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Not Every Bible Study is a Bible Study

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Writing for Christianity Today, Jen Wilkin encourages us to “Stop Calling Everything a Bible Study.”

On the typical church website, it’s not uncommon to find classes on marriage, finances, parenting, prayer, and books of the Bible all listed as “Bible studies.”

In these gatherings, good things happen. People connect to one another in community. They share needs, confess sins, and explore topics through the lens of Scripture. But not all of these classes are Bible studies…

As we have expanded our use of the term, we have decreased the number of actual Bible studies we offer. Churches have gradually shifted away from offering basic Bible study in favor of studies that are topical or devotional, adopting formats that more closely resemble a book club discussion than a class that teaches Scripture.

I’ve also written before about how book discussion groups are not Bible studies. Getting this right is not merely a matter of terminology. Getting this right can mean the difference between training our people to read the Bible on their own, and training them to believe they can’t do it without expert guidance.

Wilkin’s short article is worth considering. Check it out!

How to Use Multiple Bible Translations

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In the English-speaking world, we are blessed with a wealth of good translations of the Bible. For most of church history, this was not the case.

Chances are you have a few translations you prefer, and occasionally switching between these versions in your devotional reading can prove eye opening. You see a phrase or scene from a slightly different angle, and you have a fresh appreciation or insight as a result.

congerdesign (2016), public domain

Bible study leaders can also use multiple translations of the Bible to great profit. But it’s best not to introduce variety too early in the process.

When Not to Use Multiple Translations

In your personal study of a Bible passage, I suggest you stick to one translation. Because different translations have different philosophies and tendencies, switching between Bible versions at this stage in the process will slow you down.

At this blog we advocate an old method of Bible study called Observe-Interpret-Apply (OIA), and when observing we suggest you pay attention to words and grammar (among other things). Observing all that a passage contains can be a tall order—bringing in alternate translations might double or triple your work!

For your primary Bible, consider something closer to a word-for-word translation (“formal equivalence”) than a thought-for-thought translation (“dynamic equivalence”). Since Bible study should focus on the words of the original authors, we should use a translation that does as little interpreting as possible while still making sense of the text.

Note: If you’d like an explanation of some of the most popular Bible translations, Daniel Wallace does a decent job here.

When to Use Multiple Translations

After observing the text and working through the answers to your interpretation questions, you should have a sense of the main point of the passage. You may also have some questions you weren’t able to answer.

At this point I usually read my passage in multiple translations. I find software like e-Sword or websites like Bible Gateway perfect for this, because they allow you to view several versions in parallel. For example, here’s the first chapter of John’s gospel in the ESV, NASB, and NIV.

Reading a passage like this is revealing. Staring at your main translation for hours can bake the words into your brain. But this exercise will show you the differences between translations quickly. You’ll see the vast agreement as well as the small areas of disagreement. For particular words, a variety of translations will show you that Bible translation is a difficult task!

You may be able to resolve any word-related confusion by looking at a commentary or two. Most commentators geek out over words and translations, so you’ll have no shortage of food for thought.

Preparing to Lead Your Small Group

If you are leading a small group Bible study with regular participants, it’s a good idea to note which translations those folks read. Take a look at your passage in these translations before the small group meeting so you won’t be thrown or surprised by an odd word choice.

If I notice a drastic difference between translations when I’m preparing, I’ll often point it out to my group. This “pre-emptive strike” allows me to bring the issue into our discussion if it seems important. However, it’s easy to get bogged down in discussions like this, so I usually try to direct our conversation elsewhere.

Though they can differ widely, most of the major English Bible translations are very good. And the deviations we see almost never change the interpretation of the passage. We can use the variety to inform our ideas about the author’s original meaning, but we must also remember not to freak out over the differences we see.

Don’t Tell Me Something New

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Most small group Bible study leaders share a few goals. We want our friends to love and obey God more and more. To that end, we want our group members to be engaged during the studies. We want our groups to pop; we want fireworks.

Ralf Vetterle (2016), public domain

The Pull Toward Novelty

Our desire for effective, exciting Bible studies is a good thing. And as we point our friends toward the most important truths in the world, we should long for transformation.

But there’s a dangerous temptation that can surface when we focus on excitement. We’ll want to say something new each meeting, and we’ll end up reaching. We’ll stretch for connections between passages. We’ll present interpretations that are half-baked. In our quest to animate our group, we’ll fall into the trap of never-ending novelty, and we’ll end up softening the impact of God’s holy word.

Fortunately, this is a trap we can avoid.

How to Resist the Temptation of Newness

A hunt for newness in the Bible is often a symptom of boredom with its basic truths. Some Christians read and teach these truths so often (and with so little imagination) that the Bible seems to lack power.

