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5 False Authorities in Small Group Bible Study

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Bill Oxford (2019), public domain

Who’s in charge here? In government, family, and church, this question has sparked controversy aplenty throughout history.

In small group Bible studies, we have a similar question before us every time we gather. What’s our authority? What quotes do we share? To whom do we appeal? How do we handle disagreements?

For both leaders and small group members, our answers reveal our allegiances. And misplaced allegiances may short-circuit our learning or stunt our growth as Christians.

False Authorities

When small group members differ on a matter of interpretation, how is the question settled? To what authority do you and your friends appeal?

Our conviction here at Knowable Word is that God is the absolute and perfect authority, and he has revealed himself and declared his will through the Bible. The Bible speaks as an authority, and all humanity is called to submit their thoughts, plans, and interpretations of reality to God’s Word.

Despite the absolute authority of God’s word, we often rely on other helpful people and resources more than the Bible. Let’s examine five false authorities that emerge in small group studies.

A Respected Preacher or Pastor

There may be an author or preacher who has well-known thoughts on the topic your group is discussing. (This may be your own pastor!) A member of your small group may invoke this leader’s opinion on the matter when making their appeal.

Like much in life, quotations vary in their helpfulness. As a small group leader, I may share a quote when I find someone has a more powerful or elegant way of making my point. But if a quotation is not rooted in the biblical text, the appeal may be to eloquence or reputation instead of to the Bible.

The Small Group Leader

In an ideal small group Bible study, the leader does not function as an authority or expert. Rather, the small group leader guides the group in understanding and applying the Bible.

Attempting to answer every question is a dangerous approach to small group leadership. Small groups thrive when each member is grappling with the text, sharing observations, discussing interpretations, and praying together about applications.

Church Tradition

The historical tradition of a church or denomination can help us interpret Scripture. But tradition should never replace studying the Bible itself. The best sort of church tradition leads us back to the text, not away from it.

Group Consensus

Healthy small groups leave room for questions, further explanations, and repetition. No one should feel bad for having difficulty understanding the Bible, and no one should feel small for asking questions.

Many of the best discussions in my small groups have occurred when most of the group seemed ready to move on. But one person had a question they couldn’t shake. This forced us to examine a standard or easy interpretation of a passage.

Good leaders welcome questions that point back to the text, no matter when they arise.

Commentaries and Study Bibles

It’s happened more times than I can count. In response to a question in Sunday school or small group, someone notices an entry in their study Bible that addresses the issue head-on.

They read the entry and the discussion is over. After all, who would question a study Bible? Some people feel as though they’re questioning the Bible itself!

Small group leaders can make the same error when appealing to a commentary. It’s a discussion killer, and it often leads to no further insight or skill for those involved.

Again, I’m not against quoting other sources. But quotations which help with interpretations should make their arguments from the text of the Bible.

(As an aside, if you have a problem with study-Bible-answers in your small group, you might consider using ESV Scripture Journals for your next study and banning all other Bibles. Seriously.)

True Authority

God has given us other Christians—past and present—as a gift. As we learn about God from these other saints, we receive God’s gift with thanksgiving.

But we honor God most when we view these gifts in their proper place. Our leaders, resources, and traditions should all be used in service of the authority of God in his word. The more we demonstrate that the Bible has the answers we need, the more we remind each other that God’s word is knowable.

This was originally posted in 2019.

Bible Study Leaders Should Not Have All the Answers

By

Arek Socha (2016), public domain

Picture it. There’s a pause at your small group Bible study, and one of your friends asks a question. In that moment, all the heads in your group will likely turn in one of two directions.

Do the group members look up, at the leader? Or do they look down, at the Bible?

No Bible study leader can have the answer to every question. After all, leaders are finite and there are a myriad of potential questions, both relevant and—ahem—less relevant.

But even though leaders can’t logistically have all the answers, I don’t think that should even be a goal. As an ambition, that’s harmful for at least two reasons.

Bad for the Leader

When a leader plants the seed that they will have all the answers for their group, it bears bad fruit.

It can make the leader fearful of questions that emerge in their group or resentful of those who ask. After all, the leader might think, questioners are causing more work and giving another opportunity for the leader to fail.

This mentality can also lead to a misplaced trust. If a leader is good at anticipating questions and answering them in the moment, they might start to depend on their preparation, intellect, or persuasiveness instead of on the Lord.

Finally, when a group expects their leader to have all the answers, it can lead to pride. A capable leader who rises to this challenge may enjoy the attention they receive as their reputation grows.

Bad for the Group

There is clear spiritual danger for a small group leader when they are expected to answer every question. But this setup is unhealthy for the group as well.

A group structured in this way may start to trust in their leader instead of their Lord. Their confidence and assurance in the faith may rise and fall with the ability and mood of their small group leader. We must avoid this error and anchor our assurance to the rock-solid work of Jesus.

Members of this sort of group may also flounder when faced with studying the Bible on their own. Because they are not challenged to answer questions from Scripture, they may become content with the cotton candy of light, spiritual aphorisms instead of rich, filling meals from God’s Word.

This type of group may also experience stunted growth. Vibrant, healthy small groups often grow and split, as an apprentice from within the group (ideally) emerges. But if a leader is expected to have all the answers, this puts unreasonable weight on potential apprentices. That expectation also eliminates opportunities for group members to learn and grow into that role.

