Bible Studies for Small Groups

Looking for Jesus

2007-04-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Small group study gives you an opportunity to find Jesus in odd ways.

Discussing His life and work brings home the reality of His life-changing power in people's lives today.

We learn patience and perseverence as He teaches us to get on with eachother and work together; appreciating oneanother's strengths and compensating for eachother's weaknesses. Grdually, we see Him formed in their lives, giving them strength and insight.

We see His hand in their circumstances - as they share intimate details of their lives, looking for prayer;and rejoice with them as we see His hand in answering their prayers.

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Experimentation and risk-taking

2007-02-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

You have a great opportunity ahead of you - the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of a small group of people. One thing to consider is that faith often calls for taking risks. This includes Bible teaching. Just because you have always done something a particular way does not mean that it always have to be done in that manner.

God is a God of variety - hence the number of different species of beetle in the world. He has made us to be stimulated by this. We don't like to listen to a monotone.

So, pray. Look for opportunities to take a step of faith to try something challenging, branch out to minister in a way you have not done before - allow the God of breakthroughs to use your experiments to break through to the group in new ways and encourage them to take risks too. You model a life of faith to them through your actions.

A word of warning: obviously, we don't eperiment or make changes just for the sake of it either. Unnecessary innovation is unwelcome because it obscures the real message that God is trying to get across through you.

Sermon Illustration...

2007-01-04T04:45:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't fit in too well here, so I'm starting up a new weblog on sermon illustration - plus a support site at www.SermonIllustration.info - it will be interesting to see how this one turns out.

There are issues that are common to both small group work and speaking to larger audiences. You will notice that Jesus did both - speaking to large crowds as well as investing His life in a small group of trusted followers.

Paul and the other Apostles continued in this vein - indeed Paul instructed Timothy to do the same in 2 Timothy ch.2 v.2 - speaking to both large audiences and intimate groups.

New Year - New Developments

2007-01-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

The latest of my projects has started to take shape. The prayer board at teleos.net is now up - along with the first drafts on some notes about finding God's will for your life.

I'm pleased with the way it is taking shape - now all I need is to find some people to help in their quest to find God...

Happy Christmas!

2006-12-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

A quick Happy Christmas to my loyal readers - plus a short meditation.

In Luke's Gospel we are introduced to to individuals who had studied the scriptures, who had prepared for the coming Messiah, and were secure enough in their relationship with God to dare to believe that He would promise them they would see the Messiah.

They were people of faith - and great patience. How else ca you explain someone hanging on all those years in anticipation - not becoming wearied through disappointment as time passed?

Question

Can you think of any other Biblical examples of 'prepared people' - whose faith and patience are tested and ultimately rewarded?

Christmas Chracter Studies - the shepherds

2006-12-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

It's woth taking a look at how shepherds are depicted across the entire Bible. Examine thecharacteristics of both the good and bad shepherds listed in both the Old and New Testaments.

There was a good reasn why David was sent out to look after the sheep - he as the youngest, and most importantly, no-one else wanted to do it. It didn't have the status assocated with being a warrior or tradesman. It was certainly inconvenient, lonely, hard work. It had specific dangers associated with it, but also long periods on mind-numbing inactivity.

It wasn't a career choice for the upwardly mobile.

But it was to these people that the angels appeared to announce the saviour's birth. Not the rich or skillful. Society may have excluded them - but God decisively included them, as if to say, "You have significance, you matter to me just as much as those who have been blessed with more in this life."

This is an important lesson for us. If God is impartial, then it is essential that e follo His example in the way we treat others.

Question

God often compares himself to a shepherd. How do you reconcile the shepherd's low status with the image of an all-powerful king?

Christmas Character Study 1

2006-12-22T11:14:00.000-08:00

Herod - the character who lost the plot

It is difficult sometimes to have sympathy for someone who beomes a victim of a problem of their own making. This is certainly true of Herod the Great.

As a political wheeler and dealer he had schemed and connived himself into a position he had no right to possess, and that ws where his troubles started.

Essentially he was squeezed in he middle - with an occupying army that could remove him on a general's whim on one side, and a rebellious nation who did not recognise his claim to rulership on the other. He had to appear to be strong - but not too strong. He had to be co-operative, but not appear weak enough to be a target for the same manoevering that put him on the throne in the first place.

Then, into the mix for a paranoid king of a people whose culture and aspiraions he neither shares nor respects, there arrives a party of wise men bringing news of a royal birth. In this context, his genocidal outburst seems natural.

But what he doesn't realise is that unwittingly, his madness fulfills prophecies laid down centuries beforehand. His behaviour had been predicted. Not the first Biblical despot to find that his fate was sealed before he acted. Not the last either.