But nothing could be farther from the truth!

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12–13)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

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

The foundation of all strategies to resist the pull toward novelty must be a trust in God and his word. But strategies can still be helpful. Here are three that come to mind.

Engage in faithful Bible study. The surest way to proclaim and believe the Bible is to study the Bible carefully. Don’t let others interpret the Bible for you.

Careful Bible study is a joy, an art, and a discipline. If you’ve never studied the Bible on your own, or if you’d like a refresher, look no further. The time-tested method we promote is called Observe, Interpret, Apply (OIA), and anyone can do it. Dig into the Bible prayerfully, asking God to help you communicate his word to your small group.

Use Bible resources. While you should study the Bible on your own first, don’t neglect other God-given resources. Both study Bibles and commentaries should be handled with care, but at the right stage of the process they can be invaluable.

We 21st century Christians are not on an island; great clouds of saints have read, studied, and lived out the Bible for centuries before us. The best commentaries and study Bibles will identify the most common errors and the most likely interpretations when discussing difficult passages. Check your own conclusions with some solid commentaries to see how your thoughts line up with the body of Christ over time.

Consult your church. Your local Christian community is a precious support and an important resource. We need people close to us to encourage us when we’re right and to tell us when we’re wrong.

If your interpretation of a passage doesn’t match up with what you find in commentaries, take it to your church. Seek out a pastor, an elder, or a wise friend who can weigh the evidence with you. This requires a humility produced only by the Spirit.

Fresh Statements of Old Truths

Instead of seeking out what’s new and shiny, take comfort in the powerful, unchanging words of God. His word is reliable, eternal, and earth-shattering.

What you and I need is usually not a brand-new teaching. Brand-new truths are probably not truths. What we need are reminders about the greatness of the old truths. We need someone to say an old truth in a fresh way. Or sometimes, just to say it. – John Piper, from preface to The Dawning of Indestructible Joy

Our small group members will be more transformed and engaged by the true word of God than by anything we import ourselves. Let’s commit to reminding our friends of old truths in new ways.

2 Words That Kill Effective Bible Study

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At For the Church, Zach Barnhart writes of those two small words that could potentially undermine everything you seek to accomplish in Bible study. Those words are “to you,” as in, “What does this passage mean to you?”

Those two words turn a glorious question into gobbledygook. They mistake the authority of the text as the authority of the interpreter. And in the name of application, they cut away observation and interpretation. Such application has no power.

“To you” seems like an innocent way to invite everyone’s voice to the table for discussion, but I contend that it’s a surefire way to kill effective Bible study. Of course, some fiction books, for example, are written for the sole purpose of leaving their interpretation open-ended. But this is not the way of historical, bona fide Scripture, the words of God Himself. Though nuance and opinion has its place at the table, the problem with “to you” is that the phrase elevates a reader’s interpretation over the author’s intention.

Barnhart goes on to suggest ways we can avoid the “to you” chaff without shutting down room for disagreement or different perspectives.

Check it out!

Ask Better Questions in Small Group Bible Study

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This week, the Logos Talk blog published a guest post Ryan and I worked on together, called “How to Ask Excellent Bible Study Discussion Questions.” The post abridges some of the lengthier material from our series on how to lead a Bible study. If you’d like to lead a small group discussion well, we recommend you master these four kinds of questions:

  1. Launching questions
  2. Observation questions
  3. Interpretation questions
  4. Application questions

Check it out!

The Glory of Multiplication

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A year ago, I had an assistant Bible study leader. Then he moved to another state. Now I have a new assistant, whom I expect to leave our group soon and start another one. Then I’ll be back on my own, bearing the full load of small group leadership once again. But I’ll pray and look for another assistant to help shoulder the labor and develop the skills.

Bible study is not glamorous. Training apprentices, one at a time, is even less so. We plod our way through it, week in and week out. Sometimes we see clear fruit; sometimes we don’t. But this mustard seed will grow to become the largest of all garden plants. And this leaven will penetrate the entire lump. The promises of Christ ensure it will be so.

Rich Bamford (2015), Creative Commons

Rich Bamford (2015), Creative Commons

Be Fruitful and Multiply

Having created man and woman in his image, God expected them to mass produce this image in the earth (Gen 1:28). After he undid everything and started over, he clarified that nothing really had changed (Gen 9:1). Not long after, as my friend Brian Seay put it, “God said ‘go,’ and we said ‘no'” (Gen 11:4). But who can stop the Lord? Let no men assemble whom God has called to disperse (Gen 11:9).

