Small Groups | Knowable Word

Make the Most of Virtual Small Groups

November 11, 2020 By Peter Krol

Becky Kiern and Jenilyn Swett have a wise and practical piece at the Gospel Coalition, arguing that “Your Virtual Small Group Can Still be Vibrant.” They have great suggestions for both leaders and participants. Here is a taste:

• Keep virtual meetings shorter than in-person meetings. An hour is usually plenty of time. When groups meet in person, they build in time for small talk, for grabbing coffee or snacks, and for participants to reconnect—all prior to diving into the meeting. But virtual platforms make these interactions nearly impossible, and extended digital meetings can lead to a loss of focus.
• Consider limiting your group to around 10 or fewer. If your group has previously been larger than this, consider breaking into smaller groups for your virtual meetings this semester. As the number of participants in a virtual discussion increases, each one’s sense of being a vital part of the discussion decreases.

The full article has much more for your consideration. Check it out!

Give Them a Deeper Bible Study

August 19, 2020 By Peter Krol

I love Mike Leake’s reflection on what people really want when they ask for a deeper Bible study. Perhaps you’ve experienced the dynamic, where a folks express a holy dissatisfaction with superficial Bible study. They ask for more. You labor to deliver it to them. And then…

One of two things seems to happen. What often happens is that nobody shows up for our super deep Bible study. Or they show up and they get bored and they drop out. And so we conclude that they didn’t actually want deeper Bible study. Or, secondly, people do show up, they devour the Bible study, they really learn their Bibles, they get deeply educated but something is still missing. Sometimes it seems as if knowledge isn’t translating into lifestyle. But more often than not, what is happening is that these folks who are devouring the word studies are still asking for something deeper.
This is because when people say they want deeper Bible study they do not mean they want to go deeper into the Word but what they are really desiring (and what I believe the Spirit of God is prompting) is for the Word to go deeper into them. This is what they mean when they say that but we’ve often heard this request the wrong way.

Leake then shows how Hebrews 4:12 expects exactly this sort of “deeper” Bible study. His post is well worth a few minutes of your time.

Check it out!

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Preparing

November 11, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

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.

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Learning

October 28, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Kyle Gregory Devaras (2017), public domain

If your last Bible study meeting was a clunker, all is not lost. It happens! Take some time to pray and sort things through with God.

After you’ve prayed, you might be tempted to bury that meeting deep in the forest. But don’t get out your shovel just yet; that bad meeting might offer some lessons as you look to improve as a Bible study leader.

Diagnosing the Problem

A Bible study can turn sour for many reasons. In my experience, bad meetings fall into two main categories: leader error and group conflict.

Leader Error

When I look back at Bible studies gone wrong, I often spot my own lack of sufficient preparation.

not enough study time — Sometimes I simply haven’t spent enough time in the text of Scripture. And if I haven’t wrestled with the text myself, I shouldn’t be surprised if I struggle to help others understand.
no personal change — To prepare for a meeting, I need to apply the passage to my own head, heart, and hands. And yet leaders often skip this crucial step. This may be due to a lack of time, but it may also be due to an unwillingness to face some hard parts of life that need to change.
unhealthy expectations — God speaks through his Spirit and through his Word. And sometimes he uses other Christians (aside from me!) to explain the truth of the Bible. If I assume that my interpretation is perfect and I expect everyone to see what I have seen and agree with me immediately, I’m likely to be disappointed. I need to pray for and welcome observations and correction from others.
poor questions — For my small group leadership, the top predictor of a bad Bible study is a lack of good questions. The less I prepare, the more I talk (instead of encouraging discussion), and this often results in vague or rambling questions that drop to the floor like an anvil. Preparation needs to involve not just understanding the text but drawing a clear line from text-based observations to the main point of the passage. If I’m unwilling or unable to put the work in on this level, I shouldn’t expect a good study.

Perhaps the way to correct these mistakes is clear: leaders need to address any deficiencies in their own preparation.

