Starting a Bible Study is Easier Than You Think!

By Cheryl Dickow
Catholic Online

Earlier this year Catholic Online ran an article I wrote about New Year's Resolutions. In it I suggested that we all make resolutions that would be easier for us to keep. In particular, my thoughts were for us to get ourselves involved in a bible study. Since then I have received a wonderful response with many women beginning bible studies. However, the most important response I received was from a woman who wanted to start a bible study in her home but did not know where to begin. I felt honored that she sought my opinion. This, of course, started me contemplating, "How many women are in the same situation?" With Lent right around the corner, and providing an anointed time to begin a bible study, I share my response to her inquiry...

I'm delighted to answer your inquiry regarding a bible study. Let me assure you that offering a bible study in your home will be an incredibly rewarding experience. You didn't mention any details so let me give you some general information and then you can ask me whatever you want, or need to, and I will be glad to mentor you through this painless process! My email is Cheryl@AskKnockSeek.Com.

If you already have a group of interested women, your best bet is to look at your own schedule and offer a couple of options for getting together. I would suggest an hour and a half to two hours, once a week. So, for example if Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. work best for you, send out emails, or make phone calls, to everyone sharing these options and ultimately go with the most popular choice.

If you do not have a group of interested women (or participants if it is co-ed), ask your church paper to put in a small article stating that you are starting a bible study and also send out inquiry emails to your own friends and family. Ask them to send the email on, as well, to their friends and family. Let me add that men greatly benefit from participating in a bible study that is, for instance, based upon my book because it gives them a real sense of a woman's worth and helps them instill that in their daughters or see it in their wives, sisters, etc. Many men have found great value in this type of study and can really add to your group with their valuable perspectives. Anyhow, if you are advertising in your church paper or through email, give a "reply by" date so that everyone who is interested knows that you are truly doing this!

Once you have your group, you will give a start date that gives you enough time to buy the supplies. This is whatever book will be your resource and, of course, you'll make sure that everyone brings a bible. I wouldn't discourage different bible versions (unless they are way "out there") because your group can have great discussions on different words used in different bibles and how a simple word can greatly impact meaning. It is usually best when the "leader" orders the resource books and I always suggest that the leader order an extra copy or two for people who are bound to join the group after they hear how wonderful the bible study is! My last parenting workshop started with eight people and ended with fourteen! Buying an extra book or two allows people to start right away versus waiting another week or so to get a book, but it is not necessary.

Either way, once the group size is known, the leader orders books and collects the money for each book on the first night of the bible study. All this is, of course, just a guideline. Some bible studies have participants pay before the study begins so that the leader does not incur hundreds of dollars in book expenses. So, if you have four people signed up, you might feel comfortable buying the books up front. But if you have a fifteen people signed up, you'll probably want to collect the money first. Ordering books through Amazon is the best because three or more books receive free shipping but I can also sell books to your group if you are using my book.

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Speaking of number of participants, depending on the size of the room in your home that you will use your group might be as small as three or as large as a dozen, or more. Whatever you are comfortable hosting is the key. Once your bible study begins there are a few guidelines that help to make it successful.

For your first meeting you might provide a light snack and beverages and have a sign up sheet for the following three of four get-togethers. If you try to sign up too far into the future, people tend to forget. And it is always good to recognize that a reminder email is helpful as we all get caught up in our schedules and sometimes forget these things that nourish our souls! Something that goes out to everyone the day before the meeting and is a simple message like; Blessings...I just wanted to remind everyone of tomorrow's bible study and that we are looking forward to Sue's snacks...

Meetings begin with a prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be or anything that the leader might have found and made copies of) and prayer requests as we count on Christ's words that where two or more are gathered, so there is He. Then the leader asks everyone to open their resource books to a particular page. The leader may give a little background before reading begins or just delve right in. The leader may read or may ask others to take turns reading. The leader stops at Scripture and everyone finds the verses, someone reads, the leader guides discussions about what these mean to individuals etc. During my last workshop I had each participant, before we even began, find a verse that would be covered and mark it so that when we got to it, that person was ready and it divided up the evening quite nicely.

A bible study should be quite flexible and very dynamic. The leader can ask questions about anything being read. "Why do you think Sarah was jealous?" "How could Noah's wife have put up with the burden of cleaning the ark?" What is also important is for the leader to keep the participants on track and know when to help everyone refocus, if necessary. It isn't uncommon for some participants to sort of take over the floor, so to speak, and the leader has to lovingly acknowledge that person's contribution and help the group move on. Part of bible study is creating an environment that everyone feels great love and support in their individual journeys and those needs will definitely come out as you read through the resource book!

In my book (Reclaiming Your Christian Self in a Secular World: A Woman's Bible Study) each chapter has a small prayer which really makes wrapping up the session a breeze. The activity is "homework" and really helps make the chapter relevant in everyday life. Of course, if you don't finish the chapter, adjustments are made. This is all up to the leader.

Every session after the first begins with a prayer and then a discussion of the last week's activity. "How did it go?" "What did you discover about yourself?" These questions will lead to great discussions and then the leader will draw the participants into the day's chapter and begin reading etc.

All in all, bible studies make for great times! They immerse you in the Word of God and allow you to help others on their journeys with Christ.

Please feel free to contact me (Cheryl@AskKnockSeek.Com) with any questions as I am honored to help.

Contact

Ask, Knock, and Seek
http://www.AskKnockSeek.com MI, US
Cheryl Dickow - author and editor, 248 917-3865

Email

Cheryl@AskKnockSeek.com

Keywords

bible study

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