Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
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.
Folmar accompanies each point with both explanation and real-life examples.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From the Babylon Bee: “Revolutionary Women’s Bible Study to Actually Study the Bible”
Check it out!
Melissa Kruger has some helpful thoughts on the types of questions that tend to stifle conversation in small group settings:
My co-blogger Ryan has written helpful posts on how to ask good observation, interpretation, and application questions—right along these lines Kruger hopes to avoid.
Kruger has some helpful explanation. Check it out!
HT: Jake Swink
Jiyeon Park (2017), public domain
One of the most practical—but least expected—pieces of advice I give to Bible study leaders is to wear a watch.
I know it’s easy to keep track of time on your phone. And maybe you can consult your phone in a way that isn’t obvious or distracting. But a Bible study leader needs to monitor the time, and there’s nothing quite like a watch.
As a Bible study leader, I’ve far too often lost track of time. I’ve ended the study late, put a strain on the parents in the room, and inconvenienced those for whom driving later at night is difficult.
We don’t often consider time management when leading a Bible study, but it has much to do with how well our friends learn from and apply the Bible. When we rush, we can miss the supporting truths and observations on which a solid interpretation rests. When we proceed too slowly, we risk boring our friends and ruining the interaction that is so vital to a good Bible study.
The way we structure the time within our group study can have a huge effect on the way we engage with the Scriptures. Let’s take a look at six different time-related ways we can love our group members.
Try to arrive a few minutes early and begin at the agreed-upon hour. I’m not advocating you cancel any built-in mingling and conversation time. But when it’s time for the Bible study portion of the meeting, be faithful to that committment.
This is even more important than the previous point. When you’re setting up the group and inviting folks to join, make sure you allow enough time for your intended purposes. Then honor the committment your friends make to the group by ending on time.
Most small group meetings include other aspects of fellowship besides Bible study. Perhaps it’s a meal, a time for prayer, singing, or door-to-door evangelism. Try to stick to a rough schedule that everyone knows so that no one is surprised and the gathering flows as expected.
As you get to know your group, you’ll have a sense of their interests, their strengths, and their weaknesses. You’ll learn roughly how long it will take to discuss certain passages. As you prepare your Bible study, in addition to the questions you will ask and the applications you will raise, plan out the time. Divide your study into well-defined sections so you can press the accelerator or the brake as needed.
Application often comes last in our Bible studies. This makes sense, since good observation and interpretation are critical before we can engage in honest application.
But application is hard. It involves a raw look at ourselves, our group, and our church or organization, confessing our failures and pressing the truth of Scripture into those areas for obedience. It takes time.
We have to do better than tacking on a half-hearted two minutes of application to the end of our studies. To nurture application-focused discussion during which real transformation can happen, set aside at least 10 minutes for this part of the conversation.
In advocating an eye to the clock, I’m not arguing for cold schedule-keeping. All that we do as Christians, and especially as leaders, needs to flow out of love for God and neighbor.
Sometimes love—and a sensitivity to the work of the Holy Spirit—demands flexibility. On a few occasions I’ve ditched my Bible study plans entirely in favor of encouraging, praying for, and lamenting with a brother or sister with a tremendous spiritual burden. People are more important than plans.
Additionally, sometimes the Spirit is at work during a group discussion when the meeting time ends. I suggest announcing to the group that the meeting is over and acknowledging that some people may need to leave. Offer to stay and continue the conversation with those who are able and interested.
By keeing an eye on the time, we love and serve those in our small groups. This isn’t easy, and it is a skill we develop with experience. As you pray for your group, ask God to help you use and manage the group’s time for the group’s good and God’s glory.
And for something a little light-hearted, check out this satirical report on the “Home Bible Study Leader Asks If Anyone Else Has Any Blatant Heresy They’d Like To Share.”
HT: Caleb Olshefsky
Jon Flobrant (2015), public domain
Sometimes the best solution is the obvious one.
My small group at church was between books. We finished Isaiah and were about to begin Luke, but we needed a topic to fill a gap. Since we meet on Sunday nights and attend the same worship service on Sunday mornings, I realized the answer was staring me in the face. We could discuss the sermon!
A few people in my group had experience with sermon discussions. They knew this wasn’t just a repetition of the preacher’s outline. This was good, hard work. Like strong hands kneading dough, God can use discussions like this to press the application of his word deep into the lives of his people.
The preacher isn’t the only one with sermon work to do. He studies, prays, and prepares, but the folks in the pews have a job too.
We need to listen carefully and weigh the sermon against Scripture. We’re also called to apply the Bible, and this is where a small group discussion can be helpful.
Consider the benefits of having a conversation about the sermon.
People who anticipate a discussion like this are more likely to pay close attention during the sermon. This greater engagement naturally leads to greater spiritual blessing.
The small group will focus on application, and when several people work hard to apply the sermon together, powerful things can happen. You might see connections or sense conviction you hadn’t noticed on your own. A friend might mention needs in the church or the community that would be an ideal outlet of application.
Think of the benefits to your church if your small group members were diligently discussing the sermon and applying the Word preached! It would mean quite a transformation.
It doesn’t take much to lead a sermon discussion in your small group or Sunday school class. With a little preparation and some good questions, you’ll be ready to go.
If you use your church’s sermon to propel your small group into the Bible, you’ll have lots of time to wrestle through applications. As you’re confronted with ways you need to change and encourage others to change, it won’t be easy, but it will be worthwhile.
Thanks to Peter for his help in preparing this article.
Paolo Rosa (2015), public domain
Today marks the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. The next three months promise sunshine and thunderstorms, lightning bugs and mosquitoes, picnics and sunburn. Summer is here, whether you’ve gathered your frisbees and watermelon or not.
Summer has a rhythm of its own. The children are out of school, we’re anxious to travel, and the longer hours of daylight call us outside for yard work and play.
Though it seems we should have more time in the summer for spiritual pursuits, for many the opposite is true. We float into the fall like a dry leaf, wondering why we feel so distant from the Lord.
Let’s make this summer different. Let’s fill this summer with the Bible.
As I urge you to pick up your Bible this summer, I realize some will consider this a stuffy burden. But if you think the Bible is boring, you’ve got the wrong book.
The Bible is the word of God! It is our light in the dark, it is our way back to our Father, it is the food we need for life. There are millions of reasons to read and study the Bible. Consider these seven.
There’s no need to wait until January 1 to make a life change. If you’ve been neglecting God’s word or if you’d just like to make the most of the summer, here are five ways to get started.
Read and study the Bible yourself. You’ll never regret focusing on the Bible. If you’ve never studied the Bible before, don’t be intimidated! We’ve got you covered. If you need the refreshment of simply reading the Bible, three months is plenty of time to read the whole thing. Really!
Join a Bible study group. A small group study can be just the thing to get you out of the house and into God’s word. Ask around at church to see what’s available this summer, and if you don’t find anything that works, start your own group!
Read the Bible with a friend or spouse. Groups can be great, but the simple practice of reading the Bible with one other person is powerful too. This really is as easy as it sounds: find a friend, find a time, and dive into the Bible together.
Read the Bible with your family. Pick a book in the Bible and start reading out loud. Once you finish, start again with a different book. Keep going. A family reading time will be fruitful for everyone (especially if the children ask questions).
Point your children to the Bible. School-age children invariably have more free time in the summer, and they can’t spend the whole time blowing bubbles. Whether your children can read or not, the summer is a great time to help them develop a daily devotional habit. Follow up and show them how the whole Bible fits together.
Three months of summer stretch out before us; let’s use them to immerse ourselves in the Bible!