Group Conflict

Sometimes the bad Bible study didn’t have as much to do with your preparation as it did with interaction among the group during the meeting. This isn’t unusual—any time sinners (which is to say, humans) gather, there’s a potential for conflict or misunderstanding. These usually show up in two ways.

the leader fumbles — A Bible study leader needs to know how to handle questions, silence, unexpected answers, and criticism. If you’ve dropped the ball on any of these matters, you’re not alone! I’d suggest seeking counsel from someone in your church who knows you and others in your group; they might be able to suggest how to prepare for these aspects of the meeting and respond with grace. And if you’ve sinned against any of your friends out of impatience, frustration, or self-protection, you should ask for their forgiveness as soon as possible.
conflict among group members — On rare occasions, a Bible study meeting might be compromised by a conflict between group members. Regardless of the cause of the flare-up, the tension caused by a vocal disagreement can spoil the night. In this situation, you’ll need to talk to the people involved and encourage them to resolve their conflict in a way that squares with the Bible.

Always Learning

The steps to learning after a bad study are familiar: identify the mistake or problem, think through its cause, address the root concern, and seek wisdom to move forward.

When we lead a bad Bible study, we can view it as a setback or an opportunity. If we take the time to learn, we may just become better leaders who help people walk more closely with God.

Advice for Awkward Moments in Bible Studies

October 23, 2019 By Peter Krol

Megan Hill interviews three women’s Bible study leaders for practical counsel on how to handle awkward moments in group meetings. They address situations such as excessive talking, direct challenge to the leader, off-topic questions, and theological hobby horses.

These seasoned leaders have some great thoughts on how to serve all the members of the group in such challenging situations. Check it out!

HT: Andy Cimbala

When You’ve Led a Bad Bible Study: Praying

October 14, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Every Bible study leader has been there. You leave the meeting, sit in your car, and think, “Wow, that was a stinker.”

Bad Bible study meetings take lots of different forms, but they’re all disappointing. And, depending on how you handle a bad meeting, this disappointment can cling to you and affect your outlook on your friends, your calling, and the church itself.

In this post and the two that follow, I will suggest some ways to move on from a bad Bible study meeting. I hope this helps you process what happened and plan for the future with faith and love.

The first step is to pray.

Why Should We Pray?

Leading a Bible study is a great ministry opportunity, so when a meeting goes sour, it is good to speak with God. After all, we seek supernatural transformation during these meetings! We depend on God to work in us and in our friends.

When we pray, we acknowledge both God’s control and our small place in the world. We need him more than we can fathom, and prayer is the best expression of our dependence on our Father.

Praying can—and should—take several forms. Below, I’ve suggested six ways to pray.

Lament

That Bible study did not go the way you wanted. It did not go the way it should have gone. Bad Bible studies won’t happen in heaven.

It’s okay to sit in the grief of this disappointment before the Lord. It’s more than okay—it’s a good thing. Most Christians need more Biblical lament in their lives. We mourn what’s wrong; we grieve what has been lost; we long for God to make things right.

Invite God to search you

Like King David (Psalm 139:23–24), invite the Lord to search you. Ask him to expose any sin and any mistakes that contributed to the bad Bible study meeting.

Be prepared to sit in silence. Invite and receive conviction from the Holy Spirit. You may find it helpful to journal as you pray.

Confess your sins

If God has convicted you of any sin, confess it to him. It may be impatience, laziness (lack of preparation), failure to love, a critical spirit, or pride. No matter what you have to confess, do so understanding the seriousness of the offense and the warm embrace of God who is eager to assure you of his forgiveness.

Not every bad Bible study meeting is the result of sin on the leader’s part. But this may be a good opportunity to humble yourself before God and repent of any sins related to your study-leading ministry.

Pray for your people

Pray for those people who come to your Bible study group, especially those who attended the bad meeting. Pray that God would protect them from error and frustration, that they would continue to seek God in his Word and grow. Ask God to keep them faithful in their personal devotions, that he would remind them of his presence with them, and that they would return to the next group meeting with enthusiasm.

Pray for each of your friends in the group by name. Pray especially for any people who you think might have contributed to the meeting not going well. Be sure not to harbor bitterness in your heart against them.

