How to Start a Bible Study
A Bible study is a great way to fellowship with other believers and study God’s Word together. Starting your own Bible study is fairly simple, just don’t be afraid to start small. Once you get it started new members will gradually join and the group will grow over time. Follow these steps to get your Bible study going.
Find a Group
First, when you start a group, you will need to find a group of likeminded individuals who want to study the Bible together. You will need at least three people to start out. Your group will grow as you go along.
The best place to find people who are interested in a Bible study is the local church you already attend. This is a place you will find people who are likeminded and are more likely to attend a Bible study you put together. They are most likely your friend and hold your religious beliefs.
Get to Know Your Small Group
Make it a point to get to know every member of your small group, including the visitors. Show genuine interest and care for them. Know their names. When they go through trials, such as an illness or a difficult emotional time, be there to listen and pray for them. If you have more than 2-3 visitors, you can take some time for the introduction with some fun questions or game.
In this time of COVID-19, you can easily start your Bible Study virtually by using Google Meet or Zoom and then you can get together safely and still have a great group!
Be Prepared and Creative
Being prepared is the most important part of the Bible study. There is nothing worse than an unprepared Bible leader. Prepare by spending a lot of time in prayer and reading the Bible. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking group discussion will take enough time that you don’t need to prepare anything. Under preparation will kill a Bible study group/
Write down your thoughts and ideas with questions and answers. Brainstorm about creative ways present the information to the group that will make it memorable. One way to make an impression is to try to engage as many senses as possible. One lesson you might bring something for the group to taste. The next lesson you might bring something for the group to smell, and so on. Things like this leave a lasting impression.
Finish Strong
Although Bible studies can be a great place to socialize, make sure you are spending ample time actually studying the Bible. Good Bible studies do both. Challenge your group for the not only ‘learner of the word but the doer of the word’. End the Bible study with a way to apply what they’ve learned in their everyday life. Also encourage them to do personal Bible study throughout the week. This will help them grow as they go from day to day.