Question

Despotic rulers can be found in many parts of the world today; as well as foolish leaders. There are plenty of prophecies concerning the return of Jesus. Discuss how God's purposes are unwittingly advanced by those who do not realise they are actually fulfilling God's word, but act to protect their own selfish ends.

Advent Word Study #6

2006-12-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

Angels: they play a significant part in the Nativity. But, who are they?

Angellos just means messenger - no more, no less. They have cerain specific powers, but they have a clearly defined role and there are distinct limitations to their knowledge and abilities. They are not objects of veneration, for, like us they have been created by god with a purpose to fulfill.

In the story of Jesus' birth, they play the part of heralds of important events that shape the narrative. They reveal the impending pregnancy of both Elizabeth and Mary with John and Jesus. They reassure Joseph and warn him of impending danger in his dreams. They announce the birth of Jesus to shepherds.

It is speculated that angelic intervention is more widely seen in cultures where fewer people have opportunities to read the Word of God for themselves. Certainly, whether contemporary accounts of angels are authentic or not, there is work for them to do.

Question

How ould you react to a visitation from an angel? How would you determine that your experience was valid, and that this was truly an angel form God?

Word study for Advent - 5

2006-12-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

Isaiah ch.7 v.14 is well known enough as a clear Messianic prophecy. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

An all-powerful God provides an irrefutable sign that He is truly in control. No merely a young woman conceiving, but something supernatural, that cannot be explained without accepting that the Almighty is both capable of and willing to intervene in human history.

Question

Immanuel means 'God with us'. What does that mean to you in your daily life?

Advent Word Studies: 4

2006-12-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Messianic Titles:

Isaiah ch.9 v.6 gives us a list of names:

For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Each one would be a meditation in its own right. I shall just take one: Mighty God. To us, looking from this side of His resurrection, calling Jesus God is natural, for we have come to know Him as our own Lord. But for the people at the time of the prophet Isaiah, this must have appeared to be a bizarre conndrum. A man, referred to be equal to God himself?

Make no mistake. For this was not a comparison, hyperbole or figure of speech. Isaiah was just speaking those words as the Holy Spirit inspired him to, and his choice of words was significant.

We are not talking about grades of divinity. Yahweh Himself is referred to as a Mighty God in a number of passages, particularly when He is being called upon a Righteous Judge. Jesus will return as our Judge too.

The same Jesus is referrd to as Almighty God in Revelation - just as His father is - the first and last. Source of creation and the One under whom it will experience its final culmination.

Question

Choose one of the other titles for Jesus in this passage. Search for other references to this title used for the Father and the Holy Spirit. Look for common themes to give you an insight into Isaiah'schoice of words when he gave this short list of titles for the coming Messiah. In what ways was this title fulfilled by Jesus when He first came? In what ays will the title be fulfilled on His return?

Advent Word Study: 3

2006-12-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

What's in a name?

Today's word is: Gabriel.

It's a name. Names have meaning. They disclose the nature of what is being named. That is why God's names, used in the Bible are so important. They give us an essential insight into His nature. In later studies we will look at some of the Messianic titles. But for now, we will focus on another character in our meditations on the Nativity.

We could do a character study on Gabriel. Where else he appears in the Bible. What other clues we have as to his work as an angel with authority from different passages dealing with angels.

But I want to focus on just one aspect. His name means "strong man"/champion/hero of God - The Almighty is literally his strength. Without Him, he is nothing, has no purpose, no position, no power.

It is not a throwaway remark when he reveals himself to Zachariah in Luke ch.1 v.19 by saying "I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God."

Question

What would you call yourself, and why? What meaning does the name you chose have that reveals your nature?

Advent Word Study: 2

2006-12-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

Jesus' birth was foretold by prophets who saw His coming, longed to live in those times, but who died confident in the promise that the Almighty had made. That is faith.

Yet, despite a number of clear prophecies that pinpointed the manner, location and special circumstances surrounding His birth, it was largely ovelooked by the religious establishment of the day. His arrival was viewed as a political threat, in fulfillment of another prophecy. But human attempts to thwart God's plans are doomed to futility.

Question:

Why the inaction of the religious establishment? They knew the prophecies well enough. They could explain the situation to Herod easily enough. They must have known what his true intentions were in Matthew ch.2, but they did nothing.

Did they fear the disruption of the staus quo? Did they fear the consequences of being wrong if they backed a false Messiah? Were they so convinced of the military might of Rome that they thought the Messiah would be no match if the Empire decided to crush any rebellion He instigated? Discuss your ideas. Can you back them up with suitable scrptures?

