The Logos blog recently republished a classic piece by my most excellent colleague Ryan Higginbottom about “How to Ask Excellent Bible Study Discussion Questions.” This article summarizes a lot of important work about launching questions, observation questions, interpretive questions, and application questions.
Leading Small Groups with Teenagers
If you work with a youth group or have opportunity to lead small groups of young people, how can you pique their interest and make best use of the time? Douglas Allison has some helpful suggestions. Here is a taste:
Most often, we tend to think of small group time as a chance to fill in gaps in the students’ knowledge or understanding. But a large part of the benefit of small group does not come from filling in the gaps but exposing them. Students who do not know that they have gaps in their understanding that materially affect how they live are not likely to be motivated to fill them in. For students, small group is not helpful so much for filling in gaps but helping the students to see the ones that are there.
7 Tips for Small Group Questions
We’ve provided lots of guidance on this blog for leading small groups. For another angle, consider this helpful post from Derek Fekkes with 7 tips for small group questions. His tips:
- Locate authority in God’s Word, not the facilitator
- Help the group discover what the text says for themselves
- Avoid questions that spark unhelpful theological debates
- Choose your rabbit trails wisely
- Don’t make questions too hard—or too easy
- Include some boilerplate questions
- Move questions beyond personal opinions & feelings
Love Your Audience as Yourself
Mark Ward believes the key to being an effective Bible teacher is to love your people. He offers “5 Ways Love is the Secret to Better Bible Teaching.” I am in full agreement. It doesn’t matter whether you’re leading a small group or teaching a larger gathering: Your love for your people is the one vital behavior that exclusively (as far as it is up to you) determines the success of your teaching ministry.
Ward’s 5 ways are:
- Love will keep you from assuming knowledge they don’t have
- Love will keep you from using words not in their vocabulary
- Love will help you work at finding the best ways to help them take the next step
- Love will give you the energy you need to push them forward
- Love will alleviate improper pressure on you to please others
His article is worth reviewing for further explanation. Check it out!
Help Your Small Group Members Ask Good Questions
Greta Schölderle Møller (2016), public domain
Most of the small group Bible studies I’ve attended have a familiar format.
First, the group leader introduces the passage and asks someone to read it aloud. Then, either the leader talks about the passage, pointing out interesting or important details and connections, or the leader asks the group questions to spark discussion. Hopefully the conversation turns to application before it ends.
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with this structure. I’d much rather someone attend a Bible study like this than not be involved in any small group. But this model leaves group members mostly passive. Everything centers on the leader, and group members act as an audience. As a result, group members leave the group with more knowledge about one Bible passage but no greater Bible study skills.
There’s a better way.
Small Groups for Training
At this blog we’re passionate about helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible. This learning can happen in all sorts of venues, including small groups!
One way to make this happen is to design the group explicitly as a Bible study training group. In other words, advertise the group as one in which you’ll learn and practice Bible study skills. After all, learning the basics of Bible study doesn’t take long, and for those who are new to the custom, a group setting is a great way to practice.
Alternatively, you can build this training into the normal rhythms of your small group.
Training Along the Way
One key to good Bible study is learning to ask good questions of the text.
When observing the text, ask about the genre, the grammar, and the structure. When interpreting, ask questions about your observations; seek out the main point of the passage. And when applying, ask what this all means; press the main point of the passage into all the corners of your life.
In the course of a regular Bible study, a leader can train group members to get better at asking these kinds of questions. These are skills that members can then use in their personal Bible study.
De-center the Small Group
Small group discussions that revolve around the leader can have unintended consequences. I’m afraid that a byproduct of such groups is that group members rarely study the Bible outside of small group meetings.
We need to dispel the lie that Bible study is just for the experts. I’ve been in lots of small groups where everyone looked to the leader to answer all questions and resolve all difficulties. But everyone can study the Bible! Bible study is not a task to be left to the academics (and leaders) with everyone else picking up stray crumbs that drop from the table.
How to Train for Good Questions
Here are five ways to help your small group members grow in their OIA skills and ask better questions.
- Be transparent. Don’t hide what you’re doing—no one likes to be manipulated or to fall victim to a sneak attack. Explain why learning Bible study skills is important for everyone and describe what you’ll be doing.
- Teach mini-lessons. Decide on a few small group meetings where, as part of the conversation, you’ll offer brief instruction on one aspect of Bible study. The group can practice that particular skill immediately after the explanation. This way, group members can pick up OIA training over the course of several meetings.
- Use worksheets. We have some excellent worksheets available on our resources page. Make copies and pass them out with your instruction. Encourage your group members to use them for personal study.
- Leave space for questions. After you’ve had a chance to take your group through the different aspects of Bible study, involve your group more centrally in future discussions. Allow time during the conversation for observations and interpretive questions. Instead of asking application questions yourself, call on the group to produce them.
