Several years ago, I joined two other women from church for a weekly Bible study. I was no stranger to study as I’d been digging into the Word for years and growing by God’s grace through daily reading and prayer. I’d never really done this with others, though, and I wasn’t sure how it would or should work. I wondered if there was any benefit to sharing my study efforts with others. I had no idea that reading and studying the Bible with others would sharpen my faith and deepen my love for Christ like nothing else. What I had long loved and enjoyed in my own “quiet time” was exponentially better when done along with others who love and follow Jesus.
Our little group of women was a spin-off of a one-to-one discipleship program we did at our church several years ago. Two women had been paired up and, after completing the program, asked me to join them to develop some Bible study practices. We began by reading Jen Wilkin’s book, Women of the Word and then completed her study on James. After that, we began using the study steps I wrote about in my second book, Everyday Faithfulness, as I’d been using them for years to study individual books of the Bible. They’re so easy to replicate once you’ve done them a few times. You can access all of that for free here.
Over the years we’ve had other women join our group here and there. Some left, some stayed. It’s been kind of fluid, but the core group has remained. Week after week, we meet to discuss together what we’ve all studied in private. It’s surprising what this simple individual and weekly practice has done for my relationship with Christ. Nothing challenges, enriches, and deepens my personal everyday study like knowing these women are studying the same passage and tackling the same questions and will show up to discuss it every Tuesday. It’s built-in accountability and iron-sharpening. It has sweetened our relationships and drawn us close together because nothing unites like the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Anytime I write on group Bible study, I get a lot of questions about how to do this. I can’t give you a formula exactly, but I can share some tried-and-true tips that the women of my group have learned and adopted over the past few years. Some we’ve learned the hard way and some we’ve held to from the beginning. While I am the facilitator of my group, I am still a student of the Word along with everyone else. What we discuss each week is what I study for my own personal devotions every morning. Our group is expanding and branching out with an additional group meeting to accommodate more women in our church (an answer to many long-prayed prayers!), but it has taken us years to get to this point. So, as you consider beginning group Bible study, remember that it’s okay to start small and even stay small. Here are some practical tips for starting and sustaining a regular group study.
- Ask some women to study with you. Be bold! I would suggest looking to the women of your church. These are the people you have covenanted together with to follow Jesus. They don’t have to be your best friends. It’s fine if they’re just acquaintances—you’ll grow together. Don’t be offended if some turn you down. Once you’ve got a group, pick a time and place. Start small and be content with small. We’ve been meeting for nearly 5 years and are just now doubling in size and expanding to a second meeting time with another facilitator. Our goal is to keep growing in small study settings throughout our church, but it has taken years to get there. Steady growth is more sustainable than explosive, flash-in-a-pan growth.
- Have clear expectations. Study the actual Bible, not a devotional. Have everyone bring 2-3 suggestions of books of the Bible to study and then try to narrow it down as a group. Work through one book of the Bible at a time (alternating between OT and NT), choosing books where you feel especially weak in familiarity or understanding. Once you’ve chosen your book, make the plan clear to everyone. For example: “We’re going to study James using the 6 Simple Study Steps.” First, establish historical context after everyone has read the whole book. Then break down the book in small, manageable chunks for weekly study. Each day of the week, read the week’s allotted text (a half chapter or chapter usually works best) and tackle a different question. By the time you meet, you’ll have read the text 6-7 times and examined it from several different angles. Then, discuss the text and the summaries/questions during your weekly meeting. You can access this method for free here.
- Keep prayer requests to a text thread. Spend your discussion time solely for discussion of biblical study. If you have time at the end, have everyone share one personal, spiritual prayer request (not the neighbor’s aunt’s sick cat) and then commit to pray on your own. If you start with prayer requests, you’ll never get to any study time. Just trust me on this. If you feel like the group would benefit from a regular prayer time together, consider taking one meeting a quarter and devoting it to prayer.
- Don’t require lots of tools or books. Everyone can study the Word with just a Bible, spiral notebook, and pen. Having to purchase expensive materials might prevent some people from participating, so don’t require those unless you’re willing to pay for them yourself.
- Keep to a strict time limit. We meet for exactly one hour during lunch. Those who work can go back to work without feeling like they’re missing out. If people know they’re committing to just one hour rather than a meeting that seems to drag out forever each week, they’re more willing to come back.
- Have a designated facilitator. She may not teach, but she keeps the discussion on track. If that’s not you, look to the women in your group who have a more natural gifting towards leadership. Guess what? It might have to be you!
- Meet in a home if possible. That way, the women with children can attend without having to procure childcare. In the past, we’ve had only empty-nesters or women without kids or kids in school, so we’ve met in a coffee shop. If you choose to go that route, be sure to purchase something from the shop to validate your presence there. Don’t take up space without ordering a coffee! Trust me, the baristas notice! And—invite the baristas, if possible. These days, we meet at my house, and I pull out toys each week for the toddlers that come with their mom.
- Be patient with those who struggle to show up or do their work consistently. This is hard for those of us who are at times overeager when it comes to study. We want so badly for everyone to taste and see that God’s Word is good that we can sometimes railroad those who are new to the faith or the concept of regular study. We might know that dry spells or suffering or tough passages are obstacles that can be overcome, but they might feel like those obstacles are impassable. Be patient and encouraging. Pray for those who struggle but pray for your own heart to bear patiently with them.
- Gently correct error. When someone shares something that is clearly in contradiction with Scripture, seek to correct with kindness and gentleness, and throw yourself under the bus (if necessary) as one who has misunderstood the concept before. Seek to correct without making the person feel stupid. Reiterate often that no questions are dumb, and we’re all capable of coming to a point that isn’t quite right. That’s why we study in community! Make your weekly meeting safe to make mistakes, but don’t neglect correction when necessary. If you’re just not sure about something, check in with you pastors and ask them to weigh in. They’ll appreciate it more than you know!
- Don’t grow weary of doing good. No matter how many people show up to the weekly meeting, do your daily work of study and digging and reading. Ask the Lord to grow you as He grows the others. Give your best to the group, even if it’s small. Study to know the Lord, to love Him, and to make Him known to the world around you. You’re not studying just to acquire knowledge but to know a Person—the One who has made Himself known to you and sent His Son to make you new.
Nothing has aided my personal growth like a weekly discussion of the Scriptures I am studying daily. It’s what the church is for, you know? The more I study God’s Word in community, the more I am carried down the path of faithfulness and obedience. We were meant to live as a family with one another, so while we should be reading the Word and praying individually, that practice can be enriched and deepened when we bring others into it through a group discussion and encouragement.
How do you study the Bible with others? Here are some practical tips for starting and sustaining a regular group study. Share on X
Photo by Sarah Noltner on Unsplash
Glenna Marshall is married to her pastor, William, and lives in rural Southeast Missouri where she tries and fails to keep up with her two energetic sons. She is the author of The Promise is His Presence (P&R) and Everyday Faithfulness (Crossway), and Memorizing Scripture (Moody). Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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