything to prove. An outstanding Bible study this time around doesn’t earn you any points with God. The gospel also reminds you that Jesus came for sinners. Your mistakes are not a surprise to God; the price has already been paid. That penance you are trying to complete by wallowing in your sin is unnecessary.

Hear this loud and clear: You cannot lead well enough for God to love you any more. And you cannot lead poorly enough for God to love you any less.

You are God’s precious child, adopted and perfectly loved. This should give you confidence to face your next Bible study with hope and excitement, knowing that God is at work in you and in your friends as you read and discuss his Word.

Use What You’ve Learned

In my previous post, I suggested there might be valuable lessons to learn from that bad Bible study meeting. As you think toward your next meeting, now is the time to turn those lessons into actions.

If your bad meeting was a result of leader error, make sure you budget extra preparation time. Be sure to study the text carefully and ask God to change you through his Word. Approach your group with humility, knowing that even though you’ve studied the passage more than others, you might still have a lot to learn. Take the necessary time to write out good questions, leading your friends through the text to the main point (as you understand it).

If your last Bible study flopped because of conflict in the group, be sure to have any necessary conversations (no matter how uncomfortable) before the group meets next. As much as it depends on you, make sure the air is clear. You might also prayerfully consider where difficult questions or sharp opinions might arise during the upcoming study and develop a plan for handling touchy situations.

Pray

My first post in this series was all about prayer, so this might sound redundant. But, like Paul (Phil 3:1), I don’t mind repeating myself.

The whole process of leading a small group Bible study should be submerged in prayer from start to finish. Pray as you study the Bible on your own. Pray as you write your leader’s notes and your study questions. Pray as you drive to the meeting! Pray after the meeting ends.

No effective Bible study leader will neglect this essential part of the ministry.

Talk it Through

When my math students ask for advice about studying for exams, I tell them to talk to someone about the problems they’re completing. I think there’s something in the brain that snaps into place when we speak out loud what we had previously only been thinking.

In the same way, I’d encourage every Bible study leader to talk through the goals of their upcoming meeting with a friend. Describe the main point of the passage and how you plan to help your group make the connections. Explain the applications you’ve made personally and the reasons behind the specific application questions you’ve planned.

Learn and Improve

That Bible study you led? We don’t need to pretend it was good. But the God who brings life from death may have something important for you in it.

By praying, learning, and preparing for the next Bible study meeting, you can make the most of that experience you’d rather forget.