7 Tips for Leading a Bible Study
This article is part of the 7 Tips series.
Connecting People to God’s Word
We couldn’t believe that David came to our Bible study. Then we couldn’t believe that he changed his work schedule to keep attending. He never missed! A few years ago, my husband and I had a unique opportunity to start a Bible study for high school students in our home. Our youngest son attended a large public school, and several of his friends were not Christians. I am a Bible teacher, so you’d think I would’ve been comfortable with this opportunity. But opening the Scriptures in front of women who have studied all week is different from leading teenagers who haven’t opened the Bible before. I was nervous! I had no idea what questions they would ask or if they would even show up again. It was challenging! And I loved it!
Bible studies should come in all shapes and sizes, connecting all kinds of people to God’s word. Throughout my twenty years of ministry and countless conversations with women in the church, I’ve found that many long to lead a Bible study, but few feel equipped to do so. Whether leading from a stage in a church auditorium or from the couch in your living room, here are seven tips that I’ve found to be effective.
The Story of Jacob
Colleen D. Searcy
Part of the Meet Me in the Bible series, this inductive study uses a practical 5-step framework to observe and interpret the story of Jacob and apply it to everyday life.
1. Begin with the end in mind.
Start by writing a vision statement for your Bible study. Consider the following prompts:
When Bible study wraps up, what do you hope the results will be?
Who will be attending? Although you probably won’t know names, think about who will be invited.
What will you study?
Will it be discussion-based? Or will you include a teaching time also?
A few examples of simple vision statements:
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I want to introduce women in my neighborhood to the Lord Jesus and the Scriptures. We will study the Gospel of John, and I will lead the discussion. When Bible study wraps up, the women in my neighborhood will know they have a safe place to ask questions about God, and we will have formed meaningful connections with one another.
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I want to teach five high school seniors how to read the Bible. We will study Colossians and Philemon. I will model and teach how to study the Bible, as well as facilitate discussion. My hope is to see these five students teach others to do the same during their freshman year in college.
Your vision statement can also serve as the metrics of success for Bible study, rather than focusing on the number of people at the last meeting. It is tempting to look at numbers as the measuring stick for Bible study success, but numbers are not God's measuring stick. He is great at multiplying!
2. Set clear and realistic expectations.
Communicate the start and end date, and the start and end time for each week. Then stick to what you said. Be sure to set realistic expectations for those who will attend, carefully considering and communicating what participants will be expected to study on their own and ways they will be asked to contribute when you gather. Take the mystery out of the commitment being made.
Be clear about the way time will be spent. For instance, will there be a formal teaching time? Group discussion? Prayer? Will the first fifteen minutes be spent catching up, or will the study start immediately?
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3. Be prepared.
You do not have to be a seminary graduate to lead a Bible study. But you do need to be familiar with the content you are leading. A great starting place is to read the introductory pages in a study Bible about the book you will be leading. These pages include helpful context, like who wrote the book, who the original audience was, and what was going on in the world when it was written. Another great starting place is the video summaries offered through BibleProject. Then read the whole book several times, noting repeated themes.
If you plan to lead a time of teaching during Bible study in addition to discussion, read a trusted commentary or two to make sure your main points are on track. Ask a trusted teacher or pastor to recommend their favorite commentaries. Send them a recording of your teaching and ask for feedback.
And pray. Then pray some more. There is a healthy fear in leading Bible study. We are to do our best to handle the Scriptures accurately (2 Tim. 2:15). But a healthy fear should not keep us from creating a space to open the Bible together; rather, it should motivate us to be diligent students and great pray-ers.
4. Encourage contribution.
You will be excited to share all that you discovered while you studied, but so will those attending. Give participants an opportunity to articulate what they learned while they studied the Bible. Use language that communicates that you are a co-learner alongside them. Share your questions and discoveries alongside theirs.
Most Bible studies will have those who dominate the discussion and those who don’t share at all. An effective strategy to help both is to email the shy participant several days before Bible study meets, asking her if she’d be willing to begin discussion. Give her the question you’d like her to answer so she has time to think about it. She will not feel put on the spot, and she’ll know that her contribution to the group is valued.
Emailing the shy participant also helps the one who tends to dominate. When you begin a discussion by asking, “Who wants to share first?” you are inviting the one who dominates to jump in right at the beginning. By directly asking someone else to begin, you are leading discussion time and creating a safe space for the shy participant to contribute.
The ultimate goal of Bible study is to get to know God better.
5. Build relationships.
Bible study should be deeply relational. The ultimate goal of Bible study is to get to know God better. We are spending time in his word, reading story after story about how he engaged all kinds of people, demonstrating his desire to be with his people. Bible study is one way to give him our full attention and to anticipate his.
Bible study is also a place to give attention to others. When Bible study is a place where participants feel seen and cared for, they will keep showing up. I believe this is why David prioritized our Bible study. We ate dinner together every week and planned nights around the fire pit to get to know one another better. And there is so much to learn from one another’s questions, discoveries, and insights!
6. Cultivate safety.
When Bible study is a safe place to share discoveries and to ask hard questions, participants will prioritize attendance. Everyone craves a place to be honest about doubts and questions. Remember that you don’t have to answer every question on the spot. When stumped by a question, you can say something like, “What a good question. I’d like to give that more thought and circle back next week.” Enjoy being a co-learner with those you are leading. When doubts are confessed, respond with compassion and curiosity rather than a correction or even advice. You can say something like, “Thank you for sharing that doubt. That sounds hard. I’ve wrestled through something similar.” Or ask the group, “Has anyone else had similar questions? How were you encouraged in your season of doubt?”
Carefully consider your audience. Are there people attending who are curious about Christianity but do not profess faith in Christ? Are there participants who haven't read the Bible? Also, remember that there are different learning styles represented and different personalities. Not everyone enjoys filling in charts and making lists. Incorporate photos, artwork, and music. Consider the needs of your audience as you prepare the discussion and teaching time, including questions that both the new believer and the seasoned Bible student want to answer.
7. Consider what is going on in the world.
Bible study should impact our lives, making us more and more like the Lord Jesus. We want our time in the word to influence our families, friendships, workplaces, and even the nations. Know what is going on in the world. Read the headlines. Who needs to be fed and clothed? How will we shine light into seemingly hopeless situations? What is causing conflict among Christians? Move your participants to action in the world. If you feel you don’t have time during Bible study to give a call to action or application, you might be elevating content above heart change.
Leading a Bible study is important, but it doesn’t always have to be complicated. Don’t let fear or perfectionism keep you from opening the pages of Scripture alongside others. Lead the robust discussion. Consider hard questions. Share discoveries. Build relationships. We need more Bible studies! There may be a “David” in your world who will change his schedule to attend your study. And God is delighted to meet you in your study of the Bible!
Colleen Searcy is the author of The Story of Jacob: An 8-Week Bible Study.
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