- Be imitable. If we’re doing it well, our group members should be able to imitate our teaching. That is, they should be able to arrive at the same conclusions we do. The key here is simply showing your work. Explain your process and your thinking. Minimize your appeals to experts and commentaries; focus on the text of the Bible and what you can draw from it.
Equipping the Saints
Leading a leader-centered small group can be nice for the ego, but it rarely builds skills in group members. It has no multiplying effect.
When you help your small group members learn Bible study skills, you equip them for a consistent, deeper relationship with God. They won’t rely on you to understand the Bible, they’ll be able to interpret and apply God’s word themselves.
And that’s something anyone would want to pass along!
Note: This post is a small attempt to restate portions of Peter’s excellent, earlier post.
This post was originally published in 2018.
Knowing Your People Helps You Ask Better Questions
Tegan Mierle (2016), public domain
One of the underused gems on this blog is Peter’s series on How to Lead a Bible Study. It’s thorough, practical, helpful, and winsome. If you haven’t read those articles, I recommend it.
Loving Your People
One dynamite entry in Peter’s series is One Vital Behavior Determines the Success of Your Teaching Ministry. In that post Peter writes about the importance of leaders loving their people. Leaders are called to this investment, and without love their teaching will be like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
But what effect does this love have within a small group? Peter explains what happens when a leader gets to know the people within the group.
- It makes the leader’s application more relevant.
- It shows the people Christ.
- It sharpens the leader’s insight.
- It bolsters the leader’s credibility.
Yes, I can see it! When I am actively building relationships with my small group members, it makes me more effective as a leader and it conveys greater benefits to my friends during our meetings.
After a recent small group meeting, I was reflecting on one of my subpar questions. I came back to this point about knowing my people. Had I remembered the experiences and backgrounds of my friends, I would have asked better questions.
The Questions to Avoid
Knowing my friends helps me avoid certain questions. For example, if one of my small group members has a grown child who has turned away from Christ, I probably will not ask a launching question related to apostasy. Instead of warming this person up for participation in the discussion, it might have just the opposite effect.
There are other sorts of questions I might avoid if I know my friends’ backgrounds and personalities.
- When I know there is pain, bitterness, or sensitivity related to a certain issue, I won’t ask that person for a comment on an application related to that issue.
- If a group member has an issue about which they are outspoken and passionate, I will be careful when we discuss that topic. Having a person like this in the group also makes me careful about just how open-ended my questions are.
- Some people learn and grow more by listening and processing instead of speaking. Some people who are going through heavy or sad events in their lives benefit from attending a small group but not participating much. Knowing my people can help me recognize and respect this.
I’m not saying that small groups should avoid all difficult or sensitive topics. But some times are better than others for those discussions. My small group time is limited, so in my attempt to keep our meeting length reasonable—and, often, in an effort to respect and love a hurting friend—I’ll try to have some of those hard conversations outside of small group.
The Questions to Ask
As I’ve gotten to know my small group members, I realize just how much work God has done in their lives. And I want the rest of my group to know it too!
It is a great encouragement, especially to younger believers, to hear of testimonies to God’s goodness and faithfulness to his people. This can give boldness and practicality to application discussions within a small group.
- If a member of your small group has a history of beginning evangelistic conversations with friends, ask them to share an example when discussing application related to spreading the gospel. (It’s not a bad idea to warn/ask them ahead of time!)
- Suppose one of your application questions will emphasize the training/growth that’s necessary as a disciple of Jesus. If some of your small group members have a sports background, you could incorporate athletic training into a targeted launching question.
- Depending on the purpose of the group and the relationships within it, you could invite a friend to share a doubt or question about the Christian faith. If a member is weighed down by questioning their salvation and someone else in the group has wrestled with that same concern, this might be a valuable conversation to have as a group.
Closing
One of the great benefits of small group Bible studies is the interaction between group members. When a leader knows the people in the group, they can ask and avoid certain questions to make that interaction even more valuable.
This post was originally published in 2018.
Ask Honest Questions
CDC/Dawn Arlotta (2009), public domain
A teacher asks a question. And then, silence.
The students shift in their chairs; they squirm; they avoid eye contact. More silence. This question has jumped out of the nest, tried to flap its wings, and fallen to the ground with a thud.
Too many questions by teachers and leaders go unanswered. They’re often too vague, too personal, or unclear.
So what makes a good question? Specifically, how can a small group Bible study leader ask good questions?
The Job of a Small Group Leader
A small group leader should be a persistent and skilled question-asker. Good questions are the key to helping a group understand a Bible passage, encourage interaction, and apply the main point of the text.