And so Abram’s people were to bless all nations (Gen 12:3). God’s people were always to be a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6), so the prophets longed for the day when God would collect his scattered people (Zech 8:7-8) and draw in citizens from every nation on earth (Zech 8:20-23). This house would be a house of prayer for all peoples (Is 56:7).

When Jesus arrives to fulfill what was written, we see the same goals at work. The lingo shifts from “being fruitful” to “making disciples,” but the mission stays the same. God wants to fill the earth with image-bearers. And now they can see and smell and touch that image in the person of Christ. His people become like him and move out from Jerusalem to help more people become like him. And when outsiders don’t know what else to call them, they coin the term “little Christs”—Christians (Acts 11:26).

But notice how God works among his people. He adds to their number so they can multiply his influence. His people gather so they can disperse. They draw people in so they can send people out. This community has always been a growing community. Sometimes you see it; sometimes you don’t. But the growth will happen one disciple at a time.

See the Unseen Glory

As I wrote, training apprentices will not be glamorous. But that can’t stop it from being glorious. I’ve done it one at a time over the years. And I can’t take all the credit, as most apprentices have multiple trainers. I’m never—by God’s grace—the sole influence in someone’s life.

But that guy who moved to another state? His wife already leads the women’s ministry at their new church. Together, they’re teaching more people to study the Bible for themselves.

And I could tell you of others. There’s one in Japan, working with missionaries and church leaders to put the Scriptures into the hands of the people. There’s another one in Texas, who just emailed me to say that his church asked him to teach more people good Bible study skills. I know some women who have infiltrated the leadership of a popular women’s conference, because they shine like stars when it comes to faithful handling of the word.

It’s worth it to teach people OIA Bible study. And it’s worth it to teach people how to teach people OIA Bible study in small groups. May the Lord strengthen us by his grace to press on.

Build Bible Study Culture Through Small Groups

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Building a Bible study culture in your church is a huge job, only possible by the grace of God. Because such a culture is reflected in every area of church life, this hard work requires creativity and a long-term view. But the effort is worth it.

anonymous (2012), public domain

anonymous (2012), public domain

While a Bible study culture begins with church leaders, it is caught and carried forward from the pews. Godly leaders point down the road and give their people provisions for the journey.

Leaders must grasp the opportunity small groups present. As Christians meet to discuss and study the Bible, these groups become a powerful culture-making tool.

So, how exactly do small groups build a Bible study culture?

1. They show your values.

As a church creates, supports, and advertises small groups, it highlights their importance and advances their purpose. Church leaders promote small groups so their people will grow in Christ. The more people who engage in Bible study, prayer, encouragement, and fellowship, the better.

By building this ministry on a foundation of Bible study, your church repeats its reliance on the Bible. We want to know God through the study of his word.

This strengthens the Bible study culture in your church by establishing a common aim. If everyone knows the destination and the essential tools to get there, the swell of the crowd will attract attention, questions, and others drawn by the vision.

2. They help you grow.

Christians grow as they study the Bible. Perhaps this is obvious, but it bears repeating.

We need to know God, what he is like, what he has done for us in Jesus, and what he calls us to as his ambassadors. As we understand and apply the Bible, we renew our minds with truth and repent of our idolatry. We believe the truth and trust in God to greater degrees, and his Spirit produces increasing fruit in our lives.

We are animated examples, living proof both of the goodness of God and of his work through his means. As we grow, love abounds in the church, and we trace this overflow back to God, his grace, and the study of his word.

3. They provide hands-on training.

Small group studies offer unique opportunities to sharpen Bible study skills. The flexible and informal nature of these groups make them an ideal training ground.

Though most meetings focus on studying a specific passage, the group can take short detours for direct instruction in Bible study skills. The leader can structure his questions to make explicit the Bible study components of observation, interpretation, and application. (These ingredients form the core of the OIA Bible study method.) Group members have the chance to ask honest questions about the Bible and to interact with the responses. Perhaps the greatest training tool is the ongoing example of friends studying the Bible together and helping each other apply it.

This training builds a Bible study culture in obvious ways. You’re gathering forces. More people are equipped to model Bible study skills and pass them on to others. More people can serve as resources to those getting started.

Your Turn

Small group Bible studies have many benefits. Consider attending or even leading one. As you do so, pray that God would use your group to bless your church in building a Bible study culture.

Keep in Touch

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When we train apprentices or delegate tasks, sometimes we’re too slow to hand things off. I’ve written about this danger over the last few weeks, but we must consider another danger as well: being too quick to hand things off.

Yee Leng (2009), Creative Commons

Yee Leng (2009), Creative Commons

When we hit stage 4 for training new Bible study leaders (“You do; I watch”), we may feel tempted to simply send them out and commend their souls to God. We might even be relieved to have someone to take on some of our responsibility. We have complete trust in the person to serve and full confidence in God to work. But sending out new leaders must not flick like a standard light switch, on or off. It should transition more like a dimmer switch with increasing shades of brightness.