An Advent word study: 1

2006-12-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Jesus is described as the Last Adam in 1 Corinthians ch.15 v.45 by the Apostle Paul. There is no accident in his choice of words. He could have described Jesus as a 'second' Adam. But he didn't. He deliberately chose the word 'last' to make a specific point. Jesus' arrival was not merely another step on a long road to spiritual enlightenment for us all.

His birth, rather was the final phase of a long awaited fulfilment of specific prophecy. It was the completion of a work of perfection, not a second phase that would need further correction from a string of self-proclaimed 'new' messiahs.

Jesus' birth heralded that completion. There will never be another baby born as a saviour for all humanity, for that work is done, finished on a cross thirty years later. Now, we go, sent out with the same spirit and power to bring the good news to the rest of humanity.

Question:

We often talk about Jesus as the 'first' (or origin, source). What passages can you find that talk about Jesus as the 'last' (or similar words - final, completion)? Is there any connection beteen the two sets of passages that you can see?

Writing Character Studies

2006-10-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

By All Saints' Day, I should have the first of a series of character studies ready. Each one is split into three lessons. Each lesson takes an episode in the life of or a characteristic of an individual in the Bible, and examines what lessons we can learn from this.

I'll post some more details over the week.

Consideration of Size

2006-10-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

Group dynamics change with the number of people you work with. Jesus understood this clearly. The way He shared His life with Peter, James and John was different to the way He taught the Twelve when all together. This contrasted clearly with the style of His public teaching to large crowds.

Similarly, in the intimacy of a small group, don't be tempted to preach at the class. Questions and answers worked into a dialogue are far more effective. You have the luxury of being able to tailor your teaching to the needs of your group. But that means getting to know them, appreciating the different ways they learn best, finding out their level of understanding and level of comfort - if they are t be lovingly challenged to step outside that box and grow more.

It's a heavy responsibility - but not one we bear alone. We can ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and empower us in order to make not just good decisions; but bold, outrageous decisions that challenge and inspire faith in those we lead.

Prayer and Bible Study

2006-10-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

It seems such a simple point - almost trivial. But it must be said.

If you want to be successful in studying the Bible - have a word with the author. He inspired it, He has an agenda for your personal growth.

As it says in Proverbs, commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed.

Bible Study on the Go...

2006-10-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Listening to Bible readings and sermons on tape/CD/MP3 while travelling may not be a new idea. Using a mobile phone with internet access to obtain delivery of Bible study materials opens up a hole new range of possibilities. I must confess, during the recent unveiling of the .mobi extension, I registered two for different projects: http://xtn.mobi and http://preach.mobi - it will be interesting to see what sort of response and audience they develop.

Buddy up - for small group Bible study success!

2006-10-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

A short hint. As it says in Ecclesiastes ch.4 v.9-12 " Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up.Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Or as Proverbs ch.27 v.17 puts it, "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance."

By buddying up with a friend and making eachother equally accountable for the success of your study together, it gives you not only a safety net - someone to remind you that you need to do your homework, or to give you that much-needed word of encouragement. It also gives you an opportunity to minister in a safe, friendly environment. This is something that should not be overlooked or under-rated. It is an essential part of your growth as a Christian, before you take bigger steps of sharing with a cell group or the whole congregation.

Book Studies - a time to wrestle

2006-10-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

It is one thing to tackle a passage of scripture - but a whole book is an entirely different matter. One of the biggest problems for the newcomer to studying a book is the fate of the failed commentary writer.

It is not your objective to write a meditation based on every single verse.
your first responsibility is just to read it as narrative - it's part of a big story book after all, and see if you can get to grips ith the six big questions:

who
what
why
where
when
how

Who was the book originally written to?

What type of writing is it?

Why was it written?

Where and when was it written?

How should its message be applied?

After reading through it, if you're not sre of the book's background, pick up a good Bible dictionary or a commentary on the book and see what that says.

Then,

Split up the text into Key Passages where the major part of your study will be concentrated.

Identify the Key People and examine their relationship with God.

Draw out the Key Principles that can be applied from this book.

After that, you may want to draw ut a Timeline of important events - also put them in a historical context - what else was happening, before, durin and after.

You can also list the Themes that run through the book and see how they parallel eachother.

You may want to draw Trees, to show how different ideas or principles develop and are dependent on one-another throughout the narrative

When to Study the Bible

2006-10-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Some preachers will compare spiritual disciplines to physical exercise. There are plenty of Biblical precedents for this. 1 Corinthians ch.9 v.24-27, Hebrews ch.12 v.1 and 2 Timothy ch.2 v.4 immediately spring to mind.