I put a lot of energy into writing questions for my small group. It is difficult but essential work. My group’s engagement and discussion usually rises or falls with the quality of my questions.
I want to ask my group honest questions. In other words, I want to know how my friends are thinking about and processing the text. I’m not just looking for them to agree with me.
Far too often, I’ve simply wanted confirmation of my conclusions. Through my questions—or my posture or reactions—I communicated that I was looking for just one answer. And that stopped the discussion cold. No one likes to feel manipulated.
Humility
Asking honest questions requires a mega-dose of humility. It takes a work of God’s grace within the heart.
After all, as the group leader I put a lot of time into preparation. I pray, study the text, read commentaries, and work hard on my notes. I meditate on the passage for at least a week before we meet. It’s natural for me to approach my group with confidence in my conclusions.
But I can still be wrong! My study hours don’t guarantee infallibility. I may have missed the main point of the text.
Here’s the good news: My mistakes do not doom my group. After all, God’s truth doesn’t depend on me!
If I believe the Holy Spirit lives within each Christian in my group, and if I know he gives wisdom and understanding as he pleases, then I need to hold my conclusions with an open hand. I’m not an omniscient teacher; I need to approach my group as someone who still has much to learn.
I can help my friends look carefully at the text and ask for their understanding. I can continue to seek the meaning of the text myself. God can still teach his people the truth of his word.
Handling Disagreement
To be clear, I’m not advocating for a small group free-for-all. There is immense value in a leader’s preparation.
But we must acknowledge God as the ultimate authority. We submit to him in his word. We also submit to each other as the Spirit works and opens eyes. If I arrive at my small group convinced of one interpretation but my friend convinces me otherwise from the text, I should rejoice.
Asking honest questions means I must prepare for disagreement. I might be contradicted. Hopefully the atmosphere and the people in my group mean those discussions will be gentle and loving. But I need to prepare—my reaction to a dissenting opinion makes a huge difference.
By looking surprised or offended or dismissive, I may shut down my friend and even the rest of the group. But if I am curious and welcoming and humble, inviting my friends to observe and interpret the text honestly, I communicate how much I value them and trust the Spirit to lead his people.
For me the crucial question is: Will I trust in the Lord or in my preparation?
I’ve found it rare that a Bible study leader is wildly wrong. It’s more likely that input from the group add angles and nuance the leader didn’t see at first. (Greater diversity within the group will help with this.)
For Whose Glory?
What is the focus of your small group?
Are you hoping your friends will leave your meeting raving about your teaching? Or are you committed to helping your friends understand and apply the Bible at all costs, regardless of whom the Spirit chooses as his messenger?
Give yourself to serious, prayerful study and preparation. But then ask honest questions of your group, knowing that you may have as much to learn as they do.
This post was originally published in 2018.
Help Your Small Group See the Big Picture
Jiuguang Wang (2010), Creative Commons License
When I find myself in a new city, it takes me a while to get my bearings. I need an idea of a city’s structure before I can move around with confidence.
In Pittsburgh—the biggest city near me—everything is organized by bridges and neighborhoods. If I feel lost, I look for signs for the closest bridge, stadium, or college campus. Knowing the big picture keeps me moving.
When studying the Bible, a book overview serves this same function. Knowing the themes, structure, and main point of a book is a great help when you wade into the chapters and verses. We’ve written before about how to do a book overview in your personal Bible study; today we’ll address leading a small group through the process.
Homework is Required
A fair warning: This particular small group meeting requires homework. Your group members may balk, but without homework, a book overview discussion will become a lecture. Nobody wants that.
My small group recently started Luke, and we kicked things off with a book overview meeting. Here’s what I expected my group to do before the meeting.
- Read the whole book. I asked them to read it at least once, and two or three times if possible. I encouraged them to jot down thoughts on the book’s structure and major themes as they read.
- Watch two videos. We’ve written before about The Bible Project’s book overview videos. They’re excellent. Here are the two videos that were produced for Luke. (This was the easy part of the homework!)
- Read an overview article. Either in a study Bible or an online source, I asked my group to find an article about the big purpose and themes of the book. (Here is one article I recommended for Luke. And here is another great resource on Bible book overviews.)
My group had five weeks between meetings to accomplish these tasks. Stating my expectations up front made leading the book overview meeting a snap.
The Meeting Itself
I told my group we’d discuss five simple questions at the meeting.
- Who wrote this book?
- To whom was this book written?
- Why did this person write this book to these people at this time?
- What are some key themes of the book?
- How is the book structured?
We hit all five questions, and because my friends had prepared, we had a lively discussion.
The goal of a book overview meeting should be to come up with a main point for the book you’re studying. Once you agree on this as a group, you can return to it to make sense of smaller passages. Even if you don’t hit on application during this meeting, you’re laying the foundation for future discussions.