So when you send out your apprentice to lead a new group, you’re not yet finished as a trainer. You still should check in with that person from time to time to see how things are going. You’ll want to encourage the leader with evidence of God’s grace. You’ll want to expose areas of potential blindness. You’ll want to stimulate the leader’s thinking about ways to excel. And you’ll want to make sure the new leader considers finding his or her own apprentice to train and launch.

We can see this approach in the Apostle Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Paul’s chief aim on his first missionary journey was to appoint and train leaders for fledgling churches: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23). But he didn’t merely set them up and forget about them. Notice the impetus behind his second missionary journey: “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36). That second trip covered the same ground before going farther and deeper into Rome’s empire. His third trip then revisited the same places as the second trip.

He kept visiting the same places to strengthen and correct the leaders. He didn’t control them or take those churches back over. He let the leaders lead, but he made sure to check in and offer help. There’s much for us to learn from this approach.

First, don’t forget your apprentices, even after they’ve gone to lead their own groups.

Second, you don’t need a curriculum or detailed training agenda. Just visit occasionally to “see how they are.” You might want to ask about what’s going well and what could be better. You may also want to make your own observations.

Third, decrease your involvement as they continue to develop.

Fourth, make sure your former apprentices take note of potential new apprentices they can train.

Fifth, rejoice in the Lord, who is multiplying your ministry and your influence before your eyes. Keep those eyes fixed on Christ so you can represent him well.

The 3 Laws of Launching New Leaders

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Fighter Jet LaunchIn the life of every Bible study apprentice, there comes a time for independence. A time when trails must be blazed and sunsets must be ridden off into. New small groups must be formed, and new leaders must be set loose to form them. And when this time comes, three laws will inevitably take effect.

The Apprentice Will Not Be Ready

Nobody perfects a skill without first trying and failing. And an apprentice who stays close to the trainer, who is eager and capable to correct every misstep, can’t really fail. The goal, of course, is not merely to fail, but to fail in the right direction. Like major league sluggers, we need to be okay with high volumes of strikeouts. Each one teaches something about timing, bat speed, or pitch count expectations. Few apprentices will ever feel ready to lead their own groups, but that shouldn’t stop them from trying.

The Trainer Will Not Be Ready

Nobody likes to see a protege struggle. No decent Bible teacher wants a short-term decrease in ministry effectiveness. But eyes of faith see dormant glory. This mustard seed will become the greatest of all garden plants. This bit of leaven will penetrate the doughy lump. This jar of clay proclaims the surpassing power of God to grow his church. And this frail limb may eventually become a mighty oak of righteousness.

The World Will Not Be Ready

Do you remember how Hebrews speaks of our faith heroes, that the world was not worthy of them (Heb 11:38)? Then remember also that those folks, though commended, didn’t receive what was promised. God provided something better for us: Jesus, seated at God’s right hand (Heb 12:1-2). But before he took his seat, Jesus committed to sending his Spirit to empower his followers to do greater works than Jesus himself had done (John 14:12-14). So we ought to expect generation upon generation of new heroes who proclaim faith in Christ and trust in no other. The world cannot handle such titans.

In training your Bible study apprentice, perhaps you had a part in shaping one of these heroes.

Turn Your Mediocre Bible Study Into a Thing of Beauty

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For this week’s Check It Out, I bring you this gem from the fake Christian news site, The Babylon Bee: “Church Small Group Looking Forward To Six-Week Study Of Awkward Silences.” If you’d like to turn your mediocre Bible study into a thing of beauty, just consider following this example:

“I think it’s great how the group is really all participating in making things as awkward as possible,” [Pastor] Parker stated to reporters after the first session. “Trust is so important in a small group, and I know that if I ask anyone any sort of question whatsoever about the text, or application, or life, or anything at all, I will be greeted by a deafening, unbearable, soul-crushing silence that, while in reality only lasts 30 to 45 seconds, goes on for several consecutive eternities within my tortured mind.”

Parker’s small group appears to be off to a great start, according to sources present at the study. Parker’s query, “So, what does ‘redemption’ mean to you?” was met not only by awkward silence, but at least two throat-clearings, two sniffs, and one sudden, brief inhalation. A question about the deity of Christ resulted in multiple Bible pages being rustled in a contrived manner, as well as one uncomfortable murmur before lapsing into abject quietude once more.

“I feel blessed to lead this group,” enthused Parker. “I can hardly wait for our study of Galatians and the empty, mute void of uncomfortable despair ahead.”

Check it out!