Guard Against Gurus

To train, lead, and empower small group members, leaders should guard against the urge to be a know-it-all or Bible guru.

There is one easy step to ensure a small group is focused on the Bible and not on its leader. This short response to any question will point people in the right direction.

“Good question. What does the text say?”

This is the simplest way I’ve found to point my friends back to the Bible. When I hear a question, I turn either to the questioner or to the whole group and invite them to look back at the text.

Sometimes the text at hand doesn’t answer the question, but other passages do. (A leader needs to decide whether or not that answer is worth chasing down.) Sometimes the question isn’t addressed in Scripture at all. But as much as possible, I want to point my group members away from my answers and into God’s Word.

The Danger of Being a Pastor

Within small groups, there’s a particular danger in being a pastor or anyone else with a seminary degree. I’ve seen how people defer to these leaders. They are often expected to give answers even when they’re not the leader of the group.

To them I offer the same advice I’m giving to small group leaders (as well as my sympathies). You shouldn’t have all the answers. As much as possible, resist being the crutch for your friends. They won’t learn to ride their bike until you let go and urge them to pedal.

Citing Other Resources

Finally, we should note that in the face of legitimate, difficult questions, it’s okay for small group leaders to admit they don’t know the answer. It’s also okay for leaders to a refer to resources that have helped them understand the Bible.

But even the best commentaries should not be appealed to as authorities themselves; commentaries should make the case for their interpretation from the text. And if a leader is not persuaded from the text by a commentary, “I don’t know” may be the best and most honest answer to give.

Note: this was originally posted in 2019.

5 Characteristics of a Great Small Group Leader

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Tegan Mierle (2016), public domain

What do the best small group Bible study leaders have in common?

Yes, there are certain things they do. We have provided a guide for those steps, from planning the group, running the study itself, and training a new leader. These actions are vital.

But no one wants to be in a group where the leader takes the right actions but has poor character. In this post, we won’t look at what a leader should do as much as who they should be.

Five Qualities

This list isn’t exclusive; there are many other qualities we could add. But when I think about a leader whose study I’d like to attend, these characteristics come to mind.

A great leader is diligent

Putting together a solid small group Bible study takes a lot of work, and this requires diligence. A good leader will study the passage thoroughly using a trusted Bible study method. (We have written about the OIA method here.)

Turning that personal Bible study into good questions for the group can also be a challenge. First-rate leaders set aside enough preparation time to write questions that will help their group find and wrestle with the main point of the passage.

A great leader is vulnerable

The best small group studies are lead by a person who has already been changed by their study of the Bible. When preparing, an exceptional leader will be vulnerable with God when thinking through the application of a passage. They will prayerfully consider areas where they need to change.

This vulnerability will also carry over into the meeting time. They will talk with the group about their own sin, their efforts to repent, and the grace God extends to them. A great leader will provide a potential map for their group members by sharing their own applications of a text.

A great leader is curious

A terrific leader is hungry to know God through his word, so they ask difficult questions as they read the Bible. They love God and understand that he makes himself known through this book.

While a good small group leader will put in a lot of preparation time before the study, they know they do not have a monopoly on God’s wisdom. They understand that different perspectives, approaches, and life experiences can help them both understand the text and grow in love for others. They want to know how their small group friends see the Bible text, so they ask honest questions during the meeting.

A great leader is humble

All the preparation in the world does not make a leader self-sufficient. A great leader is aware of their dependence on God, and they seek God’s help in prayer as they work to prepare for the group.

A humble leader is open to correction. They study the Bible aware that they need the discipline that God gives as a loving father. They also know that God may correct them during the group meeting itself, so they listen to their friends’ interpretations and look back to the text. An outstanding leader is not afraid to be wrong, because they know that the real authority is the Word of God.

A great leader is loving

This may be the most important characteristic of all. A great leader loves their small group members and wants the best for them. They want them to grow in the ways they know and trust God.

Love motivates a good leader in their preparation, in their activities with their group members outside the group, and in their prayers. During the meeting, a loving leader will not be concerned with their image or reputation, but with God’s glory and their friends’ growth.

God Makes a Leader

Does your small group leader have these characteristics? If so, thank God! And encourage your leader that you see this fruit in their leadership. Pray that God would help them abound all the more in these qualities.

If your leader lacks some (or all) of these characteristics, pray for them!

Finally, if you are a small group leader, pray for yourself, that God by his Spirit would grow these characteristics in you.

God is the only one who can change hearts. Let’s look to him for the character of our small group leaders.

This was first published in 2019.

Leading Small Groups with Teenagers

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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.

Check it out!

7 Tips for Small Group Questions

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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:

  1. Locate authority in God’s Word, not the facilitator
  2. Help the group discover what the text says for themselves
  3. Avoid questions that spark unhelpful theological debates
  4. Choose your rabbit trails wisely
  5. Don’t make questions too hard—or too easy
  6. Include some boilerplate questions
  7. Move questions beyond personal opinions & feelings

Check it out!

Love Your Audience as Yourself

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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:

  1. Love will keep you from assuming knowledge they don’t have
  2. Love will keep you from using words not in their vocabulary
  3. Love will help you work at finding the best ways to help them take the next step
  4. Love will give you the energy you need to push them forward
  5. 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

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group

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

By

bonfire

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

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ask question

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.