But the analogy runs deeper. An athlete has trained his body to be able to perform at the appropriate level of fitness when needed. When we are tested, that is when we see whether we are spiritually flabby or fit.

Just as an athlete needs to consider carefully their diet and exercise regime. So with us. A varied devotional diet - not just reading testimonies and the regulation skimming of two or three chapters on the annual Bible reading plan. When do you schedule Biblical meditation? When do you meet with others to study? When do you prepare for these studies? Is there a place for praying through the scriptures - using them in worship. Be creative! God created you in His image, so mirror that creativity in your study.

Are you a morning person? Give that time to God, He deserves the best. Are you a night owl? Praise Him then - just don't wake the neighbours! Don't force yourself to be what you're not. If you're sharp just before lunch - study then. If reading a Christian book is likely to lull you off to sleep after a good meal, then that wouldn't be an ideal time.

How do the seasons affect you? Will you have more quality time at one time of the year due to work schedules? Consider these things. But be creative. Listen to tapes or mp3 files while travelling.

Deuteronomy ch.6 v.9 has an important principle here - not to follow a legalistic example of binding scripture verses around yourself. But to have them inscribed on the insides of your hands and head, guiding your actions, marking the boundaries of your home so that people see a difference and not just a written word.

That's why the Good Lord commanded His people to talk about His words - so they would become part and parcel of their lifestyle, something that would define His people, that others would know His presence through interacting with a community whose lives were shaped by His words.

He promised blessing then to people who kept His Covenant. A solemn, bining agreement that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. We are therefore heirs of His blessings, but that does not relieve u of the responsibility of thse guiding principles - to let the Word shape our internal life so that our exterior is similarly transformed.

Be prepared

2006-09-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

There is nothing worse than turning up to lead a Bible study group and finding that no-one has read or thought about the passage you're going to work through, even though everyone has known in advance what the topic will be, had notes or a workbook to help guide them.

Actually, I can think of plenty of far worse things. Including having (or being) a Bible study group leader who hasn't prepared for the session.

Excuses abound: a hard week at work, family issues, just not enough time or energy. This is why accountability and openness are important. It is far too easy to wing it - we're too polite to tell someone to their face that we think their contribution to the study was worse than useless.

It is a question of priorities. If something is important to us, we will make time for it; going over the material to syudy or meditate on during a lunchbreak, over a coffee with a good friend, in the early hours of the morning while everyone else in the house is asleep.

It's also a question of perspective. Why do you want to do the homework? What benefit will it ultimately bring to you? Understanding that is a key to developing perseverence when the going is not so easy.

2006-08-16T03:48:00.000-07:00

The other week I discovered a short free email course on how to improve the way you teach the Bible to small groups.

The author of the course is Glenn Brooke. On his website, he promotes a more in-depth ebook on the subject. Click here for more information on both the free course and the $29 book.

If you decide to join his email list, there are a few other interesting free resources too.

Types of study

2006-08-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to catalogue a list of different types of study that can be undertaken either individually or in small groups. I shall then expand on them in later postings.

So far, I've decided to cover the following topics:

Character study - reviewing the life of a specific individual in the Bible and seeing what Biblical principles apply to their story.
Book study - reviewing the main themes of a specific book of the Bible, understanding its structure, purpose and message - in both its historical context and its application for today.
Word study - looking at the meaning and usage of specific words in the Bible in order to understand how the Holy Spirit can communicate with us today by looking carefully at the original writer's intent.
Thematic study - looking at a range of Bible verses dealing with a common theme in order to draw out a composite picture of God's attitude to a specific subject.
Meditation - continual review of a specific passage in order to allow the Holy Spirit to communicate the answers to questions arising from the text.
Memorization - Learning a specific passage of scripture by heart in order to be able to examine its flow and depth of meaning, while looking for specific application of the Biblical prinicles underlying the text.

A people of the Book

2006-08-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

Whether we like to admit it or not, the purpose of Bible study is to enable us to deepen our relationship with God. There are other reasons that we might prefer to give - to equip us for service, help us become better people. But these are means to a greater end, they are not the final outcome itself.

Another thing to bear in mind is that it is vert tempting to evaluate the Bible's text and try to fit it into our worldview, evaluating its message in the light of our experience, rather than allowing its message to shed light on the evaluation of our experiences and shape our worldview.

Character Studies - further thoughts for Bible study

2006-08-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

The Bible is essentially a book about people - ordinary people, just like you and me. It describes how they encountered an extraordinary God who transformed their lives.