Like a Compass in a Storm
The book overview won’t solve all of your Bible study problems. But it is a wonderful exercise for both personal and small group Bible study. When you know what an author is trying to do with the book as a whole, sometimes smaller sections of the book click into place.
Next time you start a new book in your small group Bible study, take a week to talk about the big picture. You won’t regret it!
Thanks to Peter for his help in preparing this article.
This was originally published in 2017.
A Great Launching Question is Worth the Effort
SpaceX (2016), public domain
If old shampoo commercials have taught me anything, it’s that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
This advice isn’t just for job applicants. Your first moments with your Bible class or small group are critical as well.
A Great Way to Begin
Some teachers begin a class with a review. Others jump right into the passage.
But most skilled teachers use a softer opening. They create a transition period where people can settle, adjust, and get on the same page. Launching questions are great for this.
What is a Launching Question?
A launching question is asked at the beginning of a class or study. It launches the group toward your goal, gathering as many people on board as possible. (We’ve written about launching questions before, and Peter has provided some great examples.)
Much of the power of small groups (and smaller classes) lies in the interaction between the people. A good launching question encourages participation, showing that conversation is welcome, safe, and valued. The best questions are also linked to the topic or text of the meeting.
Common Mistakes with Launching Questions
I’ve seen and made lots of mistakes at the beginning of a Bible study. Most of these mistakes fall into four categories.
Too Heavy/Personal
Some questions ask for too much too soon. Someone who just sat down might not be ready to summarize Genesis or talk honestly about their sin. Asking a question that demands too much often results in silence, and nobody wants that!
In my small group we aim for honest conversations and personal applications of the Bible, but these discussions often happen toward the end of the study, not the beginning. I ask for more depth (both cognitively and emotionally) as the meeting progresses.
Disconnected
It’s easy to get people talking—sports, weather, or politics should do the trick. But if your interaction isn’t connected to the subsequent material, that launching question can seem like a waste.
Fill in the Blank
Some questions have only one answer. These are fine in an elementary school classroom, but in a small group they promote the illusion of interaction without the reality.
Try to craft a launching question which is open-ended and easy for everyone to answer. Instead of fill-in-the-blank questions, state the truth you’re fishing for and follow up with why or how.
Not Clear
The specific wording of a question is critical, and I’ve found that improvising doesn’t work. I encourage every teacher to write down their questions verbatim and in an easy-to-spot place in their notes.
Without a scripted beginning, my launching questions end up being too long, vague, or confusing. A clear, straightforward question is most important in those opening minutes.
An Example: Idolatry
Suppose you’re teaching on a passage which centers on idolatry. You plan to steer application toward personal and corporate idols in the church.
Let’s discuss some possible launching questions.
- Can family be an idol? — This is a yes/no question, so by itself it won’t generate any conversation. Instead, start by defining an idol and then ask how a good thing like family could become an idol.
- Is family a prominent idol for people in our church? — This puts some distance between the responder and the response, which encourages answers. But the flaw in this question is asking people to confess the sins of others. Because this could lead to gossip, I’d avoid this question.
- What is an idol? — Depending on the maturity of your group, this could be a great place to start. To encourage multiple people to participate, follow up by asking for examples.
- What is one of your personal idols? — This is too personal for a launching question. Build up to questions that call for revealing answers like this one.
- What are some common idols in the modern church? — If your group is familiar with the definition of an idol, this is a great launching question. It isn’t personal, it gives people some detachment in their answers, and it encourages talk about general trends instead of specific people.
There are other ways to begin a study like this; drop your suggestions in the comments!
Worth the Effort
I write my launching question at the end of my study preparation. I need to know the end of the story before I take aim at the beginning. (It’s one of the hardest parts for me!)
Remember that every group and class is different, so what works for me might not work for you. If your small group shares a meal before your study, or if your class always follows a focused time of prayer, you can handle the beginning of your meeting differently.
A slam-dunk launching question won’t make up for poor study preparation. But a good question will pave the way toward a productive, fruitful discussion. It’s worth the effort!
This post was first published in 2017.
How Not to Apply the Bible
Kenneth Berding describes a sort of Bible study that is not too difficult to find.
Last week we learned that the Philistines brought the prisoner Samson into a celebration dedicated to their god Dagon so that he could “entertain” them. Lindsay, would you mind reading our passage for this week, Judges 16:28-30?”
“Yes, I’d be glad to.” [Reads the text]
“Thank you for reading, Lindsay. Alright, let’s discuss this passage together. How do you think this passage applies to your life?”
“Well, this passage really spoke to me while Lindsay was reading it.”
Berding’s parable describes an application discussion that completely bypasses observation and interpretation. Then he goes to show how it could be managed far more usefully.