Pray for the next meeting

Pray for yourself as you prepare for the next meeting of your Bible study group—that God would give you understanding of his word and love for his people. Pray that God would gather your group together again and that your friends would participate, be honest with each other, and grow in their understanding and application of the Bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit would bless the next group meeting richly.

Give thanks

There are so many reasons to thank God; don’t let one frustrating ministry experience leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Thank him for his Word and for the chance you have to study and help others understand it. Thank God for each of the people in your Bible study group by name—not just for their participation, but for all the gifts they bring to each gathering.

Finally, don’t forget the gospel when you’re giving thanks. God’s love for you does not depend upon your performance or any “good” outcomes from your ministry. Thank God that his love for you is fixed and firm and that you can know this for sure by looking to the work of Jesus: his cross, his empty tomb, and his kingly throne.

It’s Easier Not to Pray

After a bad Bible study meeting, it’s tempting to brush it off, to think it’s no big deal, and to try to forget it as quickly as possible. That’s far easier than praying.

But if we skip this step we miss an opportunity. And we may be overlooking some of the work God is doing in us and in our group. Sometimes these bad experiences show up for just that purpose.

What to Look for in Bible Study Leaders

January 2, 2019 By Peter Krol

Keri Folmar lives in a transient community, where she constantly loses her best ministry partners and must replace them. She’s found 4 primary characteristics to look for in new women’s Bible study leaders.

Committed to the church
Delights in the Scriptures
Isn’t afraid to lead
Considers her ways

Folmar accompanies each point with both explanation and real-life examples.

Check it out!

How to Sabotage a Bible Study

October 24, 2018 By Peter Krol

Following in the vein of The Screwtape Letters, Greg Morse posts a letter from a senior demon to his underling with instructions for undermining his patient’s Bible study. The demon first needs to have no fear of allowing his patient to attend a Bible study, as they are so easy to turn toward evil purposes.

Then the senior demon, Wormwood, proposes a course of action that ought to convict us all:

Keep the Bible study merely that: a study.

Bring the Enemy’s word out to be dissected, examined, and (if at all possible) critiqued — but make sure to divide the three strands. They must never read devotionally, theologically, and ethically all together. Keep them to one lane. If your man tends towards a theological bent, give him a heavy head, a shriveled heart, and uncalloused hands. Make him the first to debate, the last to worship, and the first to excuse himself from service.

If devotional, make him sentimental but shallow in his understanding and ignorant to any further application. Let him be deeply affected by his personal devotions but never enough to think too hard or to take the Enemy’s commands too seriously.

And finally, if ethically inclined, let him build his social-justice house without any real love for the Enemy. Let him imagine that he does wonders to advance great causes in the world, all while leaving behind the most significant command: love the Enemy with his all. And his highest mission: Make disciples of all nations. “Lord, Lord did we not . . . ” is one of the most satisfying refrains for our Father Below to overhear just before the patients are placed before us for good.

This is challenging stuff. The rest of Wormwood’s letter to his nephew Globdrop is worth your time.

Check it out!

We May Need to Stop Talking About the Bible

September 26, 2018 By Peter Krol

This thoughtful article by Cole Brown challenges our small groups to stop talking about the Bible so the Bible might talk to us. He writes:

There can be a strong force in these groups that pulls the discussion away from what the text clearly and most centrally says in order to focus on various tangential parts that are much less clear.

I believe this strong pull stems from two things: first, our own fleshly desire to hide ourselves and protect our sin; and second, spiritual forces that desire to keep God’s people at a distance from the lasting transformation of God’s Word.

As group participants, we instinctively know that if we focus on what the text most clearly and most centrally says, then we will have to talk about how it confronts us personally. But if we can avoid talking about what is clearly stated in the text, then we’re able to talk about the Bible for hours—without ever actually being confronted personally by its content. This is false piety at its pinnacle.

It’s common for entire conversations to focus on questions the text does not even attempt to answer. Theory, theology, and hypothetical questions are debated and discussed. So are ways other Christians (or non-Christians) fail to honor the text.