It therefore provides a yardstick against which we can measure our own spiritual experiences. It gives us valuable insights into the spiritual principles that apply to circumstances in our lives mirrored by those of the people in the Book.

Homework for Bible Studies - not an optional extra

2006-08-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

When you were a child, you were set homework for a reason. Many skills take practice, and if you don't put the effort in, you will not get the desired result. This is particularly true if the time for instruction is limited, and there would be plenty of time to forget what you have learned if you do not apply it.

There is also the advantage that you can come to a Bible study prepared. That instead of having to spend a large proportion of time warming up or recapping, the person leading the study can launch into the next part of the teaching.

Don't forget the possibility that you may also have the opportunity to testify how the homework helped you apply Biblical truth to your own life - that it enabled you to see new connections between faith and action in your lifestyle; that by having a structured assignment, God was able to speak clearly to you and work powerfully through you in a way that you would have missed out on.

When setting homework as a schoolteacher, I was sometimes conscious that for some, it would reinforce failure or bad practice because they did not have a supportive parent who could help them. With Bible study, that is one thing I don't have to fear because each one of us has access to a loving Heavenly Father who can reach out by His Spirit and give a clearer understanding when we encounter difficulties with His word.

Character Studies

2006-08-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

One way to study the Bible and find some principles to apply in your own life, is to work your way through a character study.

It's always good to study these people in the Bible. Because we're not given an unrealistic picture of how they should have lived.

Instead, we're left with a gritty story that contains true-to-life snapshots of how ordinary people - just like us - came into contact with an extraordinary God, how He transformed their lives, and how they still were not perfect after that.

A few thoughts about Bible Study

2006-08-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

As with diet, variety is important.

There are a number of different ways of studying the Bible, and a mixture of approaches will help you get more out of it than just sticking to your favourite.

We're often warned about the dangers of too much processed food in our diet - that it makes it difficult for us to maintain a healthy balanced mix, that our bodies need wholefoods in order to function properly.

So it is with Bible study. It is not healthy to let someone else do all your thinking for you, but you need to be challenged as an active participant in Bible study. You need an environment where you are free to ask and answer questions yourself.

Memorization Game

2006-08-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a simple Bible verse memorization game - simple enough - I find the authoring far more fun than the tweaking of the user-interface afterwards.

I now have to decide on what additonal features I should add to the game to make it more playable.

Bible Memorization

2006-08-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

There is a reason why memorizing Bible verses is an essential part of a balanced devotional life.

If you wish to be effective in using the scriptures in order to share God's perspective with others, you have to know what He has said, and where He has said it. Half-remembered bits of verses are not good enough. As Eve found out in Genesis ch.3, incomplete recall of God's words not only gives ground for confusion, but can be exploited by the enemy.

The Holy Spirit has been promised to help us recall God's word when we face confrontation - but this does not absolve us from the responsibility to get the word inside us first. Our role model in this respect is Jesus, who demonstrated ably in Luke ch.4 why recalling precisely what God has said is an essential tool in spiritual warfare.

Why study the Bible?

2006-08-02T05:17:00.000-07:00

If you believe that there is a God, and that He has taken the trouble to communicate His will to us through a collection of books through the ages, then it is an inescapable conclusion that finding out what He has said, and how His words affect us must be a high priority in our lives.

Studying the Bible means more than reading books about it or listening to people explaining their thoughts about it. Indeed, in Acts ch.17 v.11, the people of Berea were specifically commended by Luke because they did not merely take Paul and his companions' words at face value, but conducted their own studies to determine whether they spoke the truth, or were making things up to suit their own agendas.

This is logical. After all, if you believe that the same Holy Spirit who inspired the writers of the Bible is at work today, then He can speak to you, and give you insight into the application and meaning of those same words as you study them today.

An exciting idea, if you pause to consider its full impact. That the creator of the entire universe cares enough about you as an individual, that He will choose to demonstrate the reality of His presence by communicating with you as you fill your mind with words he inspired two thousand years ago - that this transcends barriers of language, of the limitations of our intellect and imagination, of our own imperfection.

He chooses to meet us as we are in order to shape us into the people He has clled us to be, and the tool He chooses to do this through is His powerful Word.

Teach the Bible to Change Lives

2006-07-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

I recently found a short free email course on how to improve the way you teach the Bible to groups of people. The author is Glenn Brooke. If you visit his website, you will see that he sells a more in-depth ebook on the subject too. Click here for more information on both his free email course and the $29 ebook. His weblog is also worth a look at too.

Small Group Bible Studies

2006-05-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

A new blog for me - something different! An opportunity for me to post some devotional material.