“How will we choose our fall Bible study?”
My co-teacher stopped in the aisle of the Christian book store. “Shouldn’t we pray?”
“I assume you have been praying,” I said.
She nodded.
You choose!
“Is there a study in particular you want to do?”
“I didn’t really get an answer,” she said. “Maybe we should pray again?”
I shrugged. “I don’t think it matters. We should choose one you want to do if you don’t have an inclination one way or the other.”
“Don’t you think God cares?”
“He cares,” I said, “but if we don’t have a clear leaning either way, I think we can choose.”
She laughed.
I waved at the shelf. “Choose one.”
Here are four ways, besides answer to prayer, that I use to decide which Bible study to teach in the fall.
All of this assumes you do not have a clear leading or requirement to meet, of course. God’s direction should always be sovereign.
What topic are my friends concerned about?
When we moved to Hawai’i years ago, I had a toddler.
I made new friends in my Navy housing community and mentioned my interest in Bible study.
I’d planned to return to Bible Study Fellowship now my child was old enough, and I asked about it.
To my surprise, several women mentioned their concerns about raising a toddler.
“You should study that book Mastering Motherhood,” I said.
Three times women I scarcely knew said, “great idea. Will you lead it?”
How could I do anything but lead a neighborhood study?
What need do you see among your students?
A sampling of what we’ve studied
After I taught a group of women one year, I wasn’t sure if they understood the fundamentals of Christianity.
I like to teach books of the Bible, because “the word of God does not return void, (Isaiah 55:11)” and
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 )
If the Bible explains the truth, I just have to facilitate.
That fall we studied the Book of John, basic Christianity.
I relied on the Holy Spirit to convict and was always prepared with an answer when a question rose.
Is there a timely subject?
One Christmas we studied Advent. Last year, we spent 10 weeks examining the verses on which Handel based his Messiah.
Many women in my study are older and several have health issues. Two years ago we spent time examining Heaven, and I think we all came away more confident about death.
(Randy Alcorn’s Heaven is an excellent resource).
What question is burning in your heart?
Several years ago, one of my ladies approached and asked if we could study angels. “Some of my friends have odd ideas about angels and I don’t know what to tell them.”
Great idea! I read Billy Graham’s Angels in preparation and we dove right in.
I’ve spent a lot of time reading the Old Testament this last year and kept tripping over some of King David’s behavior.
Coming this fall on Tuesday mornings!
As a result, I hunted down a friendly examination of his life from a Biblical point of view, Chuck Swindoll’s David: A Man of Passion and Destiny.
I learned a lot from Swindoll and so when we finished our study in the fall, I suggest we examine him.
The ladies were all for it.
(As a bonus for me, my summer Sunday school class is going through the same book, so I’m getting prep done early!)
Other things to consider
I’ve been leading Bible study for more than 30 years, across the country in a variety of church settings.
I’ve enjoyed Precepts, the LCMS Lifelight, and a host of studies written by different people.
Because of the nature of my current group of ladies, I’ve been using InterVarsity Press‘ Lifeguide Bible studies for five years.
They conveniently have a list of their studies on the back of their books.
We choose several we find appealing, and it always seems to work out time-wise.
I can prepare anywhere!
What happened with my co-teacher all those years ago?
She chose a Lifeguide Bible study that interested her and we enjoyed it.
It’s the Word of God–why wouldn’t it be interesting, fulfilling and apt?
How do you decide which Bible study to use?
Tweetables
Four tips to choosing a fall Bible study. Click to Tweet
Does God care what Bible study you do? Click to Tweet
How to decide what book of the Bible to study. Click to Tweet
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