All of this gives group members the impression of having interacted with the Bible, when in reality they’ve avoided its penetrating light. No wonder this approach is more likely to produce Pharisees than mature disciples.

As long as those who attend the groups in our churches are talking about the Bible, the Bible cannot talk to them. Intentionally or not, human nature will lull us into using Scripture to keep us from being seen for who we really are, and from being transformed into who we ought to be.

Brown goes on to suggest asking more response questions than discussion questions to help group members submit to the clear and central meaning of the text. This is well worth considering.

Check it out!

ESV Scripture Journals: A Note Taker’s Dream

July 23, 2018 By Ryan Higginbottom

A lot of Bibles have been produced over the past ten years with an eye toward journaling and taking notes. Publishers create wide margins, blank space below the text, or even inspiring art to spark reflection and creativity.

The trend toward producing a Bible for journaling may have reached its climax in the ESV Scripture Journal project.

Description

In the spring of 2018, Crossway introduced the ESV New Testament Scripture Journals. Available either individually or as a 19-volume set, these books are unique.

These soft-cover journals have a simple layout. The Bible text is printed on the left page, and some lightly-printed lines grace the right page. The font is large and readable (11.75 point size), the paper is thick and sturdy, and each volume has an inviting feel. The New Testament set comes in an attractive slipcase.

In exchange for an honest review, Crossway generously provided me with a set of these Scripture journals. I have been using the Luke journal for a few months now, and my daughters have used the Ephesians and Matthew volumes.

Excellent Journals

I’ve really enjoyed using my Scripture journal. I love that the paper is thick enough to prevent ink bleeding through to the other side. This is normally a concern about journals for anyone who, like me, uses a gel pen. But there is no such problem with these books.

The journals also lay flat on the first use. This is exactly what one wants in a journal.

There is plenty of room to take notes on the journaling side of the page. But the Bible text is also printed with roomy margins and interline space, so I have plenty of room to circle, underline, and write notes and questions on the Bible side of the page.

The lines on the right are printed just dark enough to guide you when writing but light enough to make room for drawing or other free-form methods of journaling.

My only small complaint is about the binding. After opening the Luke volume and doing a good bit of Bible study in chapters 9 and 10, the journal has lost a bit of its shape (see below) when I close it. The cover isn’t straight and the journal doesn’t close quickly. However, this might be my fault. I suspect these journals weren’t intended to be opened to the middle before the beginning, so my use could be to blame for this (admittedly minor) concern. I think I’d prefer hard covers.

Possible Uses

If you’re looking for a good way to combine Scripture reading or study with writing, I highly recommend these journals. I can see a number of good ways they might be used.

Use them for personal study. Each of these journals would make a great dedicated volume for an in-depth study of a book of the Bible. You have plenty of space and no distractions. These are wonderful markup Bibles!

Use them in your small group. These would be a fantastic way to get all members of your small group interacting with God’s word. Everyone would have the same translation, no one would be tempted to quote their study Bible notes, and the volumes are relatively cheap to buy (each of the 19 volumes retail for $5.99, but they can be found cheaper than that online). If every group member had the relevant Scripture journal, I think it would be easy to encourage everyone to do some OIA preparation too.

Make your own study Bible. If you’re studying a book of the Bible in a class or through your church’s current sermon series, these journals make a great place to take notes—right next to the Bible text! These are perfect for archiving and future reference—I’d be much more likely to keep a journal like this and come back to it after a few years (perhaps when studying that book again) than I would be to track down notes scattered throughout the pages of a nondescript notebook.

Highly Recommended

These Scripture journals will serve a great purpose for many people. They can help us interact with the Bible in an undistracted way. Crossway has done a great job with this set—I hope they’re working on the Old Testament!

If you’d like to buy the entire set, check Amazon or the Westminster Bookstore. You can also find any member of the New Testament set for sale separately—here are the links for Luke, as an example: Amazon, Westminster. (As of this writing, the Westminster Bookstore had significantly lower prices on both individual volumes and the whole set.)

Disclosure: the product links in this blog post are affiliate links.

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